Aihole inscriptions

  

Aihole inscription

The inscription is found at  Meguti Temple in Aihole,which has one of  the significance  inscriptions in the history of India and witnessed for the historical events of Chalukyas.The inscription written in Sanskrit and it is in old Kannada script.There is a mention about the defeat of Harshavardhana by Pulikeshi II. And there is a mention about the victory of Chalukyas on Pallavas, also mentioned about the shifting of the capital from Aihole to Badami by Pulikeshi. There is mention about the poets Kalidasa and Bharavi.

The Aihole inscription were written by the Ravikirti, court poet of Chalukya King, Pulakeshi II .The poetic verses of Ravikirti, in praise of the king, can be read in the Meguti temple,dated 634 A.D.

Aihole inscription of Pulakesin II mentioned as akrantatma-balonnatim Pallavanam patim, means that the Pallavas had attempted to prevent the rise of the Badami Chalukyas. The conflict of the two powers before the campaign of Pulakesin II against the Pallavas Inscription, which was prepared by Pulakeshi II (634 AD) and found in the Jain Temple at Aihole. Scholars have used this inscription, which is related to the Mahabharath War and Kaliyuga. In the Aihole inscription referred that Mangalesha's victory over the Kalachuris and the conquest of Revatidvipa. According to the Aihole inscription of Pulakeshin II, a civil war between Mangalesha and Pulakeshin II, due to Mangalesa's attempt to secure the succession for his own son, which was the end of Mangalesha's reign. The inscription of Amoghavarsha I found at Aihole, mentioned his new administration 

Links about Aihole inscriptions:
http://www.sdstate.edu/projectsouthasia/upload/Aihole-Inscription-of-Pulikeshin-II.pdf

Vikramaditya II ( 733 – 744 A.D)

Vikramaditya II was the son of King Vijayaditya and ascended the Badami Chalukya throne following the death of his father. This information comes from the Lakshmeshwar inscriptions in Kannada in  735 A.D.From inscriptions it has come to be known that even before his coronation,Vikramaditya II, as a crown prince,had conducted successful military campaigns against their arch enemy, the Pallavas of Kanchipuram. His most important achievements were the capture of Kanchipuram on three occasions, the first time as a crown prince, the second time as an emperor and the third time under the leadership of his son and crown prince Kirtivarman II. This is attested to by another Kannada inscription, known as the Virupaksha Temple inscription which alludes to the emperor as the conqueror of Kanchi on three occasions and reads Sri Vikramaditya-bhatarar-mume-Kanchiyan-mume parajisidor.The other notable achievement was the consecration of the famous Virupaksha Temple and Mallikarjuna Temple by his queens Lokadevi and Trilokadevi at Pattadakal.

Pillar  inscription in Old Kannada script on victory of Vikramaditya II, Virupaksha Temple in Pattadakal 

Vijayaditya father of Vikramaditya II who had ruled till a very old age in a long and peaceful reign of four decades, Vikramaditya II's inscriptions seem to convey an impatience for war. From the inscriptions of Vikramaditya II, historians feel that he nursed a grudge against the Pallavas, who a century ago, under the leadership of Narasimhavarman I, had defeated the Chalukyas and occupied their regal capital Badami, thus bringing to an end the glorious reign of Pulakesi II and causing humiliation to the Chalukya royal family. From these inscriptions it is known that nothing short of complete annihilation of the Pallavas (prakrity-amitra) could redeem the lost dignity of the Chalukyas. Vikarmaditya II, armed with this vengeful enthusiasm (mahotsaha) invaded the Pallava country.

Immediately after coming to power, Vikramaditya II saw an opportunity in the ensuing civil war in Kanchipuram and espoused the cause of Chitramaya,against that of Nandivarman II. Vikramaditya II fought many battles with the Pallavas and won three important victories and occupied Kanchipuram on those occasions.Around 730,as the Chalukya crown prince,assisted by the Western Ganga Dynasty prince Ereyappa, he attacked the Pallava Paramesvaravarman II. The Pallava king had to sue for peace at a great financial loss to his kingdom. The Pallava subsequently tried to mount a counter-attack at the Ganga ally King Sripurusha (731A.D),but was killed in the battle of Vilande. Sripurusha seized the kings insignia, the royal umbrella and earned the title Permanadi. Though this victory to the Chalukyas happened during the rule of King Vijayaditya, the records of Chalukya monarch give full credit to Vikramaditya II.

Virupaksha temple in  pattadakal

Vikramaditya again invaded the Pallava kingdom after 735, aided by the faithful ally, the Western Ganga King Sripurusha who joined the Chalukyas in this expedition. The earliest mention of this invasion are in the Narwan plates issued on  741 or 742 A.D. The Pallava King Nandivarman was a mere boy who never-the-less made a valiant but futile attempt to face the invasion. The Pallava king fled Kanchipuram into exile leaving behind all his regal attributes which included among other things, a prestigious musical drum (Katumukha), a musical instrument (Samudraghosa) and a mace. Many of his war elephants, a large quantity of precious stones and gold fell into the hands of the victorious Chalukya monarch.

