[1] Before the rise of the Cholas, inscriptions from Java, Indonesia, mention only the Kalingas as foreign visitors from the eastern coast of India.
[2] The Kalinga traders (of modern Southern Odisha and Northern Andhra) brought red coloured stone decorative objects for trade.
[4][5] Several trade guilds operated in medieval Southern India such as the Gatrigas, Nagarathar, Mummuridandas, Ayyavolu-500, Ubhayananadesigal, Settis, Settiguttas, Birudas, Biravaniges, Kavarai, etc.
One example is the trade guild of Nanadeshis who not only financed local development projects and temple-constructions but also lent money to the kings.
One such example relates to the bankers and money-changers of the Bahmani Kingdom who ignored all warnings and melted all new coins that fell into their hands and supplied the metal to the mints of Warangal and Vijayanagar.