Question

Mention the role of the Cheras in the development of Malayalam.

Answer 1

Hint: To the west and north of the land of the Pandyas, which also included some parts of Tamil Nadu, was the region of Chera Dynasty. Continuous battle with the Cholas and the Pandyas marked the history of the Cheras.

Complete answer:
Malayalam was already spoken in the areas in and around present-day Kerala in the 9th century when the Cheras came to power. So the Chera kings used it to write their inscriptions and administrative records as the official language of the empire. This is how an old language developed with a new empire and became an official and significant part of the literature and life of the people in that region.

Sanskritic beliefs were also used and developed by Cheras. The temple theatre of Kerala, for instance, borrowed stories from Sanskrit epics, and much of the literature in Malayalam is influenced by Sanskrit. For instance, the 14th-century work called 'Lilatilakam' was written in the style of Manipravalam (diamonds and coral), a reference to the two Sanskrit and Tamil languages.

Thus Cheras developed both the languages and literature that is Malayalam and Sankrit to a very great extent.

Note: The "Bow and arrow" was adopted as a crest of their dynasty by the Chera Kings. A few coins, which were characterised by a bow device engraved on them, were issued.
Uthiyan Cheralathan, who ruled between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD, is the first known King of the Cheras.
As mentioned in the Chera tradition, Sengutturan was the greatest king of the Chera dynasty. The Chola and Pandya kings were defeated by him.