Sangameshwara Temple in Pattadakal

Mallikarjuna temple in  Pattadakal

The road to Kanchipuram lay open and Vikramaditya II entered the city victorious. He ensured that the residents of the city were not harmed nor were the beautiful monuments destroyed. The bounties of war were also returned. Unlike many conquering kings, Vikramaditya behaved in a very honorable way and showed consideration towards both the inhabitants and the city. Many donations were made to local Brahmins and gifts given to the weak and the forlorn citizens. Vikramaditya II had in his moment of revenge transformed himself from an overbearing conqueror to a humble devotee of the deities in the temples of Kanchipuram. The act of returning large amounts of booty back to the temples earned him religious merit. All this was then inscribed on to a Kannada language inscription on the back of a pillar in the mantapa  of the Kailasanatha temple. His benevolent acts at other temples have also been recorded in his copper plate inscriptions. Vikramaditya thus wiped out the disgrace that had fallen on the Chalukya empire by the occupation of Vatapi a century ago by the Pallava NarasimhavarmanI.Having satiated his quest for revenge, Vikramaditya II returned to Badami. The Chalukyan empire now reached its proportions during the rule of Pulakeshi II.

He overran the kingdoms of chera, chola and pandyas and defeated a Kalabhra ruler as well. These victories were inscribed in his inscription on the shores of the Indian ocean. The final invasion of Kanchipuram happened in the final years of the reign of Vikramaditya II, under the leadership of his son Kirtivarman II.

In the early years of Vikramaditya's reign, Arab invaders who had established themselves in the Sindh made a push into the Deccan. Avanijanashraya Pulakesi, a son of Vikramaditya I's brother Jayasimhavarman who was the governor of the Lata branch (Gujarat) fought and stopped them in 739 A.D.Vikramaditya II so appreciated his valour, he conferred the title of Avanijanasraya (refuge of the people of the earth) on Pulakesi. The Rashtrakuta King Dantidurga also fought along the Chalukyas against the Arabs.

Battle of Vatapi

In about 617–18, Pulakesin II invaded the Pallava kingdom defeating the king Mahendravarman I and proceeded as far south as the Cauvery River on the northern frontier of the Chola country. The Pallavas long wished to avenge the humiliation suffered at the hands of Pulakesin II and over the next few years, strengthened their forces in preparation for a counter-attack.

In 630, Mahendravarman I was succeeded his son Narasimhavarman I under whom the Pallava kingdom emerged as a powerful state. This prompted Pulakesin II to lead a second expedition into the Pallava country. Pulakesin II first defeated the Banas, who were feudatories of the Pallavas, before advancing into the Pallava country. Narasimhavarman I met the Chalukyas and defeated them in three separate encounters in Pariyala, Suramana and Manimangala, all close to the Pallava capital Kanchi, forcing them to retreat. The Pallavas, then, took the offensive and pursued the fleeing Chalukya forces deep into their territory.

The defeat of Pulikesin II, the Chalukhya, by Narasimhavarman I Pallava at Badami

In 642, a formidable Pallava force under Paranjothi was sent by Narasimhavarman I to capture Vatapi, the capital of the Chalukyas. Pulakesin II met the Pallavas on the outskirts of his capital and is presumed to have lost his life in the ensuing battle. The Pallavas achieved a decisive victory over Pulakesin II. The victorious Pallavas then took the capital and ruled it for 12 years (642-654).

The Kuram plates of Paramesvaravarman I describe the battle thus:

Narasimhavarman... who wrote the syllables of (the word) vijaya, as on a plate, on Pulikesin's back, which was caused to be visible in the battles of Pariyala, Manmangala, Suramara, etc., and who destroyed Vatapi, just as the pitcher born (Agastya) (destroyed the demon) Vatapi

The Udayachandramangalam plates state:

Narasimhavarman, the equal of Agastya, the crushed of Vatapi, who frequently conquered Vallabharaja at Periyar-Bhumanimangala, Shuramara and other places

According to the Velurpalaiyam plates:

Narasimhavarman I famous like Upendra (Vishnu) who defeating the host of his enemies took from them the pillar of victory standing in the centre of Vatap.

 Narasimhavarman I constructed a Mallikarjuna Temple at Vatapi to commemorate his victory. He also adopted the title "Vatapi-kondan" He carved an inscription recording his victory on the walls of the Teggina-Irappa temple in Vatapi.

