THE BADAMI CHALUKYA - Part VII

BOOKS ON THIS DYANSTY

Since the rule of the Badami Chalukyas culminated over 1,200 years ago, the information available regarding them in the forms of inscriptions and other historical accounts is fairly limited. As such, the books available on this subject too are relatively few as compared to 'modern' dynasties like the Mughals or the Marathas. Anyway, following is a list of books that I have read about this illustrious line of rulers during the last few months.

POLITICAL HISTORY OF THE CHALUKYAS OF BADAMI - D P DIKSHIT

'Keep it simple and stick to the point' is the mantra that Professor Dikshit had adopted in his book on the early Chalukyas. Published by Abhinav Publications and priced at a nominal sum of Rs. 200/-, the 'Political History of the Chalukyas of Badami' is a bible for anybody interested in the glorious history of this dynasty. As you read this book, you can easily make out how much effort has gone into it; truly, Professor must be credited for painstakingly going through the inscriptions that have been unearthed in the past and referring to the works of other eminent historians who have researched on this subject before him. What makes this a must read for history lovers is that he, like a true historian, he has used the available information in answering some of the most complex questions regarding the Early Chalukyas to the best of his abilities while also questioning some previously held assumptions.

For example, as far as the rise of the Vatapi kingdom is concerned, it is generally believed that they defeated their former overlords - the Kadambas of Banavasi to lay the foundation of their kingdom. However, Professor Dikshit's view on this is completely different; in fact, it is 'radical' to say the least. However, the reasons that he gives in support of his argument are quite convincing, though we cannot be take them to be the gospel truth as yet. Similarly, his take on the regnal years of Mangalesa, the date of the Harsha - Pulakeshi II including the circumstances that led to it and most importantly, his take on the series of events in the 13 years when the Pallavas held Vatapi are 'insightful' to say the least. Besides giving us a detailed political history of the clan, the book also has three sections dedicated to other aspects including General Administration, Finance and Military Organization. Finally, the last chapter consists of list of Chalukyan inscriptions, their dates and the information that they provide us with. This is the first time that I am coming across something like this and I must say, I am quite impressed with it. Probably, it will be great if other historians too follow this approach while writing books.

THE CHALUKYAS OF BADAMI (SEMINAR PAPERS) - MYTHIC SOCIETY

In 1974, the Mythic Society - a well reputed library based out of Bangalore which takes a keen interest in history and anthropology hosted a seminar where it invited historians and scholars to present their works on the Badami Chalukyas. The papers presented by about 30 scholars was collected and later published in the form of a book, four years later. Even before I review the book, I as a lover of history must thank the Myhtic Society for their excellent initiative. Indian history will certainly be enriched if more such conferences and seminars are conducted on a regular basis across the country.

Coming back to the review, this was the first time that I was reading such a collection of research papers written by some of the most eminent historians of the 70s and I must say that I enjoyed it. One third of the 30 chapters in the book are regarding the political history of the dynasty. The information though not as detailed as in the previous book, is pretty good, especially for those who do not like being bombarded with loads of information. However, it was some of the chapters on other topics that I liked reading the most; chapters like the one on Chalukyan Queens or the Chalukya - Ganga Relationship or the one on Chalukya - Pallava Conflict were very interesting; only well-read scholars can write articles on topics like these. Besides, there are sections on Chalukyan architecture, the social life during their times, their administration, their inscriptions in Kannada and Telugu, the impact that this dynasty had on the subsequent history of the Deccan et all; you rarely find such a wealth of information, that too from so many different experts in a single book. Of course, there are some chapters where you will not be able to follow what the author is trying to say since you lack the necessary information in that field. Still, over all, this book does provide you a holistic picture regarding the Chalukyas of Badami.

Priced at Rs. 50/-, this is perhaps one of the cheapest books that I have ever read. However, the problem is that finding a copy online is almost impossible. In fact, I went to the Mythic Society  at Nrupthunga Road (Link) to get a copy over an year ago. Also, there seem to be very few copies remaining and the lady there told me that they do not have any plans to reprint this book anytime in the near future. Hence, in case you need one, please pick a copy before it runs out of stock.

Read the complete series on Badami Chalukyas here (Link)

THE BADAMI CHALUKYAS - Part VI

THE ACHIEVEMENTS

(1) The Vesara style of Temple Building: The heart of the Badami Chalukya empire - the Malaprabha basin dotted by the towns of Badami (Vatapi), Aihole, Pattadkal and Mahakuta are described by many as the 'cradle of Indian temple architecture'. The Chalukyas blended the elements of the Nagara style of the North that reached its pinnacle during the Gupta era and the southern Dravidan style of their nemesis - the Pallavas to give rise to the Vesara temple architecture.

The Badami rulers as well as their queens were prolific builders; using locally available sandstone, the architects patronized by them created some of the most magnificent temples in northern Deccan. Designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites, the temples of this region, namely the Virupaksha, the Mallikarjuna and the Kashi Vishwanatha shrines in Pattadkal, the Lad Khan and Durga temples in Aihole and numerous cave temples in Badami are some of the most well preserved specimens of Chalukyan architecture. In fact, they are counted amongst the most beautiful heritage structures in the country and annually attract thousands of visitors.

(2) The development of Kannada: With nearly 4 crore speakers, Kannada is amongst the forty most spoken languages in the world. Spoken primarily in the state of Karnataka in southern India, it has a history of nearly two millennia. Though the language got its independent script during the Kadamba era, it was in the reign of the Badami Chalukyas when it became popular. The large number of Kannada inscriptions attributed to the kings and emperors of this dynasty are a clear indication that Kannada was not only the official language of the Vatapi court but it was also widely understood by a large section of their subjects. Besides, their closest allies - the Western Gangas too were great patrons of the language.

Of course, the contribution of preceeding dynasties as well as those who succeeded the Badami Chalukyas viz the Kadambas, the Rashtrakutas, the Gangas, the Kalyani Chalukyas, the Hoysalas and the Vijaynagar Empire in the development of Kannada too is immense; some will argue that several of the most important literary works were written much after the glitter and pomp of the Vatapi court had passed into the history books. However, in many ways, they were continuing the tradition that began first at the Banvasi and which was taken to an all new level during the days of the Badami kings.

