Unit 4 South Indian Kingdoms Learning Objectives • To know the southern Indian states that emerged after the fall of the Mauryan Empire • To acquire information of the ruling dynasties such as Pallavas, Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas and their domains • To understand their contribution to society and culture with reference to literature, art and architecture • To become familiar with the artistic and architectural splendour of Mamallapuram shore temple, Ellora monuments and Elephanta cave temples South Indian Kingdoms control over the greater part of India in this period. By the early 7th century, synchronising with the Harsha’s reign in the north, the The Pallavas far south had come under the control of The Pallava kings ruled around the the Pallava kings of Kanchipuram. Pallava prosperous agrarian settlement and sovereignty included the domains of the important trade centre of Kanchipuram on Cholas and the Pandyas. The latter were the southeast coast of India. Kanchipuram then emerging as ruling dynasties in their was well known to Chinese and Roman respective river valley regions. Much of the merchants. From the flourishing trade centre central and eastern Deccan was under the of Kanchipuram, the later Pallavas extended Chalukyas of Badami (Vatapi), who were their sovereignty over all the Tamil-speaking then pushed away by the Rashtrakutas. regions during the 7th and 8th centuries. The medieval period in India was marked The central part of their kingdom, however, by thee mergence of regional centres of was Thondaimandalam, a large political power. There was no single imperial power region comprising northern parts of Tamil like Mauryas or Guptas who exercised Nadu and the adjoining Andhra districts. 128 VI History 3rd Term_English version CHAPTER 04.indd 128 22-11-2018 16:00:49 PALLAVA TERRITORIES Ujjain Narmada Mahanadi Nagpur Godavari Bay of Bengal Bijapur Arabian Krishna Sea Masulipatnam Pallava Territories KANCHI CauverVellore A n y d Lakshadwee Mamallapuram a m a n a PANDYA n d N p Madurai i c o b a r Indian Ocean Sources Inscriptions Mandagapattu Cave, Aihole Inscription of Pulakesin II Copper Kasakudi Plates Plates Literature Mattavilasa Prahasana, Avanthi Sundarakatha, Kalingathu Parani, Periya Puranam, Nandi Kalambagam Foreign Accounts of Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang Notice 129 VI History 3rd Term_English version CHAPTER 04.indd 129 22-11-2018 16:00:50 Pallava Genealogy (Prominent Kings) Narasimhavarman I’s army general was Paranjothi. Popularly known as There were early Pallava rulers who were Siruthondar (one of the 63 Nayanmars), feudatories of Satavahanas. Simhavishnu, son Paranjothi led the Pallava army during of Simhavarman II (around 550 AD (CE), created the invasion of Vatapi. After the victory a strong Pallava kingdom after destroying the he had a change of heart and devoted Kalabhras. He defeated many kings in the himself to Lord Siva south including the Cholas and the Pandyas. –PeriyaPuranam His able son was Mahendravarman I. He was succeeded by his son Narasimhavarman I. Narasimhavarman II (c. 695–722), The other prominent Pallava rulers were also known as Rajasimha, was a great Narasimhavarman II or Rajasimha and military strategist. He exchanged Nandivarman II. The last Pallava ruler was ambassadors with China. His reign was Aparajita. comparatively free from any political Mahendravarman (c.600–630AD disturbance. Therefore, he could (CE)) contributed to the greatness of the concentrate on temple-building activities. Pallava kingdom. Mahendravarman I was During his reign, the famous Kailasanatha a follower of Jainism in the early part of his temple at Kanchipuram was built. rule. He was converted to Saivism by the Saivite saint Appar (Tirunavukkarasar). Name of the King Title/s Adopted He was a great patron of art and Simhavishnu Avanisimha architecture. He is known for introducing Mahendravarma I Sankirnajati a new style to Dravidian architecture, Mattavilasa which is referred to as ‘Mahendra style’. Gunabhara Mahendravarman also wrote plays, Chitrakarapuli including (c.620) MattavilasaPrahasana. Vichitra Chitta (The Delight of the Drunkards) in Sanskrit, Narasimhavarma I Mamallan, Vatapi which denigrates Buddhism. Kondan Mahendravarman’s reign involved Pallava’s Contribution constant battles with the Western Chalukya to Architecture kingdom of Badami under Pulakesin II. Pulakesin seems to have defeated Pallava period is known for architectural Mahendravarman in one of the battles and splendour. The Shore Temple and various taken over a large part of his territory (Vengi) other temples carved from granite in the north. His son Narasimavarma I monoliths and the Varaha cave (7th (c. 630–668) avenged the defeat by century) at Mamallapuram, are illustrious capturing Vatapi, the capital of