Category Social Sciences

          The vast empire of the Satavahanas had a feudal administrative system. The empire was divided into smaller portions headed by feudal lords, who managed the administration and land revenue system. The Satavahana rulers did not believe in the divine rights of a king; they ruled in accordance with the directives of the Dharma Shastras and social customs.

          The king was the head of the government and the protector of his people, who had a council of ministers to aid him in rightful administration.

          The Satavahana kings were also known for the friendly ties with their subjects; they regarded their subjects as their own children and always looked after their welfare. They were also known for their efficient military with the help of which the Satavahanas succeeded in expanding their empire. The king himself was the commander-in-chief of his forces and fought battles alongside other soldiers. He also kept a regiment posted in each village for maintaining peace and order at the expense of the rural inhabitants.

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          The Satavahana kingdom was built around the 1st century BC, in the ruins of the Mauryan Empire. Also known as the Andhra dynasty, the Satavahana kingdom was situated in the north-western region of Deccan, with its capital at Pratishtana.

          The Satavahana dynasty was founded by Simuka and his successors established their authority, from the mouth of the Krishna to the rest of the Deccan plateau. The Satavahana king killed the last Kanva ruler of Magadha and took over his kingdom.

          Due to his policy of military expansion, Satakarni I was the earliest of the Satavahana kings to receive widespread recognition. He defied Kharavela of Kalinga and was known as the ‘Lord of the West. Satakarni I gained control over the region of Sanchi and his conquests took him far to the north of the Narmada into eastern Malwa. After his conquest of the Godavari valley in the south, he came to be known as the ‘Lord of Dakshinpatha’.

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          The Pandyas, Cholas and Cheras were blessed with fertile land where rice, ragi, sugarcane, pepper and spices were grown. The kingdoms were neatly divided into cities, towns, ports and villages. The royal palaces were well decorated and surrounded by gardens.

          Nedunjeliyan’s palace was a marvel; it had priceless lamps, ivory beds and ‘beautiful cushions. The rich had houses built of brick, while the poor and the villagers lived in mud and thatched structures.

          All the three kingdoms were known for their large armies comprising of elephants, horses, chariots and foot-soldiers. Horses were imported from overseas. The kingdoms of the south had good trade relations inland and abroad, and were a hub of art and crafts.

         Religions of the south were greatly influenced by the north; though there were Brahmanas, Jains, Buddhists and Ajivikas, Brahmanas gained dominance over time. Local people also worshipped hero-stones that were erected when someone was killed in battle.

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          There was no practice of recording history during the Chola period, but Ashoka’s inscriptions talk about the Cholas. Elara and Karikala Chola were two important Chola kings; Elara conquered Sri Lanka in 2nd century BC following which, Karikala Chola built Puhar, a large port that acted as a centre of trade.

          The name Karikala meant ‘elephant feller’ or ‘charred leg’. He was very rich; the tale of a poet who received a gift of 1,600,000 gold pieces from Karikala Chola is famous.

          Another Chola king, Kochchenganan is mentioned in Kalavali by Poygayar. He fought a battle with the Chera king Kanaikkal lrumporai following which the latter was imprisoned. Poygayar, who was a friend of the Chera king, wrote a poem praising Kochchenganan’s battle; Kochchenganan was pleased with the poem and freed the prisoner! The Chola monarchs were good administrators; they were friendly to the subjects and therefore approachable. Justice was meted out directly by the king on most occasions. Chola kings often took to the battlefield in person. They also had good trade relations with the Roman Empire.

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          Much of what is said about the Pandyas in modern histories comes from archaeological and numismatic evidences. The Pandyan kingdom lay to the south of the Mauryan Empire and their capital was shifted from Korkai, to Koodal (now Madurai) during the reign of Nedunjeliyan I. Nedunjeliyan II is the most popular warrior among the early Pandyas; he won the battle at Talaialanganam, against an army of Cholas and Cheras and five other kingdoms combined.

          With Korkai being the hub of trade, the Pandyan kingdom was known for its pearl fisheries. They even had active maritime trade relationships with the west; they used to export pearls, spices, ivory and shells. The Pandyan Empire was also home to famous temples including the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai, and Nellaiappar Temple in Tirunelveli.

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          Long time ago, three literary meetings (sangams) were held in Madurai under the patronage of the Pandya kings. Poets and writers came to these sangams to recite their works and listen to the works of others. This period is known as the Sangam Age and the works that were composed by the Tamil poets during the Sangam Age is known today as Sangam Literature.

          Though some of the works were lost in time, most of it including Tholkappiyam- a book of grammar, Ettutogai- eight collections of poems and two long poems known as Pattuppattu exist even today. The earliest work among these is the Tholkappiyam. Authored by Tholkappiyar, the book provides information on social, economic and political conditions of the Sangam Age along with treatises on Tamil grammar.

          Pathinenkilkanakku, eighteen works dealing with ethics and morals were composed post the Sangam Age among which Thiruvalluvar’s Thirukkural is the most popular. Two other popular works, Silappathigaram by Ilango Adigal and Manimekalai by Sittalai Sattanar belong to the post-Sangam period.

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