Time period – 6th A.D to 12th A.D . They ruled Telangana areas mainly from 543 A.D to 753 A.D . 
Capital – Vatapi (modern day Badami) . Hence they are also called as Badami chalukyas.
Languages- Sanskrit, prakrit, Old kannada. Old telugu.
Religion- Hinduism, Jainism.
Sources of History –
Badami Chalukya Dynasty:
Pulakesi I and his descendants, are referred to as Chalukyas of Badami who ruled over an empire that comprised the entire state of Karnataka and most of Telangana in the Deccan. Pulakesi IIwhose precoronation name was Ereya was perhaps the greatest emperor of the Badami Chalukyas. Immadi Pulakesi (Immadi in old Kannada means “II”) is considered as one of the great kings in Indian history. His queen Kadamba Devi was a princess from the dynasty of Alupas. They maintained close family and marital relationship with the Alupas of South Canara and the Gangas of Talakad.
Pulakesi II extended the Chalukya Empire up to the northern extents of the Pallava kingdom and halted the southward march
of Harsha by defeating him on the banks of the river Narmada. He then defeated the Vishnukundins in the southeastern
Deccan. Pallava Narasimhavarman however reversed this victory by attacking and occupying the Chalukya capital Vatapi (Badami).
The Badami Chalukya dynasty went in to a brief decline following the death of Pulakesi II due to internal feuds. It recovered during the reign of Vikramaditya I, who succeeded in pushing the Pallavas out of Badami and restoring order to the empire. The empire reached a peak during the rule of the illustrious Vikramaditya II who defeated the Pallava Nandivarman II and captured Kanchipuram.
Pulakesi I (543 – 566 C.E.)
Pulakesi I established the Chalukya dynasty in then western Deccan and his descendants ruled over an empire that comprised the entire state of Karnataka and most of Telangana. Pulakesi overthrew the Kadambas to establish the Chalukya kingdom. He had the titles Satyashraya, Vallabha and Dharmamaharaja.
Pulakesi I was Ranaranga’s son. His wife was Durlabhadevi of Bappura family.He earned the distinction of being the first independent King and the real founder of the Chalukya dynasty. He successfully defied the waning power of the Kadambas and proclaimed the Chalukyan independence. He chose Badami (Vatapi) as his capital and constructed a strong hill fortress there. The new fortress stood on the defensible location surrounded by rivers and steep mountains. The Chalukyan kingdom did not extend much beyond the immediate vicinities of Badami.
Pulakesi performed sacrifices like Asvamedha, Hiranyagarbha, Agnistoma, Vajapeya, Bahusuvarna and Paundarika. These details are provided by his Badami Cliff inscription dated Saka 565 (543 CE).Inscriptions compares him with such mythical heroes as Yayati and Dilipa.
Kirtivarman I (566 – 597 C.E.)
Kirtivarman I succeeded Pulakesi I as the ruler of the Chalukya Dynasty. Kirtivarman I consolidated the newly founded Chalukya Kingdom. He completed the subjugation of the Kadambas, and he secured the extension of the Chalukya Kingdom by subduing the Nalas of Nalavadi, the Alupas of South Kanara and the Maurya chiefs of Konkan.
He also annexed the port of Goa, then known as Revatidvipa. The Sendrakas, the feudatories of the Kadambas who ruled in Shimoga district, now shifted their political allegiance to the Chalukyas, and married a princess from this family.
At the demise of Kirtivarman, his son Pulakesi II was too young to rule and Kirtivarman’s brother Mangalesa assumed the responsibilities of the crown.
Mangalesa (597 – 609 C.E.)
Mangalesa was an energetic and ambitious ruler succeeded Kirtivarman I to the Chalukya throne. He ruled as regent as the heir to the throne Pulakesi II was considered too young to rule.
Mangalesa won several laurels in war. Mangalesa continued the policy of expansion. He invaded the territory of the Kalachuri ruler Buddhiraja who ruled over Gujarat, Khandesh and Malwa. From the Mahakuta pillar inscription of 595 it is known that he subdued the Gangas, Pallava, Chola, Alupas and Kadambas rulers.
