Chedis, Southern Kingdoms & Indo-Greeks

NCERT Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Grade 7 Part I) | Chapter 6: The Age of Reorganisation

The Chedis & Kharavela

After the Maurya decline, Kalinga (modern Odisha) rose to prominence under the Chedi dynasty. Kharavela, a devoted follower of Jain teachings (sometimes called bhikshu-raja or monk-king), developed the famous Udayagiri-Khandagiri caves near Bhubaneswar for Jain monks. The Hathigumpha inscription in Brahmi script records his year-by-year accomplishments, including military victories and welfare works. He proudly declared having created a 'council of ascetics and sages' and being a 'respector of every sect and repairer of every temple'.

Kingdoms of the South — Cholas, Cheras & Pandyas

Three powerful kingdoms emerged in south India: the Cholas, Cheras, and Pandyas. Their story is preserved in the Sangam literature — the oldest Tamil literary tradition, consisting of anthologies of poems that express love, heroism, and generosity. The Chola king Karikala built the Kallanai (Grand Anicut), a water diversion system on the Kaveri River still in use today. The Cheras (Keralaputras) traded extensively with the Roman Empire, exporting spices, timber, ivory, and pearls. The Pandyas, ruling from Madurai, were known for their pearls and were mentioned by Megasthenes as a prosperous kingdom.

Indo-Greeks & Shakas

After Alexander's retreat, his satraps established independent domains called 'Indo-Greek' kingdoms in the northwest. While they arrived as conquerors, they were deeply influenced by Indian culture. The Heliodorus pillar near Vidisha shows an Indo-Greek ambassador praising Vasudeva as 'god of gods'. Many Indo-Greek coins depicted Indian deities like Krishna and Lakshmi alongside Greek ones. The Shakas (Indo-Scythians) later replaced the Indo-Greeks and ruled from the 2nd century BCE to the 5th century CE. The Shaka Samvat calendar, developed during this period, was adopted as India's National Calendar in 1957.