Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India encyclopedia

LURE - THRU THE AGES

THE KALACHURIS 1162-1189 A.D.

Overview * They originally belonged to Central In- dia and claim descent from Sahasrajit and belonged to the Haihaya (Chedi) family. * The Kalachuris of Karnataka called them- selves as 'Kalanjara Puravaradhisvaras; pointing to their central Indian origin. * Golden Bull was their Royal emblem. * Bijjala was their powerful king. * The growth of 'Vachanasahitya' in Kannada was the unique event of their period; important vachana writers of the period were Basaveshwara, Alla- maprabhu, Akkamahadevi, etc. * Their rule came to an end in 1183 A.D. Advent Kalachuri Bijjala founded the dynasty after the death of Taila III of Chalukyas of Kalyana in 1162 A.D.

Ahavamalla (1180-83) Singhana (1183-84)

Orthodox Hindu religion with Shaivism and Vaishnavism were practised, Buddhism had almost declined, one remarkable development was the rise of Veerashaivism, Basaveshwara propagated it with great vigour. The period also marked a significant development in Kannada literature in the form of Vachanasa- hitya. The vachanas are the sayings of the Veerashaiva Sharanas (Saints) in poetic prose, Jedara Dasimayya, Basaveswara, Akkama- hadevi, Allamaprabhu and Madivala Macha- yya were important vachana writers of the pe- riod. We come across over 30 female compos- ers of Vachana; Sati system existed, Jain prac- tice of Sallekhana (starve to death) was prac- ticed; both Kannada and Sanskrit writers flourished. Decline The rule of Kalachuris was short lived (1162-1183); their territory was captured by the Seunas (northern part) and Kakatiyas and the Hoysalas (rest of their territory); By 1189, Somashekara IV of Chalukyas of Kalyana lost his empire and sought shelter under Ka- damba feudatory of Goa.

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Bijjala II Bijjala had killed Taila III of Kalyani Cha- lukyas and founded the dynasty of Kalachuris in 1162 A.D. (Harasur record of his son); initially he was ruling at Mangalavada and later shifted to Kalyana, he subdued Hoysala Narasimha I, defeated Pandyas of Uchchangi and Seunas, Chola Rajaraja HI, Rajendra Chola II of Andhra and Chalukyas of Kumarapala; he had in his court Basaveshwara, a noted Veerashaiva saint, composer of vachanas and his chief treasurer; abdicated his throne in favour of his second son Sovideva in 1167 A.D. Administration Kingship was hereditary, the empire was. divided into provinces like Gangavadi - 96.0, Banavasi - 12,000, Nolambavadi- 32.0, Belvola-300 etc. Provinces were called mandalas or deshas\ land revenue was the chief source of income, gold coins like dramma, Gadyanaka, Kalanju were issued;

Chronology * Bijjala II * Sovideva

(1162-1167)

(1167) * Mallikarj una (1176) * Sankama

Yadavas 1187-1318 A.D.

Gajapatis 1470-1497 A.D.

Chahamanas 11th - 12th c A.D.

Tribhandapura

Ajayanoru

They were the descendents of the Cha- lukyan kingdom; they ruled at Devagiri and Nasik; Bhillama III founded the Devagiri city and in 1187 seized north-eastern por- tion of the kingdom of Chalukyas under Somesvara but was killed in 1191 A.D.; he was succeeded by his son Jaitugi I. The Yadava dynasty came to an end after the capture and execution of its king Sankara in •1312 and his brother-in-law Harapala in 1318 A.D. by Malik Kafur.

The dynasty flourished in Rajasthan in 11- 12th centuries. The capital was Ranthambhor. The most famous king of this dynasty was Hammira who reigned during the time of Alaud-din Khilji. He had given shelter to some of the discontented Mussalmans which offended Alaud-din Khilji. In A.D. 1299 the Sultan sent an expedition under the command of his brothers Ulugh Khan andNusrat Khan. Nusrat Khan was killed. On hearing of this, Alaud-din marched in person towards Ranth- ambhor. He captured Ranthambhor in 1301 with considerable difficulty, after one year's siege. Hamir Deva or Hammira was put to death.

They were rulers of Orissa in middle 15th C. They ruled for more than a century.

Kapilendra : Founder of the dynasty; was endowed with considerable ability; restored the prestige of the Gangas which was low during the reign of the later Gangas; suppressed the powerful rebels in his own country, fought successfully with the Bahmanis of Bidar and the rulers of Vijayanagara succeeding in extending his kingdom from the Ganges to the Kaveri; took possession of Udayagiri, the seat of a Vijayanagar viceroy and Conjeevaram. Purushottama (1470-1497) : During his reign the Vijayanagar kings captured his territory south of the Krishna and the Bahmanis seized the Godavari- Krishna doab. T owards the end of his reign he recov- ered the doab and regained a part of the Andhra country as far as the modem Guntur district.

Chronology * Bhillama III * Jaitugi I * Singhana * Krishna * Mahadeva * Ramachandra

(1187-1191) (1191-1210) (1210-1247) (1247-1260) (1260-1271) (1271-1310) (1310-1312) (1312-1318)

* Sankara * Harapala