Chalukyas. examples of Pallava architecture. In 1984, He set Vatapi on fire, killing Pulakesin in the Mamallapuram was added to the list of process. UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 130 VI History 3rd Term_English version CHAPTER 04.indd 130 22-11-2018 16:00:50 Pallava architecture can be classified as The most important among the Mamalla style of architecture is the open 1. Rock-Cut temples – Mahendravarman style art gallery. Several miniature sculptures such as the figure of lice-picking monkey, 2. Monolithic Rathas and Sculptural elephants of huge size and the figure Mandapas – Mamallan style of the ascetic cat have been sculpted 3. Structural Temples – Rajasimhan beautifully on the wall of a huge rock. style and Nandivarman style The fall of the River Ganga from the head Mahendra Style of Lord Siva and the Arjuna’s penance are The best example of MahendraVarma notable among them. The Great Penance style monuments are cave temples at panel is considered to be the world’s Mandagapattu, Mahendravadi, Mamandur, largest open-air bas relief. Dalavanur, Tiruchirapalli, Vallam, Tirukazhukkundram and Siyamangalam. Arjuna’s Penance Cave Temple Mandagapattu Rajasimha Style Mamalla Style Narasimhavarma II, also known as The five rathas (chariots), popularly called Rajasimha, constructed structural temples Panchapandavar rathas, signify five different using stone blocks.The best example for style of temple architecture. Each ratha has been the structural temple is Kailasanatha carved out of a single rock. So they are called temple at Kanchipuram. This temple was monolithic. The popular mandapams (pillared built by using sand stones. Kailasanatha pavilions) they built are Mahishasuramardhini temple is called Rajasimheswaram. mandapam, Thirumoorthi mandapam and Varaha mandapam. Panchapandavar Rathas Kanchi Kailasanatha Temple 131 VI History 3rd Term_English version CHAPTER 04.indd 131 22-11-2018 16:00:51 Nandivarma Style times and it attracted students from all parts of India and abroad.Vatsyaya who The last stage of the Pallava architecture wrote Nyaya Bhashya was a teacher at is also represented by structural temples Kanchi (Gatika). built by the later Pallavas. The best example is Vaikunda Perumal temple at The treatise on Dakshin Chitram Kanchipuram. (Paintings of South India) was compiled during the reign of Mahendravarma I. The great Sanskrit scholar, Dandin, lived in the court of Narasimhavarma I. Dandin composed Dashakumara Charita. Bharavi, the great Sanskrit scholar, lived in the time of Simhavishnu. Bharavi wrote Kiratarjuniya, an epic in verses. Kanchi Vaikunda Perumal Temple Tamil literature had also flourished during the Pallava rule. Thevaram Society and Culture composed by Nayanmars and The Pallavas supported Jainism, Buddhism Nalayradivyaprabantham composed and the Vedic faith. They were great patrons by Azhwars, which are still chanted of music, painting and literature. Some of by devout people. Perundevanar, who the Pallava kings patronised the Azhwars was patronized by Nandivarman II, and Nayanmars. These exponents of Bhakti translated the Mahabharata into Tamil Cult preached a new form of Vaishnavism as Bharathavenba. and Saivism. Among the Saivites were Appar and Manikkavasakar. Among the Pallava Art Vaishnavites were Nammazhvar and Andal. The Bhakti movement aimed at preaching a The Pallava kings had also patronised fine popular faith, in which prayers in Tamil were arts. The music inscriptions in Kudumianmalai preferred to those in Sanskrit. Women were and Thirumayam temples show Pallavas’ encouraged to participate in the religious interest in music. The famous musician congregations. The Tamil devotional cult Rudracharya lived during Mahendravarma I. was competitive with Buddhism and Jainism. The sculptures of this period depict many Therefore the latter suffered a gradual images in dancing postures. decline in most parts of Tamil country. The Chalukyas Education and Literature The Chalukyas ruled larger parts of west Gatika (monastery or centre of learning) and centre of South India, consisting of at Kanchi was popular during the Pallava Maratha country with Vatapi (Badami) as 132 VI History 3rd Term_English version CHAPTER 04.indd 132 22-11-2018 16:00:51 their capital. There were three distinct but The Chalukyas of Vatapi closely related and independent Chalukya Pulakesin I, a petty chieftain of Pattadakal dynasties. They were (1) Chalukyas of in the Bijapur district, took and fortified Badami, (2) Chalukyas of Vengi (Eastern the hill fort of Vatapi around 543 AD (CE). Chalukyas) and (3) Chalukyas of Kalyani He soon conquered the territory between (Western Chalukyas). These Chalukyas the Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers and held Harsha in the north, the Pallavas the Western Ghats. His son Kirtivarman I