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Major Dynasties Of South India (Part II)

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Chalukya Dynasty:

There were many dynasties under the name Chalukya in the pre-medieval period, which are as follows-
• Badami Chalukyas or ancient western Chalukyas
• Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi (Andhra)
• Kalyani Chalukyas or later western Chalukyas
• Solanki Chalukyas of Gujarat

Pulakeshin I-

He was the founder of the Chalukya Dynasty, which formed a small empire centered on Vatapi or Badami.

Pulakeshin II (610-642 AD) – 

His rule is detailed in the Aihole inscription he commissioned. On Narmada’s banks, he defeated Harshavardhana. Hiuen Tsang paid a visit to his home country. Pulakeshin II’s son Vikramaditya succeeded him, consolidating the Chalukya realm and plundering Kanchi, the Pallava capital.

Kirtivarman II-

He was the Chalukyas’ last emperor, and he was vanquished by Dantidurga, the founder of the Rashtrakuta dynasty.

Art and Architecture of Chalukyas:

The vesara temple style was established by the Chalukyas, but it was only during the Rashtrakutas and Hoysalas that it reached its pinnacle. Chalukya temples can be found in Aihole, Badami, and Pattadakal. The temples of the Chalukyas can be classified into two stages.

a. The temples of Aihole and Badami are representative of the initial stage. Some of the famous temples include-

  • the Lad Khan temple (low, flat-roofed structure with pillared hall), 
  • Durga temple (resembles Buddha chaitya), 
  • Huchimalligudi temple, and 
  • the Jain temple at Meguti.

In Badami, prominent temples are Mukteswara and Melagutti Sivalaya.

b. Pattadakal’s temples represent the second stage. There are ten temples, four in the Northern style (Papanatha temple) and six in the Dravidian style (Sangamesvara & Virupaksha temple). Virupaksha temple is modelled after Kanchipuram’s Kailasanatha temple. They are also well-known for their cave temple construction. Ajanta, Ellora, and Nasik are among the places where they can be found.

Rashtrakutas:

Rashtrakutas were Kannada-speaking people who spoke Kannada as their first language. 

Dantidurga-

He was the founder of the Rashtrakuta dynasty, and established his capital in Kerala at Manyakheta. He beat the 1st Rajput Gurjaras and took Malwa from them. After conquering Kirtivarman II, he captured the Chalukya empire. His successor, Krishna I, conquered the Vengi Gangas and Eastern Chalukyas. At Ellora, he constructed the rock-cut monolithic Kailasa temple.

Govinda III- 

He was the next great king, with victories over the North Indian empire. 

Amoghavarsha I- 

Amoghavarsha I (Greatest Ruler) succeeded him and ruled for 64 years. He was a Jainism adherent. His chief preceptor was Jinasena. He was a patron of letters and wrote Kavirajamarga, a well-known Kannada masterpiece. He constructed the capital of the Rashtrakutas, Malkhed or Manyakheta.

Krishna III (936-968 AD)- 

Krishna III, one of Amoghavarsha I’s successors, marched against the Cholas and destroyed them at Takkolam. He marched further south, capturing Tanjore and proceeding as far as Rameswaram, where he erected the Krishneswara temple. The Rashtrakutas’ dominance dwindled after his death.

Administration:

The Rashtrakuta Empire was divided into provinces known as rashtras, which were governed by rashtrapatis. They were then subdivided into vishayas, or districts, which were ruled by vishayapatis. The next subdivision was bhukti, which included 50-70 villages under the control of bhogapatis. The federal government appointed these officers directly.

Literature:

Amoghavarsha I was a Jain who supported a number of Jain intellectuals. Parsvabhudaya, a biography of Parsva, was written by his instructor Jinasena. Gunabhadra penned the Adipurana, a collection of Jain saints’ biographies. The reign of the Rashtrakutas marked the beginning of Kannada literature.

Amoghavarsha’s Kavirajamarga was Kannada’s first poetry composition. Vikramasenavijaya was written by Pampa, the greatest Kannada poet. Shantipurana was written by Ponna, another well-known Kannada poet. Amogavritti is a grammatical text written by Sakatayana. Viracharya, a great mathematician of the time, was the creator of Ganitasaram.

Art And Architecture-

Ellora and Elephanta were both home to Rashtrakuta art and architecture. During the reign of Krishna I, the Kailasa temple [Dravidian Character] in Ellora was excavated. Goddess Durga is depicted defeating the Buffalo Demon in this sculpture.

Elephanta, or Sripuri, is a small island near Bombay. After sighting an elephant figure, the Portuguese gave it the name Elephanta. Elephanta was the pinnacle of Rashtrakuta sculpture. Huge figures of dwara-palakas stand guard at the sanctum’s entrance. Shiva in several forms – Nataraja, Gangadhara, Ardhanarishvara, and Somaskanda – are depicted on the walls surrounding the shrine. Trimurti, who represents Shiva’s three sides as Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer, is the temple’s most imposing figure.

Other Important Kingdom of South:

• Western/later chalukyas
• Kakatiya
• Yadavas
• Hoysala

The greatest achievement of Hoysala art is the temple of Hoysaleshwara at Dwarasamudra (Modern Halebid).
 


Last Updated : 01 Dec, 2022
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