Everything about Pallavas totally explained
The
Pallava kingdom (
Telugu:పల్లవులు;
Tamil: பல்லவர்) was an ancient
South Indian kingdom. The Pallavas, feudatories of
Andhra Satavahanas, became independent after the decline of that
dynasty in
Amaravati. Initially they ruled southern
Andhra Pradesh, also known as
Palnadu, situated in the
Guntur district. Later they extended their rule to
Tamil regions and established their capital at
Kanchipuram around the 4th century CE. They rose in power during the reign of
Mahendravarman I (
571 –
630 CE) and
Narasimhavarman I (630 –
668 CE) and dominated the southern
Telugu and northern parts of
Tamil region for about six hundred years until the end of the 9th century.
Throughout their reign they were in constant conflict with both
Chalukyas of
Badami in the north and the Tamil kingdoms of
Chola and
Pandyas in the south and were finally defeated by the
Chola kings in the 8th century CE.
Pallavas are most noted for their patronage of
Dravidian architecture, still seen today in
Mahabalipuram. The Pallavas, who left behind magnificent sculptures and temples, established the foundations of classical Dravidian architecture. A Chinese traveller
Hiuen Tsang visited
Kanchipuram during Pallava rule and extolled their benign rule.
Some sources describe
Bodhidharma, the founder of the
Chan (Zen) school of
Buddhism in
China, as a prince of the Pallava dynasty, a contemporary of Skandavarman IV and Nandivarman I, and the son of Simhavarman II.
The Pallavas were, perhaps, also the ones who founded the 'Varman' dynasty in Cambodia, builders of the 'Angkor Wat' temple. One of their prince supposedly married a Khmer Princess and started the Varman dynasty.
Origins
The exact origin of the Pallavas is shrouded in mystery. Many theories have been put forward to trace their roots. One theory proposed that they were an offshoot of the
Cholas. The word
Pallava means
bud or
branch in
Sanskrit which is equivalent to
Tamil Tondaiyar. The Pallava kings at several places are called
Thondamans or
Thondaiyarkon. According to Dr Jouveau Dubreuil, the
Pahlavas migrated from
Persia to India and founded the Pallava dynasty of
Kanchi. They first occupied Anarta and
Konkan and later entered
southern India via
Kuntala or Vanavasa.
» "The Pallavas were immigrants from north, or properly speaking from Konkan, Tenugu and Anarta into Deccan. They came into south India through Kuntala or Vanvasa..." (Jouveau Dubreuil).
Venkayya notes:
The Pallavas of Kāñcīpuram must have come originally from Persia, though the interval of time which must have elapsed since they left Persia must be several centuries. As the [[Persianpeople |
Dr V. A. Smith says:
It is possible that the Pallavas were not one distinct tribe or class but a mixed population composed partly of foreigners and partly of the Indian population but different in race from Tamils and taking their name from the title of an intruding foreign dynasty (Pahlava) which obtained control over them and welded them into an aggressive political power. |
Yet another link between the Pahlavas of the North and the Pallava rulers of Kanchi may be found in a
legend which, according to Victor Goloubew, takes its origin from the
Scythians and plays a paramount part in the lands penetrated by the Pallavas and their culture. The Nagi legend of the Scythians which is connected with legends in
Tamil literature and Pallava
copper-plates as well as the annals of
Cambodia carries a special significance here.
There are other opinions supporting their indigenous origins state that they were hereditary feudatory rulers under the
Vakatakas.
Religion
Pallavas were followers of Sanatana Dharma. In line with the prevalent customs, some of the rulers performed the
Aswamedha and other
Vedic sacrifices. They had made gifts of lands to gods and Brahmins. Mahendravarman I was initially a patron of the
Jain faith. He later re-converted to
Hinduism under the influence of the Saiva saint
Appar, with the revival of Hinduism during the Bhakti movement in
South India.
Pallava Chronology
The rule of the Pallavas apparently starts as early as 275 CE, but their greatest epoch corresponds to the 7th and 8th century.