(3) Stabilizing Deccan: The first empire builders based out of medieval Deccan, the Badami Chalukyas, at their height were the masters of the entire peninsular region, stretching from southern Rajasthan to Kanyakumari. The greatest ruler of this dynasty, Pulakeshi II led a mighty army on campaign across southern India, banishing his rivals and forging diplomatic ties with others; not so surprisingly, he is widely considered to be one of the most able monarchs in the history of the country. Though none of his illustrious successors succeeding in building an empire as strong as his, they managed to hold on to their domain in spite of being at constant state of war with their neighbors. The rulers of this dynasty were efficient administrators; during their reign, the core of the empire was largely peaceful. In fact, for nearly two centuries, the Badami Chalukyas provided much needed stability to Deccan which helped in creating an atmosphere conducive for the growth of art, architecture and literature. Moreover, during this time, trade flourished and prosperity prevailed as mentioned in the memoirs of Hiuen Tsang.

(4) Keeping the invaders at bay: Perhaps, one of the glorious moment in the history of entire Southern India came when Chalukyan monarch Pulakeshi II repulsed the invasion of the Emperor Harshavardhan of Kannauj on the banks of the Narmada river. It is one of the few rare instances in antiquity when peninsula was able to defend itself from the attacks of the rulers of the Gangetic plain. What makes this victory remarkable is that Harsha was no ordinary king; he was the undisputed Overlord of Northern India and had a vast army consisting of hundreds of elephants. About a century later, his namesake - Avanijanashraya Pulakeshi who was a Chalukyan prince governing Lata, saw off an invasion mounted by the Arabs in the west during the reign of Vikramaditya II. And that is not all; the Badami rulers also checked the rising powers of the Pallavas of Kanchipuram in the south.

The period between 7^th century and 11^th century was the time when Southern India was much more powerful and stable than the rest of the country. While northern and western parts of the nation were split into several smaller kingdoms following the death of Harshavardhan, Deccan was ruled by two powerful and warring dynasties - the Chalukyas and the Pallavas. In course of time, the Rashtrakutas who are the political successors of the Badami clan even managed to capture Kannauj which was the richest city in contemporary Northern India.

(5) Establishing relationship with rulers outside the Sub-continent: So powerful were the Badami rulers that tales of their military strength and fame traveled much beyond the realm of the Indian Sub-continent. Pulakeshi II, the warrior king who beat Harshavardhan and died on the battlefield while fighting Pallava Narshimavarman I is believed to set up diplomatic relationship with the Persian court. Similarly, other kings who occupied the throne of Vatapi are said to have sent emissaries to China and weilded considerable influence in the politics of Sri Lanka too for a certain period. There are others who believe that Chalukyans had some form of contact with the Khmer kingdom in South East Asia. Though the evidence to confirm this claim is missing, there is no doubt that the Badami Chalukya rulers were one of the strongest players in South Asian politics during this period.

Read the complete series on Badami Chalukyas here (Link)

THE BADAMI CHALUKYAS - Part V

WHO IS THE 'SECOND' GREATEST CHALUKYAN EMPEROR?

Historians and scholars are unanimous in their opinion that Pulakeshi II, the fourth emperor in this illustrious line of rulers was not only the greatest monarch to have sat on the throne of Badami but also count him amongst the best rulers in the history of the country. The tragedies that unfolded in the last few years of his reign apart, he won a series of victories in his remarkable military career, the crowning glory of which was his outstanding win over Emperor Harshavardhan when he tried to invade the Deccan. Of course, this is just one aspect of his life; besides being a military genius, he was also an able administrator as confirmed by records of the Chinese pilgrim Xuangzang. However, the question that I would like to attempt to answer in this post is one that has intrigued me for long now - After Pulakeshi II, who is the 'second greatest' Chalukyan emperor? In my opinion, there are five major contenders and over the course of this post, I would like to evaluate each one of these and try to arrive at a 'satisfactory' conclusion.

The first of these is Mangalesa, the uncle and immediate predecessor of Immadi Pulakeshi. Many will be surprised by the fact that I have included him in this exercise; after all, he is not spoken about in 'high regards' even in the dynastic records that generally tend to overrate the achievements of even the 'weakest' of the kings. The reason for him being 'overlooked' in the Chalukyan inscriptions, of course is pretty clear. His refusal to hand over the reins of the government to his nephew when the latter came of age is largely seen as 'act of betrayal' and a display of 'extreme selfishness'. Though he is wrong if you consider the 'law of primogeniture' but I have chosen to ignore this since I believe that his contribution in strengthening the Badami Chalukya clan has largely been overlooked.

Although he inherited a pretty stable kingdom, Mangalesa's conquests along the western coast are extremely important as far as the history of this clan is concerned. Apart from checking the ambitions of chiefs in the region and forcing them to submit to the Vatapi court, it also gave the Chalukyas access to the ports like Goa which were important centres of trade, especially in Arabian horses. Moreover, he was, in my opinion, the first king of Badami to pursue a policy of territorial expansion. His victory over the Kalachuris helped in adding areas in modern day Maharashtra to the Chalukyan kingdom. However, the reason why he fails in the race to be the 'second' best is that in spite of being in power for over a decade he failed to defend his throne against his nephew. This clearly shows that there was a strong coterie in the royal court that opposed Mangalesa and he failed in keeping a watch over their activities.

Another Chalukyan monarch who makes a strong case for himself is Vinayaditya - the sixth ruler of this clan. If the dynastic records are to be believed, he led a strong army and prevailed over a powerful king in the North. Thus while Pulakeshi was successful in repulsing Harsha's invasion, his grandson is credited to have crossed the Narmada and defeated a strong king ruling in the area of the Gangetic plain. He is also hailed as yielding supremacy over the kings of faraway lands like Persia, Ceylon and Kamera which some historians identify as the Khmer kingdom in modern day Cambodia. The problem however is that, at present we have no credible source to corroborate these rather tall claims which sound more like figment of imagination of a royal poet intend to glorify his master's achievements. We still do not have any information about the North Indian ruler who was beaten by Vinayaditya nor is there any mention in the history of Persia and Cambodia that their rulers paid tribute to the Badami kings. Also, in case the dynastic records are right, then Vinayaditya might well be the greatest of all the Chalukyan rulers surpassing even the famous Immadi Pulakeshi.

Most of the Badami Chalukyan kings had imperialistic ambitions and waged wars to win more territories and wealth. A notable exception to this was the third contender - Vijayaditya. His 37 year long reign was the longest for any ruler of his family and was marked by general peace and prosperity. In fact, it was also in the last days of his career that the family won a huge victory over their arch rivals - the Pallavas of Kanchi. Though I place him higher over the likes of Mangalesa and Vinayaditya, I still believe that he was not the 'second' best ruler of this dynasty. The reason is simple; I believe that for a ruler to be in the 'great' club, a ruler needs to be a great general and an efficient administrator. While Vijayaditya gets full marks for administration, the fact remains that as of now, we are not aware of any of his major military exploits. The lone campaign against the Pallavas too was headed by the crown prince about whom we will discuss next.

