CHERA DYNASTY
CHERA DYNASTY The Chera Dynasty was one of the Tamil dynasties in and before the Sangam period history of the State of Kerala and the Kongu Nadu region of Western Tamilnadu in southern India. Together with the Tamil dynasties of Cholas of Uraiyur, (Tiruchirappalli) and the Pandyas of Madurai, the early Cheras were known as one of the three major powers (muvendar) of ancient Tamizhagam in the early centuries of the Common Era. Bow and arrow is the symbol of Chera dynasty and this is found in many of the archaeological findings and literary records. Nedum Cheralathan was a Chera ruler of the early historic south India, contemporary to the Chola ruler Perunarkilli. He is the second known Chera ruler from the early Tamil literature, and is praised in the Second Ten of Pathitruppaththu. He patronized Jainism and Buddhism.