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KINGS AND PEOPLES 115 King Asoka frankly admits that the Coļas maintained their independence during his reign. Their territory in Dakkhiņāpatha 1 certainly lay to the south of Asoka's empire including the Andhra and Mahimsaka or Kekaya territories.
The Pāņdyas were a ruling people of South India; whose territory lay to the south of the river Kāverī. Their later capital, Madhurā, is described by Buddhaghosa as a suttapattana or a port noted for the export of cotton fabrics. During Asoka's reign they were one of the independent nations in the south. As described in the Hathigumphā inscription of Khāravela, the contemporary Pandya king was rich in the possession of gems, pearls and jewels.
The Keralaputras, Keralas or Cheras were a branch of the Damilas who occupied a territory along the western sea-coast of the Deccan. In Asoka's time they, too, were the independent nations of South India.
The Kālingås were a powerful people of India who founded a territory between the territories of the Lādhas and the Andhakas, and along the eastern sea-ccast. Their country represented one of the seven sub-kingdoms in the empire of Reņu, ruled bỳ king Sattabhū with his capital at Dantapura (Pālura), near Chicacole, The Häthigumpha inscription speaks of the
1 Petavatthu commentary, p. 133.