Vikramaditya II, the last of the great Chalukyan kings did something that even Pulakeshi could not; he managed to comprehensively defeat the Pallavas, not once, not twice but on three different occasions. The first of these was as the crown prince during the reign of his father Vijayaditya, the second as the King and third was an expedition led by his son Kirtivarman II. The death of Pulakeshi II on the battle field at the hands of Narsimhavarman I, the subsequent Pallava sacking of Vatapi and the inscription that their king left behind there were a great cause of embarrassment for this family. It was Vikramaditya's triple victories that finally ended this humiliation. Moreover, unlike the Pallavas, the Chalukyas did not ransack their capital; in fact, the Chalukyan emperor left his own inscription in Kanchi wherein it is mentioned that he made several grants to the temples and the priests, clearly indicating that he was a considerate monarch too. Besides, it was during his reign that Avanjijanasraya Pulakeshi of the Lata branch stemmed the advances of an Arab army. Thus, as far as warfare is concerned, Vikramaditya II is perhaps next only to Immadi Pulakeshi as far as the Badami Chalukyas are concerned.

So, is he the 'second' greatest? Ahh, I don't think so. The Chalukyan Empire crumbled within a decade after the death of Vikramaditya II and the seeds of destruction were sowed during his time. Though he won a major victory over the Arabs in the north, I think that this ruler concentrated most of his energies in the south. So determined was he in destroying the Pallavas that he in a sense ignored the meteoric rise of two families in this part of the world - the Rashtrakutas under Dantidurga and the Pandyas who would eventually diminish the glory of the Badami court. Like Pulakeshi II, the constant wars that he waged would have taken a toll on the state exchequer. Lastly, an important mistake that he made was that so involved was he in the politics of southern Deccan that he completely ignored the northern frontier.

The final contender in this race is Pulakeshi's own son Vikramaditya I. As mentioned earlier, after the defeat and death of his father, the great Pallava emperor Narshimavarman I captured and sacked Vatapi. For a period of 13 years, the Chalukyan capital remained in the hands of their bitter rivals. It was a critical period in the history of this dynasty and our understanding of it as yet is quite limited. All we are sure about is that it was Vikramaditya II who succeeded in driving the Kanchi army out of Badami and restoring the Chalukyan pride to some extent. Thus in some ways, he rebuilt the Vatapi kingdom following its devastation at the hands of Narshimavarman I. In his 25 year long reign as the monarch, he is said to have defeated the Pandyas, the Chola sand the Cheras who had allied with the Kanchi king during the Chalukya-Pallava conflict. Also, we know from inscriptions that he continued to get tribute from the Latas, the Gujjaras and the Malavas. Hence, except for Vengi which was by now an independent kingdom, the extent of his empire was next only to his father. He also undertook a campaign against the Kanchi kings but we are not sure as to what was the ultimate result of this conflict as both sides claim victory.

Unlike his namesake, Vikramaditya I could never achieve a complete victory over the Pallavas. However, in my opinion, that cannot be a yardstick to measure greatness. If it was not for him, the Badami Chalukya dynasty would have passed into oblivion following the death of Pulakaeshi II. He literally rebuilt the kingdom from pieces, pushed out the Pallavas and reaffirmed his family's hold over regions up to Southern Gujarat. He was vigilant enough to check the ambitions of his feudatories and the empire survived for nearly a century after his death. Of course, we cannot deny that he was lucky enough to have strong successors like Vinayaditya, Vijayaditya and Vikramaditya II. But then, had it not been for the strong leadership provided by him during the time of crisis, the Chalukyan power would have ended with the death of Pulakeshi II.

Thus, I believe that Immadi Pulakeshi's son and successor Vikramaditya I who was the next best ruler to have occupied the Badami throne followed closely by his great grandson Vikramaditya II at number three.

Read the complete series on Badami Chalukyas here (Link)

THE BADAMI CHALUKYAS - Part IV

THE HARSHA - PULAKESHI WAR

Please Note: This is a fictional account of the war fought between Harsha Vardhan and Pulakeshi II on the banks of the river Narmada.

A day before the impending battle, emperor Harsha Vardhan was gripped by anxiety; crowned at the tender age of 16, he had fought many battles in his remarkable military career and had subjugated a plethora of clans in the Gangetic plain. After avenging the death of his brother, he built the most extensive empire in the Sub-Continent ever since the fall of the Guptas; one that extended from Punjab in the west to Bengal in the east. Yet, he knew that the upcoming battle would be the most difficult one that he had fought so far. After all, the skirmishes that had taken place between the two sides over the last fortnight had proved that beating the might Karnataka-bala army would be far from an easy task. It had been over a month since the ruler of Kannauj had left his capital with an entourage consisting of over 40,000 well-trained soldiers, 5,000 choicest cavalry and 300 war elephants on his southern campaign. In fact, the entire caravan including the supply wagons extended for nearly three kilometers from one end to another; it was an entire city on the move, leaving everyone who had witnessed this spectacle 'spell bound'. After crossing the mighty Narmada, Harsha set up his camp on its banks and fortified his position.

Historians and scholars are divided over the reason that prompted the northern Samrat to launch this offensive into the Deccan. Most believe that after conquering the plains, it was but natural for a strong king like him to venture into the south in a bid to fulfill his imperialistic ambitions. Though Harsha was a Buddhist, he was certainly not averse to war. One after the other, his vast army had beaten a host of rulers up to the Narmada frontier and it was but natural for him to expand his horizon and look to extend his territories into the peninsular region, thereby emulating the successes that emperors like Ashoka the Great and Kaniska had enjoyed before him. Others say that it was the submission of central Indian dynasties like the Latas, the Gujaras and the Malavas to the Badami court that irked Harsha. From his point of view, the Chalukyan king, by accepting to be the overlord of the above mentioned families based out of present day Gujarat and Rajasthan was infringing on 'his sphere of influence'. This, in his opinion had to be checked or else several of his own sub-ordinates could do the same.

Three miles down south, in the enemy camp, King Pulakeshi II was finalizing his strategy for the battle. The fourth king to occupy the Vatapi throne, he had proved to be an efficient ruler and a brilliant general in his career so far. After emerging victorious following the civil war, not only was he able to consolidate his position but after a spate of military conquests, he became the undisputed ruler of the upper half of the peninsula. His forces, fighting under the Varaha emblem had humbled other strong regional chiefs and forced them to accept his suzerainty. However, this was the defining moment of his life; while the odds were stacked against him, a victory against Harsha would bring fame and immortality, something that all monarchs crave for. On the other hand, a defeat would bring ignominy and humiliation in form of a hefty annual tribute that had to be paid to the king of Kannauj. In his tent that also served as the war room, he along with his brother Kubuja Vishnuvardhana, his Sandhivigrahika (Foreign Minister), some senior generals and war veterans discussed the plans for the next morning when the great armies of the north and south would meet on the Ranabhoomi. They were aware that Harsha would unleash his fleet of war elephants to break the Chalukyan ranks and devised a strategy to counter it. As the meeting concluded, Ravikirti - the royal poet who witnessed the meeting remarked, "Tomorrow, the magnitude of the victory of the forces of the Prithvi-Vallabha (Pulakeshi) would be such that King Harsha will lose all his harsha (Happiness) and flee from the battle field".