Mangalesa assumed the titles like Ururanaparakrama, Ranavikrama and Paramabhagavata. As Mangalesa was ruling as a regent, he should have surrendered the throne to Pulakesi II when the latter came of age. Instead he sought to prolong his reign with the view of handing the throne to his own son Sundaravarma in due course.
This forced Pulakesi to rebel against his uncle. Pulakesi left the court and by his own martial prowess, waged a war on Mangalesa with the help of few of his friends. Mangalesa was routed and killed in the battlefield of ElapattuSimbige. This incident is mentioned in the Peddavaduguru inscription, and the incident must have happened about 610 A.D
Pulakesi II (609 – 642 C.E.)
Pulakesi II is the most famous ruler of the Chalukya dynasty. In his reign the Chalukyas of Badami saw their kingdom extend over most of the Deccan.
Ereya, who assumed the name Pulakesi on his coronation, was born to the Chalukya king Kirtivarman I. Ereya ascended the Chalukya throne as Pulakesi II and assumed the title Chalukya Parameshwara after defeating his uncle. His other assumed titles are Satyashraya, Prithvivallabha.
With this conquest, Pulakesi’s control extended completely over Southern India, including Maharashtra and parts of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. He received the title Dakshinapatheshvara (Lord of the South) at around the same time (630-634 A.D).
The Ganga ruler Durvinita gave one of his daughters in marriage to Pulakesi, and she was the mother of Vikramaditya I. Pulakesi was the first ruler in South India to issue gold coinage. Broad and circular in shape, the punchmarked coins had various punches at the edge, and a central punch depicting a Varaha or Boar. The Boar was the royal emblem of the Chalukyas. Contemporary literature cites the gold coins of south India as Varahas. It is possible that Pulakesi II lost his life in one of these encounters against the Pallavas.
Pulakesi had five sons, Chandraditya, Adityavarma, Vikramaditya, Jayasimha and Ambera. They fought among themselves after his demise, trying to divide the kingdom into territories for each of themselves. Pulakesi’s third son Vikramaditya I became the Chalukya king 642 and attempted to reunite the kingdom after defeating his brothers.
Vikramaditya I (655 – 680 C.E.)
Vikramaditya I was the third son and followed his father, Pulakesi II on to the Chalukya throne. He restored order in the fractured kingdom and made the Pallavas retreat from the capital Vatapi. Vikramaditya, with the help of his maternal grandfather Bhuvikarma of Western Ganga Dynasty set himself the task of repelling the Pallava invasion and restoring the unity of his father’s kingdom.
He defeated the Pallava Narasimhavarman I to end his occupation, which had lasted for thirteen years and expelled him from Vatapi. He defeated his brothers and other feudatories who wished to divide the empire and then declared himself king of the Chalukyas (655). He rewarded his younger brother Jayasimhavarman who was loyal to him, with the viceroyalty of Lata in the southern
Gujarat.
Vikramaditya continued his enimity with Narasimhavarman’s son and successor Mahendravarman II, and later with his son Paramesvaravarman I. He allied himself with the Pallava’s other enemy the Pandyan Arikesari Parankusa
Vinayaditya (680 – 696 C.E.)
Vinayaditya succeeded his father, Vikramaditya I on to the Chalukya throne. His reign was marked by general peace and harmony. He earned the titles Yuddhamalla, Sahasarasika, Satyashraya. He had fought alongside his father against the Pallavas, he defeated the Pallavas, Kalabhras, Keralas and the Kalachuri of central India.
From the Kolhapur plates of 678 he defeated the kingdoms of Lanka and Kamera. The Vakkaleri plates confirm the Chalukya levying tribute on Kamera, Lanka and Parasika (Persia). During this time, Persia was under Islamic invasion. Vinayaditya sent an expedition to the north under the command of his son Vijayaditya.
According to some accounts, Vijayaditya was captured and held prisoner and after a period of incarceration, escaped and returned to the Chalukyan kingdom to be crowned the monarch of the empire. Vinayaditya sent an ambassador to the Chinese court in 692.