Mallikarjuna group of  Temples at Badami

Vikramaditya I (655–680 A.D)

Vikramaditya I was the third son of  Pulakesi II and followed by his father on the  throne of Chalukya kingdom. He restored order in the fractured kingdom and made the Pallavas retreat from the capital Vatapi.

Vikramaditya, with the help of his maternal grandfather Bhuvikarma of Western Ganga Dynasty set himself the task of repelling the Pallava invasion and restoring the unity of his father's kingdom. He defeated the Pallava Narasimhavarman I to end his occupation, which had lasted for thirteen years and expelled him from Vatapi. He defeated his brothers and other feudatories who wished to divide the empire and then declared himself king of the Chalukyas (655).

During this time, Jayasimha, brother of Vikramaditya I who ruled as governor of Gujarat province defeated the ruler of Vallabhi, Vajjada the ruler of the Maitraka family. This victory is considered important. The Chalukyan empire however had put the worst behind under Vikramaditya I and recovered most of its territories it controlled under Pulakeshi II.

Vikramaditya continued his enimity with Narasimhavarman's son and successor Mahendravarman II, and later with his son Paramesvaravarman I. He allied himself with the Pallava's other enemy the Pandyan Arikesari Parankusa Maravarman (670 – 700 A.D)

Vikramaditya I was married to the Western Ganga princess Gangamahadevi. He died in 680.

Mangalesa ( 596 – 610 A.D)

Mangalesa succeeded Kirtivarman I to the Chalukya throne.He ruled as regent as the heir to the throne Pulakesi II was considered too young to rule.

An energetic and ambitious ruler, Mangalesa won several laurels in war. Mangalesa continued the policy of expansion, he invaded the territory of the Kalachuri ruler Buddhiraja who ruled over Gujarat, Khandesh and Malwa. This campaign was more a raid than a conquest as it brought in much booty and no addition to the territories. He suppressed a rebellion on the part of Swamiraja, the Governor of Revatidvipa  and re-established the Chalukyan power in Konkan. From the Mahakuta pillar inscription of 595 it is known that he subdued.the Gangas, Pallava, Chola, Alupas and Kadambas rulers.

Mangalesa assumed the titles like Ururanaparakrama, Ranavikrama and Paramabhagavata, and excavated the Vaishnava temple at Badami.

As Mangalesa was ruling as a regent, he should have surrendered the throne to Pulakesi II when the latter came of age. Instead he sought to prolong his reign with the view of handing the throne to his own son Sundaravarma in due course.

This forced Pulakesi to rebel against his uncle. Pulakesi left the court and by his own martial prowess, waged a war on Mangalesa with the help of few of his friends. Mangalesa was routed and killed in the battlefield of Elapattu-Simbige. This incident is mentioned in the Peddavadu-guru inscription, and the incident must have happened about 610.

In Badami cave temples Cave 2 and Cave 3 An inscription found here records the creation of the shrine by Mangalesha in 578. 

Mahakuta group of temples

Mahakuta pillar inscription ascribed to Mangalesa,  It is made of fine grained sandstone. Dated 595 CE, the inscription is written in Sanskrit language and old Kannada script and details important information about the Chalukya lineage, their military expeditions, their conquests and early monuments. The pillar was found lying near the Mahakutesvara temple and was transferred to the Bijapur Archaeological museum in 1920

Badami

Pre-Historic

Badami is surrounded by many pre-historic places including Khyad area of Badami, Hiregudda, Sidlaphadi and Kutkankeri there we can see the rock shelters megalithic burial sites and paintings.

Sidlaphadi near Badami a natural rock bridge like structure was studied by archaeologist A Sundar, he found the fading paintings on the roof of the arch. The blunt weapons of stone discovered in the premises have affirmed the findings. Similarly the paintings and the weaponry found in surrounding area of Badami.

 Sidlaphadi

Mythology

The name Vatapi has origin in the Vatapi legend of Ramayana relating to Sage Agastya.There were two demon siblings Vatapi and Ilvala. They used to kill all mendicants by tricking them in a peculiar way. The elder Ilvala would turn Vatapi into a ram and would offer its meat to the guest. As soon as the person ate the meat, Ilvala would call out the name of Vatapi. As he had a boon that whomsoever Ilvala calls would return from even the netherland, Vatapi would emerge ripping through the body of the person, thus killing him. Their trick worked until Sage Agastya countered them by digesting Vatapi before Ilvala could call for him, thus ending the life of Vatapi at the hands of Ilvala. Two of the hills in Badami represent the demons Vatapi and Ilvala.

It is also believed that name Badami has come from colour of its stone(badam -Almond).

Vatapi was the capital of the Early Chalukyas who ruled between the 6th to 8th centuries.It was founded in 540 AD by Pulakesi I (535-566 AD), an early ruler of the Chalukyas. His sons Kirtivarman I (567-598 AD) and his brother Mangalesa (598-610 AD) constructed the cave temples. The greatest among them wasPulakesi II (610-642 AD) who defeated many kings but failed to capture Pallava's capital Kanchipuram.