Meanwhile, emperor Harsha had hardly slept that night; he got up early in the morning, performed a host of religious rituals so as to please the Gods and then changed into his military gear. After mounting his favorite war elephant - the Ayraavat, he directed his men to march on. The formation of the Vardhan army was fairly complex; the front line consisted of auxiliary troops that comprised of criminals and prisoners of war flanked on either side by a platoon of cavalry. Behind them were the men belonging to various feudatory kings and chieftains who had accepted Harsha's overlordship. Then came in the famed pachyderm unit followed by a line of archers. Behind them was the core of the Vardhan army at the center of which stood the Emperor surrounded by the royal guards whose main job was to take the King to safety in case of an emergency; the men on foot fought primarily with swords and spears. Finally, there was a line of reserve troops that would be called up in case any unit had to be supplemented urgently.

In the Chalukyan camp too, Pulakeshi performed several Vedic rites to gain the favor of the Gods which included an animal sacrifice. At the auspicious time fixed after consulting the best astrologers from his kingdom, he led his army from the front with the aim of repulsing Harsha's invasion. He divided his front line into 20 units, each comprising of well trained infantry and cavalry mounted on fine Arabic horses. Some of these divisions were headed by rulers of states that had pledged their allegiance to the Vatapi court including the Gangas, the Alupas and the Banas. Behind them was a band of archers, a platoon of elephants, followed by numerous lines of infantry and cavalry amidst which stood the King, overlooking and directing the war operations. As the two armies took their positions opposite each other, Harsha seemed to be impressed with the preparations of his adversary. He quipped to one of his commander, "This is going to be a long day on the battle field for all of us". Pulakeshi though, was unfazed; he scanned the enemy line looking for loop holes that he could leverage to his advantage.

Once the two sides were ready, it was Pulakeshi, much to Harsha's surprise who gave the first order for the attack. As the conch was blown, five units charged with patriotic fervor, marched towards the enemy while shouting their battle cry. The auxiliaries in the Varshan army who went to meet them were no match to the troops from Deccan known for their courage and valor. Many of them were cut down and the balance began to tilt in favor of the southerners. Harsha though, was not the one to give up so easily; he ordered his cavalry to charge towards the enemy units who by now had occupied the center. The tactic worked and the horse men were able to hold against the advancing Chalukyan forces. For the next hour or so, the battle seemed to be evenly poised; the entire field was strewn with mutilated bodies and the atmosphere was echoing with sounds of swords clashing against each other; while their compatriots were dying around them, the brave sons of Bharata, irrespective of whether they were fighting for Harsha or Pulakeshi, put up a strong fight. As the sub-ordinate kings fighting under Harsha were called in next, the king of Vatapi countered it by ordering more of his units to move towards the line of action. At one point of time though, the right side of the Chalukyan army was on the verge of collapse and a worried Pulakeshi requested his brother Vishnuvardhana to reinforce it. Leading from the front, the prince succeeded not only in holding back the opponents but also killed several enemy soldiers. As if the heat of the battle was not enough, the afternoon sun made matters worst for both sides.

It was at this juncture that Harsha signaled three lines of his elephant units to charge towards the Chalukyan army. Intoxicated with alcohol, the pachyderms wreaked havoc on the battle field, trampling soldiers on either sides as they ran towards the enemy ranks. It was now that Pulakeshi displayed his military acumen; he directed his archers to 'welcome' these beasts with 'fire arrows' dipped in oil. As the fire started descending on to them from the heavens, the pachyderms panicked; some of them even turned back and in the process ended up clashing with the subsequent lines causing a stampede. Still in disbelief, the Vardhan emperor ordered the rest of his elephants to hold on. As if to press home his advantage, Pulakeshi sent more troops to the front. Men on horses fought bravely against the stronger battle elephants and though many of them perished, they brought down several beasts too. Next, the Chalukya king ordered his own set of elephants to come to the forefront. Now that ruler of Vatapi could not use the services of his archers, Harsha had no option but to bring his remaining pachyderms to counter this latest enemy attack. Wave after wave, soldiers fighting for Harsha kept on attacking the men loyal to Pulakeshi. However, the latter were largely successful in holding out. The deadlock continued for another two hours and as the sun began to set on the horizon though, both kings asked their men to return back to their respective camps.

Isn't it a fact that while kings and generals declare war, it is the soldiers who die. On that fateful day in the first half of the sixth century, nearly 15,000 men were slain and thousands more were injured. About 60 elephants were killed; a majority of them belonging to Harsha. In this battle of the fittest, only the 'bravest of the brave' survived.

As the physicians were treating the injured, Harsha called an emergency meeting with his generals to discuss the future course of action. While some of his men wanted to continue the war against Pulakeshi, others argued that the cost involved in this endeavor would be enormous; even if they did earn a hard fought victory, it would be akin to a Pyrrhic victory. Considering that the tribes in the north-west were only waiting for an opportunity to strike, the war if pursued further could severely hamper the empire's defenses against the enemies in the north. After two hours of intense deliberations, the decision was made and Harha's dreams of an empire covering Deccan was gone forever.

In the Chalukyan camp, the mood was upbeat; though the soldiers knew that they had won the day, Pulakeshi a brilliant general himself, refused to drop the guard. He visited the wounded and addressed the gathering of his men where he thanked them for their bravery in defending his kingdom and urging them to be ready for battle the next day. As he was discussing the battle plans with his trusted aides, he received the news that emissaries from Harsha had arrived suing for peace. However, the Chalukyan king kept them waiting for over an hour as he discussed whether to continue the hostilities or not. The Vatapi ruler knew very well that the war could potentially drain his resources, leaving his kingdom vulnerable, both to internal as well as external forces. As his council concluded its meeting, Pulakeshi welcomed the guests and treated them with respect and dignity. He agreed to send his representatives to hold talks with Harsha and declare an instant end to the fighting provided that the Vardhan army would immediately retire to the northern bank of the Narmada.

