for students of BA II sem BHU

1. First Pandya Empire
By
Prachi Virag Sontakke

2. प ांड्य वांश क इतिह स

3. Introduction
• South India- 3 centers of power:
Uraiyur, Madura, Tanjore
• Pandyas: Amongst 3 ancient
dynasties of south India.
• A long history of existence.
• Referred to in Ashokan inscription,
Sangam literature.
• Controlled Far south.
• Area of influence till Simhala.

4. Antiquity
• Ashokan inscription
• Kautilya’s Arthashastra
• Sangam literature: Shilppapadikaram & Manimekhalai
• Kishkindhakanda of Ramayana
• Mahavamsa

5. Phases of Pandyan history
• 6th cent BCE-3rd cent CE: Sangam Age
• 3rd - 6th cent CE: Dark age
• 7th - 10th cent CE: First Pandya empire
• 11th cent CE: Second Pandya empire

7. Sources
1. Inscriptions: Madras Museum inscription
2. Coins
3. Architectural remains
4. Artistic remains
5. Literary sources: Mahavamsa, Periyapuranam
6. Accounts of foreign travelers.

10. Sittannavasal rock-
cutjain caves

11. Jain sculptures-Kalugumalai

12. Keezhavalavu

15. Sunder Pandya II

16. Early rulers
• क
ां डुगोन (c.580-605CE) : Real founder of
Pandya dynasty. Defeated Kalabhras &
established Pandyas in Tamil desa.
Capital at Madura
• म रवममन अवतनशूलमणि
• शेन्दन (जयांिवममन) : Defeated Cheras.
Xuan Xang visited his kingdom at time of
a drought.
• अररक
े शरी म रवममन

17. Arikeshari Marvarman
• Imperialistic ruler
• Extended Pandya boundaries in south west
• Performed हहरण्यगर्म & िुल र्र yajnas.
• First a Jain later Shaivite
• Alleged Impaling of Jains in Madurai?
• Fictionary account: No historical proof

18. Kochchidayan Randheer
• S/O Arikeshari Maarvarman
• Defeated Cheras and Cholas
• Velvikkudi copper plate: Defeated Marathas of Mangalpuram
• Magalpuram = Manglore
• Maratha= Vatapi Chalukyas?
• Titles: मधुरकरन टकम (कन मटक), कोंगकोम नम (कोंगु), रिधीर (युद्ध प्रेमी)

19. Marvarman Rajsimgha I (c.730-765CE)
• S/O Kochchadayan Randheer
• Powerful king
• Performed Hiranyagarbha and Tulabhar daan
• Extended Pandya dominion till Kongu region

20. Imperialistic campaigns: Gangas
• Gangas = Feudatories of Vatapi Chalukyas
• Pandya boundaries clashing with Gangas
• Pandya king Defeated the combined armies of Ganga + Vatapi
Chalukya king
• Later, a treaty was sought: Marvarman married the daughter of
Ganga king.

21. Imperialistic campaigns: Pallavas
• Pallava king = Nandivarman
• Helped Chitramay, Brother of Pallava Nandivarman during fight for
Pallava throne.
• Defeated Nandivarman in many battles.
• Later Nandivarman defeated Chitramay & killed him
• Nandivarman then attacked Madura & defeated Marvarman Rajsimha I

22. Nedunjadaiyan/Varagunavarman I (c.765–815 CE)
• S/O Marvarman Rajsimha I
• A powerful king of his time.
• Velvikkudi copper plate: Defeated Pallava Nandivarman II
• Pallava king made an alliance with Kongu + Kerala, against Nedunjadaiyan
• Nedunjadaiyan defeated this federation against him not once but twice.
• Imprisoned the king of Tagdoor (Salem) & took elephants and horses from him
• Titles: परमवैष्िव, पांडडिवत्सल (ववद्व नो क स्नेही), पर ांिक (शत्रुओां क ववन शक)

23. Rock cut Jain beds-Kalugumalai

24. Srimaarsrivallabha (c.815-862CE)
• S/O Nedunjadaiyan
• Larger Sinnamanur Plates: Srimara defeated Kerala
(Chera), the king of Simhala, the Pallava and the
Vallabha.
• The Tamil potion claim his victories at Kunnur and
Vizhinjam.
• Titles: प्रेमप त्रप्रज न , एकवीर, अवतनपशेखर ,
परचक्रकोल हल

25. Srimaarshrivallabha & Pallavas
• Pallava king Nandivarman III, Ganga, Chola, Rashtrakuta: constituted a federation
against Srimarsrivallabha.
• Srimaar defeated by this combined army in Kumbhakonam.
• Inscription dated 859CE: Srimaarsrivallabh avenged his defeat at the hands of
Pallava king.
• Bahoor copper plate: S/O Nandivarman III, Nruptunga, defeated Srimaarsrivallabha.
• Even after this defeat, Srimaar retained the control of Tanjore.

26. Srimaarsrivallabha & Sri Lanka
• Mahavamsha: Srimaar attacked Lanka during reign of king Sen I. Sri Lankan king
fled. Pandya army raided north Sri Lanka & looted wealth, horses & elephants.
• Later a treaty was signed & Srimaar returned back the won areas to Sri Lankan king.
• Mahavamsha: A rebel Pandya prince named Maya Pandya asked for help of Sri
Lankan king Sen II against Srimaar.
• Sri lankan records: Rebel prince + Pallava + Sri Lankan army: defeated & killed
Srimaarsrivallabha, plundered Madura

27. Vargun II (c.862-880CE)
• S/O Srimarsrivallabha
• Mahavamsha: Varguna crowned king by commander of Sri Lankan king.
• Chola king Vijayalaya captured some parts of Pandya kingdom.
• Vargun II + Pallava king Nruptunga: Attacked Cholas.