Vikramaditya II (733 – 746 C.E.)
Vikramaditya II was the son of King Vijayaditya succeeded the Badami Chalukya throne. He had conduce successful military campaigns against their arch enemy, the Pallavas of Kanchipuram. His most important achievements were the capture of Kanchipuram on three occasions, the first time as a crown prince, the second time as an emperor and the third time under the leadership of his son and crown prince Kirtivarman II.
Virupaksha Temple inscription alludes to the emperor as the conqueror of Kanchi on three occasions and reads Sri VikramadityabhatararmumeKanchiyanmume parajisidor. The other notable achievement was the consecration of the famous Virupaksha Temple (Lokeshwara temple) and Mallikarjuna Temple (Trilokeshwara temple) by his queens Lokamahadevi and Trilokadevi at Pattadakal. These two monuments are the centre piece of the UNESCO World Heritage Monuments at Pattadakal.
Kirtivarman II (746 – 753 C.E.)
Kirtivarman II also known as Rahappa succeeded his father Vikramaditya II. His reign was continuously troubled by the growing power of the Rashtrakutas and finally succumbed to them. Kirtivarman and his Ganga feudatory Sripurusha came into conflict with the Pandya ruler Maravarman Rajasimha I who was extending the Pandya Empire on to the Kongu country which was adjacent
to the Ganga kingdom.
Rajasimha crossed the Kaveri and engaged Kirtivarman and Sripurusha in a big battle at Venbai on the banks of the river Kaveri. The Chalukya king was defeated. Kirtivarman II was the last king of the Badami dynasty. There was a period of 220 years in which the western branch of the Chalukyas was in eclipse.
The Chalukyas of Badami developed the Deccan or Vesara style in the building of structural temples, which reached culmination, however, only under the Rashtrakutas and the Hoysalas. They perfected the art of stone building without mortar. Under their auspices, the Buddhists, Jainas and Brahmanas competed with each other in building cave temples. Some of the finest specimens of the cave frescoes belonged to the Chalukya era.
Temples:
The temple building activity under the Chalukyas of Badami can be broadly divided into two stages.
The first stage is represented by the temples at Aihole and Badami. Of the temples at Aihole, four are prominent. The Ladh Khan temple is a flat roofed structure. The Durga temple was an experiment seeking to adopt the Buddhist Chaitya to a Brahmanical temple. The Hucimaligudi temple is very similar to the Durga temple, but smaller than it.
The Jaina temple of Meguti shows some progress in the construction of structural temples, but it is unfinished. Of the temples at Badami, the Melagitti Sivalaya is a small but finely proportioned and magnificently located temple. A group of four rockcut halls (one Jaina and three of them Hindu) at Badami are all of the same type.
The second stage is represented by the temples at Pattadakal.There
are four temples in the northern style and six in the southern style.
The Papanatha temple is the most notable among the temples of the
northern style and it also reveals attempts to combine northern and
southern features in one structure. The Virupaksha temple, a direct
imitation of the Kailasanatha temple of Kanchi was built by one of the
queens of Vikramaditya II.
Distinct Features:
1.In plan, the temple is a square with a number of graduated projections in the middle of each side giving a cruciform shape with a number of re-entrant angles on each side.
2.In elevation, a Sikhara, i.e., tower gradually inclines inwards in a convex curve, using a concentric rotating-squares and circles principle.
The projections in the plan are also carried upwards to the top of the Sikhara and, thus, there is strong emphasis on vertical lines in
elevation. The Nagara style is widely distributed over a greater part
of India, exhibiting distinct varieties and ramifications in lines of
evolution and elaboration according to each locality. An example of
Nagara architecture is the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple.
2. Dravidian architecture
Following four parts are important:
1. The principal part, the temple itself, is called the Vimana (or Vimanam). It is always square in plan and surmounted by a pyramidal roof of one or more stories; it contains the cell where the image of the god or his emblem is placed.
2.The porches or Mandapas (or Mantapams), which always cover and precede the door leading to the cell.
3.Gate-pyramids, Gopurams, which are the principal features in the quadrangular enclosures that surround the more notable temples.
