CDS History · Medieval India
Early Medieval Kingdoms: Cholas to Kakatiyas
The kingdoms of about 700 to 1300: Chola villages and temples, the Pratiharas, Kashmir, Odisha and the Kakatiyas, and the land grants, guilds and learning of the age.
Why this matters
Thirteen CDS questions, ten of them HARD and seven since 2023. Nearly all come from inscriptions and old texts: what a Chola sabha asked of its members, which queens ruled Odisha, what Manigramam was. Learn each fact with its dynasty.
Concept 1 of 3: The Cholas: sabhas, temples and land
The Cholas ruled the Tamil country from about 850 to 1279. They carved long records on temple walls, so we know how their villages were run. A village given to Brahmanas had an assembly called the sabha, and an inscription at Uttaramerur lists who could sit in it.
Definition
- The Uttaramerur inscriptions (reign of Parantaka I) set rules for members of the sabha: they must own land from which revenue is collected, have their own house, and be between 35 and 70 years old. Names were written on palm leaves and drawn by lot.
- Chola records sort land into nancai (wet, irrigated fields), puncai (dry fields) and tottakal (garden land).
- Rajaraja I (985 to 1014) built the Brihadishvara temple at Thanjavur and let the Shailendra king of Srivijaya build a Buddhist monastery, the Chudamani Vihara, at Nagapattinam. A Chola village was granted for its upkeep.
- Rajendra I (1014 to 1044) built a new capital, Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
- Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Chidambaram are Shiva temples. Srirangam is the great Vishnu temple (Vishnu as Ranganatha).
| Time | Record or building | What to remember |
|---|---|---|
| Parantaka I (907 to 955) | Uttaramerur inscriptions | Sabha members own land and a house, aged 35 to 70Q CDS 2026 (II): owning a house and land is a rule; an age limit of 30 to 60 is not. |
| Chola period | Land classes in inscriptions | Nancai wet land, puncai dry land, tottakal garden landQ |
| Rajaraja I (985 to 1014) | Brihadishvara temple, Thanjavur | A Shiva temple |
| Rajaraja I | Chudamani Vihara, Nagapattinam | Built by the Shailendra king of Srivijaya with Chola supportQ CDS 2024 (I): the Chola king who encouraged it was Rajaraja I. |
| Rajendra I (1014 to 1044) | Gangaikonda Cholapuram | His new capital, with a Shiva temple |
| Tamil country | Srirangam temple | Vishnu as Ranganatha: a Vaishnava templeQ CDS 2021 (II): Srirangam is the Vaishnava temple in a list of Shiva temples. |
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2026 · CDS (II) 2026 — General Knowledge · Q85Moderate
Example 1 · Medieval India · Early Medieval Kingdoms
With reference to the eligibility criteria for becoming the member of a 'Sabha' as laid down in the Uttarmerur inscription, consider the following statements :
1. The candidate should have his own house and his own plot of land
2. The candidate should be within 60 years of age and above 30 years
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
Srirangam is the one Vishnu temple
Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Chidambaram are all Shiva temples. In a list of famous Tamil temples, Srirangam is the Vaishnava one.
Rajaraja began the vihara, Rajendra renewed it
The Chudamani Vihara at Nagapattinam was built in the reign of Rajaraja I. Rajendra I and Kulottunga I only confirmed the grant later, so an option naming them is wrong.
Concept 2 of 3: Kingdoms of the north, Kashmir, Odisha and the Deccan
While the Cholas ruled the south, many other kingdoms rose and fell. CDS asks one striking fact about each: a queen, a canal, a title, a praise poem. Tie each fact to its dynasty and its region, and the options sort themselves.
Definition
- Bhauma-Karas of Odisha (8th to 10th century): when there was no male heir, queens ruled in their own right, among them Prithivimahadevi, Dharmamahadevi, Dandimahadevi and Valkulamahadevi.
- Gurjara-Pratiharas of Kannauj: the Gwalior prashasti praises Mihira Bhoja (9th century). It was composed by the poet Baladitya.
- Utpala dynasty of Kashmir: founded by Avantivarman (9th century), who worked for his subjects' welfare. His engineer-minister Suyya controlled the Vitasta (Jhelum) and drained flooded land, so grain output rose and prices fell. Kalhana's Rajatarangini records this.
- Kakatiyas of Warangal (12th to 14th century): their rulers carried titles such as Rayagajakesari, a lion to the elephants that are rival kings.
| Dynasty | Region and time | Fact asked |
|---|---|---|
| Bhauma-Karas | Odisha, 8th to 10th century | Queens such as Prithivimahadevi and Dandimahadevi ruled when there was no male heirQ CDS 2026 (II): the four queens belonged to the Bhauma-Kara dynasty. |
| Gurjara-Pratiharas | Kannauj, 9th century | Gwalior prashasti of Mihira Bhoja, by the poet BaladityaQ |
| Utpalas | Kashmir, 9th century | Founder Avantivarman; minister Suyya's works on the VitastaQ CDS 2024 (II): both statements about Avantivarman and Suyya were correct. |
| Kakatiyas | Warangal, 12th to 14th century | Titles such as RayagajakesariQ |
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2026 · CDS (II) 2026 — General Knowledge · Q92Hard
Example 2 · Medieval India · Early Medieval Kingdoms
Prithivimahadevi, Dharmamahadevi, Dandimahadevi and Valkulamahadevi, who became rulers due to the absence of a male heir, belonged to the
Suyya was a minister, not a king
The river works of 9th century Kashmir are credited to Suyya, the engineer-minister. The king was Avantivarman, founder of the Utpala dynasty.
