Chera Dynasty of South India (9th–12th Century)
Medieval History › Early Medieval Period · Topic 1.13
The later Cheras, also called the Chera Perumals or Kulasekharas, ruled Kerala from Mahodayapuram (Kodungallur) from about the ninth century until the early twelfth. They ruled an Indian Ocean trading coast, issued the Tharisapalli and Jewish copper plates, and were drawn into long wars with the Cholas, who overran their country under Rajaraja I and Rajendra I.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Early Medieval Period
At a Glance
- Also called Chera Perumals or Kulasekharas
- Capital Mahodayapuram (Kodungallur)
- Period About the ninth to the early twelfth century
- Records Tharisapalli plates (about 849) and Jewish copper plates (about 1000)
- Rival Cholas
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Medieval History: Early Medieval Period
Where Does It Fit?
This is the thirteenth topic of the category on the early medieval period. The previous topic completed the Chola group, and this topic turns to the Cholas’ western neighbour in Kerala. The next topic covers the Yadavas of Devagiri in the Deccan. Previous topic: Chola Education and Literature.
Who Were the Later Cheras?
In short: the later Chera dynasty was a medieval dynasty of Kerala, based at Mahodayapuram, who ruled a busy port coast until the Cholas and internal breakdown ended their kingdom in the early twelfth century.
Around the ninth century central Kerala seems to have separated from the wider Chera or Kerala kingdom and formed a medieval kingdom centred on Mahodayapuram, now Kodungallur. Scholars link the Alvar saint Kulasekhara and the Nayanar saint Cheraman Perumal with some of the earliest medieval Chera rulers. The known rulers include Sthanu Ravi, Rama Rajasekhara (Cheraman Perumal) and the last king, Rama Kulasekhara.
What Do the Copper Plates Tell Us?
| Record | Date | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Tharisapalli plates | About 849, fifth regnal year of Sthanu Ravi | Issued by the Venad ruler Ayyan Adikal; land and serfs granted to a Christian church at Quilon; its upkeep entrusted to the guilds Anjuvannam and Manigramam |
| Jewish copper plates | About 1000 | Charter by the Chera ruler Bhaskara Ravi to Joseph Rabban, the Jewish merchant leader of Mahodayapuram, giving him the rights of the Anjuvannam guild and various privileges and tolls |
The Tharisapalli plates are the first precisely dated edict of Kerala. Both records show that the Chera kings dealt with foreign merchant communities through charters and guild rights. A tradition of Cochin Jews places their charter far earlier, but historians date it to about 1000.
What Is the Timeline of the Later Cheras?
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| About 849 | Tharisapalli plates issued in the fifth year of Sthanu Ravi |
| About 885 | Sthanu Ravi takes part in conquering the Kongu country from the Pandyas |
| About 1000 | Bhaskara Ravi issues the charter to Joseph Rabban |
| 985 to 1014 | Rajaraja I destroys the Chera navy at Trivandrum and attacks Quilon |
| Early 11th century | Cholas overrun the Chera country under Rajendra I |
| Early 12th century | The Mahodayapuram kingdom breaks up into independent chiefdoms |
These dates come from inscriptions and later summaries and are approximate, so the order of events matters more than the exact year.
Why Was Kerala Important in Trade?
The port of Kollam (Quilon) became a major Indian Ocean trade hub in this period. The Cheras and the Pandyas used the Vattezhuttu script. Malabar was a centre of India’s trade with Southeast Asia and sent pepper to the Middle East. The Cholas attacked the Chera country in the early eleventh century and forced it into submission, reportedly to break its pepper trade monopoly with West Asia, according to one account.
How Did the Cholas Conquer the Cheras?
Rajaraja I destroyed the Chera navy at Trivandrum and attacked Quilon. His son Rajendra I completely overran the Pandya and Chera countries and included them in the Chola empire. The Chola motive was partly to control trade with Southeast Asia, since the Coromandel coast and Malabar were the main centres of that trade. The Chera kingdom alternated between alliance and conflict with the Cholas and Pandyas, and the Mahodayapuram kingdom broke up in the early twelfth century, when most of its chiefdoms became independent.
