Pandya Dynasty

1. Pandya Dynasty Pandya Dynasty is considered to be one of the powerful ruling dynasties in South India. They ruled mainly the ancient state of Tamil Nadu. The Pandya kingdom was the second important kingdom in south India during this period. It occupied the region of modern districts of Tirunelveli, Ramnad, and Madurai in Tamil Nadu. The Pandyan kingdom was an ancient Tamil state in South India of unknown antiquity. Pandyas were one of the three ancient Tamil kingdoms (Chola and Chera being the other two) that ruled the Tamil country from pre-historic times until end of the fifteenth century. They ruled initially from Korkai, a seaport on the southern-most tip of the Indian peninsula, and in later times moved to Madurai. Pandyas entered their golden age under Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan (c. 1251) who expanded their empire into Telugu country and invaded Sri Lanka to conquer the northern half of the island. Their territory included present-day Kerela. They also had extensive trade links with the Southeast Asian maritime empires of Srivijaya and their successors. The Pandyas excelled in both trade and literature. They controlled the pearl fisheries along the South Indian coast, between Sri Lanka and India, which produced some of the finest pearls known in the ancient world. Tradition holds that the legendary Sangam were held in Madurai under their patronage. Some of the Sangam poets became kings of Pandya. Pandya dynasty was the longest ruling dynasty in Indian history. The accurate ancestry of the Pandya kings, however, has not been yet recognized. Pandyas ruled from Korkai, a sea port, and shifted later to Madurai. Pandya Empire of the south is deemed to have been founded five to six centuries before Christian era. The early Pandyan Dynasty weakened due to invasion of the Kalabhras. They revived under Kadungon in the sixth century who forced the Kalabhras out of the region and ruled from Madurai. With the rise of the Cholas dynasty they declined again in the ninth century. The later Pandyas of 1150 AD -1350 AD resurged under the rule of Maravman Sundara Pandyan I and Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan I. Both these rulers extended their empire to Telugu regions, Kalinga and Sri Lanka. Many rulers of the Pandya dynasty have been mentioned in the Sangam literature also.

2. Origin of Pandya Dynasty The word “Pandya” has its derivation from the Tamil word “Pandi” which means bull. Bull is considered as a sign of masculinity and valour. In Sangam Literature, however, Pandya means ‘old country.’ The Pandyan kingdom was an ancient Tamil state in South India of unknown antiquity. Pandyas were one of the three ancient Tamil kingdoms (Chola and Chera being the other two) that ruled the Tamil country from pre-historic times until end of the fifteenth century. They ruled initially from Korkai, a seaport on the southern-most tip of the Indian peninsula, and in later times moved to Madurai. Pandyas entered their golden age under Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan (c. 1251) who expanded their empire into Telugu country and invaded Sri Lanka to conquer the northern half of the island. Their territory included present-day Kerela. They also had extensive trade links with the Southeast Asian maritime empires of Srivijaya and their successors. The Pandyas excelled in both trade and literature. They controlled the pearl fisheries along the South Indian coast, between Sri Lanka and India, which produced some of the finest pearls known in the ancient world. Tradition holds that the legendary Sangam were held in Madurai under their patronage. Some of the Sangam poets became kings of Pandya.