Concept 3 of 3: Land grants, guilds and learning
In these centuries kings gave land to Brahmanas, merchants formed powerful guilds, and scholars wrote digests of older texts. CDS asks what each word meant, so learn them as a small dictionary.
Definition
- A brahmadeya was land granted to Brahmanas. By creating one, the state gave up revenue it collected or could have collected. A grant could be a small plot or several villages.
- Manigramam and Nanadesi were guilds of merchants in south India, trading as far as Southeast Asia.
- Sanskrit texts and inscriptions of the 8th to 14th centuries named Muslims by where they came from: Turushka (Turks), Tajika (Tajiks) and Parashika (Persians). Kardamaka is an older Shaka ruling family, not such a term.
- Lakshmidhara (12th century), minister of the Gahadavala king Govindachandra of Kannauj, compiled the Krityakalpataru, the first great nibandha (digest) of epic and Puranic texts.
- Apabhramsha was a literary language that had taken shape by about the 6th century, from regional speech mixed with the Prakrits and Sanskrit.
| Term or work | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Apabhramsha | Literary language formed by about the 6th century from regional speech, Prakrit and SanskritQ |
| Brahmadeya | Land granted to Brahmanas; the state gave up its revenue from itQ |
| Manigramam, Nanadesi | Merchant guilds of south IndiaQ CDS 2022 (II): these were guilds of Indian merchants. |
| Turushka, Tajika, Parashika | Sanskrit names for Muslims: Turks, Tajiks, PersiansQ CDS 2022 (II): Kardamaka was the odd one out. |
| Krityakalpataru (12th century) | Lakshmidhara's digest (nibandha) of epic and Puranic textsQ |
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2022 · CDS (II) 2022 — General Knowledge · Q35Moderate
Example 3 · Medieval India · Early Medieval Kingdoms
What were Manigramam and Nanadesi in early medieval India ?
Kardamaka is a dynasty, not a name for Muslims
Turushka, Tajika and Parashika all named Muslims by their homeland. Kardamaka was a Shaka ruling family of a much earlier time.
Manigramam was a guild, not a village
The word looks like 'grama', a village, but Manigramam and Nanadesi were merchant guilds. They were not groups of villages or village councils.
Summary — formulas & gotchas at a glance
A revision cheat-sheet for the formulas and gotchas above. Click any concept name to jump back to its full explanation.
Reference tables (3)
The Cholas: sabhas, temples and land6 rows
| Time | Record or building | What to remember |
|---|---|---|
| Parantaka I (907 to 955) | Uttaramerur inscriptions | Sabha members own land and a house, aged 35 to 70Q CDS 2026 (II): owning a house and land is a rule; an age limit of 30 to 60 is not. |
| Chola period | Land classes in inscriptions | Nancai wet land, puncai dry land, tottakal garden landQ |
| Rajaraja I (985 to 1014) | Brihadishvara temple, Thanjavur | A Shiva temple |
| Rajaraja I | Chudamani Vihara, Nagapattinam | Built by the Shailendra king of Srivijaya with Chola supportQ CDS 2024 (I): the Chola king who encouraged it was Rajaraja I. |
| Rajendra I (1014 to 1044) | Gangaikonda Cholapuram | His new capital, with a Shiva temple |
| Tamil country | Srirangam temple | Vishnu as Ranganatha: a Vaishnava templeQ CDS 2021 (II): Srirangam is the Vaishnava temple in a list of Shiva temples. |
Kingdoms of the north, Kashmir, Odisha and the Deccan4 rows
| Dynasty | Region and time | Fact asked |
|---|---|---|
| Bhauma-Karas | Odisha, 8th to 10th century | Queens such as Prithivimahadevi and Dandimahadevi ruled when there was no male heirQ CDS 2026 (II): the four queens belonged to the Bhauma-Kara dynasty. |
| Gurjara-Pratiharas | Kannauj, 9th century | Gwalior prashasti of Mihira Bhoja, by the poet BaladityaQ |
| Utpalas | Kashmir, 9th century | Founder Avantivarman; minister Suyya's works on the VitastaQ CDS 2024 (II): both statements about Avantivarman and Suyya were correct. |
| Kakatiyas | Warangal, 12th to 14th century | Titles such as RayagajakesariQ |
Land grants, guilds and learning5 rows
| Term or work | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Apabhramsha | Literary language formed by about the 6th century from regional speech, Prakrit and SanskritQ |
| Brahmadeya | Land granted to Brahmanas; the state gave up its revenue from itQ |
| Manigramam, Nanadesi | Merchant guilds of south IndiaQ CDS 2022 (II): these were guilds of Indian merchants. |
| Turushka, Tajika, Parashika | Sanskrit names for Muslims: Turks, Tajiks, PersiansQ CDS 2022 (II): Kardamaka was the odd one out. |
| Krityakalpataru (12th century) | Lakshmidhara's digest (nibandha) of epic and Puranic textsQ |
Watch out for (5)
- Srirangam is the one Vishnu temple→ The Cholas: sabhas, temples and land
- Rajaraja began the vihara, Rajendra renewed it→ The Cholas: sabhas, temples and land
- Suyya was a minister, not a king→ Kingdoms of the north, Kashmir, Odisha and the Deccan
- Kardamaka is a dynasty, not a name for Muslims→ Land grants, guilds and learning
- Manigramam was a guild, not a village→ Land grants, guilds and learning
Test yourself on Medieval India
20 past CDS questions from this chapter, timed at 20 minutes and marked the way the exam marks it. You see your score and every answer the moment you finish. Free to start.