Like a giant wedge sinking into the deep-sea, South India is the subcontinent’s stifling heartland – a verdant gap to the peaks and plains up north.
“South India” is the southern part of India. It is also called Peninsular India. It has a lot more to present than mere beaches or spice plantations.
South India is full of mysteries. It is a melting vessel of cuisines, traditions, and languages.
It is located in the southern part of the Peninsular Deccan Plateau and bordered by the Arabian Sea in the west, the Indian Ocean in the south, and the Bay of Bengal in the east.
The region is diverse with nature’s gift like two mountain ranges of the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats.
South India is an area that covers the beautiful Indian states like Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu with verdant Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep, and Pondicherry.
The majority of people in South India speak Dravidian languages like Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam. Urdu, French, and Bengali are also spoken in some areas.
Actually, in 2017 the state assembly of Telangana passes a bill making ‘Urdu’ the second official language of the State.
Hinduism is the major religion with about 80% of the population in South India. And about 11% of the population follows Islam and 8% follow Christianity. In some places of Kerala, Jewish communities can be found.
South India is also famous for its spectacular music and dancing. Dances like Dollu Kunitha, Beesu Samsale are practiced in Karnataka, Padayani, Oppana and Perini are practiced in Kerala and Karagattam, Mayil Attam, Paampu Attam, Therukoothu, Garadi are practiced in Tamil Nadu.
The people of South India are very cultural. Many festivals are celebrated. Karaga, Chithirai Thiruvizha, and Mysore Dasara are celebrated in many areas of Karnataka.
Hampi, Onam, Thrissur Pooram is celebrated in Kerala, and Pongal is celebrated in Tamil Nadu.
History of South India
Over four thousand years, southern India has seen the rise and fall of several dynasties and empires. The era of the known history of South India begins with the Iron Age era (from 1200 BCE to 24 BCE) until the 14th century CE.
Dynasties of Pandyan, Chola, Chera, Satavahana, Pallava, Kadambas, Chalukya, Rashtrakuta, Kakatiya, and Hoysala were at their peak during different periods of the history of South India.
Many dynasties ruled south India and then European powers arrived; they created Madras Presidency which acted as an administrative center. Then in 1947, India gets Independence.
After independence South India was bifurcated into the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Telangana.
Prehistory
As per reports, south India remained in the Mesolithic until 2500 BCE. Microlith production is manifested for the period 6000 to 3000 BCE.
The Neolithic era lasted from 2500 BCE to 1000 BCE, followed by the Iron Age, considered by megalithic burials. During 1000 BCE, the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala were inhabited by megalithic people.
Excavations carried out in Adichanallur in Thirunelveli District and Northern India has provided proof of a southward migration of the Megalithic civilization.
Recently in 2019, a professor of MSRS College, Shirva has discovered a Mesolithic site at Iduru-Kunjadi in Kundapur taluk, Udupi district in the state of Karnataka.
They have founded some Mesolithic stone tools at the Iduru-Kunjadi site which is assignable to 6000 BCE.
Iron Age
The most primitive Iron Age sites in South India are Adichanallur in Tamil Nadu and Hallur in Karnataka at around 1200 BCE.
Early epigraphic evidence begins to emerge from about the 5th century BCE, in the appearance of Kannada-Brahmi and Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions, reflecting the southward spread of Buddhism.
Ancient History
There is often no evidence of ancient south India in the form of documents and inscriptions. But some signs backdate to several centuries BCE.
There is only little authentic archaeological evidence from the early centuries of the Common Era.
1. Pandyan Dynasty
The Pandyas were one of the major ancient Tamil dynasties who ruled the ancient Tamil country during the Sangam period.
The rulers of the three dynasties (Pandyan, Chola, and Chera) were referred to as “the three crowned rulers of Tamil country”.
They were first mentioned by Megasthenese who said that their kingdom was famous for pearls. They occupied the region of modern districts of Ramnad, Tirunelveli, and Madurai in Tamil Nadu.
The capital of the Pandyan Kingdom was initially Korkai, a seaport on the southernmost tip of the Indian peninsula, and was later moved to Koodal (now Madurai).
They even sent embassies to the Roman Emperor Augustus and Trojan. They also sent embassies to Emperor Julian in 361 CE.
The Pandya kings were also called Jatavarman or Maravarman. Most of the information about the Pandyas comes to modern historians mainly through literary sources and some numismatic, archaeological, and epigraphic evidence.
