Eastern Chalukyas were a South Indian dynasty whose kingdom was located in the present day Andhra Pradesh. Their capital was Vengi and their dynasty lasted for around 500 years from the 7th century until c. 1130 C.E. when the Vengi kingdom merged with the Chola empire. The Vengi kingdom was continued to be ruled by Eastern Chalukyan kings under the protection of the Chola empire until 1189 C.E., when the kingdom succumbed to the Hoysalas and the Yadavas. South India is a geographic and linguistic-cultural region of India. ... Andhra Pradesh (Telugu: ఆంధ్ర ప్రదేశ్; Āndhra Prādesh), is a state in eastern India and is part of the linguistic-cultural region of South India yet is also considered central or eastern India. ... // Vengi dynasties Vengi kingdom extended from River Godavari in the north to Mount MahendraGiri in the southeast and to just below the southern banks of River Krishna in the south. ... Events February 13 - Innocent II is elected pope An antipope schism occurs when Roger II of Sicily supports Anacletus II as pope instead of Innocent II. Innocent flees to France and Anacletus crowns Roger King. ... The Cholas were the most famous of the three dynasties that ruled ancient Tamil Nadu. ... Events January 21 - Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin to assemble troops to wage the Third Crusade September 3- Richard I of England is crowned as king of England. ... The Hoysala Empire ruled part of southern India from 1000 to 1346. ... The Yadava Dynasty ruled a kingdom in what is now Maharashtra, India from the 12th century to the 14th century. ...

They had their capital originally at Vengi near Eluru of the West Godavari district end later changed to Rajamahendravaram. Eluru is the headquarters of West Godavari district in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. ... The Godavari River is a major waterway in India, next to the Ganges and Indus rivers. ...

Eastern Chalukyas were closely related to the Chalukyas of Vatapi (Badami). Throughout their history they were the cause of many wars between the more powerful Cholas and Chalukyas over the control of the strategic Vengi country. The Chalukya Dynasty was an Indian royal dynasty that ruled parts of southern India between 550 and 750, and again between 973 and 1190. ... Badami is a city in Karnataka in modern India. ...

The five centuries of the Eastern Chalukya rule of Vengi saw not merely the consolidation of this region into an unified whole, but also saw the efflorescence of Telugu culture, literature, poetry and art. It can verily be said to be the golden period of Andhra history.

Orgin of Eastern Chalukyas

Pulakesin II (c. 608 – 644 C.E), the greatest Badami Chalukya king, conquered the eastern Deccan, corresponding the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh c. 616 C.E., defeating the remnants of the Vishnukundin kingdom. He appointed his brother Kirbja Vishnuvardhana as Viceroy. On the death of Pulakesin II, the Vengi Viceroyalty developed into an independent kingdom. Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi outlived the main Vatapi dynasty by many generations. Pulakesi II (c. ... Events September 15 - Boniface IV becomes pope. ... Events Births Deaths Paulinus of York, bishop of Northumbria November: Omar, Second caliph of Islam by assassination. ... The Chalukya Dynasty was an Indian royal dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between 550 and 750 from Badami in Bagalkot district, Karnataka state, and again between 973 and 1190 from Manyakheta initially and later from Kalyana in Bidar district. ... The Deccan Plateau is a vast plateau in India, encompassing most of Central and Southern India. ... Andhra Pradesh (Telugu: ఆంధ్ర ప్రదేశ్; Ä€ndhra Prādesh), is a state in eastern India and is part of the linguistic-cultural region of South India yet is also considered central or eastern India. ... Events Eadbald succeeds Ethelbert as king of Kent. ...

List of Eastern Chalukya Kings

• Kubja Vishnuvardhana 624 – 641
• Jayasimha I 641 – 673
• Mangi Yuvaraja 681 – 705
• Vijayaditya I 755 – 772
• Vishnuvardhana IV 772 – 808
• Vijayaditya II 808 – 847
• Vijayaditya III 848 – 892
• Bhima I 892 – 921
• Amma I 921 – 927 C.E.
• Amma II 945 – 970 C.E.
• Danamava 970 – 973 C.E.
• Jata Choda Bhima 973 - 1000 C.E.
• Saktivarman I 1000 - 1011 C.E.
• Vimaladitya 1011 – 1018 C.E.
• Rajaraja Narendra 1018 – 1061
• Saktivarman II
• Vijayaditya VII (1063-68 A.D.; 1072-75 A.D.)

