Chalukyas
Let’s now dive into one of the most powerful dynasties of early medieval Deccan — the Chalukyas of Badami, who ruled from 543 CE to 757 CE.
Before we get into names and dates, let’s understand one crucial thing:
The Chalukyas didn’t suddenly emerge as emperors. Like many Indian dynasties, they started small, as feudatories under another dynasty — the Kadambas, who ruled northern Karnataka between the 4th and 6th centuries CE.
Eventually, they asserted independence and established imperial ambitions, ruling vast parts of the Deccan. And this wasn’t a single, linear dynasty — the Chalukyas ruled through three major but related branches:
👑 Three Branches of the Chalukya Dynasty
| Branch | Region | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Chalukyas of Badami (Vatapi) | Karnataka | 6th–8th century CE |
| Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi | Andhra region | 7th–12th century CE |
| Western Chalukyas of Kalyani | Karnataka (again) | 10th–12th century CE |
Let’s now focus on the Chalukyas of Badami, the original and most influential branch.
Chalukyas of Badami (Sixth to Eighth Century CE: 543 – 757 CE)
🌟 Pulakesin I (543–566 CE): Founder of the Dynasty
Pulakesin I was a petty chieftain of Pattadakal, who declared independence from the Kadambas in 543 CE.
He fortified the city of Vatapi (modern-day Badami) and made it his capital. From there, he conquered the Western Ghats, and the region between the Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers — known as the Raichur Doab.
➡️ Some scholars consider another figure, Vijaysimha, as the actual founder — but Pulakesin I’s role in establishing state authority is undisputed.
⚔️ Pulakesin II (610–642 CE): The Zenith of Chalukya Power
The real hero of the Chalukya story is Pulakesin II, one of the most powerful rulers of early medieval India.
🗺️ Territorial Expansion
- He expanded the empire into Malwa, southern Rajasthan, and Gujarat.
- His fame even reached Persia — the Sassanian king Khusro II sent an embassy to his court.
- The Chinese monk Xuan Zang (Hsuan Tsang) visited his kingdom and praised his administration.
🪶 Aihole Inscription
His court poet Ravikirti, a Jain, composed the famous Aihole Inscription — a prashasti (eulogy) in Sanskrit, tracing Pulakesin’s lineage through four generations.
This inscription is a vital source for reconstructing the political history of the Deccan.
🛡️ Military Campaigns of Pulakesin II
| Campaign | Result |
|---|---|
| Against Kadambas and Gangas of Mysore | Defeated them; married a Ganga princess to seal alliance |
| Against Harshavardhana (606–647 CE) | Defeated him on the banks of the Narmada; Harsha accepted Narmada as the southern frontier |
| Conquest of Vengi (Krishna–Godavari belt) | Made his brother Kubja Vishnuvardhana the governor — this later became the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi |
| First campaign against Pallavas (Mahendravarman) | Victory — gained their northern provinces |
| Second campaign against Pallavas (Narasimhavarman) | Defeated and killed in 642 CE; Pallavas captured Vatapi — Narasimhavarman took the title “Vatapikonda” (Conqueror of Vatapi) |
📌 Thus, Pulakesin II’s reign represents the peak of Chalukya power, but also shows how ambition can overreach, as seen in his fatal Pallava campaign.
🧭 Contemporaries of Pulakesin II (610–642 CE)
| Ruler | Dynasty |
|---|---|
| Harshavardhana | Pushyabhuti (North India) |
| Mahendravarman I | Pallava (South India) |
| Narasimhavarman I | Pallava (South India) |
Understanding contemporaries is important for correlating regional histories in UPSC answers.
🏛️ Vikramaditya I and Vikramaditya II: The Final Flourish
After Pulakesin’s defeat, the Chalukyas recovered under his son:
- Vikramaditya I defeated the Pallavas and reconsolidated Chalukya power.
- In the 8th century, Vikramaditya II (733–745 CE) launched three successful invasions of Kanchi, the Pallava capital, and in 740 CE, decisively defeated the Pallavas.
📌 However, these victories were short-lived.
In 757 CE, the Chalukyas of Badami were finally overthrown by Dantidurga, the founder of the Rashtrakuta dynasty.
🧾 Table Summary: Key Rulers of Chalukyas of Badami
| Ruler | Reign | Key Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Pulakesin I | 543–566 CE | Founder; fortified Vatapi |
| Kirtivarman I | 566–597 CE | Expanded to the Konkan coast |
| Pulakesin II | 610–642 CE | Most powerful; defeated Harsha and Pallavas; killed by Narasimhavarman |
| Kirtivarman II | 743–757 CE | Last ruler; defeated by Rashtrakuta Dantidurga |
🧘♂️ Social and Cultural Life under Chalukyas
🕉️ Religion and Rituals
- The Chalukyas were Brahmanical Hindus — they performed Vedic rituals like the Ashvamedha Yajna (done by Pulakesin I).
