Administration of Chera Dynasty

The Chera kingdom’s political institution was based on the monarchy. The king’s personality was a great deal of the pomp and different ceremony.

  • The Royal Queen held a high and privileged position.
  • She sat with the king or beside him at all types of religious events.
  • The Shilappadikaram mentions the ‘king’s council’.
  • There are other ‘five assemblies’ in the Chera administration system.
  • The Chera king’s council consisted with so many powerful noblemen.
  • The rajas of the districts were known by their region.
  • The council was not only the highest advisory body in the Chera Dynasty.
  • The final judicial tribunal of Chera used to help the king when he held his daily durbar to hear the petitions and deliver the judgments.
  • The Chera kingdom was divided into four divisions.
  • The Chief Minister in the Chera dynasty was the powerful Dewans. They administer the states of Travancore and Cochin on behalf of the king.
  • The chief priest was the Nair. He was the chief astrologer and also helped the king in the time of determining policy.
  • The “Manram” was the operator of each village of the Chera kingdom.
  • The ancient Chera state had an executive structure. They can influence royal policy and legal judgments.

Chera Dynasty : Overview, Rulers, Economy, & End of Chera Dynasty

The Chera Dynasty or the Cheras was a Dravidian dynasty that ruled the present Tamil Nadu and Kerala. They were the first in this area who establish a well-systemed medieval ruling dynasty in the south-eastern and southwestern parts of India. There were two distinct and different periods when this dynasty ruled the southern part of India. The Early Cheras ruled the region between the 4th to 5th centuries BC. On the other hand, the Kulasekharas who were the later Cheras ruled the same region between the 8th to 12th centuries AD. The Chera dynasty was famous for their contributions to trade, culture, and literature of medieval India. They played a significant role in shaping the history of the southern part of India.

In this article, we are going to discuss the Chera Dynasty in detail. Let’s start.

Table of Content

  • Chera Dynasty – Overview
  • Chera Dynasty – Background
  • Important Rulers of the Chera Dynasty
  • Administration of Chera Dynasty
  • Society of Chera Dynasty
  • Economy of the Chera Dynasty
  • Art and Architecture of the Chera Dynasty
  • Literature of Chera Dynasty
  • Contemporaries of the Chera Dynasty
  • Decline – End of Chera Dynasty

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Chera Dynasty – Overview

The Chera territory included the western coast of the South that covers the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The capital of the Chera Dynasty shifted at different times in different places including Vanji, Karur, and Urayur. The Cheras are referred to as Kedalaputo in Emperor Ashoka‘s Pali rock inscriptions. The Cheras were engaged in conflicts with neighboring kingdoms such as the Cholas and Pandyas. These conflicts were related to their territorial and political ambitions. Here is an overview table of Cheras as mentioned below....

Chera Dynasty – Background

Here is the general bacground of the Chera Dynasty as mentioned below....

Important Rulers of the Chera Dynasty

Let us discuss about some important rulers of Chera Dynasty as mentioned below....

Administration of Chera Dynasty

The Chera kingdom’s political institution was based on the monarchy. The king’s personality was a great deal of the pomp and different ceremony....

Society of Chera Dynasty

The Chera citizens practiced the native Dravidian religions. The religious practices consisted of performing different sacrifices to various gods. Their supreme god was Murugan....

Economy of the Chera Dynasty

The early Chera economy was based on “pastoral-cum-agrarian” activities and trade. The practice of agriculture grew over time. It served as the foundation for the larger economic change....

Art and Architecture of the Chera Dynasty

Cheras architecture was the classic form of Dravidian architecture. Their temples were octagonal or rectangular in shape. They built these temples with the sandstones and granite. Their temples were divided into four different sections including vimanam, mandapams, gopurams, and garbhagriha....

Literature of Chera Dynasty

The Sangam texts tell about the Tamil literature works in the Chera kingdom. So many Chera rulers along with Pandya and Chola rulers supported literature in their times....

Contemporaries of the Chera Dynasty

The Chera dynasty was the most significant kingdom of the Sangam era. The early Cheras were one of the three major powers of ancient Tamilakam. Some of the Chera Dynasty’s contemporaries were the Cholas and the Pandyas. The Chera dynasty is often associated with the Sangam age and its literacy development process....

Decline – End of Chera Dynasty

The Cheras, a strong dynasty in South India. They faced so many challenges during the 9th and 10th centuries. Rashtrakutas briefly ruled over them, and conflicts with the Cholas weakened their power. Eventually, internal conflicts led to the emergence of separate chieftains. Rama Varma Kulasekhara faced turmoil and organized suicide squads to resist. After the Chera period, Nambudiri Brahmins declined, and Nairs rose in prominence....

Conclusion on Chera Dynasty

The Chera Dynasty or the Cheras was a Dravidian dynasty. They were the most significant kingdom of the Sangam era. The Chera territory included the western coast of the South that covers the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The capital of the Chera Dynasty shifted at different times in different places including Vanji, Karur, and Urayur. In this article, we have learned about the Chera Dynasty in detail....

FAQs on Chera Dynasty

Who was the founder of Cheras dynasty?...