Events Justus becomes Archbishop of Canterbury. ... Events Founding of the city of Fostat, later Cairo, in Egypt. ... Events Founding of the city of Fostat, later Cairo, in Egypt. ... Events Hlothhere becomes king of Kent Maelduin becomes King of Dalriada Foundation of Ely, England Births Bede, English monk, writer and historian (or 672) Deaths Childeric II, Frankish king of Austrasia, Neustria and Burgundy Domangart II, King of Dalriada General Kim Yu-shin of Silla Heads of states Japan - Temmu... // Events August 9 - The Bulgars win the war with the Byzantine Empire; the latter signs a peace treaty, which is considered as the birth-date of Bulgaria Wilfrid of York is expelled from Northumbria by Ecgfrith and retires into Sussex Births Deaths January 10 - Pope Agatho Ebroin, Mayor of the... Alternate meaning: Area code 705 Events End of the short-lived Zhou Dynasty in China Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik succeeded by al-Walid I ibn Abd al-Malik. ... Events Abd-ar-rahman I lands in Spain, where the next year he will establish a new Umayyad dynasty. ... Events Pope Adrian I succeeds Pope Stephen IV. Adrian I turns to Charlemagne for support against king Desiderius of the Lombards. ... Events Pope Adrian I succeeds Pope Stephen IV. Adrian I turns to Charlemagne for support against king Desiderius of the Lombards. ... Events The Abbasid capital is moved north from Baghdad to Samarra. ... Events The Abbasid capital is moved north from Baghdad to Samarra. ... Events Succession of Pope Leo IV, (847 - 855) Births Alfred the Great (d. ... Events The Borobudur is completed. ... Events Poppo of Thuringia, count of the march in Thuringia,is deposed by the German Carolingian king Arnulf of Carinthia Arnulf of Carinthia invades Great Moravia Duke Guido of Spoleto crowned Roman Emperor in April The former Silla general Gyeonhwon attacks the city of Gwangju and declares himself king. ... Events Poppo of Thuringia, count of the march in Thuringia,is deposed by the German Carolingian king Arnulf of Carinthia Arnulf of Carinthia invades Great Moravia Duke Guido of Spoleto crowned Roman Emperor in April The former Silla general Gyeonhwon attacks the city of Gwangju and declares himself king. ... Events Embassy of Ahmad ibn Fadlan from Baghdad to the king of the Volga Bulgars on behalf of the Abbasid Caliph al-Muqtadir Henry the Fowler invades Bavaria and obtains fealty from Arnulf the Bad Births King Edmund I of England Onmyoji Abe no Seimei Deaths September 1 - Richard of... Events Embassy of Ahmad ibn Fadlan from Baghdad to the king of the Volga Bulgars on behalf of the Abbasid Caliph al-Muqtadir Henry the Fowler invades Bavaria and obtains fealty from Arnulf the Bad Births King Edmund I of England Onmyoji Abe no Seimei Deaths September 1 - Richard of... Events Hubaekje sacks the Silla capital of Gyeongju and places King Gyeongsun on the throne. ... Events Saint Dunstan abbot at Glastonbury Edmund I of England conquers Strathclyde Howell the Good convenes a conference at Whitland, which reforms the laws of Wales Births Abbo of Fleury, French monk Deaths Igor of Kiev Categories: 945 ... Events Major volcano eruption in Mashu Japan Devastating decade long famine begins in France Byzantine Emperor John I successfully defends the Eastern Roman Empire from massive barbarian invasion Construction completed on Al-Azhar mosque in Cairo, worlds oldest Islamic university Births Leif Ericson, Norse explorer Seyyed Razi, important Muslim... Events Major volcano eruption in Mashu Japan Devastating decade long famine begins in France Byzantine Emperor John I successfully defends the Eastern Roman Empire from massive barbarian invasion Construction completed on Al-Azhar mosque in Cairo, worlds oldest Islamic university Births Leif Ericson, Norse explorer Seyyed Razi, important Muslim... Events Edgar of England is crowned king by Saint Dunstan Births September 15 - Al_Biruni, mathematician († 1048) Abu al-Ala al-Maarri, poet Deaths May 7 - Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor Categories: 973 ... Events Edgar of England is crowned king by Saint Dunstan Births September 15 - Al_Biruni, mathematician († 1048) Abu al-Ala al-Maarri, poet Deaths May 7 - Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor Categories: 973 ... // Events World Population 300 million. ... // Events World Population 300 million. ... Events Emperor Sanjo ascends to the throne of Japan. ... Events Emperor Sanjo ascends to the throne of Japan. ... Events Bulgaria becomes part of the Byzantine Empire. ... Events Bulgaria becomes part of the Byzantine Empire. ... Events Normans conquer Messina in Sicily Pope Alexander II elected The building of the Speyer Cathedral in Speyer, Germany, had begun to be built. ...

