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The reconstruction of ancient Chera history has been well nigh impossible. We do not have great many foreign sources. Inscriptions are comparatively few in number. Numismatic evidences have not ben forth-coming. Archeology has but little or no support to enable us to have an insight into the foundations of the ancient Kerala polity as few archeological excavations have been attempted South of Madras. Even the very subject does not seem to arrest the interest of the Central or State Governments let alone the scholars Ancient manuscripts regarding this “no man’s land” are unavailable. In a country where history writing has not been an art until recently and the preservation of historial tradition has been a useless waste of time, Kerala history, in particular had not fascinated the attention of historians.
Viewed in this light, Prof Duraiswamy Pillai’s contribution to the study of Chera kings is singularly unique. This pioneer work justly demands the attention of all thoughtful scholars as the Author has patiently gone through all available source-materials in the above mentioned fields as no scholar had done so far. The Author’s mastery of geography and topography, his penetrating insight into the social, political, economic and religious conditions prevalent in the Chera country, his systematic analysis of all available data, and his ability to portray a well balanced picture which is at once instructive and informative go to make this volume an
