A region is known by the cultures and traditions (languages, food, clothes, poetry, dance, music, painting, etc.) of its people. But regional cultures change all the time. The Rajputs and traditions of Heroism. The story of Kathak. The Tradition of Miniatures. Growth of a local language and development of temples in Bengal. Many regional cultures grew around religious traditions. The Jagannath temple in Puri, Odisha, for example, became a sign of political, social, and religious importance. Miniature paintings were used to record history (battles, social lives, court scenes, etc.) and themes from poetry and mythology. And they were used in many places, including the present-day regions of the Deccan, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh. In the 9th century, Malayalam was introduced as an official language by the kings of the Cheras Empire (in present-day Kerela). Most of Malayalam literature comes from Sanskrit, and some also from Tamil.