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Eastern Chalukyas Chalukyas of Vengi | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 624–1189 | |||||||||||
 Eastern Chalukya coin. Central punchmark depicting a Boar standing left. Incuse of punchmarks. | |||||||||||
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| Capital | Pitapuram Vengi Rajamahendravaram | ||||||||||
| Common languages | |||||||||||
| Religion | Hinduism | ||||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||||
| Maharaja | |||||||||||
• 624–641 | Kubja Vishnuvardhana | ||||||||||
• 1018–1061 | Rajaraja Narendra | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
• Established | 624 | ||||||||||
• Disestablished | 1189 | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Eastern Chalukyas, also known as theChalukyas of Vengi, were a dynasty that ruled parts ofSouth India between the 7th and 12th centuries. They started out as governors of theChalukyas of Badami in theDeccan region. Subsequently, they became a sovereign power, and ruled theVengi region of present-dayAndhra Pradesh untilc. 1001 CE.
Originally, the capital of the Eastern Chalukyas was located at Pishtapura (modern-dayPitapuram).[2][3][4][5] It was subsequently moved to Vengi (present-dayPedavegi, nearEluru) and then to Rajamahendravaram (nowRajahmundry). The five centuries of the Eastern Chalukya rule of Vengi saw not only the consolidation of this region into a unified whole, but also saw the efflorescence ofTelugu culture, literature, poetry and art during the later half of their rule. They had marital relationship with Cholas.[6]
The Chalukyas of Vengi branched off from theChalukyas of Badami. The Badami rulerPulakeshin II (609–642 CE) conquered theVengi region in easternDeccan, after defeating the remnants of theVishnukundina dynasty. He appointed his brotherKubja Vishnuvardhana the governor of this newly acquired territory in 624 A.D.[7] Vishnuvardhana's viceroyalty subsequently developed into an independent kingdom, possibly after Pulakeshin died fighting thePallavas in theBattle of Vatapi.[8] Thus the Chalukyas were originally ofKannada stock.[9][10][11]
As per the Timmapuram plates ofKubja Vishnuvardhana, the progenitor of the Eastern Chalukyas, they belonged to the ManavyaGotra and were Haritputras (sons ofHariti) just like theKadambas and Western Chalukyas.[12] From the 11th century onward, the dynasty started claiming legendarylunar dynasty origins. According to this legend, the dynasty descended fromthe Moon, viaBudha,Pururava, thePandavas, Satanika and Udayana. 59 unnamed descendants of Udayana ruled atAyodhya. Their descendantVijayaditya was killed in a battle with TrilochanaPallava, during an expedition inDakshinapatha (Deccan). His pregnant widow was given shelter by Vishnubhatta Somayaji of Mudivemu (modernJammalamadugu). She named her son Vishnuvardhana after her benefactor. When the boy grew up, he became the ruler ofDakshinapatha by the grace of the goddess Nanda Bhagavati.[13]
Between 641 AD and 705 AD some kings, except Jayasimha I and Mangi Yuvaraja, ruled for very short durations. Then followed a period of unrest characterised by family feuds and weak rulers. Meanwhile, theRashtrakutas of Malkhed oustedWestern Chalukyas ofBadami. The weak rulers of Vengi had to meet the challenge of the Rashtrakutas, who overran their kingdom more than once. There was no Eastern Chalukya ruler who could check them until GunagaVijayaditya III came to power in 848 AD. The then Rashtrakuta rulerAmoghavarsha treated him as his ally and after Amoghavarsha's death, Vijayaditya proclaimed independence.[14]
After the decline of the Rashtrakuta power, theKakatiyas who were former vassals of theWestern Chalukyas, assumed sovereignty by suppressing other Chalukya subordinates in the Telangana region.[15]
In its early life, the Eastern Chalukya court was essentially a republic ofBadami, and as generations passed, local factors gained in strength and the Vengi monarchy developed features of its own. External influences still continued to be present as the Eastern Chalukyas had long and intimate contact, either friendly or hostile, with thePallavas, theRashtrakutas, theCholas and theChalukyas of Kalyani.[16]
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The Eastern Chalukyan government was a monarchy based on theHindu philosophy. The inscriptions refer to the traditional seven components of the state (Saptanga), and the eighteen Tirthas (Offices), such as:[18]
No information is available as to how the work of administration was carried out. TheVishaya andKottam were the administrative subdivisions known from records. TheKarmarashtra and theBoya-Kottams are examples of these. The royal edicts (recording gifts of lands or villages) are addressed to allNaiyogi Kavallabhas, a general term containing no indication of their duties, as well as to theGrameyakas, the residents of the village granted. TheManneyas are also occasionally referred in inscriptions. They held assignments of land or revenue in different villages.[19]
Fratricidal wars and foreign invasions frequently disturbed the land. The territory was parcelled out into many small principalities (estates) held by the nobility consisting of collateral branches of the ruling house such as those of Elamanchili,Pithapuram and Mudigonda, and a few other families such as the Kona Haihayas, Kalachuris, Kolanu Saronathas,Chagis,Parichedas,Kota Vamsas,Velanadus and Kondapadamatis, closely connected by marriage ties with the Eastern Chalukyas and families who were raised to high position for their loyal services. When the Vengi ruler was strong, the nobility paid allegiance and tribute to him, but when the weakness was apparent, they were ready to join hands with the enemies against the royal house.[20]
