STATES OF THE DECCAN AND SOUTH INDIA

Pallavas (A.D.550-750)


1. They set up their capital at Kanchi (modern Kanchipuram)
2. Their authority extended over southern Andhra and northern Tamil Nadu.
3. There was a long struggle between the pallavas and the Chalukyas of Badami for supremacy.
4. Narasimhavarman ( A.D.630-68), the pallava King, occupied Chalukyan capital vatapi in about A.D.642 and assumed the title of Vatapikonda.


CHALUKYAS (EARLY CHALUKYAS OF BADAMI A.D.543-753)


1. Pulakesin II(A.D.608-642): The most famous Chalukya king.
2. Aihole inscription an eulogy written by his court poet Ravikirti.
3. He defeated Harsha’s army on the Narmada.
4. Completely defeated the pallavas in 740.
5. The Rastrakutas bought their hegemony to an end in 757.
                                                             
LATER CHALUKYAS OF KALVANI ( A.D.973-1190)

1. Vikramaditya VI( A.D.1076-1126)- He is credited to have started Chalukyan vikram era.
2. Rashtrakutas (757-973): Originally a feudatory of Chalukyas of badami and overthrew them in A.D.757 and established own dynasty known as the Rashtrakutas of Mankhed.
3. Important rulers: Dantidurga; Krishna I ( he is credited to have built the Kailasa temple at Ellora); Govind III; Amoghavarsha(the most famous Rashtrakuta king).

THE CHOLAS (850-1279)
1. In 850 A.D Vajayalaya captured Tanjore from the pallavas. He was feudatory of the pallavas. He took titles of Tanjai Konda and Parkesri and built a durga temple in Tanjore.
2. During Aditya I’s regin the Cholas freed themselves from the control of pallavas. He defeated the pallava king Aparajita and secured control over the whole Tondaimandalam.He also defeated the Gangas and the pandyas.

3. Parantaka I was also called Madurai Konda. In the battle of Vellore he defeated the combined armies of pandyas and Singhals and captured Madurai. During his reign the rivalry with Srilanka was started.
4. In the battle of Takkolam, the combined armies of the Rashtrakutas and the Gangas defeated Parantaka I.
5. The Uttarmerur of Parantaka I throws light on the local administration o the Cholas.
6. Parantaka II defeated veer pandya. He also defeated the Srilanka king for having helped the,Pandiyas.
7. Uttamchola defeated the Rashtrakutas.
8. Raja Raja I (985-1014) adopted the titles of Aruemolivarman, Mamadi Chodadeva, Jaykonda, Martanda Chola, Mumadi Chola, Keralanath, Singhalatank, Pandkulashini etc.
9. Raja Raja I defeated the Cheras Chalukyas and Gangas. He captured madura from the Pandyas. He capture northern Ceylon and made Polonnaruva its capital in place of Anuradhapur. He annexed the Maldives.
10. He built the Brihadeshwar Shive temple in Tanjore which is also called Rajarajeshwar temple.
11. During his reign, the ruler of Srivijaya built a Vihara at Nagapattanam
12. Rajendra I (1014-1044) succeeded Rajaraja I. He completed the victory over Ceylon and took its king Mahinda to the Chola kingdom. He defeated the Pandyas and Keralas and formed a new kingdom with its capital at Madurai. His son Rajadhiraja was appointed the viceroy here.
13. He led an expedition to the north and defeated the pala ruler Mahipala I. he assumed the title of ‘Gangaikonda’ and established a new capital named ‘Gangaikonda cholapuram’. He built a Shiva temple here and excavated a tank called ‘Chodagarg’. He also defeated the Shailendra or Srivijaya King Vijayatungavarman.


14. During his reign, his son Rajadhiraja suppressed a rebellion of the Pandyas and Cheras.
15. He assumed the title of ‘Pandit Chola’. Mudikonda Chola,, Nigarilli Chola and Gangaikondachola.
16. He had allowed Vijaytungavarman of the Shailendra dynasty to build the Chudamani Vihar at Nagapatanam.
17. We owe much to the concept of Panchayati Raj to the Cholas.
18. The Chola Empire was divided into 6 provinces called Mandalams. Mandalams were subsequently divided into kottam, Valanadu, Nadu and Gram.
19. The uttarmerur inscription of Dantivarman Pallava and Parantaka I have thrown sufficient light on the local self government of the Cholas.
20. Ur was the most common assembly of villages where land was held by different castes. The assembly consisted to tax paying residents.
21. The sabha or the Mahasabha was the exclusive assembly of the brahamanas who resided in the agrahar villages given to them through brahmadeya grants.
22. The third type of assembly, the Nagaram was the assembly of merchants in towns.

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