As Harsha compiled to Pulakeshi's demand, the Chalukyan army moved up north and settled on the opposite bank. The negotiations that began the next day continued for a week. As per the terms of the treaty, the Narmada river was chosen as the boundary between the two empires. Harsha proclaimed himself Uttaradipathi (Lord of the North) while Pulakeshi took the title of Dakshinapathi (Lord of the South). Both rulers agreed to a gradual time bound withdrawal of troops from the front, exchanged ambassadors and promised to settle all future differences via dialogue. As a part of the peace process, the two mighty kings had a brief rendezvous too that lasted for a few minutes where they exchanged pleasantries and spoke of ways in increasing the trade between the two states. Though both were rivals, they had immense respect for each other and it showed in the manner in which the talks were conducted. Besides, the two also exchanged gifts as it was a custom during those times.

Two days later, Harsha left for his capital and took the bulk of his remaining army along. Technically, he had not lost the war. However, the bottom line was that he had failed to break into the peninsula. Nonetheless, he was happy that he had lost to a worthy foe. A day later, Pulakeshi began his return journey to Badami where he was received with much pomp and fare. Defying all odds, he had seized his glory; hence forth, he like Harsha would be known as an 'Emperor' and would be counted amngst the greatest rulers in the history of India.

Read the complete series on Badami Chalukyas here (Link)

THE BADAMI CHALUKYAS - Part III

PULAKESHI II: THE RISE & FALL OF THE WARRIOR KING

The greatest king to be born in the family of the Badami Chalukyas, Pulakeshi II is widely regarded as one of the greatest monarchs in the glorious history of India. In his thirty-three year long reign, he carved out an empire that covered extensive parts of northern and central Deccan; at the zenith of his military prowess, the whole of the peninsula bowed to him. The accounts of foreign travelers who visited his domains tell us a resplendent tale of prosperity that was ushered in the south during this period. Never since the time of the powerful Satavahana ruler Gautamiputra Satkarni had any king from down south ruled such a vast territory. His resounding victory over his worthy contemporary Harsha Vardhana, the emperor of Kanauj is considered to be his most remarkable military feat. However, there is certainly more to him than this and in this post, I would like to present my views on the meteoric rise and equally sudden fall of southern India's earliest emperor.

It is a well-documented fact that Ereya as Pulakeshi was known in his youth, had to fight his uncle to get the throne that 'rightfully' belonged to him by the law of primogeniture. He raised the banner of revolt against the incumbent Chalukyan king Mangalesa after it became clear that the latter wanted to hand down the kingdom to his own son. Though we do not have the details, Ereya might have been about 15 to 20 years old when the Vatapi kingdom was engulfed in the civil war; he was young and inexperienced. Mangalesa, on the other hand was at the height of his career; having ruled over a decade, it is quite possible that he had filled the army and administration with his loyalists. Moreover, he had won decisive victories in the west and north that saw the Chalukyan domain double in size, proving that he was a worthy general. For Pulakeshi to build an army strong enough to challenge the incumbent king and then lead it to a victory over the forces of Mangalesa when he was just a fugitive prince is in my opinion, one of the biggest achievements of his career in spite of the fact that he got some aid from feudatories like the Gangas of Talakkad. This proves that he had mastered the art of military strategy and diplomacy at an early age.

Further proof to my above mentioned conclusions can be got from the steps he took to stabilize his new kingdom following his coronation and prior to a brilliant career of military conquests in the later years. As the combined armies of Appayika and Govinda crossed the Bhima River to engage the new king, he used shrewd diplomacy to break their unity; while he conferred royal titles on the latter, he defeat the forces of the former on the battle field. Further, he also forged a matrimonial alliance with the Gangas by marrying a princess from the Talakkad royal family.

Most Chalukyan monarchs took titles like 'Ranavikrama' (Victor on the battle field) and 'Sri Prithvivalabha' (Lord of the Earth). However, none of them justified these rather lofty epithets more than the emperor we are discussing here. After consolidating his position at home, Pulakeshi II turned his attention towards the Arabian coast where chiefs who were loyal to his predecessors may have discontinued paying allegiance to the Badami court. According to his court poet Ravikirti who gives a detailed picture of his patron's military achievements, he invaded Banavasi, perhaps to see of a challenge posed by the descendants of the Kadambas and then captured Puri, identified with modern day Elephanta caves near Mumbai from the Konkan Mauryas. It was his northern campaigns that brought him in contact with Emperor Harsha Vardhan who was the undisputed ruler of the Gangetic plain. He is believed to have extracted tribute from the Latas, the Malavas and the Gurjaras. The crowning glory of Pulakeshi's reign, as most of the historians seem to believe was his victory over the Kanauj army on the banks of the Narmada. This was one of those rare occasions in history when a southern ruler was able to successfully defend his domain from a strong northern adversary. Following this splendid victory, he took up the title of 'Dakshinapathesvara' (Lord of the South). As if to justify this, he undertook a series of expeditions to the east that saw his army capture Vengi and prevail over some kings of Kalinga. With his sway extending from the Arabian to the Bay of Bengal, the warrior-king turned his attention to the south and mounted a highly successful invasion of the Pallava kingdom in which he is believed to have routed the Kanchi ruler Mahendravarman I in a battle. Thus at its zenith, the empire of Pulakeshi II covered most of modern Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Telangana besides large territories of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra and Odisha. Thus it is very clear that as far as military prowess is concerned, he was second to none.

Though a lot has been said and written about Pulakeshi's conquests, the accounts of Chinese traveler Hsuan Tsang give us a beautiful picture of the conditions prevalent in the Chalukyan Empire during his time. Besides portraying a positive picture of the monarch and his army, the Buddhist scholar also heaps loads of praises on the people of the region and talks about the prosperity abundant here during the time. The point I am trying to make is that not only was this Badami king a great conqueror, he also seems to have been a superb administrator. The very fact that he exchanged ambassadors with the king of Persia shows that his fame as a strong ruler spread much beyond the realm of the Sub-continent.

Another point that I would like to make before we talk about the reasons for this powerful ruler's downfall is that he achieved all the above mentioned feats at a time when there were other equally strong monarchs ruling in other parts of the country. Though, I do not intend to demean the achievements of any king in history, the fact remains that it is comparatively easy to carve out an empire when the nation is split into small and weak kingdoms, each vying for supremacy. However, this was certainly not the case during this period. The first half of seventh century AD in Indian history was the 'Age of the Emperors'. The Gangetic plain was under the control of Emperor Harsha as discussed earlier, a sizable chunk of Deccan was held by the Chalukyas and in deep south, in AD 630, the most famous of the Pallava kings - Narasimhavarman I was crowned as the king of Kanchi. As such, we see that between AD 630 and AD 642, different parts of India were ruled by strong rulers, each of who excelled in the art of warfare and diplomacy. In spite of the fact that he faced tough competition from his worthy contemporaries, the extent of his empire and the prosperity enjoyed by his subjects truly justifies his claim as one of the greatest monarchs in the history of our land.