4.Pillared halls or Chaultris—properly Chawadis — used for various purposes, and which are the invariable accompaniments of these temples.
Besides these, a temple always contains temple tanks or wells for water (used for sacred purposes or the convenience of the priests), dwellings for all grades of the priesthood are attached to it, and other buildings for state or convenience.
3.Vesara Style
It is a combination of both the Nagara and the Dravida styles. This style of architecture reached perfection during the era of badami chalukyas.This style reduces the height of the individual tiers without reducing their number resulting in a reduction in the height of the temple towers.
The semi-circular structures of the Buddhist Chaityas are also incorporated in some of the temples of this style. The temples of Halebid, Belur, Somnathapura and Pattadakal are some of the examples of this style.
Local assemblies worked on the local issues. Groups of mahajanas (learned brahmins) looked after agraharas (like Ghatika or place of higher learning) like the ones at Badami (2000 mahajans) and Aihole (500 mahajanas).
Coinage:
The Badami Chalukyas imprinted coins were included Nagari and Kannada legends. They minted coins with cryptograms of temples, lion or boar facing right and the lotus.
The coins were called honnu in old Kannada and had fractions such as fana and the quarter fana, whose contemporary equivalent being hana (literally means money). It weighed 4 grams. A gold coin called Gadyana is mentioned in some record in Pattadakal that later came to be known a varaha which was also witnessed on their emblem.
Religion:
The rule of the Badami Chalukya was a period of religious development. Initially they followed Vedic Hindusim, as observed in the diverse shrines devoted to countless popular Hindu deities. Pattadakal is the location of their grandest architecture. The worship of Lajja Gauri, the fertility goddess was equally popular.
They enthusiastically encouraged Jainsm and confirmed to by one of the Badami cave temples and other Jain temples in the Aihole complex. Aihole and Kurtukoti, Puligere (Laksmeshwara in Gadag district) were primary places of learning.
Literature
The Aihole inscription of Pulakesi II (634) written by his court poet Ravikirti in Sanskrit language and Kannada script is considered as an classical piece of poetry.
A few verses of a poetess named Vijayanaka who describes herself as the “dark Sarasvati” have been preserved. It is possible that she may have been a queen of prince Chandraditya (a son of Pulakesi II). Famous writers in Sanskrit from the Badami Chalukya period are Vijnaneshwara who achieved fame by writing Mitakshara, a book on Hindu law, and King Somesvara III, a noted scholar, who compiled an encyclopedia of all arts and sciences called Manasollasa.
From the period of the Badami Chalukyas, references are made to the existence of Kannada literature, though not much has survived. Inscriptions however refer to Kannada as the “natural language”.
The Kappe Arabhatta record of c. 700 in tripadi (three line) metre is the earliest available work in Kannada poetics.
Karnateshwara Katha, which was quoted later by Jayakirti, is
believed to be a eulogy of Pulakesi II and to have belonged to this
period. Other probable Kannada writers, whose works are not
extant now but titles of which are known from independent
references are Syamakundacharya (650), who is said to have
authored the Prabhrita, and Srivaradhadeva (also called
Tumubuluracharya, 650 or earlier), the possible author of the
Chudamani (“Crest Jewel”), a lengthy commentary on
logic .
Around 6th century AD, the Chalukya kings of Telangana also started using Telugu for inscriptions. Telugu was most exposed to the influence of Sanskrit, as opposed to Prakrit, during this period. This period mainly corresponded to the advent of literature in Telugu.
Capital – Vatapi (modern day Badami) . Hence they are also called as Badami chalukyas.
Languages- Sanskrit, prakrit, Old kannada. Old telugu.
Religion- Hinduism, Jainism.
Sources of History –
- Inscriptions in Sanskrit and Kannada , Badami cave inscriptions of Mangalesa, Peddavaduguru inscription of Pulakesi II, the Kanchi Kailasanatha Temple inscription and Pattadakal Virupaksha Temple inscription of Vikramaditya II. The Badami cliff inscription of Pulakesi I , the Mahakuta Pillar inscription of Mangalesa and the Aihole inscription of Pulakesi II .
