Hinduism: Details about 'Pandya'
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The Pandyan kingdom was an ancient state at the tip of South India, founded probably around the 10th millennium BCE according to traditional accounts. Later Pandyan kingdom was part of the Dravidian cultural area, which also comprised other kingdoms such as that of the Pallava, the Chera, the Chola, the Chalukya and the Vijayanagara. The Pandyans controlled the present districts of Madurai and Tirunelveli and parts of present day southern Kerala. The city of Madurai was founded by the Pandyan king Muda-Thiru-MaaRan of the third Sangam era. The Pandyas excelled in both trade and learning. They controlled the pearl fisheries along the south Indian coast, between Sri Lanka and India, which produced one of the finest pearls known in the ancient world. They had trade contacts with Ptolemaic Egypt and, through Egypt, with Rome by the first century CE, and with China by the 3rd century at the latest. The 1st century Greek historian Nicolaus of Damascus met, at Damascus, the ambassador sent by an Indian King "named Pandion or, according to others, Porus" to Caesar Augustus around 13 CE. Meenakshi Temple in Madurai is one of the most famous architectural landmarks of the Pandyan Kingdom. Ancient(Sangam) Pandyan kings:(legendary till 500 B.C.E. ) - * Kaai-Cina Vazhuthi ?9800- ?9750 B.C.E.-THENMARUTHAM (1st Sangam) - * Kadun-Koen ?5400- ?5375 B.C.E.-KU'ADAM (ALAIVAAI) (2nd Sangam) - * VaandRoar Cezhiyan c.3100- ?3051 B.C.E.-KOR'KAI - * Nappisaarkoean c.2900- ?2867 B.C.E. - * Thamizhi Vazhuthi c.2730- ?2710 B.C.E. - * Keezhkoemayan c.2680- ?2665 B.C.E. - * Ilavaazhiyar c.2630- ?2605 B.C.E. - * Porkai PaNdyan c.2400- ?2350 B.C.E. - * ? c.2350 B.C.E. -MAN'AVOOR - * ? c.2300 B.C.E. -THIRUCHCHEERALAIVAAI - * Muda-Thiru-MaaRan 1800- ?1760 B.C.E.-MATHURAI (3rd Sangam) - * Nediyoan (Nilantharu-Thiruvin, Vadimbalamba NindRa, Munneer Vizhavin, PerungaLa Nediyoan) 510- ?490 B.C.E. - * PaNdyan ARivudai Nambi 480- ?430 B.C.E. - * KadaluL maaintha ILamperuvazhuthi 225- 185 B.C.E. - * Vetrivael Cezhiyan 185- 150 B.C.E. - * Pootha-PaNdyan (Ollaiyur-thandha Pootha-PaNdyan) 150- ?130 B.C.E. - * Nedunthaer Cezhiyan ?130- 100 B.C.E. - * Thanthu Maaran 100 - 90 B.C.E. - * Perum- Pidugu PaNdyan 90- 76 B.C.E. - * Nambi Nedun-Cezhiyan 76- ?20 B.C.E. - * Aryapadai-Kadantha Nedun-Cezhiyan 10 B.C.E.- 25 C.E. - * Karungai OLvaaL-PerumPeyar Vazhuthi 25- ?65 C.E. - * KoRRachezhiyan ?65- 85 C.E. - * Cittiramaadattu tunciya Nedun-Cezhiyan 85- 110 C.E. - * VeLLiambalaththu tunciya Peru-Vazhuthi 110- 118 C.E. - * Ilavanthigai-palli tunciya Nan-MaaRan 118- 121 C.E. - * Koodakarathu tunciya Nan-Vazhuthi 121- 125 C.E. - * Talaiyaalan-Kaanattu Nedun-Cezhiyan 125- 165 C.E. - * Kaanapaereyil-erindha Ukira-Peru-Vazhuthi 165- 185 C.E. - * Palyaagasalai Mudhu-Kudumi Peru-Vazhuthi 200- 240 C.E. The Pandyas were powerful in their own right, though they were subjugated at various periods by the other two Tamil kingdoms, the Pallavas and Cholas. The Pandyas were engaged in maritime trade via Overy, Poandhai, KoRkai, ToNdi and Dhanushkodi, the sea shore of Ramanathapuram (the southern border of India and the coast of the Indian Ocean). Paravasin the southern coastal areas of Tamilnadu, are believed to be descendants of the chieftains in Pandyan Kingdom. The traditional ship building, navigation knowledge, pearl fishery, fishing and salt-making knowledge of paravas were the ample proof for their claims. The community had their own local kingly Pattankatiyar for each of their sea ports of Pandiyan Kingdom and they all spread into 22 fishing hamlets: Rajackal Mangalam, Kovalam, Kanyakumari, kumariMuttam, Perumanal, Idinthakarai, Kuthenkuly, Uvari, Periathalai, Pudukarai, Manapad, Alanthalai, Thiruchendur, Virapandianpatnam, Thalambuli, Punnaikayal, Palayakayal, Tuticorin, Vaippar, Chethupar, Vembar and Mookur in the pearl fishery coast of Gulf of Mannar and adjacent Comerin coast. According to legends, Kallar, Maravar and Agamudaiyar were bureaucrats, warriors, and chieftains; Kallars were fight initiators, Maravar were frontline defenders, Agamudiayar were police force, Servai were government servants, Nadans were Administrators, Mudaliars were Temple administrators, Vellalla Pillai, were the accountants, Pandaram were Temple Priests, Paraiyar (or Pulayar) who were the musicians, Valluvan were the astrologers are the Pandian castes still surviving in the Pandian districts. After being overshadowed by the Pallavas and Cholas for centuries, Pandyan glory was briefly revived by the much celebrated Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan in 1251. But on the death of Maravarman Kulasekaran I in 1308, his sons Sundara Pandya and Vira Pandya fought each other for the throne, but in vain. Soon Madurai fell into the hands of Muslim rulers. References
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