The Pandya Kingdom was extended from the Podukottai district to Kanyakumari in the south and River Vegai in Madura in the East to Achankovil River in Kerala in the West.
The kingdom was bifurcated into 5 principalities which were known as “Five Pandyas”.
Nedunjeliyan was the greatest king of the Pandyan Empire. He whitewashed the combined forces of Chola, Chera, and five other minor states in the war against him at Madurai.
The Pandyan Kingdom is also mentioned in the Sangam literature as well as by Greek and Roman. The early Pandyan dynasty went into anonymity during the incursion of the Kalabhras.
The dynasty revived under Kadungon in the early 6th century CE and pushed the Kalabhras out of the Tamil country and governed from Madurai.
They again went into decline with the rise of the Cholas in the 9th century and were in constant conflict with them.
Pandyas allied themselves with the Cheras and the Sinhalese in harassing the Chola Empire until they found a chance for energizing their fortunes during the late thirteenth century.
Pandyas entered their golden period under Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan in 1251 that extended their kingdom into Telugu country and invaded Sri Lanka to capture the northern half of the island.
During their period, the Pandyas were repeatedly in clash with the Cholas, the Hoysalas, the Pallavas, and the Muslim invaders from the Delhi Sultanate.
The Pandyan Empire became extinct after the establishment of the Madurai Sultanate in the 14th century CE.
The Pandyas were famous for controlling the pearl fisheries along with the south Indian coast, between Sri Lanka and India, which produced one of the finest pearls known in the ancient world.
2. Chola Dynasty
The Cholas were one of the major dynasties to rule South India from ancient times and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the world history.
During this time, culture, art, temples, and literature were flourished so well that they still serve as testimony to today’s delighted period of history.
The Cholas ruled for more than 1500 years. The Chola Dynasty was originated in the Kaveri river valley which runs southeast through Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and the southern Deccan Plateau to the Bay of Bengal.
They ruled not only southern India but also the Maldives and Sri Lanka which shows they have great naval power. The Chola Kingdom is mentioned in the Tamil literature, and on one of the Pillars of Ashoka.
The official languages that were spoken during those times were Tamil and Sanskrit. Chola Kings and emperors have the titles of Parakesharivarman and Rajakesharivarman, alternately.
Karikala Chola (late 1st century CE) was the most famous king among early Cholas and managed to dethrone the kingdom of Pandyas and Chera.
But around 300 CE, the Pallava and Pandya kingdom spread their influence into the heartlands of South India and the Cholas went into decline.
King Vijayalaya revived the Chola Dynasty in 850 CE. He defeated the Thanjavur Kingdom in the 8th century and led to the rise of almighty Cholas. He made Thanjavur his capital.
Vijayalaya’s son, Aditya I crushed the Pallava Kingdom in 897 CE and the Pandyan Kingdom in 885. He extended the territory to Tondaimandalam.
Also Read: How the World’s First Floating Hotel abandoned in North Korea?
One of the most dominant rulers of the Chola kingdom was Rajaraja Chola, who ruled from 985 to 1014 CE. His army conquered one by one the Navy of the Cheras, Anuradhapura, and Kalinga in the northeast of India and Northern Province of Ceylon.
He also sent his navy to capture the Maldives and the Malabar Coast. These territories were important for Indian Ocean trade routes.
By 1044, Rajendra Chola I pushed the borders of the kingdom to the north of the Ganges River, conquering Bihar and Bengal.
He captured coastal Myanmar, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and key ports in the Indonesian archipelago and the Malay Peninsula.
The Chola Empire under Rajendra even exacted honor from Siam (Thailand) and Cambodia. The Chola dynasty began to decline in the 13th century and then ended in 1279.
The Cholas were great builders and they left amazing artwork and architecture to the world. Brihadisvara Temple in Thanjavur made by Cholas is one of the largest monolithic temple complexes in the world which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
3. Chera Dynasty
The Chera Dynasty was one of the major lineages who ruled South India from ancient times.
Chera Dynasty came into power in the 1st century and then declined at the end of the 3rd century. They again ruled from the 8th century to the 12th century.
During this time, the Chera country traded spice especially black pepper with Middle Eastern and Graeco-Roman merchants.
Shreds of Evidence of extensive foreign trade from ancient times can also be seen throughout the Malabar Coast (Muziris), Karur, and Coimbatore districts.