It is said that you are at your weakest when you are at the peak; perhaps, the lives of few people justify this as much that of Pulakeshi. After scaling great heights and over-running the whole of Deccan, he faced a series of setbacks at the end of his glorious career. After succeeding his father, the new Pallava ruler Narasimhavarman I led a counter invasion into the Chalukyan territories ably assisted by the Pandyas, the Cheras and the Cholas. After winning several battles, the mighty king of Kanchi captured Vatapi and Pulakeshi II is believed to have died a heroic death on the battle field defending his metropolis. The intriguing question is how did the empire that Pulakeshi built so painstakingly, collapse in a matter of months?

Perhaps, age did play its part in the unfolding of the events during the last years of his life. If Ereya was 18 years old when he ascended the throne, having ruled for thirty three years, he would have been over 50 at the time of his death. In those times, when average life expectancy was low, Pulakeshi was well beyond his prime. Moreover, the constant campaigns that he undertook during his reign would have definitely taken its toll on his body, draining him both physically and mentally; may be he was no more the master strategist that he once was; the vigor that saw him vanquish all his enemies was probably gone; even worse, after having beaten all his neighbors, he may have become complacent and neglected the challenge posed by the Pallavas who had recovered from their early defeats and by now raised a strong army.

Apart from this, the constant warfare on several fronts would have drained the treasury. The main sources of income for the Chalukyan kings like others in medieval India were revenue from land, trade and tributes paid by sub-ordinate chiefs. Although the land was fertile, famine and drought could have curtailed the empire's budget considerably. Pulakeshi II would have had a vast army; possibly thousands of soldiers and hundreds of elephants fought for him. Thus, he needed money to pay and train his men and to buy arms and ammunition. Also, we know that the Chalukyans were prolific builders; the monuments that they have left behind shows that he spent a huge portion of their treasury on constructing temples and making religious donations. Probably, during the last days of Pulakeshi's life, the state's finances had dried up and he could not get the necessary reinforcements to check the Pallava invasion.

Last but not the least; Pulakeshi's greatest mistake was that he failed to check the growing power of Pallava Narasimhavarman I. Having defeated the Kanchi ruler's father Mahendravarman I, he seems to have become complacent in his attitude towards his southern adversary. After becoming the king, Narasimhavarman slowly began raising an army to avenge the losses suffered by his father. Besides, he like Pulakeshi of his youth was a gifted general and an excellent strategist. He forged an alliance with other rulers of the Tamil country viz the Pandayas, the Cheras and Cholas and launched an offensive against the Chalukyas in early 640s. Though the preparation for this war would have taken several years, the mighty Vatapi ruler did nothing to counter the Pallavas either militarily or diplomatically. This proved suicidal; not only did Pulakeshi die on the battle-field, he lost his capital to the invading army till it was liberated by his son Vikramaditya I in AD 655.

Read the complete series on Badami Chalukyas here (Link)

THE BADAMI CHALUKYAS - Part II

A CONCISE POLITICAL HISTORY

Serving at the court of Banavasi as feudatories in the early sixth century, the Chalukyas of Badami rose to become the first empire builders of the Deccan in the post-Satavahana era. Though north and central peninsular region formed the core of their territory, at the height of their power, their suzerainty extended over extensive parts of modern day Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and southern Orissa. Considered by many to be one of the greatest monarchs in the history of the country, Pulakeshi II - the warrior king who humbled the mighty Emperor Harshavardhan and checked his imperialistic ambitions also belonged to this distinguished and illustrious clan. As their military conquests brought them fame, their fame spread beyond the realm of Deccan which is evident from the fact that they established diplomatic relations with countries far and wide including Sri Lanka, Persia (Iran) and China. As they provided much needed stability to southern India, trade prospered and arts and crafts flourished. The Badami rulers were prolific builders and it was under them that the unique Chalukyan style of temple building emerged. Besides the magnificent temples in places like Badami, Pattadkal, Aihole and Alampur which have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites, amongst their greatest legacies that has endured till date is the development of Kannada as an independent language.

As far as the origins of this clan are concerned, I must confess that I am truly impressed by the 'creativity' of the poets and the writers that were patronized by the Chalukyas, especially those ruling from Kalyana and Vengi in the later period. Surely, they can give modern authors and Bollywood script writers a run for their money. In a bid to glorify their history and legitimize their right to rule, the dynastic records claim that they were descendants of great mythological warriors like Chuluka - a great warrior created by Lord Brahma on the request of the Gods to rid the world of Adharma as well as Lord Rama - the protagonist of the epic Ramayana who is considered by Hindus till date as an ideal ruler. They claim that they received the 'boar' or the 'Varaha' emblem from Lord Vishnu and ruled for over 50 generations at Ayodhya before migrating to the south. As far as the original home of the Chalukyas is concerned, some scholars believe that there may be some element of truth in the above mentioned legends and that may have come from the north. Others associate them with Gujarat, few believe that they hailed from Central Asia whereas another school of thought states that their native country was in the peninsula itself; whether it was Andhra or northern Karnataka is another matter of debate.

THE EARLY CHALUKYAS

Though I consider the Chalukyas to be the political successors of the Kadambas, there is a gap of nearly two decades between the death of Harivarma - the last ruler of the latter dynasty in AD 525 and the establishment of the Badami kingdom in AD 543. What exactly transpired in these 18 years and how the Chalukya kingdom was established is as yet, unclear. Anyway, historians are unanimous of the opinion that Pulakeshi I (543-566) was the founder of this clan. As per the inscriptions, he is believed to have performed several elaborate Vedic ceremonies including the Ashwamedha Yagjna (Horse Sacrifice) and further strengthened the fortifications around the metropolis of Vatapi (Badami) which served as their capital. His son and successor Kirtivarman I (566-597) helped stabilize the nascent kingdom by subjugating the ruling clans of Karnataka including the Konkan Mauryas, the Alupas, the Gangas and the Nalas in his three decade long reign. Following his death, his younger brother was appointed as the Regent to the crown prince Ereya who was still a minor. Though he was to look after the administration in the name of his nephew, the inscriptions of Mangalesa (597-609) make it amply clear that he was the third monarch in this line. He is accredited with waging a successful war against the Kalachuris and annexing their territories and capturing Goa. Unfortunately, his reluctance to hand over the throne to his nephew when he came of age led to a civil war in the kingdom that ended in favor of Ereya.

