page_title: Kongu Chera dynasty
section_title: Detachment of central Kerala
hierarchical_section_title: Kongu Chera dynasty / Political history / Detachment of central Kerala
caption_attribution_description: Description Un kavahanu en argent de Rajendra Chola de l'empire Cholas (Sud de l'Inde) (capitale Tanjavûr). Dimension&#160;: 19 mm Poids&#160;: 4,3 g. A/ Tigre assis vers la droite, arc, torche, parasol, deux poissons à droite du tigre, ligne dessous. R/ Uttama Chola Référence&#160;: Mitchiner NIS 713/725 Description A silver kavahanu of Rajendra Chola of the Chola empire (south India) (capital Tanjavur). Dimension: 19 mm, weight: 4.3 g. A / Tiger sitting to the right, bow, torch, parasol, two fish to the right of the tiger, line below. R / "Uttama Chola" Reference: Mitchiner NIS 713/725
context_page_description: Kongu Chera dynasty, or Cheras/Keralas of Kongu/Karur, or simply as the Chera/Kerala dynasty, were a medieval royal lineage in south India, initially ruling over western Tamil Nadu and central Kerala. The headquarters of the Kongu Cheras was located at Karur-Vanchi in central Tamil Nadu. The Chera rulers of Kongu were subordinate to or conquered by Chalukya, Pallava and Pandya kings. Rashtrakuta and Chola rulers are also said to have overrun the Kongu Chera country.
  Present-day central Kerala detached from Kongu Chera kingdom around 8th-9th century AD to form the Chera Perumal kingdom. The exact relationship between the two branches of the Chera family is not known to scholars.
  The Kongu Cheras are often described as the members of Chandra-Aditya Kula. Kongu Cheras appear to have been absorbed into the Pandya political system by 10th/11th century AD.
context_section_description: The ancient Chera country, except central Kerala, gradually passed into the Pandya sphere of influence. The western portions of the Chera country became (slowly but surely) an independent kingdom, the Chera Perumal kingdom, with its own headquarters at Makotai (Kodungallur). The branch of Chera family survived in Kongu country, now Pandya vassals, are described in later inscriptions (9th-11th centuries) as members of Chandra-Aditya Kula (the Luni-Solar Race). This seems to suggest a process of integration with the Pandya royal family (the Lunar Race) via royal marriages.
  The two branches of the Chera family, the Kongu Cheras and the Chera Perumals, supported by the Pandyas and the Cholas respectively, were rivals in this period. Chera Perumal king Sthanu Ravi was a junior partner in a Chola campaign in the Kongu country. The Pandyas are known to have made a defensive alliance with the Cheras of Kongu country (who were under their influence) in this period. Pandya king Parantaka Vira Narayana (c. 880 – 900 AD) is known to have married a Kerala (Kongu Chera) princess "Vanavan Maha Devi". The son of this alliance, Rajasimha, described as a member of Chandra-Aditya Kula (Sinnamanur copper plates), was "destroyed by the Chola king Parantaka". It was initially assumed by K. A. N. Sastri  and E. P. N. K. Pillai that the Vira Narayana had married a Chera Perumal princess of Kerala. Reciprocal marriage alliances between the Chera Perumals and the Cholas are also recorded in several inscriptions (see Kizhan Adigal).
  The Kongu country was conquered by the Cholas (either by Srikantha or Aditya I Chola) in the last years of the 9th century AD (this campaign probably involved battles between Aditya I and Parantaka Vira Narayana). The Pandyas were eventually defeated in the "great battle" of Sripurambiyam (c. 885).
  When the Chola king Parantaka conquered the Pandyas in 910 AD, the Chera Perumals might have allowed to have rule parts of Kongu country (the fate of the Kongu Chera country, then ruled by Kongu Cheras, upon the fall of Madurai is not known). Pandya king Rajasimha II, who was defeated by Parantaka Chola, is known to have found asylum in Kerala (c. 920 AD). Chola king Sundara (c. 956 – c. 973 AD) had a Chera or Kerala princess among his queens.
caption: Chola coin of king Rajendra, with legend "Uttama Chola", showing the Chera emblem (Bow, left to the Sitting Tiger).[citation needed]
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