The Cheras were also known as “Keralaputras”. The original center of the dynasty was Karur in interior Tamil Nadu and harbors at Muchiri and Thondi on the Indian Ocean coast (Kerala).
The early Cheras ruled the parts of modern-day Indian states like states Kerala and Tamil Nadu which includes the Malabar Coast, Coimbatore, Erode, Namakkal, Karur, and Salem Districts.
The founder of the Chera kingdom was Perumchottu Utiyan Cheralatan. He lost the war with the Chola ruler at the battle of Venni. Following this, he committed suicide.
His son, Imayavaramban Nedum Cheralatan was a famous king. He conquered Kadambas of Banavasi and also defeated the Yavanas.
During his reign, the development of art and literature was peaked high.
However, Kadal Pirakottiya Chenguttuvan was the greatest king of the Chera Empire as mentioned in the Chera tradition.
He was identified as the mythical hero of the famous Tamil Epic Silapathikaram. He also had defeated the Cholas and the Pandya Kings.
The last known Chera ruler, Cheraman Perumal converted into Islam and built the first mosque in India.
4. Satavahana Dynasty
Satavahana Dynasty plays a crucial role in ancient Indian history in the period between the fall of the Mauryas and the rise of the Gupta Empire.
It is believed that the Satavahana Dynasty rule was started around the third century BC and lasted until 225 AD. They are mentioned in the Puranas.
The Satavahana Dynasty was based from Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh as well as Junnar and Prathisthan in Maharashtra.
They were also called the Andhras in Deccan. The capital of the dynasty was Paithan or Prathisthan.
The Satavahana kingdom is identified for creating harmony in the country and resisting the ambush of foreigners after the decline of the Mauryan Empire.
King Simuka Satavahana was the founder of the Satavahana dynasty. He and his successors established his empire from the mouth of Krishna to the entire Deccan plateau.
The Satavahana Dynasty has given importance to the patronage of Hinduism. Actually, they were the first ones who issued coins struck with their rulers embossed.
They also competed with the Shungas and then the Kanvas of Magadha to establish their rule. And they play a crucial role to stop the foreign invasion of the Sakas, Yavanas, and Pahlavas.
The famous rulers of the Satavahana Dynasty were Gautamiputra Satakarni and Sri Yajna Sātakarni. During their time, they formed the culture bridge and trade as well as the transfer of ideas which was spread to southern India.
Their rule lasted till 225 AD and then later the empire was split into five smaller kingdoms or states.
5. Pallava Dynasty
The Pallava dynasty was a great south Indian Dynasty. Their rule was started around the third century CE and lasted until their final decline in the 9th century CE.
They are mentioned in the Prakrit (a simple and popular form of Sanskrit) records and Sanskrit Lokavibhaga. The capital of the dynasty was Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu.
Pallavas started their rule from Krishna river valley, known today as Palnadu. The Pallava Dynasty has given importance to the patronage of architecture.
Simhavishnu was the founder of the dynasty. He was the first Pallava ruler who extended his power beyond Kanchipuram (Kanchi) in the South.
His son, Mahendravarman I was a great king who began work on the rock-cut temples of Mahabalipuram. He also a built five-celled cave temple at Pallavaram, and Thirukokarnam of Podukottai, Tamil Nadu.
Narasimhavarman I, son of Mahendravarman I came to the throne in 630 CE. He was also known as ‘Mamallan’ and the city Mamallapuram is named after him.
He defeated the great Chalukya king Pulakeshin II in 632 CE and burned the Chalukyan capital. During his rule, the Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang visited Kanchipuram in 640 AD.
Narasimhavarman II was one of the greatest kings of the kingdom. And he was like his ancestors, Mahendravarman I and Narasimhavarman I.
He constructed temples like the Shore Temple, Isvara and Mukunda Temples in Mahabalipuram, the Panamalai Temple in South Arcot, the Kailasanathar Temple and Vaikuntha-Perumal Temples in Kanchipuram.
The Pallavas left magnificent sculptures and temples. They also developed the Pallava script from which Grantha eventually descended that gave rise to several other Southeast Asian scripts.
During the reign of the Pallava Dynasty, architecture was well flourished. The finest example is the Shore Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Mamallapuram.
The Pallavas were ended in the 9th century CE by the Chola ruler Aditya I.
6. Kadamba Dynasty
Kadambas was one of the major royal ancient families who ruled south India. Their rule started in 345 CE and ended in 525 CE.