What Was the Legacy of the Cheras?
The Chera Perumals left copper plate records on land grants and trade rights, port towns on the Malabar coast, and early Tamil and Malayalam devotional writing. The collapse of the kingdom left many local chiefdoms, which later grew into the small rulers whom the Portuguese met in the sixteenth century. As an analytical point, the Chera story shows how a state could rely on trade income and foreign merchant groups without a large agrarian base, which made it vulnerable to a neighbour like the Cholas.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Trade coast Kerala was a key link in the Indian Ocean trade
- Inscriptions Copper plates are common Prelims facts
- Chola expansion Shows how the Cholas gained the western trade
What Came Next?
The next topic covers the Yadavas of Devagiri, who rose in the Deccan as the Kalyani Chalukya power faded. Next topic: Yadava Dynasty of Devagiri (12th–13th Century).
Key People and Terms
- Mahodayapuram Chera capital, now Kodungallur
- Sthanu Ravi King in the Tharisapalli plates
- Bhaskara Ravi King who issued the Jewish copper plates
- Anjuvannam Merchant guild
- Vattezhuttu Old script of the Cheras and Pandyas
- Kollam Port town, also called Quilon
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Capital Mahodayapuram (Kodungallur).
- Tharisapalli plates date to about 849.
- Jewish copper plates were issued to Joseph Rabban.
- Rajaraja I destroyed the Chera navy at Trivandrum.
- The kingdom broke up in the early twelfth century.
Do Not Confuse With
- Early Cheras and later Cheras Sangam-age dynasty versus the Mahodayapuram dynasty
- Cheras and Pandyas Kerala versus the southern Tamil country
- Tharisapalli plates and Jewish plates Christian church grant versus a Jewish merchant charter
Memory Hook
Mahodayapuram trades, plates record, Rajaraja burns the fleet, chiefs break away.
Mains Angle
Questions on the Cheras focus on trade and inscriptions. These points add depth.
- Trade Pepper, Kollam and foreign merchants
- Sources Copper plates and temple records
- Fall Chola pressure and local chiefs
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“How do the copper plates of medieval Kerala throw light on trade and society under the Chera Perumals?”
How to Answer
- Plates Tharisapalli and Jewish plates.
- Trade Guilds and Kollam.
- Society Foreign communities.
- Fall Chola pressure.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was the Chera capital in medieval Kerala?
The later Chera capital was Mahodayapuram, the present Kodungallur, on the Malabar coast. It was a busy port where foreign merchants lived, and the Jewish copper plates name Joseph Rabban as merchant leader of this port.
What are the Tharisapalli plates?
The Tharisapalli plates, dated to about 849, record a grant of land and serfs by the Venad ruler Ayyan Adikal to a Christian church at Quilon in the fifth regnal year of Sthanu Ravi. The plates entrusted its upkeep to the guilds Anjuvannam and Manigramam.
What are the Jewish copper plates of Cochin?
The Jewish copper plates are a charter issued about 1000 by the Chera ruler Bhaskara Ravi to Joseph Rabban, giving him guild rights and privileges. They show that foreign merchant groups held royal protection on the Malabar coast.
How did the Cholas defeat the Cheras?
Rajaraja I destroyed the Chera navy at Trivandrum and attacked Quilon, and Rajendra I completely overran the Chera and Pandya countries. Partly the aim was control of the Malabar trade with Southeast Asia, which the Chera ports commanded.
When did the Chera Perumal kingdom end?
The Chera kingdom of Mahodayapuram dissolved in the early twelfth century, and most of its chiefdoms became independent. The last ruler is dated about 1089 to 1124 in one account, after repeated wars with the Cholas.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Rajaraja I destroyed the Chera navy at Trivandrum.
He also attacked Quilon.
2 The Tharisapalli plates were granted to a Christian church at Quilon.
They date to about 849.
3 The later Chera capital was Kanchipuram.
It was Mahodayapuram, now Kodungallur.
4 The Jewish copper plates were granted to Joseph Rabban.
The ruler was Bhaskara Ravi.
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