The population in theVengi country was heterogeneous in character. The society was based on hereditarycaste system. Even theBuddhists andJains who originally disregarded caste, adopted it. Besides the four traditional castes, minor communities like Boyas and Savaras (Tribal groups) also existed.[21]
TheBrahmins were held in high esteem in the society. They were proficient inVedas and Shastras and were given gifts of land and money. They held lucrative posts such as councillors, ministers and members of civil service. They even entered the army and some of them rose to positions of high command. TheKshatriyas were the ruling class. Their love of intrigue and fighting was responsible for civil war for two centuries. TheKomatis (Vaishyas) were a flourishing trading community. Their organisation into a powerful guild (Nakaram) which had its headquarters inPenugonda (West Godavari) and branches in seventeen other centres had its beginnings in this period. It seems there used to be a minister for communal affairs (Samaya Mantri) in the government. TheShudras constituted the bulk of the population and there were several sub-castes among them. The army furnished a career for most of them and some of them acquired the status ofSamanta Raju and Mandalika.[22]
Hinduism was the prominent religion of the Eastern Chalukya kingdom, withShaivism being more popular thanVaishnavism. The Mahasena temple atChebrolu became famous for its annualJatra, which involved a procession of the deity's idol from Chebrolu toVijayawada and back.[23] Some of the rulers, declared themselves asParama Maheswaras (Emperors). The Buddhist religious centres eventually attained great celebrity asSiva pilgrim centres. Eastern Chalukya rulers like Vijayaditya II, Yuddhamalla I, Vijayaditya III and Bhima I took active interest in the construction of many temples. The temple establishments like dancers and musicians show that during this period, temples were not only a centre of religious worship but a fostering ground for fine arts.[24]
Buddhism, which was dominant during theSatavahanas was in decline.[23] Its monasteries were practically deserted. Due to their love of sacred relics in stupas, a few might have lingered on,Xuanzang noticed some twenty or more Buddhist monasteries in which more than three thousand monks lived.[21]
Jainism, unlike Buddhism, continued to enjoy some support from the people.[23] This is evident from the several deserted images in ruined villages all overAndhra. The inscriptions also record the construction of Jain temples and grants of land for their support from the monarchs and the people. The rulers like Kubja Vishnuvardhana,Vishnuvardhana III andAmma II patronised Jainism.Vimaladitya even became a declared follower of the doctrine ofMahavira.Vijayawada, Jenupadu, Penugonda (West Godavari) and Munugodu were the famous Jain centres of the period.[22]
Early Telugu literature was at its zenith during this period. Vipparla Inscription ofJayasimha I and theLakshmipuram inscription of the Mangi yuvaraja were the earliest Telugu inscriptions of Eastern chalukyas found in 7 century AD.[25]
The copper plate grants of the early Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi are written in Sanskrit, but a few charters like theAladankaram plates are written partly in Sanskrit and partly in Telugu[25]
Telugu poetry makes its early appearance in theAddanki,Kandukur andDharmavaram inscriptions of Pandaranga, Army Chief ofVijayaditya III, in the later half of the 9th century. However, literary compositions dating earlier than 11th century CE are not clearly known.Nannaya was the poet-laureate ofRajaraja Narendra in the middle of the 11th century. An erudite scholar, he was well-versed in theVedas,Shastras and the ancient epics, and undertook the translation of theMahabharata into Telugu. Narayana Bhatta who was proficient in eight languages assisted him in his endeavour. Though incomplete, his work is acclaimed as a masterpiece of Telugu literature.[26]
Kubja Vishnuvardhana, the founder of the Eastern Chalukya dynasty, was the brother of theChalukya king,Pulakeshin II. The Chalukyas therefore governed both the Karnataka and Andhra countries and patronised Telugu as well. This very likely led to a close connection to Kannada literature. A number of Telugu authors of the age also wrote in Kannada Nannaya-Bhatta'sBharata includes theAkkara, a metre considered unique to Kannada works. The same metre is also found in Yudhamalla'sBezwada inscription. Another inscription notes that Narayana-Bhatta, who assisted Nannaya-Bhatta in composing theBharata, was a Kannada poet and was granted a village by Rajaraja Narendra in 1053 for his contribution. Kannada poets,Adikavi Pampa andNagavarma I, also hailed from families originally from Vengi.[27]
Due to the widely spreadShiva devotional practice in the kingdom, the Eastern Chalukyan kings undertook the construction of temples on a large scale.Vijayaditya II is credited with the construction of 108 temples. Yuddhamalla I erected a temple toKartikeya atVijayawada. Bhima I constructed the famousDraksharama and ChalukyaBhimavaram (Samalkot) temples. Rajaraja Narendra erected three memorial shrines atKalidindi (West Godavari). The Eastern Chalukyas, following thePallava and Chalukya traditions, developed their own independent style of architecture, which is visible in thePancharama shrines (especially the Draksharama temple) andBiccavolu temples. The Golingesvara temple at Biccavolu contains some richly carved out sculptures of deities likeArdhanarisvara, Shiva,Vishnu,Agni,Chamundi andSurya.[28]
Ambapuram cave temple isJain cave temple constructed by Eastern Chalukyas in the 7th century. During the 7th—8th century CE, a total of five Jain caves were constructed in Ambapuram and Adavinekkalam hills.[29][30]
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They belonged to the Karnataka country and their mother tongue was Kannada
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