Administration

In its early life, the Eastern Chalukya court was more or less a replica of that of Badami, and as generations passed, local factors gained in strength and the Vengi monarchy developed features of its own. External influences still continued to be present as the Eastern Chalukyas had had long and intimate contact, either friendly or hostile, with the Pallavas, the Rashtrakutas, the Cholas and the Chalukyas of Kalyani. The Pallavas were hereditary Hindu rulers who dominated southeastern India between the 4th and 9th centuries. ... The Rashtrakutas were a dynasty which ruled the Deccan during the 8th-10th centuries. ... Areas under direct control of the Chola Empire, 1030 CE. The Chola Empire rose to power in the 9th century in the Tamil speaking districts of Southern India. ... The Chalukya Dynasty was an Indian royal dynasty that ruled parts of southern India between 550 and 750, and again between 973 and 1190. ...

Type of Government

The Eastern Chalukyan government was a monarchy based on the Hindu philosophy. The inscriptions refer to the traditional seven components of the state (Saptanga), and the eighteen tirthas (offices), such as mantri (minister), purohita (chaplain), senapati (commander), Yuvaraja (heir-apparent), dauvarika (door keeper), pradhana (chief), adhyaksha (head of department) and so on. A Hindu (archaic Hindoo), as per modern definition is an adherent of philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, the predominant religious, philosophical and cultural system of the Indian subcontinent and the island of Bali. ...

No information is available as to how the work of administration was carried out. The Vishaya and Kottam were the administrative subdivisions known from the records. The Karmarashtra and the Boya-Kottams are examples of these. The royal edicts (recording gifts of lands or villages) are addressed to all naiyogikavallabhas, a general term containing no indication of their duties, as well as to the grameyakas, the residents of the village granted. The Manneyas are also occasionally referred in inscriptions. They held assignments of land or revenue in different villages.

Fratricidal wars and foreign invasions frequently disturbed the land. The territory was parcelled out into many small principalities (estates) held by the nobility consisting of collateral branches of the ruling house Such as those of Elamanchili, Pithapuram and Mudigonda, and a few kshatriya families (Kona Haihayas, Kolanu Saronathas etc.), closely connected by marriage ties with the Eastern Chalukyas and others (Velanadus, Kondapadamatis, Chagis, Parichhedis etc.) who were raised to high position for their loyal services. When the Vengi ruler was strong, the nobility paid allegiance and tribute to him, but when the weakness was apparent, they were ready to join hands with the enemies against the royal house. Kshatriya is the title of the Hindu military order. ...

Society

The population in the Vengi country was heterogeneous in character. Yuan Chwang, who travelled in the Andhra country after the establishment of the Eastern Chalukya kingdom, noted that the people were of a violent character, were of a dark complexion and were fond of arts.

The society was based on hereditary caste system. Even the Buddhists and Jains who originally disregarded caste, adopted it. Besides the four traditional castes, minor communities like Boyas and Saharas also existed. The word Caste is derived from the Portuguese word casta, meaning lineage, breed or race. ... Statues of Buddha such as this, the Tian Tan Buddha statue in Hong Kong, remind followers to practice right living. ... The hand with a wheel on the palm symbolizes the Jain Vow of Ahinsa, meaning non-injury and nonviolence. ...

The Brahmins were held in high esteem in the society. They were proficient in Vedas and Sastras and were given gifts of land and money. They held lucrative posts such as councillors, ministers and members of civil service. They entered even army and some of them rose to positions of high command. Young Indian brahmachari Brahmin A Brahmin (less often Brahman) is a member of the Hindu priestly caste. ... Veda redirects here. ...

The Kshatriyas were the ruling and warring class. Their love of intrigue and fighting was responsible for civil war for two centuries. A Kshatriya is a member of the military or reigning order, according to the law-code of Manu the second ranking caste of the Indian varna system of four castes, the first being the Brahmin or priestly caste, the third the Vaishya or mercantile caste and the lowest the Shudra. ...

The Komatis (Vaisyas) as a trading class, were a flourishing community. Their organisation into a powerful guild (Nakaram) which had its headquarters in Penugonda (West Godavari) and branches in seventeen other centres had its beginnings in this period. It seems there used to be a minister for communal affairs (samayamantri) in the government. The Sudras constituted the bulk of the population and there were several sub-castes among them. In the Hindu caste system, a Vaishya (Sanskrit वैश्य vaiśya) is a member of the third of the four major castes of the varna system of traditional Indian society. ... The Godavari River is a major waterway in India, next to the Ganges and Indus rivers. ... Shudra or Sudra is the fourth caste or varna in the traditional four-caste division in Indian society. ...