- Travelogues of contemporary foreign travellers have provided useful information about the Chalukyan empire. The Chinese traveller Hsüan tsang (Xuanzang) had visited the court of Pulakesi II .
Badami Chalukya Dynasty:
Pulakesi I and his descendants, are referred to as Chalukyas of Badami who ruled over an empire that comprised the entire state of Karnataka and most of Telangana in the Deccan. Pulakesi IIwhose precoronation name was Ereya was perhaps the greatest emperor of the Badami Chalukyas. Immadi Pulakesi (Immadi in old Kannada means “II”) is considered as one of the great kings in Indian history. His queen Kadamba Devi was a princess from the dynasty of Alupas. They maintained close family and marital relationship with the Alupas of South Canara and the Gangas of Talakad.
Pulakesi II extended the Chalukya Empire up to the northern extents of the Pallava kingdom and halted the southward march
of Harsha by defeating him on the banks of the river Narmada. He then defeated the Vishnukundins in the southeastern
Deccan. Pallava Narasimhavarman however reversed this victory by attacking and occupying the Chalukya capital Vatapi (Badami).
The Badami Chalukya dynasty went in to a brief decline following the death of Pulakesi II due to internal feuds. It recovered during the reign of Vikramaditya I, who succeeded in pushing the Pallavas out of Badami and restoring order to the empire. The empire reached a peak during the rule of the illustrious Vikramaditya II who defeated the Pallava Nandivarman II and captured Kanchipuram.
List of Badami Chalukyas:
NOTE: Only Important kings are covered here.Pulakesi I (543 – 566 C.E.)
Pulakesi I established the Chalukya dynasty in then western Deccan and his descendants ruled over an empire that comprised the entire state of Karnataka and most of Telangana. Pulakesi overthrew the Kadambas to establish the Chalukya kingdom. He had the titles Satyashraya, Vallabha and Dharmamaharaja.
Pulakesi I was Ranaranga’s son. His wife was Durlabhadevi of Bappura family.He earned the distinction of being the first independent King and the real founder of the Chalukya dynasty. He successfully defied the waning power of the Kadambas and proclaimed the Chalukyan independence. He chose Badami (Vatapi) as his capital and constructed a strong hill fortress there. The new fortress stood on the defensible location surrounded by rivers and steep mountains. The Chalukyan kingdom did not extend much beyond the immediate vicinities of Badami.
Pulakesi performed sacrifices like Asvamedha, Hiranyagarbha, Agnistoma, Vajapeya, Bahusuvarna and Paundarika. These details are provided by his Badami Cliff inscription dated Saka 565 (543 CE).Inscriptions compares him with such mythical heroes as Yayati and Dilipa.
Kirtivarman I (566 – 597 C.E.)
Kirtivarman I succeeded Pulakesi I as the ruler of the Chalukya Dynasty. Kirtivarman I consolidated the newly founded Chalukya Kingdom. He completed the subjugation of the Kadambas, and he secured the extension of the Chalukya Kingdom by subduing the Nalas of Nalavadi, the Alupas of South Kanara and the Maurya chiefs of Konkan.
He also annexed the port of Goa, then known as Revatidvipa. The Sendrakas, the feudatories of the Kadambas who ruled in Shimoga district, now shifted their political allegiance to the Chalukyas, and married a princess from this family.
At the demise of Kirtivarman, his son Pulakesi II was too young to rule and Kirtivarman’s brother Mangalesa assumed the responsibilities of the crown.
Mangalesa (597 – 609 C.E.)
Mangalesa was an energetic and ambitious ruler succeeded Kirtivarman I to the Chalukya throne. He ruled as regent as the heir to the throne Pulakesi II was considered too young to rule.
Mangalesa won several laurels in war. Mangalesa continued the policy of expansion. He invaded the territory of the Kalachuri ruler Buddhiraja who ruled over Gujarat, Khandesh and Malwa. From the Mahakuta pillar inscription of 595 it is known that he subdued the Gangas, Pallava, Chola, Alupas and Kadambas rulers.