THE AGE OF PULAKESHI - II

The ascension of Ereya on the throne of Badami marks an important epoch in the history of India in general and that of the Deccan in particular. Taking up the title of Pulakeshi II (610-642), he made the whole of Deccan submit to him at the height of his power. The Aihole inscription penned by his court poet Ravikirti gives a detailed account of his reign, especially the campaigns in his three decade long career.

The fratricidal war that saw him depose his uncle took its toll on the Chalukyan kingdom, shaking its very foundations. Some officers in the administration who were appointed by Mangalesa were averse to him whereas many of the vassal states refused to acknowledge his overlordship. Using his military prowess and shrewd diplomatic skills, the young monarch overcame all these challenges. He saw off the rebellion of Appayika and Govinda, invaded Banavasi, perhaps to dismantle the remnants of the erstwhile Kadamba kingdom and forced a host of sub-ordinate chiefs to submit to his authority either by force or by entering into matrimonial alliances with them. In the next few years, he extended his domain up to the banks of the river Narmada and the received tribute from the Latas, the Pratiharas and the Malawas.

Pulakeshi's greatest feat was his victory over emperor Harshvardhan of Kannauj who was keen to expand his empire down south after humbling most rulers of the north and the east. However, his invasion was repulsed by the mighty Chalukyan army which is believed to have inflicted a heavy defeat on their worthy foe. Following this, the river Narmada was chosen as the boundary between the territories of the two rulers. Next, he undertook a series of conquests in the east that included a victory over the Vishnukundins and the capture of Vengi. He appointed his brother Kubuja Vishnuvardhan as the Viceroy of these newly acquired regions; in course of time, Vishnuvardhan laid the foundation of the Chalukya kingdom of Vengi. Turning his attention to the south, he undertook a successful campaign against the Pallava king Mahendravarman I and defeated him, thereby sowing the seeds of enmity between the two dynasties that would last for over a century. Thus, Pulakeshi converted the shaky kingdom that he had 'forcefully' acquired into a huge empire stretching between the Arabian on one side and the Bay of Bengal on the other. A painting in the Ajanta caves depicts him receiving an ambassador from the King of Persia. Besides, the accounts of Chinese travelers like Xuanzang and Hieun-tsang speak highly of the conditions prevalent in his empire. At this point in history, the power of the Badami Chalukyas was unrivaled across the whole of the peninsula.

Unfortunately, his successes against his southern adversary was rather short-lived; the new Pallava monarch Narsimhavarman I who is considered to be the greatest ruler of his clan regrouped his forces and mounted a counter-invasion to avenge the humiliation suffered by his father. With the support of subordinates like the Cholas, the Pandyas and the Cheras, he beat the Chalukyan army and eventually captured and sacked Vatapi. It is generally believed that the great warrior king Pulakeshi perished on the battle field defending his capital against his rivals. The Pallavas held on to the Chalukyan capital for about 13 years which is regarded as the 'darkest period in the family's history'. Again, what happened in this period is largely unknown though we can conclude that at least two of Pulakeshi's sons - Chandraditya and Adityavarman had taken up royal titles as can be seen from their inscriptions.

THE LATER CHALUKYAS

It was Pulakeshi's son Vikramaditya I (655-680) who beat the Pallavas and ended their occupation of the Chalukyan capital. A worthy son of a great father, he went about the task of rebuilding the kingdom and re-affirmed his hold up to the river Narmada in the north. Besides, he is believed to have led his army on a southern campaign against the rulers of Kanchi and their allies. While the Chalukyan sources claim that the war ended in favor of Vikramaditya, the records of their adversaries say that it was the Pallava army that emerged victorious. His son Vinayaditya (680-696) who succeeded him is said to have led a victorious expedition to the Gangetic plain as per Chalukyan records. Besides, he is believed to have extracted tribute from the kings of Lanka, Persia and Kamera which some scholars have identified with Khmer or Cambodia; of course, while this would be gross exaggeration, it still shows that this empire had deep ties with rulers and peoples outside the Sub-continent. The reign of Vijayaditya (696-733) that lasted for over three decades, the highest amongst the kings of this line, is largely marked by peace and saw the construction of several temples around Vatapi.

The next ruler in this family - Vikramaditya II (733-746) was the last great ruler of this dynasty. Up till now, it was the Pallavas who held the upper hand in the clash between the two southern empires for supremacy of the peninsula. However, the tide turned in favor of the Vatapi king during his time. As a crown prince, he is said to have invaded the territories of the king of Kanchi and defeated him. Once on the throne, he undertook a second conquest that saw him capture the Pallava metropolis. However, instead of destroying the city, the Chalukyan ruler is said to have made handsome grants to the temples here. This was in sharp contrast to the conduct of the Pallava emperor Narasimhavarman I when he had conquered Badami about a century ago. Thus, Vikramaditya avenged the defeat of his great great grand-father Pulakeshi II by the Pallavas and their subsequent capture of Vatapi. Moreover, his son and crown prince Kirtivarman too is said to have invaded the Kanchi kingdom some years later and defeated their army. Moreover, it was during his reign that his governor of Lata - Avanjijanasraya Pulakeshi a Chalukyan scion repulsed the Arab invasion.

THE END

In spite of leading his army to a victory over their arch rivals at such an early stage in his life, the last king Kirtivarman II (746-753) proved to be incompetent as new families began to rise in the Deccan. While they were pre-occupied with exterminating the Pallavas, the Pandyas and the Rashtrakutas were consolidating their position. Kirtivarman is believed to have been defeated by Pandya ruler Maravarman Rajasimha and then by Dantidurga, the founder of the Rashtrakuta dynasty. As he occupied Maharashtra and Gujarat, a substantial part of the south territories were lost to the Pandyas. With his death, sometime in mid 750s, the illustrious line of the Badami Chalukyas is believed to have come to an end.

Read the complete series on Badami Chalukyas here (Link)

THE BADAMI CHALUKYAS - Part I

THE THREE KINGDOMS OF THE SOUTH

In the early 6^th century AD, political instability had gripped the northern parts of the Deccan peninsula. A sting of weak rulers and internal feuds had completely weakened the Kadamba dynasty which had ruled this region for nearly two centuries. The era of the Banavasi kings was in its twilight; the situation presented a golden opportunity to both, subordinate chieftains and external forces to increase their influence. Taking advantage of the chaos, a new family rose to power in this part of the country, filling in the vaccum caused by recent developments. Ruling from their capital of Badami (or Vatapi) near Bagalkot in their first stint, they went on to carve an empire that covered large portions of southern and central India between the sixth and the eight century; in fact, at their zenith, their territorial extent was more than twice as big as their predecessors. They maintained large and efficient armies that helped them repulse invasions from the north and win decisive victories over their rivals in the south. Their contribution in the field of literature, especially that in the local language - Kannada is immense. And finally, their elegant architecture is considered amongst the finest in our history; some elements of their style were later improvised by the Vijaynagar rulers too. The Badami Chalukyas are one of the most distinguished and illustrious dynasties of our country.

