Kalabhras
Kalabhras were the South Indian dynasty who between the 3rd and the 6th century C.E. ruled over entire Tamil country, displacing the ancient
Chola,
Pandya and
Chera dynasties. Information about their origin and details about their reign is scarce. They did not leave any artefacts or monuments. The only source of information on them is the scattered mentions in
Buddhist and
Jain literature. They were displaced around the 7th century by the revival of Pallava and Pandya power.
Historians speculate that these people followed Buddhist or Jain faiths and were antagonistic towards the
Hindu and Brahminical religions adhered by the majority of inhabitants of the Tamil region during the early centuries C.E. As a result Hindu scholars and authors who followed their decline in the 7th and 8th century C.E. may have expunged any mention of them in their texts and generally tended to paint their rule in a negative light. It is perhaps due to this reason, the period of their rule is known as a ‘Dark Age' â€" an interregnum.
The identification of the Kalabhras is difficult. They have been identified with the line of Muttaraiyar of Kondubalur (eighth to eleventh century C.E.). Others regard them as
Karnatas on the strength of a reference in Tamil literature to the rule of a Karnata king over Madurai. A third view is that the Kalabhras were Kalappalar, belonging to
Vellala community and referred to in Tamil literature and inscriptions. But the most satisfactory theory identifies the Kalabhras with the Kalavar, and the chieftains of this tribe mentioned in
Sangam literature are Tiraiyan of Pavattiri and Pulli of Vengadam or
Tirupati. The latter is described as the cattle lifting robber chief of the frontier. The Kalavar must have been dislodged from their habitat near Tirupati by political events of the third century A.D., viz. the fall of the
Satavahanas and the rise of
Pallavas, resulting in political confusion in Tondaimandalam.
The history of
Cholas of
Uraiyur is exceedingly obscure from fourth to the ninth century C.E., chiefly owing to the occupation of their country by the Kalabhras.
Buddhadatta, the great writer in
Pali, belonged to Uraiyur. He mentions his contemporary, King Achchutavikranta of the Kalabharakula, as ruling over the Chola country from Kaveripatnam. He was a Buddhist, Tamil literary tradition refers to an Achchuta who kept the Chera, Chola and Pandya king in captivity. On the basis of the contemporaneity of Buddhdatta with Buddhaghosha, Achchuta may be assigned to the fifth century. Thus after the Sangam age, the Cholas were forced into obscurity by the Kalabhras, who disturbed the placid political conditions of the Tamil country.
Kalabhras by invading the Tamil country disturbed the prevailing order. After the Sangam Age, Hinduism and the associated Brahmanism were flourishing in South India. Kalabhras, as adherers of Buddhism, attached little importance to the rites and rituals attached to people's belief. They took over lands deeded to Brahmins.
The Velvikudi inscriptions of the third regnal year of Pandya king Nedunjadaiyan (c.
765 - c.
815 C.E.) say that Pandya king Mudukudumi Peruvaludi gave the village of Velvikudi as brahmadeya (gift to a Brahmins). It was enjoyed for long. Then a Kali king named Kalabhran took possession of the extensive earth, driving away numberless great kings.
The period of Kalabhras was marked by the ascendancy of Buddhism, and probably also of Jainism, was characterized also by great literary activity in Tamil. Most of the works grouped under the head, 'The Eighteen Minor works' were written during this period as also the Cilappadhikaran, Manimekalai and other works. Many of the authors were the characterised to belong to the `heretical' (meaning Buddhists and Jains) sects.
The rule of Kalabhras of South India was ended by the counter invasions of Pandyas, Chalukyas and Pallavas. There are other references to the Kalabhras in Pallava and Chalukya inscriptions. They were conquered by Pallava
Simhavishnu and Pandya Kadungon.
Tamil
Sangam Literature such as
Manimekalai indicate that there were Buddhists in the Tamil country and that the Buddhist missionaries were active in spreading their religion. Buddhism entered South India during the period of
Asoka who established Buddhist missions all over the Indian sub continent and sent missionaries to
Sri Lanka and to
China.
Buddhists and Jains were a powerful minority and had to face constant persecution from their Hindu rulers. Saiva religious texts such as
Periyapuranam document one such persecution of Jains in
Madurai by the Pandya king when he ordered the execution of scores of Buddhists by impaling them.
* Neelakanta Sastry, K.A., History of South India, OUP, Reprinted 1975
* Soutn Indian Inscriptions Volume xiv http://www.whatisindia.com/inscriptions/