Mangalesa assumed the titles like Ururanaparakrama, Ranavikrama and Paramabhagavata. As Mangalesa was ruling as a regent, he should have surrendered the throne to Pulakesi II when the latter came of age. Instead he sought to prolong his reign with the view of handing the throne to his own son Sundaravarma in due course.
This forced Pulakesi to rebel against his uncle. Pulakesi left the court and by his own martial prowess, waged a war on Mangalesa with the help of few of his friends. Mangalesa was routed and killed in the battlefield of ElapattuSimbige. This incident is mentioned in the Peddavaduguru inscription, and the incident must have happened about 610 A.D
Pulakesi II (609 – 642 C.E.)
Pulakesi II is the most famous ruler of the Chalukya dynasty. In his reign the Chalukyas of Badami saw their kingdom extend over most of the Deccan.
Ereya, who assumed the name Pulakesi on his coronation, was born to the Chalukya king Kirtivarman I. Ereya ascended the Chalukya throne as Pulakesi II and assumed the title Chalukya Parameshwara after defeating his uncle. His other assumed titles are Satyashraya, Prithvivallabha.
With this conquest, Pulakesi’s control extended completely over Southern India, including Maharashtra and parts of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. He received the title Dakshinapatheshvara (Lord of the South) at around the same time (630-634 A.D).
The Ganga ruler Durvinita gave one of his daughters in marriage to Pulakesi, and she was the mother of Vikramaditya I. Pulakesi was the first ruler in South India to issue gold coinage. Broad and circular in shape, the punchmarked coins had various punches at the edge, and a central punch depicting a Varaha or Boar. The Boar was the royal emblem of the Chalukyas. Contemporary literature cites the gold coins of south India as Varahas. It is possible that Pulakesi II lost his life in one of these encounters against the Pallavas.
Pulakesi had five sons, Chandraditya, Adityavarma, Vikramaditya, Jayasimha and Ambera. They fought among themselves after his demise, trying to divide the kingdom into territories for each of themselves. Pulakesi’s third son Vikramaditya I became the Chalukya king 642 and attempted to reunite the kingdom after defeating his brothers.
Vikramaditya I (655 – 680 C.E.)
Vikramaditya I was the third son and followed his father, Pulakesi II on to the Chalukya throne. He restored order in the fractured kingdom and made the Pallavas retreat from the capital Vatapi. Vikramaditya, with the help of his maternal grandfather Bhuvikarma of Western Ganga Dynasty set himself the task of repelling the Pallava invasion and restoring the unity of his father’s kingdom.
He defeated the Pallava Narasimhavarman I to end his occupation, which had lasted for thirteen years and expelled him from Vatapi. He defeated his brothers and other feudatories who wished to divide the empire and then declared himself king of the Chalukyas (655). He rewarded his younger brother Jayasimhavarman who was loyal to him, with the viceroyalty of Lata in the southern
Gujarat.
Vikramaditya continued his enimity with Narasimhavarman’s son and successor Mahendravarman II, and later with his son Paramesvaravarman I. He allied himself with the Pallava’s other enemy the Pandyan Arikesari Parankusa
Vinayaditya (680 – 696 C.E.)
Vinayaditya succeeded his father, Vikramaditya I on to the Chalukya throne. His reign was marked by general peace and harmony. He earned the titles Yuddhamalla, Sahasarasika, Satyashraya. He had fought alongside his father against the Pallavas, he defeated the Pallavas, Kalabhras, Keralas and the Kalachuri of central India.
From the Kolhapur plates of 678 he defeated the kingdoms of Lanka and Kamera. The Vakkaleri plates confirm the Chalukya levying tribute on Kamera, Lanka and Parasika (Persia). During this time, Persia was under Islamic invasion. Vinayaditya sent an expedition to the north under the command of his son Vijayaditya.
According to some accounts, Vijayaditya was captured and held prisoner and after a period of incarceration, escaped and returned to the Chalukyan kingdom to be crowned the monarch of the empire. Vinayaditya sent an ambassador to the Chinese court in 692.