They were the first dynasty to use Kannada at the administrative level. They ruled the present state Karnataka and their capital was Banavasi.
Mayurasharma, a learned Brahmin was the founder of the dynasty. It is said that he was insulted by some Pallava officials and to avenge that he fought with Pallavas and formed his Kingdom.
Kakusthavarman was the most powerful king of the dynasty. He established connections with the Ganga Dynasty and the Gupta Dynasty.
After his death, the kingdom bifurcated into two parts. One ruled from Banavasi and another ruled from Triparvata.
During their time, the practice of scooping entire temples out of the solid rock was introduced. They built fine temples like Bhuvaraha Narasimha temple Halasi, Karnataka, Lakshmi Devi temple, Doddagaddavalli, Two Shiva temples on Hemakuta hill at Hampi.
They ruled till 524 CE and then with the rise of Chalukya Dynasty, they rule as their feudatory from 525 CE for another five hundred years.
7. Western Ganga Dynasty
The Western Ganga Dynasty was an important dynasty that ruled ancient Karnataka. Their rule started in 350 CE and lasted till 1000 CE.
Their rule started from the Gangavadi (south Karnataka) after the fall of the Satavahana Empire while the Kadambas, their contemporaries did the same in north Karnataka.
Konganivarman was the founder of the Dynasty. Their capital was initially at Kolar and then it moved to Talakad.
The Dynasty ruled the territories which include the present-day districts of Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Tumkur, Kolar, Mandya, and Bangalore.
Madhava I and Harivarman were the great kings of the dynasty. They expanded their military alliances with the Pallavas, Chalukyas, and Kadambas.
The Western Ganga dynasty showed faith to all religions but are most famous for their patronage toward Jainism which results in the construction of monuments in places such as Shravanabelagola and Kambadahalli.
During their period, fine arts and literature in Kannada and Sanskrit was well flourished.
Their lordship ended in 550 CE but they continued to rule till 1000 CE as feudatories of Rashtrakutas and Chalukyas.
8. Chalukya Dynasty
Chalukya Dynasty marks a milestone in the ancient history of south India. They ruled South India and central India from the sixth century to the twelfth century.
The Chalukyas who ruled from Badami was called Western Chalukyas and the one who ruled from Vengi was called Eastern Chalukyas.
Pulakeshin I was the founder of the dynasty. He ruled from Badami, the present-day Bijapur. He was also called Satyasraya.
His son, Kritivirman – I became the king in 566 AD. He spread his area over a wide range of the southern part of Maharashtra, Mysore and Tamil Nadu.
Pulakeshin II was the greatest king of the Empire. He was the first one in South India to issue gold coinage.
He defeated Mauryas of Konkan, Emperor Harshavardhana, Pallava King Mahendra Varman I.
Pulakeshin II installed his brother Kubja Vishnuvardhana as a ruler of Vengi and the dynasty was later called Eastern Chalukyas.
They continued to rule over five hundred years and made a pretty good alliance with the Cholas.
Chalukyan left great architecture to the world. During their reign, fine monuments were built in Aihole, Pattadakal, and Badami.
The temples made by them exhibit the evolution of the Vesara style of architecture.
9. Rashtrakuta Dynasty
Rashtrakuta Dynasty was one of the major royal family kingdoms of the ancient history of South India. They ruled 735 CE and lasted till 982 CE.
Rashtrakutas were the Kannada origin and their mother tongue was Kannada. They were based in Deccan.
The most primitive known Rashtrakuta inscription comes from a seventh-century copper plate grant detailing their rule from Manapur in the Malwa region of modern Madhya Pradesh.
During their period, Jain mathematicians and scholars contributed important works in Kannada and Sanskrit.
Dantidurga was the founder of the dynasty. He made the Gulbarga area of Karnataka his capital.
He defeated the Chalukyas and kings of Tanka, Kalinga, Lata, Malwa, and Sheshas. He was also called as Rajadhiraja and Parameshvara.
Amoghavarsha I was one of the greatest kings fog the Rashtrakutas Empire. He set up Manyakheta his new capital and Bharuch was the best port of the kingdom during his rule.
He gave patronage to education and literature. Later he converted into Jainism. He ruled the kingdom for 64 years.
Rashtrakutas left great architecture for the world. They built the Kailasa temple of Ellora, Kashivishvanatha temple, the Jain Narayana temple, Virupaksha temple at Pattadakal, and many more.
