Indian History: South Indian Dynasties

South Indian dynasties form a critical topic for Kerala PSC exams given Kerala’s own history is intertwined with the Chera dynasty. Questions frequently appear on Sangam-age rulers, Chola administration, Pallava architecture, and Vijayanagar Empire. Expect 2-4 questions per paper.

Overview of Major South Indian Dynasties

Dynasty	Region	Period	Capital
Cheras	Kerala (western Tamil Nadu)	Sangam age onwards	Vanji (Karur), later Mahodayapuram
Cholas	Tamil Nadu (Kaveri delta)	Sangam age; Imperial 850-1279 CE	Uraiyur, Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Pandyas	Southern Tamil Nadu	Sangam age; revived 6th-14th century	Madurai
Pallavas	Northern Tamil Nadu	275-897 CE	Kanchipuram
Chalukyas of Badami	Karnataka/Deccan	543-757 CE	Badami (Vatapi)
Chalukyas of Kalyani (Western)	Karnataka/Deccan	973-1189 CE	Kalyani
Eastern Chalukyas	Andhra Pradesh	624-1075 CE	Vengi
Rashtrakutas	Deccan	753-982 CE	Manyakheta (Malkhed)
Vijayanagar Empire	South India	1336-1646 CE	Hampi (Vijayanagara)

Sangam Age Dynasties

The Sangam period (300 BCE to 300 CE) saw three Tamil kingdoms — Cheras, Cholas, and Pandyas — collectively called “Muvendhar.”

Chera Dynasty (Sangam Period)

Ruler	Key Facts
Udiyanjeral	Earliest known Chera king; fed both armies at the Kurukshetra war (according to tradition)
Nedum Cheralathan	Defeated Chola and Pandya combined forces; bore marks of war on his back (Imayavaramban)
Senguttuvan (Red Chera)	Greatest Sangam Chera king; instituted Pattini cult (worship of Kannagi); marched to Himalayas to get stone for Kannagi temple
Athan	Last great Sangam Chera ruler

Chera Emblem	Bow and Arrow
Port	Muziris (Muchiri/modern Kodungallur)
Important text	Pattinappalai, Silappadikaram

Chola Dynasty (Sangam Period)

Ruler	Key Facts
Karikala Chola	Greatest Sangam Chola; built Grand Anicut (Kallanai) on Kaveri — oldest dam in the world still in use; defeated Cheras and Pandyas at Battle of Venni
Elara	Chola prince who ruled Sri Lanka; known for just rule

Chola Emblem	Tiger
Capital	Uraiyur (Tiruchirapalli)
Port	Puhar (Kaveripattinam)

Pandya Dynasty (Sangam Period)

Ruler	Key Facts
Nedunjeliyan	Greatest Sangam Pandya; patron of the Third Tamil Sangam; subject of Silappadikaram (executed Kovalan)
Mudukudumi	Performed many Vedic sacrifices

Pandya Emblem	Fish (twin fish)
Capital	Madurai
Port	Korkai (later Kayal)

Pallava Dynasty (275-897 CE)

Ruler	Period	Key Facts
Simhavishnu	575-600 CE	Defeated Kalabhras; first great Pallava king
Mahendravarman I	600-630 CE	Rock-cut temple pioneer; composed Mattavilasa Prahasana (Sanskrit farce); converted from Jainism to Shaivism by Appar
Narasimhavarman I (Mamalla)	630-668 CE	Greatest Pallava; defeated Chalukya Pulakeshin II; built Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram) temples; sent naval expedition to Sri Lanka
Narasimhavarman II (Rajasimha)	700-728 CE	Built Kailasanatha Temple (Kanchipuram) and Shore Temple (Mahabalipuram); peaceful reign
Nandivarman II	731-796 CE	Built Vaikuntha Perumal Temple
Aparajita	879-897 CE	Last Pallava king; defeated by Chola Aditya I

Pallava Architecture

Monument	Type	Built By
Mandagapattu Cave Temple	Rock-cut	Mahendravarman I
Pancha Rathas (Five Rathas)	Monolithic (carved from single rock)	Narasimhavarman I
Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram	Structural	Narasimhavarman II
Kailasanatha Temple, Kanchi	Structural	Narasimhavarman II
Descent of Ganga (Arjuna’s Penance)	Rock relief	Narasimhavarman I

Imperial Chola Dynasty (850-1279 CE)

Ruler	Period	Key Facts
Vijayalaya	850-871	Founded Imperial Chola line; captured Thanjavur from Muttaraiyars
Aditya I	871-907	Defeated last Pallava king Aparajita
Parantaka I	907-955	Conquered Pandya kingdom; defeated at Battle of Takkolam by Rashtrakutas
Rajaraja I	985-1014	Built Brihadeshwara Temple (Thanjavur); conquered Sri Lanka, Maldives; reorganised administration
Rajendra I	1014-1044	Greatest Chola; Gangaikonda Chola (conquered up to Ganga); naval expedition to Southeast Asia (Srivijaya); built new capital Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Kulottunga I	1070-1120	Abolished tolls (Sungam Tavirtha Cholan); merged Eastern Chalukya line with Cholas
Rajendra III	1246-1279	Last Chola ruler; defeated by Pandya Maravarman Kulasekhara

