Pallava Dynasty

Pallava Dynasty (275 AD - 897 AD)

Capital : Kanchipuram

Founder : Virakurcha

Langauges: Sanskrit, Parikrit, Tamil

Religion: Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism

Pallavas were initially feudatories of Satavahanas and later ruled independently from Kanchipuram. It is also certain that the Pallavas succeeded the Chutus of the Naga race.

Haritiputra Vishnukada Cutukulananda Satakarni and his grandson by the daughter Sivaskanda Varman, also called Siva Skanda Naga Sri in the Banavase inscription, and Skanda Naga Satavahana in the Kanheri inscription.

310 AD : Occupied Western Deccan including Telangana region around c.310 AD by defeating Chutu ruler Hariti-putra Siva-skanda-varman.

c. 310 AD - c. 320 AD : Bappadeva or Pallava Simhavarman I 

Alliance between Pallavas and Chutus : A Pallava prince married the daughter of the King Śiva - Skanda - Nâga - Śâtakarṇi , and inherited the throne of Kanchi.

It is these Chutukula successors in the territory immediately adjoining that of the Pallavas that must be the Naga family by a marriage alliance with Simhavarman I  son Siva-skanda-varman who must have defeated Skandanaga, This changed status of the kings can also be seen especially in the Manchikallu stone inscription of Simhavarman I, the Mayidavolu plates of his son yuvamaharaja Sivaskandavarman

c. 320 AD : Maidavolu inscription 10th year, while he was acting as his father's viceroy at Dhanya Kataka. Prince Shiva Skanda respected the time - honoured customs of the Hindus in show- ing filial devotion and honour.  The Maidavolu inscription identifies their rule quite close to the Krishna river basins. On the western side, it seems to have extended till today’s Bellary district in Karnataka. From around the 4th–5th century CE, this demarcation seems to shift focus to a Kanchipuram-centric rule. 

320 AD - 340 AD : Pallava Siva Skanda Varman

328 AD :  The Hirahadagali copper plate (Bellary District) record in Prakrit is dated in the eighth year of Sivaskanda Varman confirms the gift made by his father who is described merely as "Bappa-deva" (revered father) or Boppa. It will thus be clear that this dynasty of the Prakrit charters beginning with "Bappa-deva" were the historical founders of the Pallava dominion in South India

The Hirahadagalli plates of Siva Skanda Varman from 328 CE in Prakrit language and Brahmi script is one of the oldest sets of records and throws light on the administrative setup that was prevailing. The copper plate records donation of a village to a certain Gola Sarman, a Brahmin belonging to Atreya gotram. The meticulous detailing of the order certainly draws our attention. The administrative hierarchy is clearly listed and includes designations such as Rajakumara (the viceroy), Senapati (army commander), Rashtrika (governor) and Desadhikrita (regional administrative officer). The names of these officers are clearly mentioned. This is followed by local officers and the list of designations include gramabhojaka (beneficiaries of local revenue), vallava (confidential officers), go-valla (officer in charge of cattle), amatya (interim officers trained in warfare and medical practice), aranyadhikrita (officer in charge of forest tracts), ghumike (division commanders), tutika (agents) and neyika (leaders of platoons). The king in his capacity declares that this gift is done “for increase of ourselves and of our family in respect of our good deeds, length of life, strength and fame as also victory and prosperity”.

The designations are so well demarcated that it gives us a general idea about the administrative hierarchy and the distribution of power down a clear structure. Gifting of a village to an individual in a particular division demands that a list of officials involved in various departments are informed. This is similar to transfer of power over land ownership. Moreover in this case, it is given as a gift by the king and hence made tax-free. To ensure that all the bureaucrats are well informed about it and there is no doubt anytime in the future, the document puts it all in black and white.

It would appear as though the Kadambas made the conquest of the territory which became associated with them from this Siva Skanda Varman himself. 

Hirahadagalli plate states that Siva-skandavarman performed Vajapeya, Agnisthoma and Ashvamedha yajnas.

340 AD : Vakataka ruler Sarvasena defeated Pallavas in Telangana region around 340 AD.

345 AD : Mayurasharma of Kadamba dynasty defeated Pallavas around 345 AD

Budhavarman
Budhyankura
Saka Nanda

365 AD : Mahadandanayaka Saka Sridharavarman

Success! In the victorious twenty-seventh year, augmenting [his dominion for a thousand years] of the Rajan (and) Mahakshatrapa Sridharavarman, the son of the Saka Nanda 

He probably suffered a defeat by the Gupta Emperor Samudragupta around 365 CE. After submitting to Samudragupta, he and his successor may have ruled a bit longer in Eastern Malwa, until they were vanquished by Chandragupta II in his "conquest of the whole world"

642 AD - 655 AD: Pallava King Narasimhavarman I (630 - 668 AD) defeated Pulakeshin II.
The last few ruling years of Pulakeshin II ended in disaster. The great Pallava king Narasimhavarman I occupied the southern part of the Chalukya empire including the capital city of Badami and inflicted a crushing defeat on the Chalukyas and burnt Badami. Pulakeshin II lost his life in this encounter. 

1150 or 1157 AD - 1182 AD : Pallava Vijayaditya

only inscription is from Kattapalli and mentions Korradhamadugu dated 1151 or 1157 A.D. His relationship to his predecessor Nandivarma is not konwn. Vijayaditya’s reign may have lasted up to A.D. 1182—the earliest date for his successor Allutikka.

Jainath Temple Stone Inscription in Devanagari Script – It starts with SURYA NARAYANAAYA NAMAHA and ends with “MAHA VEERA NAAMA ADITYA PRATAPAVAN PALLAVIJAYAADITYA”. It’s all about Surya Naama Stuthi shlokas that’s why this temple is called as Surya Narayana Temple too.