10. Hoysala Dynasty
Hoysala plays a crucial role in the history of South India. Hoysalas started their rule as subordinates of Greater Western Chalukyas. They gradually established their own empire.
Their rule started in the 10th century and lasted until the 14th century. The capital of the empire was initially Belur which was later moved to Halebidu.
The Hoysalas Empire rulers were originated from Malenadu, The Western Ghats that ruled most of the Karnataka.
Nripa Kama II was the founder of the Dynasty. His later successor Vishnuvardhana ascended the throne in 1108. He conquered the Nolamba region earning the title ‘Nolambavadi Gonda’.
He was Jain by faith and he was called ‘Bitti Deva’. He built the Keerthi Narayana temple at Talakad and the magnificent Vijayanarayana temple at Belur.
Verra Balla II was one of the greatest kings of the dynasty. He defeated the Pandyas of Madurai, Yadavas of Devagiri, Southern Kalachuris, and Western Chalukya Empire.
He patronized Kannada language poets including the Jain poets Janna and Nemichandra, and the Brahman poet Rudrabhatta.
During their reign, Vesara style reached its peak, and arts, architecture and literature were encouraged.
Hoysala Empire left great temples like the Hoysaleswara Temple in Halebidu, the Vijayanarayana Temple in Belur, and the Chennakeshava Temple in Somanathapura.
Famous poets like Raghavanka, Rudrabhatta, Janna, and Harihara wrote many classics in Kannada during this time.
11. Kakatiya Dynasty
As there was a decline of the Chalukyas, Kakatiya dynasty came into prominence in the 11th century. They declared independence at the end of the 12th century.
The empire ruled the modern-day states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and parts of Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, and Karnataka. Warangal was their capital.
Betaraja I was the founder of the dynasty. He established Koravi his capital. His son Prolaraja I was a devotee of Shiva and Built Kesari Tatakam.
The greatest kings of the dynasty were Rudradeva and Ganapathideva. The name of Rudradeva is mentioned on the famous inscription in the Rudresvara temple at Anumakonda.
Ganapathideva has achieved the title of ‘Rayagajekesari’. He was a great patron of trade and commerce and issued ‘Abhya Sasanam’ at Motupalli port.
His daughter Rani Rudramadevi ascended the throne in 1262 AD. She was the first woman ruler of the Andhra region.
The Kakatiya dynasty lasted for three centuries and they attracted the attention of the Delhi Sultanate under Allauddin Khalji.
It praised Delhi for a few years but was finally conquered by the forces Muhammad bin Tughluq in 1323.
12. Musunuri Nayaks
Musunuri Nayaks is an important dynasty in the history of Telugu states. They brought stability and peace in the region after the fall of the Kakatiya dynasty.
Prolaya Nayaka and Kapaya Nayaka led a rebellion against the Tughluq rule, and recaptured the Warangal, and brought the region under their control.
They ruled for almost 50 years. They controlled the region of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
It is believed by the historians that Musunuri Nayaks rule is considered as a watershed in the history of south India.
And it is also believed that their rule inspired the establishment of the Vijayanagar Empire to defend Hindu dharma for the next five centuries.
13. Reddy Dynasty
After the fall of the Kakatiya Empire, the Reddy Chiefs became independent and Prolaya Vema Reddy established a dynasty.
Prolaya Vema Reddy was part of the confederation that started a movement against the invading Turkic Muslim armies of the Delhi Sultanate in 1323 CE and succeeded in repulsing them from Warangal.
The Reddy Dynasty ruled the modern-day of coastal and central Andhra Pradesh for over a hundred years (1325 to 1448 CE). The Reddis were acknowledged for their fortifications.
Their initial capital was Addanki which was later moved to Kondavidu and subsequently to Rajahmundry.
The Reddis Kings ruled from Cuttack, Odisha to the north, and Kanchi to the south, and Srisailam to the west.
The Dynasty remained in power until the middle of the 15th century. They later defeated by Gajapatis of Odisha who gained control of Andhra. Gajapatis of Odisha was defeated by Krishna Deva Raya of Vijayanagar.
So eventually, the territories of the Reddi kingdom came under the control of the Vijayanagara Empire.
The next post will be about the medieval history of South India and the colonial period and British south India. If you want to learn more about South India and its history, you can read or buy these books.