The Pallavas under the king Narasimhavarman I seized Badami in 642 AD. Vikramaditya I of Chalukyas drove back Pallavas in 654 AD.and led a successful attack on Kanchipuram,the capital of Pallavas  TheRashtrakutas absorbed karnataka including Badami around 757 AD and the town lost its importance. Also see Chola-Chalukya wars. The Chola-Chalukya wars were a series of wars fought from 992 A.D.to 1120 A.D. between the Chola and the Chalukya kingdoms. It was occupied by the Hoysalas.

Then it passed on to Vijayanagara empire,The Adil Shahis, Mughals, The Savanur Nawabs The Marathas, Hyder Ali. The Britishers made it part of the Bombay Presidency.

                                                    Vatapi Ganapati

In the Karnatic music and Hamsadwani raga the Vatapi Ganapatim Bhaje by the composer Mutthuswamy Deekshitar.The idol of Vatapi Ganapati is now in Tiruchenkaatankudi near Thanjavur of Tamilnadu.

In 7th century, Vatapi Ganapati idol was brought from Badami  by Sirutondar(General of Pallavas) who defeated Chalukyas.

Origins of Chalukyas

While opinions vary regarding the early origins of the Chalukyas, the consensus is that the founders of the empire at Badami were native to the modernKarnataka region According to one theory, the Chalukya were descendants of the "Seleukia" tribe of Iraq and that their conflict with the Pallava of Kanchi was, but a continuation of the conflict between ancient Seleukia and "Parthians", the proposed ancestors of Pallavas. However, this theory has been rejected as it seeks to build lineages based simply on similar sounding clan names.

Another theory, that they were descendants of a 2nd-century chieftain called Kandachaliki Remmanaka, a feudatory of the Andhra Ikshvaku (from an Ikshvaku inscription of 2nd century) was put forward. But this has failed to explain the difference in lineage. The Kandachaliki feudatory call themselves Vashisthiputras of the Hiranyakagotra. The Chalukyas, however, address themselves as Harithiputras of Manavyasagotra in their inscriptions, which is the same lineage as their early overlords, the Kadambas of Banavasi. This makes them descendants of the Kadambas. The Chalukyas took control of the territory formerly ruled by the Kadambas.

A later record of Eastern Chalukyas mentions the northern origin theory and claims one ruler of Ayodhya came south, defeated the Pallavas and married a Pallava princess. She had a child called Vijayaditya who is claimed to be the Pulakesi I's father. However, there are Badami Chalukya inscriptions that confirm Jayasimha was Pulakesi I's grandfather and Ranaranga, his father. It was a popular practice in the 11th century to link South Indian royal family lineage to a Northern kingdom. The Badami Chalukya records themselves are silent with regards to the Ayodhya origin.

While the northern origin theory has been dismissed by many historians, the epigraphist K V Ramesh has suggested that an earlier southern migration is a distinct possibility which needs examination. According to him, the complete absence of any inscriptional reference of their family connections to Ayodhya, and their subsequent Kannadiga identity may have been due to their earlier migration into present day Karnataka region where they achieved success as chieftains and kings. Hence, the place of origin of their ancestors may have been of no significance to the kings of the empire who may have considered themselves natives of the Kannada speaking region.The writing of 12th century Kashmiri poet Bilhana suggests the Chalukya family belonged to the Shudra caste while other sources claim they were Kshatriyas.

The Badami Chalukya inscriptions are in Kannada and Sanskrit. Their inscriptions call them Karnatas and their names use indigenous Kannada titles such as Priyagallam and Noduttagelvom. The names of some Chalukya princes end with the pure Kannada term arasa (meaning "king" or "chief"). The Rashtrakuta inscriptions call the Chalukyas of Badami Karnatabala ("Power of Karnata"). It has been proposed that the word "Chalukya" originated from Salki or Chalki which is a Kannada word for an agricultural implement.

Historians such as D R Bhandarkar and Hoernle hold the view that Chalukyas were one of the ruling clans of Gurjaras (or Gujjars), citing the name change of Lata province to Gurjaratra during the reign.Bhandarkar explains that If the chalukyas had not been Gurjars, it is inconceivable how that province could have named Gurjaratra (country ruled or protected by Gurjars) when it was up-till their advent known as Lata.However scholars such as D. P. Dikshit argues that Chalukyas ruled over that part of country formerly known as Lata and taken as Gurjaratra or Gujarat didn't imply the Chalukyas didn't make any change in the nomenclature because of their close association with the region. Dr.V. A. Smith and A. M. T. Jackson also endorsed the view that Chalukyas were branch of famous Gurjars(or Gujjars