Religion

Buddhism, which was dominant during the Satavahanas was in decline. Its monasteries were practically deserted. Due to their love of sacred relics in stupas, a few might have lingered on, Ywan Chwang noticed some twenty or more Buddhist monastries in which more than three thousand monks lived. Buddhism (Pāli Buddhadhamma or Sanskrit Buddhadharma) is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, who lived in the 5th century BCE. Buddhism spread throughout the ancient Indian sub-continent in the five centuries following his death, and propagated into Central, Southeast, and... Approximate extent of the Satavahana Empire, circa 150 CE. The Sātavāhanas, also known as the Andhras, were a dynasty which ruled in Southern and Central India starting from around 230 BCE. Although there is some controversy about when the dynasty came to an end, the most liberal estimates...

Jainism, unlike Buddhism, continued to enjoy some support from the people. This is evident from the several deserted images in ruined villages all over Andhra. The inscriptions also record the construction of Jain temples and grants of land for their support from the monarchs and the people. The rulers like Kubja Vishnuvardhana, Vishnuvardhana III and Amma II patronised Jainism. Vimaladitya even became a declared follower of the doctrine of Mahavira. Pre-Kushana Ayagapatta from Mathura Jainism (pronounced in English as //), traditionally known as Jain Dharma (जैन धर्म), is a religion and philosophy originating in the prehistory of South Asia. ... Andhra Pradesh (ఆంధర దేశం), a state in South India, lies between 12°41 and 22°N latitude and 77° and 84°40E longitude . ... Mahavira (वर्धमान महावीर) or Mahavir (the Great Hero -- Also, Vardhamana (increasing) or Niggantha Nathaputta -- 599 BC-527 BC, though possibly 549 BC-477 BC) was the 24th, and last, Jainist Tirthankara. ...

Vijayavada, Jenupadu, Penugonda (West Godavari) and Munugodu were the famous Jain centres of the period.

Hinduism which was the official religion throughout the Chalukya period. Of the Hindu sects, Saivism was more popular than Vaishnavism. Hinduism (Sanskrit , also known as and ) is an Indian religious tradition that is based on the Vedas, and is among the oldest still practiced today. ... Shaivism, also Saivism, is a branch of Hinduism that worships Siva as the Supreme God. ... Vaishnavism is one of the principal divisions of Hinduism. ...

Some of the rulers, declared themselves as Paramamaheswaras. The Buddhist religious centres eventually attained great celebrity as Saiva pilgrim centres. The Eastern Chatukya rulers like Vijayaditya II, Yuddhamalla I. Vijayaditya III and Bhima I took active interest in the construction of many temples. The temple establishments like dancers and musicians show that during this period, temple was not only a centre of religious worship but a fostering ground of fine arts.

Literature

Telugu literature owes its origin to the Chalukyas. Poetry makes its first appearance in the Addanki and Kandukus inscriptions of Pandaranga in the time of Vijayaditya II in the later half of the ninth century. However no literary work of any value appeared until 11th century C.E.

Nannaya Bhatta's Mahabharata is the earliest extant work of Telugu literature. Nannaya was the poet-Iaureatte of Rajaraja Narendra in the middle of eleventh century C.E. An erudite scholar, was well-versed in Vedas, Sastras and the ancient epics, he undertook to translate the fgreat Mahabharata in to Telugu. Narayana Bhatta who was proficient in eight languages assisted him in his endeavour. Though incomplete, his work is universally acclaimed as a masterpiece of Telugu literature. It remains unrivalled for its graceful end dignified diction and sweet and elegant verses. Veda redirects here. ... The Mahabharata (Devanagari: महाभारत, phonetically Mahābhārata - see note), sometimes just called Bharata, is one of the two major ancient Sanskrit epics of India, the other being the Ramayana. ...

Architecture

Because of the widely spread Saiva devotional cult in the kingdom the Eastern Chalukyan kings undertook construction of temples on a large scale. Vijayaditya II is credited with the construction of 108 temples. Yuddhamalla I erected a temple to Kartikeya at Vijayavada. Bhima I constructed the famous Draksharbma and Chalukya Bhimavaram (Samalkot) temples. Rajaraja Narendra erected three memorial shrines at Kalidindi (West Godavari).

The Eastern Chalukyas, following the Pallava and Chalukya traditions, developed their own independent style of architecture, which is visible in the Pancharama shrines (especially the Draksharama temple) and Biccavulu temples. The Golingeswara temple at Biccavulu contains some richly carved out sculptures of deities like Arthnariswara, Siva, Vishnu, Agni, Chamundi and Surya. This article is about the Hindu God. ... For other uses of the name Vishnu, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ... Agni is a Hindu deity. ...

References

• Durga Prasad, History of the Andhras upto 1565 A. D., P. G. PUBLISHERS, GUNTUR (1988)
• South Indian Inscriptions - http://www.whatisindia.com/inscriptions/
• Nilakanta Sastri, K.A. (1955). A History of South India, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002).