Vikramaditya II (733 – 746 C.E.)
Vikramaditya II was the son of King Vijayaditya succeeded the Badami Chalukya throne. He had conduce successful military campaigns against their arch enemy, the Pallavas of Kanchipuram. His most important achievements were the capture of Kanchipuram on three occasions, the first time as a crown prince, the second time as an emperor and the third time under the leadership of his son and crown prince Kirtivarman II.
Virupaksha Temple inscription alludes to the emperor as the conqueror of Kanchi on three occasions and reads Sri VikramadityabhatararmumeKanchiyanmume parajisidor. The other notable achievement was the consecration of the famous Virupaksha Temple (Lokeshwara temple) and Mallikarjuna Temple (Trilokeshwara temple) by his queens Lokamahadevi and Trilokadevi at Pattadakal. These two monuments are the centre piece of the UNESCO World Heritage Monuments at Pattadakal.
Kirtivarman II (746 – 753 C.E.)
Kirtivarman II also known as Rahappa succeeded his father Vikramaditya II. His reign was continuously troubled by the growing power of the Rashtrakutas and finally succumbed to them. Kirtivarman and his Ganga feudatory Sripurusha came into conflict with the Pandya ruler Maravarman Rajasimha I who was extending the Pandya Empire on to the Kongu country which was adjacent
to the Ganga kingdom.
Rajasimha crossed the Kaveri and engaged Kirtivarman and Sripurusha in a big battle at Venbai on the banks of the river Kaveri. The Chalukya king was defeated. Kirtivarman II was the last king of the Badami dynasty. There was a period of 220 years in which the western branch of the Chalukyas was in eclipse.
Contribution of the Chalukyas:
Art and Architecture:The Chalukyas of Badami developed the Deccan or Vesara style in the building of structural temples, which reached culmination, however, only under the Rashtrakutas and the Hoysalas. They perfected the art of stone building without mortar. Under their auspices, the Buddhists, Jainas and Brahmanas competed with each other in building cave temples. Some of the finest specimens of the cave frescoes belonged to the Chalukya era.
Temples:
The temple building activity under the Chalukyas of Badami can be broadly divided into two stages.
The first stage is represented by the temples at Aihole and Badami. Of the temples at Aihole, four are prominent. The Ladh Khan temple is a flat roofed structure. The Durga temple was an experiment seeking to adopt the Buddhist Chaitya to a Brahmanical temple. The Hucimaligudi temple is very similar to the Durga temple, but smaller than it.
The Jaina temple of Meguti shows some progress in the construction of structural temples, but it is unfinished. Of the temples at Badami, the Melagitti Sivalaya is a small but finely proportioned and magnificently located temple. A group of four rockcut halls (one Jaina and three of them Hindu) at Badami are all of the same type.
The second stage is represented by the temples at Pattadakal.There
are four temples in the northern style and six in the southern style.
The Papanatha temple is the most notable among the temples of the
northern style and it also reveals attempts to combine northern and
southern features in one structure. The Virupaksha temple, a direct
imitation of the Kailasanatha temple of Kanchi was built by one of the
queens of Vikramaditya II.Different styles of architecture
1.Nagara architecture (North Indian style)Distinct Features:
1.In plan, the temple is a square with a number of graduated projections in the middle of each side giving a cruciform shape with a number of re-entrant angles on each side.
2.In elevation, a Sikhara, i.e., tower gradually inclines inwards in a convex curve, using a concentric rotating-squares and circles principle.
The projections in the plan are also carried upwards to the top of the Sikhara and, thus, there is strong emphasis on vertical lines in
elevation. The Nagara style is widely distributed over a greater part
of India, exhibiting distinct varieties and ramifications in lines of
evolution and elaboration according to each locality. An example of
Nagara architecture is the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple.2. Dravidian architecture
Following four parts are important:
1. The principal part, the temple itself, is called the Vimana (or Vimanam). It is always square in plan and surmounted by a pyramidal roof of one or more stories; it contains the cell where the image of the god or his emblem is placed.
2.The porches or Mandapas (or Mantapams), which always cover and precede the door leading to the cell.