- Built temples for Vishnu, Shiva, and other gods.
- Gave land grants to Brahmanas — a common feature of state-sponsored Sanskritization.
☸️ Religious Tolerance
- Jainism flourished — Ravikirti himself was a Jain.
- Buddhism, however, was on the decline in this region by this time.
📚 Literature
- The Chalukyas patronized Kannada literature as early as the 6th century CE — a key milestone in the development of regional languages.
After the fall of the original Chalukyas of Badami, two powerful offshoots continued their legacy — the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi and the Western Chalukyas of Kalyani.
Let’s examine both — their rise, rivalry, contributions, and historical significance.
🌊 Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi (616–1189 CE): Bridging Deccan and Andhra
🏛️ Foundation and Rise
- In 616 CE, Pulakeshin II, after conquering the fertile region between the Krishna and Godavari rivers (called Vengi), appointed his brother Kubja Vishnuvardhana as the viceroy.
- This established a new and semi-autonomous Eastern Chalukya branch, which eventually declared independence after Pulakeshin II’s death.
📌 Vengi corresponds to parts of modern-day Andhra Pradesh, and this dynasty played a crucial role in shaping the Andhra identity.
⚔️ Wars and Diplomacy
For almost five centuries, the Eastern Chalukyas were involved in complex alliances and wars:
- With the Pallavas (south),
- With the Rashtrakutas (west),
- With their cousins, the Western Chalukyas (northwest),
- And eventually with the Imperial Cholas of Thanjavur (Tamil region).
Eventually, from 1002 to 1189 CE, the Eastern Chalukyas became feudatories of the Cholas. But this wasn’t a one-sided submission — the relationship was diplomatic, marital, and strategic.
📚 Cultural Contribution: Rise of Telugu Identity
Despite political turbulence, Vengi became the cradle of Telugu culture.
- Telugu language flourished under Eastern Chalukya patronage.
- The most celebrated literary milestone was the “Andhra Mahabharatam” — an early Telugu rendition of the Mahabharata by Nannaya Bhatta, court poet of Rajaraja Narendra (11th century CE).
📌 This was the first classical literary work in Telugu, making the Eastern Chalukyas foundational to Telugu identity.
🏯 Western Chalukyas of Kalyani (973–1189 CE): Reclaiming the Deccan
🛡️ Emergence from the Shadows
- After the Rashtrakutas overthrew the Chalukyas of Badami, the Chalukya legacy seemed to have ended.
- But in 973 CE, a Rashtrakuta feudatory named Tailapa II revolted, overthrew his Rashtrakuta overlords, and established a new Chalukya line with capital at Kalyani (modern Basavakalyan, Karnataka).
This marked the birth of the Western Chalukyas of Kalyani, who would remain a major Deccan power for over 200 years.
⚔️ Relentless Conflicts
This dynasty faced constant military entanglements:
- With the Imperial Cholas of Thanjavur in the south
- With their own kin — the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi
- With rising powers like the Hoysalas, Kakatiyas, and Yadavas
Yet, for most of the 11th century, they maintained dominance — especially under Vikramaditya VI, their greatest ruler.
👑 Vikramaditya VI (1076–1126 CE): The Zenith of Western Chalukya Rule
- His reign marks the peak of political, cultural, and literary achievements.
- He controlled the region between the Narmada River (north) and the Kaveri River (south) — a vast and strategic expanse.
- His rule brought relative stability and monumental contributions to law, literature, and architecture.
📚 Cultural & Literary Contributions of the Kalyani Chalukyas
📖 Manasollasa (aka Abhilashitartha Chintamani)
- Composed by King Someshvara III, son of Vikramaditya VI.
- A 12th-century Sanskrit encyclopaedia — covering polity, ethics, economy, medicine, art, food, dance, painting, music, architecture, horticulture, and perfumes.
- An unmatched resource to understand medieval Indian life.
📌 This text shows how Indian kings were not just warriors, but also scholars and connoisseurs of refined life.
📜 Mitakshara by Vijnaneshwara
- A legal commentary on the Yajnavalkya Smriti.
- Composed in Vikramaditya VI’s court.
- Became the foundation of Hindu law in most of India for centuries — especially on inheritance by birth.
📌 Even the British colonial courts accepted Mitakshara as the basis of Hindu law — highlighting its enduring legacy.
🖋️ Vikramankadevacharita by Bilhana
- A court poet from Kashmir, Bilhana composed this work in praise of Vikramaditya VI.
- It’s a biographical kavya, offering insights into court culture, heroism, and literary style of the period.
🛑 Decline and Disintegration
- The last ruler, Someshvara IV, ruled until 1189 CE.
- Gradually, the Hoysalas, Kakatiyas, and Yadavas — who were once vassals — rose to power and displaced the Western Chalukyas.
This marked the end of Chalukya dominance, but their cultural and administrative legacy continued to influence Deccan polity.