Early Pallava
The history of the early Pallavas hasn't yet been satisfactorily settled. The Prakrit and the Sanskrit charters on which we base our knowledge of these early Pallavas merely mention the royal names, their non-political grants and nothing about their reign or their political achievements. The earliest documentation we've on the Pallavas is the three copper-plate grants. All three belong to Skandavarman I and have been written in
Prakrit.
Skandavarman seems to have been the first great ruler of the early Pallavas. He extended his dominions from the
Krishna in the north to the
Pennar in the south and to the
Bellary district in the West. He performed the
Aswametha and other Vedic sacrifices. At the beginning of their rule, Manchikallu, Mayidavoiu, Darsi and Ongolu were the centres of their activity.
Kanchipuram gained prominence as the centre of their political and cultural activity by the second quarter of the fourth century CE.
Vishnugopa (350-355 CE), was defeated by
Samudragupta around 350 CE. With Samudragupta's expedition, the Pallava eclipse set in.
In the reign of
Simhavarman IV, who ascended the throne in 436 CE, the fallen prestige of the Pallavas was restored. He recovered the territories lost to the
Vishnukundins in the north up to the mouth of the Krishna. The early Pallava history from this period onwards is furnished by a dozen or so copper-plate grants in
Sanskrit. They are all dated in the regnal years of the kings.
With the accession of
Nandivarman I (480-500 CE), the decline of the early Pallava family was seen. The
Kadambas had their aggressions and even the headquarters of the Pallavas was occupied by them. In coastal
Andhra the Vishnukundins established their ascendency. The Pallava authority was confined to Tondaimandalam.
With the accession of
Simhavishnu, father of
Mahendravarman I, c. 575 CE, the Pallava revival began in the south.
The following chronology is gathered from these three charters:
Later Pallavas
The incursion of the
Kalabhras and the confusion in the Tamil country was broken by the
Pandya Kadungon and the Pallava
Simhavishnu. The Pallava kingdom began to gain both in territory and influence over the South Indian peninsula. Pallavas exercised control over their southern neighbours of Cholas and Pandyas. But their history is marked by the continuous conflict with the
Badami Chalukyas.
Narasimhavarman I and
Paramesvaravarman I were the kings who stand out with glorious achievements in both military and architectural spheres.
Nandivarman II built the
Shore Temple.
Simhavishnu 555 - 590 CE
Mahendravarman I 590 - 630 CE
Narasimhavarman I (Mamalla) 630 - 668 CE
Mahendravarman II 668 - 672 CE
Paramesvaravarman I 672 - 700 CE
Narasimhavarman II (Raja Simha) 700 - 728 CE
Paramesvaravarman II 705 - 710 CE
Nandivarman II (Pallavamalla) 732 - 796 CE
Thandivarman 775 - 825 CE
Nandivarman III 825 - 869 CE
Aparajitha Varman 882 - 901 CE
Kadava kingdom
During the thirteenth and the fourteenth centuries CE, a small principality of the Kadava dynasty came into brief prominence. These rulers claimed descent from the Pallavas. The notable rulers of this dynasty are Kopperunchinga I (reigned c.1216 - 1242 CE), and his son and successor Kopperunchinga II (c.1243 - 1279 CE). Together they extended the influence of their kingdom and played a major part in the ultimate demise of the Chola dynasty.
Pallava architecture
The Pallavas were instrumental in the transition from rock-cut architecture to stone temples. The earliest examples of Pallava constructions are rock-cut temples dating from 610 - 690 CE and structural temples between 690 - 900 CE. A number of rock-cut cave temples bear the inscription of the Pallava king, Mahendravarman I and his successors.
The greatest accomplishments of the Pallava architecture are the rock-cut temples at Mahabalipuram. There are excavated pillared halls and monolithic shrines known as rathas in Mahabalipuram. Early temples were mostly dedicated to Shiva. The Kailasanatha temple in Kanchipuram and the Shore Temple built by Narasimhavarman II are fine examples of the Pallava style temples.
Further Information
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