28. Varguna II & Pallavas
• Fight for Pallava throne between sons of Nandivarman III- Nriptunga and his
step brother Aparajit.
• Varguna + Nrupatunga Vs. Sri Lankan king + Aditya Chola + Western Ganga +
Aparajit Pallava
• A decisive battle for fate of whole of south India.
• Varguna & Nruptunga defeated.
• Vargun forced to retreat to south of Kaveri.
• Loss of face for Pandyas.

29. Varguna II: Last days
• Internal rebellion
• Younger brother of Varguna II = Parantaka
• Parantaka overthrew Varguna II & acquired Pandya throne.

30. Parantakaveernarayan
(c.880-900CE)
• Dalvayapuram copper plates: Parantaka
won Kongu region & some other areas
south of Pandya kingdom.
• Matrimonial alliance with Cheras.
• Constructed many temples and ponds.

31. Marvarman Rajsimha II(c.900-920CE)
• S/O Parantakaveernarayan.
• Cholas were powerful during his reign.
• Marvarman engrossed in conflict with Cholas.
• Three rounds of battles between Pandyas and Cholas.
• Pandyas helped by Sri Lankan kings.

32. Chola-Pandya conflict: Stage I
• Udayendriyum copper plates: Parantaka Chola defeated Pandya king
Rajsimha II & occupied Madurai.
• Extended Chola boundaries to Kanyakumari.
• Tiruvalandgadu inscription: Parantaka Chola took the title
Maduraikonda, Madurantaka to celebrate this victory

33. Chola-Pandya conflict: Stage II
• Mahavamsa: Pandaya king sought help from Sri Lankan king Kassap V.
• Kassap send an army in support of Rajasimha Pandya.
• 915 CE: Pandya + Srilankan army vs. Cholas
• Parantaka Chola defeated the combined army & took the title Sangramraghava.
• Mahavamsa: Pandya army was destroyed due to a pandemic & Kassap called
back his army.
• Chullavamsa: It took a decade for Cholas to acquire whole of Pandya kingdom.

34. Chola-Pandya conflict: Stage III
• Mahavamasa: Pandya king Rajasimha went to Sri Lanka.
• Sri Lankan king Dappul IV promised to help him against Cholas: Could not
do so.
• Rajasimha had to flee Sri Lanka leaving behind his crown and other
precious belongings & took shelter in Kerala.
• Reason: ?
• 920 CE: Parantaka attacked Madura & defeated & ousted Rajasimha from
his kingdom.

35. Veerpandya (c.920-966CE)
• Madura still under Cholas.
• Veerpandya tried hard to win Madura back.
• Fought with three generations of Chola kings.
• But ultimately succumbed to Chola power.

36. Veerpandya & Cholas: Stage I
• Contemporary Chola king = Gandaraditya = weak king
• Veerapandya declared his independence & took the title
‘चेरांिलैकोंडकोववरप ांडन’ (चोल श सक क ससर क टने व ल )
• Some scholars: Cutting of head of Chola king an
exaggeration.

37. Veerpandya & Cholas: Stage II
• Contemporary Chola king = Sundar Chola Parantaka II
• Pandayas supported by Sri Lankan king Mahendra IV
• Veerpandya + Sri Lankan king vs. Sundar chola.
• Sundar chola defeated the combined armies.
• Pandya king forced to flee.

38. Veerpandya & Cholas: Stage III
• Contemporary Chola king = Aditya II
• Tiruvalangadu Copper plates: Aditya II cut off the head of Veer Pandya
• Aditya II took the title of वीरप ांड्यिलेंकोंड
• Scholars: Cutting of head of Veerpandya an exaggeration.
• Liden copper plate: Aditya II played with Veerpandya just as a lion cub
plays with elephant.

39. Aftermath of Pandya defeat at the hands of Cholas
• Pandyas lost their power and prestige
• 960-1215CE: Pandyas under Cholas
• Lack of clear info regarding Pandyas during this period: Many Pandya kings
• Chola power at zenith under Rajaraj I & Rajendra
• Pandya regions were given renamed र जर जमांडलम, र जर जप ांडीन डु by Cholas.
• Cholas used Pandya ports in their fight with Sri Lanka
• Perpetual conflict with Cholas : Numerous revolts by Pandayas.
• In 12th cent CE, Hoyasalas also became a threat to Pandyas

40. Pandya attempt against Cholas: I
• Tiruvalandgadu copper plates: Rajaraja I Chola won Pandya capital,
captured Vilinda fort.
• Imprisoned Pandya ruler Amarbhujanga.
• Victory somewhere before 992 CE.

41. Pandya attempt against Cholas: II
• 1018CE: Rajendra I sent Chola army to Pandya kingdom.
• Pandya king fled.
• Rajendra Chola appointed his son as governor of Madura.
• Constructed a palace in Madura.

42. Pandya attempt against Cholas
• Continued for many years.
• Many Chola kings fought and defeated Pandya rebel kings
• RajadjirajI, Veerrajendra, Koluttunga I, Vikram Chola, Rajadhiraja II,
Koluttunga II.
• Some Pandya kings were even killed.

43. Decline of first Pandya empire
• Successive attempts to regain independence from Cholas.
• Rise of Hoyasals: Ballal II called Pandyagajakesari, Pandyakulakhandan
• Last king of first Pandya empire: Jatavarman Kulshekhar {1190-1215CE}.
• Revolted against Koluttunga III but was defeated & forced to flee.
• Later improved his situation: won Kalinga ?
• End of First Pandya Empire.