Chola Administration

Feature	Details
Village Assembly (Sabha/Ur)	Self-governing village bodies; Uttaramerur inscription gives detailed election procedures
Nadu	District-level unit
Mandalam	Province
Revenue system	Detailed land survey; land classified into categories
Military	Strong navy; standing army; elephants
Judiciary	Village courts; royal courts; dharmasasana

Chola Art and Architecture

Monument/Feature	Details
Brihadeshwara Temple (Thanjavur)	Built by Rajaraja I; 216 ft vimana; UNESCO World Heritage; Dravidian architecture masterpiece
Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple	Built by Rajendra I; similar to Thanjavur but taller
Airavateswara Temple (Darasuram)	Built by Rajaraja II; UNESCO site
Bronze sculptures	Chola bronzes world-famous; Nataraja (dancing Shiva) most iconic

Chalukya Dynasties

Chalukyas of Badami (543-757 CE)

Ruler	Period	Key Facts
Pulakeshin I	543-566	Founded dynasty; performed Ashvamedha yajna
Pulakeshin II	610-642	Greatest Badami Chalukya; defeated Harsha at Battle of Narmada (630 CE); Aihole inscription by Ravikirti; defeated by Narasimhavarman I (Pallava) who captured Badami
Vikramaditya II	733-744	Defeated Pallavas; captured Kanchipuram but did not destroy temples

Feature	Details
Architecture	Badami cave temples; Aihole (cradle of Indian architecture — 70+ temples); Pattadakal temples (UNESCO)
Emblem	Varaha (boar)

Rashtrakutas (753-982 CE)

Ruler	Period	Key Facts
Dantidurga	753-756	Founded dynasty by overthrowing Chalukyas of Badami
Krishna I	756-774	Built Kailasa Temple at Ellora (monolithic — carved from single rock, top to bottom)
Amoghavarsha I	814-878	Longest reign; wrote Kavirajamarga (earliest Kannada work on poetics); patronised Jainism
Krishna III	939-967	Defeated Cholas at Battle of Takkolam

Chalukyas of Kalyani / Western Chalukyas (973-1189 CE)

Ruler	Key Facts
Tailapa II	Revived Chalukya power; overthrew Rashtrakutas (973 CE)
Somesvara I	Fought Cholas; committed suicide by drowning in Tungabhadra
Vikramaditya VI	Greatest Western Chalukya; started Vikrama Chalukya era (1076 CE); court poet Bilhana wrote Vikramankadeva Charita

Vijayanagar Empire (1336-1646 CE)

Foundation and Dynasties

Dynasty	Period	Key Rulers
Sangama Dynasty	1336-1485	Harihara I, Bukka I, Devaraya II
Saluva Dynasty	1485-1505	Saluva Narasimha
Tuluva Dynasty	1505-1570	Krishnadevaraya, Achyuta Raya
Aravidu Dynasty	1570-1646	Tirumala, Sriranga III (last)

Krishnadevaraya (1509-1529) — Greatest Vijayanagar Ruler

Fact	Detail
Title	Abhinava Bhoja; Andhra Bhoja
Court poets	Ashtadiggajas (eight great poets) including Allasani Peddana
Telugu work	Amuktamalyada
Conquests	Defeated Bahmani successors; conquered Raichur, Bidar; restored Prataparudra of Kalinga
Architecture	Hazara Rama Temple, Vitthala Temple (stone chariot), Krishna Temple at Hampi
Administration	Efficient; promoted agriculture; strong military with cavalry

Battle of Talikota (1565)

Fact	Detail
Also called	Battle of Rakshasa-Tangadi
Between	Vijayanagar (Rama Raya) vs Deccan Sultanates (Ahmadnagar, Bijapur, Golconda, Bidar)
Result	Vijayanagar defeated; Rama Raya beheaded; Hampi destroyed
Significance	Marked the effective end of Vijayanagar power

Foreign Travellers to Vijayanagar

Traveller	From	Period	Account
Nicolo Conti	Italy	Devaraya I	Described city’s grandeur
Abdur Razzaq	Persia	Devaraya II	Described seven walls of Vijayanagara
Domingo Paes	Portugal	Krishnadevaraya	Praised Krishnadevaraya highly
Fernao Nuniz	Portugal	Achyuta Raya	Detailed history of empire

Quick Recall — PSC Favourites

Question	Answer
Sangam Chera capital?	Vanji (identified with Karur)
Oldest dam still in use?	Grand Anicut (Kallanai) by Karikala Chola
Who built Mahabalipuram temples?	Narasimhavarman I (Mamalla)
Shore Temple built by?	Narasimhavarman II (Rajasimha)
Who defeated Harsha?	Pulakeshin II (Chalukya of Badami)
Kailasa Temple, Ellora built by?	Krishna I (Rashtrakuta)
Uttaramerur inscription describes?	Chola village assembly elections
Greatest Vijayanagar ruler?	Krishnadevaraya
Battle of Talikota year?	1565
Brihadeshwara Temple builder?	Rajaraja I (Chola)
Chola emblem?	Tiger
Pandya emblem?	Twin Fish
Chera emblem?	Bow and Arrow
Who sent naval expedition to SE Asia?	Rajendra Chola I