THE CHALUKYAS OF BADAMI

THE CHALUKYAS OF BADAMI

This post focuses on the early Chalukyas (6^th-8^th centuries CE) of Badami. The later Chalukyas (Western and Eastern) will be dealt with in later posts

Overview

Chalukya territories under Pulakesi II (c. 630 CE)

• The Chalukyas ruled large parts of central and southern India between the 6^th and 12^th centuries
• The Chalukyas consisted of three related dynasties
  • Badami Chalukyas – earliest dynasty, 6^th-8^th centuries CE
  • Eastern Chalukyas – 6^th – 11^th centuries
  • Western Chalukyas – 10^th-12^th centuries
• Chalukya rule was concentrated around present day Karnataka
• The Chalukyas were the earliest known proponents of Kannada and were an important contributor to the growth of Kannada language
• Inscriptions from Chalukya period are mainly in Kannada and Sanskrit

About the Chalukyas of Badami

• The Chalukya kingdom was established by Pulakesi I in 543 CE
• The capital of the Chalukya kingdom was Vatapi (modern Badami)
• This family of early Chalukyas is known as Chalukyas of Badami
• The Chalukyas of Badami ruled over all of Karnataka and parts of Andhra Pradesh

About Pulakesi II

• Pulakesi II, the son of Pulakesi I, was the most famous Chalukya emperor
• Pulakesi II defeated Harshavardhana on the banks of the Narmada and halted the southern expansion of Harsha’s kingdom
• Pulakesi II also extended the Chalukya kingdom up to the northern portions of the Pallava kingdom in the south
• Pulakesi II is famous for the Aihole inscription, which gives details regarding his defeat of Harsha

Chalukyas and Pallavas

The Virupaksha Temple at Pattadakal, Karnataka

• The Chalukyas of Badami and the Pallavas (of Kanchipuram) were in constant and continuous conflict for more than 200 years
• Pulakesi II defeated the Pallava king Mahendravarman I and occupied large parts of northern Pallava kingdom
• However, Mahendravarman’s son Narasimhavarman I defeated Pulakesi II, annexed large parts of the Chalukya kingdom and occupied Badami temporarily
• This was again reversed by Chalukya Vikramaditya II who defeated Pallava Nandivarman II and carved a Kannada inscription on the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram

Architecture under the Chalukyas of Badami

• The architecture of Badami Chalukyas marked an important phase in development of South Indian architecture
• Their style of architecture is also called Karnata Dravida architecture
• Most of their architectural work is concentrated in small area of the Chalukyan heartland in northern Karnataka
• The earliest phase of architecture consists of cave temples at Aihole and Badami (6^th century). These temples had plan exteriors but exceptionally well finished interiors including pillared verandah, columned hall etc
• The second phase was in Aihole and Badami (7^th century).
  Important temples include: Lad Khan Temple (Aihole), and Meguti Jain Temple, Durga Temple, Huccimalli Gudi Temple at Badami
• The final and mature phase was in Pattadakal and Badami (8^th century). Famous temples include: Bhutanatha Temples at Badami, Sangameswara, Virupaksha and Mallikarjuna Temples at Pattadakal
• Chalukya architecture is known for its fusion of nagara and dravida architectural styles
• Pattadakal is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site

THE PALLAVAS

Pallava territories under Narasimhavarman I (c. 650 CE)

Overview

• The Pallavas ruled northern Tamil Nadu and all of Andhra Pradesh between the 3^rd and 9^th centuries CE
• The capital of the Pallavas was Kanchipuram
• The most famous kings of the Pallavas were Mahendravarman I (600-630 CE) and Narasimhavarman I (630-668 CE)
• Throughout their reign, the Pallavas were in constant and continuous conflict with the Chalukyas of Badami as well the Cholas and Pandiyas to the south
• The Pallavas are most famous for their patronage of architecture (eg at Mahabalipuram)
• Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsand visited Kanchipuram during Pallava rule and extolled their benign rule
• Pallava Simhavishnu, along with Pandya Kadungon, are credited with ending the much disliked Kalabhra rule in Tamil Nadu c. 600 CE
  
• The official language of the Pallavas was Tamil, but they patronised Sanskrit and Telugu as well
  

About Mahendravarman I (600-630 CE)

• Mahendravarman I was a great patron of literature, art and architecture
• He is the author of the Sanskrit play Mattivilasa Prahasana
• He was initially a Jain, but reconverted to Hinduism under the Saiva saint Appar
  
• Mahendravarman I is considered to be the pioneer of rock cut architecture among the Pallavas
  
• He also contributed greatly to the Sanskrit dramatised dance worship Kuttiyattam
  
• He is also credited with inventing the seven string veena called Parivadhini

About Narasimhavarman I (630-668 CE)

• Narasimhavarman I was the most famous of Pallava rulers
• He avenged his father’s defeat at the hands of the Chalukyas by defeating Pulakesi II in 642 CE and occupying Badami (Vatapi) temporarily. He then assumed the title Vatapikondan
• Narasimhavarman I was also known by the name Mammallan
  (great wrestler)
• The Chinese Buddhist traveller Hiuen Tsang visited Kanchipuram during his reign
• The majority of the monuments at Mahabalipuram were constructed during the reign of Narasimhavarman I

About the monuments at Mahabalipuram

The Descent of the Ganges at Mahabalipuram, the largest open air rock-relief in the world

• The known structures at Mahabalipuram were built by Narasimhavarman I
• The structures are mostly rock-cut and monolithic
• The monuments are Mahabalipuram have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1984)
• There are four main categories of monuments at Mahabalipuram
  • Ratha Temples: temples in the form of chariots. There are five such structures making the Pancha Rathas
  • Mandapas: cave sanctuaries covered with bas-reliefs. There are 11 such structures
  • Rock relief: sculpted bas-relief on rocks
  • Temples: temples cut out of rock

List of important structures at Mahabalipuram

Structure		Category	Notes
Decent of the Ganges (Arjuna’s Penance)		Bas-relief	Giant open-air relief carved out of monolithic rock Largest open-air rock relief in the world Interpreted to describe the descent of the river Ganges to earth (or) to describe the penance of Arjuna to receive a boon from Siva Also known as Bhagiratha’s Penance
Varaha Cave Temple		Rock-cut cave temple	Small monolithic temple Other cave temples include Krishna Cave Temple, Pancha Pandava Cave Temple
Five Rathas		Rock-cut temple	The Pancha Rathas consist of five temples, each in the shape of a chariot The temples were all carved out of a single large piece of stone
Shore Temple		Structural temple	Built with blocks of granite Sits on the shoreline of the Bay of Bengal Unlike other temples at Mahabalipuram, this is structural not rock-cut It is the earliest important structural temple in southern India

Recent archaeological findings at Mahabalipuram

• There has been a long standing legend about the Seven Pagodas at Mahabalipuram, i.e. seven rock temples supposedly built on the shore. Until recently, no evidence to support the legend was found
• However, the Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004 disrupted the shoreline and has exposed previously sunken monuments at Mahabalipuram
• The most significant development was the uncovering of a large lion statue on the shore, dated to the 7^th century
• Also uncovered was a small brick structure dated to the Sangam period, before the time of the Pallavas
• Following this, the ASI and the Indian Navy explored the waters off Mahabalipuram in 2005 and found remains of two temples, one cave temple and a stone wall
• Further research is awaited