3.Gate-pyramids, Gopurams, which are the principal features in the quadrangular enclosures that surround the more notable temples.
4.Pillared halls or Chaultris—properly Chawadis — used for various purposes, and which are the invariable accompaniments of these temples.
Besides these, a temple always contains temple tanks or wells for water (used for sacred purposes or the convenience of the priests), dwellings for all grades of the priesthood are attached to it, and other buildings for state or convenience.
3.Vesara Style
It is a combination of both the Nagara and the Dravida styles. This style of architecture reached perfection during the era of badami chalukyas.This style reduces the height of the individual tiers without reducing their number resulting in a reduction in the height of the temple towers.
The semi-circular structures of the Buddhist Chaityas are also incorporated in some of the temples of this style. The temples of Halebid, Belur, Somnathapura and Pattadakal are some of the examples of this style.
Polity :
The empire was divided into Maharashtrakas (provinces), then into minor Rashtrakas (Mandala), Vishaya (district), Bhoga (group of 10 villages), analogous to the Dasagrama unit used by the Kadambas. At the subordinate levels of organization, the Kadamba style entirely reigned. The Sanjan plates of Vikramaditya I have mentioned a land unit termed Dasagrama. There were many regions ruled by feudatories like Alupas, Gangas, Banas, Sendrakas etc.Local assemblies worked on the local issues. Groups of mahajanas (learned brahmins) looked after agraharas (like Ghatika or place of higher learning) like the ones at Badami (2000 mahajans) and Aihole (500 mahajanas).
Coinage:
The Badami Chalukyas imprinted coins were included Nagari and Kannada legends. They minted coins with cryptograms of temples, lion or boar facing right and the lotus.
The coins were called honnu in old Kannada and had fractions such as fana and the quarter fana, whose contemporary equivalent being hana (literally means money). It weighed 4 grams. A gold coin called Gadyana is mentioned in some record in Pattadakal that later came to be known a varaha which was also witnessed on their emblem.
Religion:
The rule of the Badami Chalukya was a period of religious development. Initially they followed Vedic Hindusim, as observed in the diverse shrines devoted to countless popular Hindu deities. Pattadakal is the location of their grandest architecture. The worship of Lajja Gauri, the fertility goddess was equally popular.
They enthusiastically encouraged Jainsm and confirmed to by one of the Badami cave temples and other Jain temples in the Aihole complex. Aihole and Kurtukoti, Puligere (Laksmeshwara in Gadag district) were primary places of learning.
Literature
The Aihole inscription of Pulakesi II (634) written by his court poet Ravikirti in Sanskrit language and Kannada script is considered as an classical piece of poetry.
A few verses of a poetess named Vijayanaka who describes herself as the “dark Sarasvati” have been preserved. It is possible that she may have been a queen of prince Chandraditya (a son of Pulakesi II). Famous writers in Sanskrit from the Badami Chalukya period are Vijnaneshwara who achieved fame by writing Mitakshara, a book on Hindu law, and King Somesvara III, a noted scholar, who compiled an encyclopedia of all arts and sciences called Manasollasa.
From the period of the Badami Chalukyas, references are made to the existence of Kannada literature, though not much has survived. Inscriptions however refer to Kannada as the “natural language”.
The Kappe Arabhatta record of c. 700 in tripadi (three line) metre is the earliest available work in Kannada poetics.
Karnateshwara Katha, which was quoted later by Jayakirti, is
believed to be a eulogy of Pulakesi II and to have belonged to this
period. Other probable Kannada writers, whose works are not
extant now but titles of which are known from independent
references are Syamakundacharya (650), who is said to have
authored the Prabhrita, and Srivaradhadeva (also called
Tumubuluracharya, 650 or earlier), the possible author of the
Chudamani (“Crest Jewel”), a lengthy commentary on
logic .
Around 6th century AD, the Chalukya kings of Telangana also started using Telugu for inscriptions. Telugu was most exposed to the influence of Sanskrit, as opposed to Prakrit, during this period. This period mainly corresponded to the advent of literature in Telugu.
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