Though the exact origins of this clan, like most of our early dynasties is shrouded in mystery, it is fairly clear that they were feudatories to the Kadambas prior to their ascent. The details of the political developments that took place in the seventeen year period between the death of the last Kadamba king Harivarma in 525 AD and the establishment of the Chalukya power in 542 AD are unknown. Pulakeshi I who broke off all allegiance to the Banavasi court, laid the real foundation of the kingdom. The fourth Chalukya king, rather emperor Pulakesi II is undoubtedly, the greatest to occupy the throne and was the real architect of the empire. A military genius, his stunning victory over the mighty Vardhana emperor Harsha on the banks of the Narmada (a rare instance of a southern king successfully repulsing an attack from the north) is regarded as his greatest feat. Tragically, the last few years of his reign saw the Pallavas lead a successful campaign against him and Pulakeshi is believed to have died on the battlefield. In the eight decade long period following his demise, the Pallavas always had the upper hand in the war between the two dynasties. Things started changing when Vikramaditya II ascended the throne. He avenged earlier humiliation caused by defeat at the hands of his enemy by capturing Kanchipuram on three different occasions. A benevolent emperor, he refused to sack the magnificent temples in Tamil country and is said to have made several grants to the priests and the poor. He subjugated kingdoms in the deep south and also checked the Arab invasion. His son and successor Kirtivarman II was the last significant ruler of this line. Winds of change were sweeping Deccan. The Pandyas and the Rashtrakutas captured large parts of their kingdom, besides isolating them diplomatically. As Dantidurga and his successors expanded their possessions, leading their armies up to Kannauj - the richest city in contemporary India, the Chalukyas were forced to accept the overlordship of the Rashtrakutas, waiting for the appropriate time to stage a comeback.

A second branch of the Chalukyas ruled over the Seemandhra region since 624 AD from their capital of Vengi, near modern Eluru. The origins of this dynasty, also known as the Eastern Chalukyas lies in the conquest of coastal Andhra Pradesh by the emperor Pulakeshi II in the early seventh century. Knowing that the new territories were too far to be efficiently administrated from his capital, he appointed his younger brother Kubuja Vishnuvardhana as the viceroy of eastern Deccan. However, with the death of his elder brother, a war of succession broke amongst his sons even as the Pallavas captured Vatapi for thirteen years. It was at this time that Vishnuvardhana declared his independence and held sway over the territories between Srikakulam and Nellore along the Coromandel coast covering the fertile Krishna and Godavari deltas. The exact nature of relationship between him and his successors on one hand and their relatives ruling from Badami on the other, is not very clear. As the Rashtrakutas become powerful, the vengi kings accepted their suzerainty. King Vijayaditya III was known to be a close ally of the emperor Amogavarsha II. After the death of his friend, the Vengi king is believed to have raided and captured parts of the Rasthrakuta empire. Several wars were fought between these two families between 870 to 930 AD. As the Deccan plunged into chaos in the late eleventh century, the Eastern branch enlarged its territories. A serious threat to their existence came in the year 1006 AD when the Western Chalukyan king Satyasraya invaded Andhra with the aim of uniting the two kingdoms. However, timely intervention by the Chola army saved the eastern half. In the later years, both the Kalyana Chalukyas and the Cholas who were locked in a power struggle in the south, tried to increase their influence in the Vengi court by trying to place their own favourites on the throne. This dynasty - the longest serving of all the Chalukyan clans lost much of its prestige by 1070s and finally came to an end about a century later in 1189 AD. Though they are not as popular as their other relatives, they played a key role in the development of the Telugu language and brought about peace in the region in the period which is known as the 'Golden Age in Andhra history'.

The resurgence of the Chalukyas in their native Karnataka began when the powerful yet liberal Rashtrakuta emperor Krishna III made Tailapa II the chief of Tardavadi province near Bijapur in 965 AD for his services. The kings who occupied the throne after him were weak and the invasions from the north lead to further deterioration. Tailapa killed Karka - the last Rashtrakuta king and seized their capital of Manyakheta, establishing the Western Chalukaya kingdom. We are not sure about their relationship with the earlier Badami line of kings. But what we know for sure is that they fought constantly with a ruling family from the Tamil country - the Cholas. His son Satyasraya tried to capture the fertile Vengi region but failed. Someshvara I moved the imperial capital to Kalyani and hence, this dynasty is also referred to as the Kalyani Chalukyas. In the 1070s, an internal feud broke out between his two sons - Somesvara II and Vikramaditya V which escalated into a civil war involving vassals and neighbouring kingdoms. Finally, it was Vikramaditya who emerged as the winner and went on to become the greatest ruler of this line of kings. He inflicted two heavy defeats on the Cholas and cut down the feudatories to size in a reign that lasted nearly five decades. However, in the later half of the twelfth century, the Chalukyan kingdom faced the heat from emerging powers - the Kakatiyas, the Hoysalas and the Seunas. Somesvara IV, the last king fought hard to revive their fortunes but was sent into exile. Thus ended the rule of the Chalukyas in the Deccan in the 1200 AD.

Some scholars believe that the Solankis of Annhilwara - a dynasty that ruled Gujarat between the tenth and the thirteenth century were related to the Chalukyas of the Deccan in some way. The word 'Solanki' is said to be derived from 'Selukya' which in turn is a corrupted form of 'Chalukya'. However, it is not correct to base our assumptions merely on words and their origin. On the other hand, there is some probability that the above assumption may be true. We are sure that southern Gujarat was under the occupation of two Chalukyan dynasties - the Badami family and the Kalyani family for considerable period of time. Like it happened in Vengi, it is highly likely that a Badami Chalukya viceroy of Lata, as Gujarat was known then, may have been the fore father of the founders of the Annhilwara kingdom. We know that during the reign of Badami emperor Vikramaditya II, his viceroy in Gujarat - Avanijanashraya Pulakeshi who was somewhat closely related to the reigning king, inflicted a crushing defeat on the Arabs of Sindh which was much appreciated in the Badami court. It may be possible that the Solankis were descendents of this Puleshi or some other Chalukya viceroy of Gujarat. As such, a link cannot be entirely ruled out. However, unlike the Vengi Chalukyas or the Kalyana Chalukyas who claim to have descended from the Badami line of rulers in their inscriptions, no such mention is made by the Annhilwara kings. Hence, until some strong evidence emerges in this regard, it is better to assume that the Solankis had no links whatsoever, with Chalukyas of the Deccan.

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