The Chalukyas of Badami were the successors of the Vakatakas in Western Deccan, Vatapi (modern-day Badami in Karnataka’s Bagalkot District) was the capital of the Early Chalukyas, they ruled most of the region between the 6th and 8th centuries. Their period was particularly significant in Indian history because of their cultural contribution. Later, they split into various independent ruling houses, although the main branch remained in power at Vatapi.
“The foundation of the imperial dynasty of the Chalukyas was laid by the Chalukyas of Badami. They grew powerful in the South in the 6th century AD and remained powerful till 8th Century. They can be divided into four main branches. a) The early Western Chalukyas or Chalukyas of Badami. b) The later Western Chalukyas of Kalyani. c) The Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi d) The Chalukyas of Vemulavada. The main branch of Chalukyas emerged from the obscurity of the two centuries and contested with the Pallavas for supremacy in the south. Chalukyas not only contributed to the politics of Deccan but also to the cultural progress of South India. They were the promoters of the Chalukyan style architecture and monument developed broadly into two classes a) The rock cut structures b) The structural temples. So art critic Percy Brown rightly called the Aihole as the “Cradle of the Indian Temple architecture” because more than 70 temples are found in Aihole. Many temples dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu proves that Shaivism and Vaishnavism were patronised by the Chalukyas.They also developed their own style of architecture Vesara style mixture of Nagara and Dravidian Styles. Chalukyas for the first in the History of South India successed in bring Political and Cultural unity and remembered for their glorious rule,” said Dr. Sanmathi Kumar, HOD & Assistant Professor, Department of History, SDM College (Autonomous), Ujire.
Sources of Chalukyan History
Inscriptions constitute the main source of information about the Badami Chalukya history. Important among them are:
o The Badami cave inscriptions (578) of Mangalesa
o Kappe Arabhatta record of 700
o Peddavaduguru inscription of Pulakesi II
o the Kanchi Kailasanatha inscription and
o Pattadakal Virupaksha Temple inscriptions of Vikramaditya II
• Hiuen-Tsiang, a Chinese traveller visited the court of Pulakesi II. At the time of that visit, as mentioned in the Aihole record, Pulakesi II had divided his empire into three Maharashtrakas or great provinces comprising 99,000 villages each. That empire possibly covered present day Karnataka, Maharashtra and coastal Konkan
• Vidyapati Bilhana, the famous poet in the court of Vikramaditya VI of the Western Chalukya dynasty of Kalyana, mentions a legend in his work, Vikramankadeva Charita, which has been used to reconstruct History as well.
Art and Architecture
• The period of Badami Chalukya dynasty saw art flourish in South India.
• It brought about some important developments in the realm of culture, particularly in the evolution and proliferation of a new style of architecture known as Vesara, a combination of the South Indian and the North Indian building styles.
• One of the richest traditions in Indian architecture took shape in the Deccan during that time, called Karnataka Dravida style as opposed to traditional Dravida style.
• The Kalyani Chalukyas further refined the Vesara style with an inclination towards Dravidian concepts, especially in the sculptures. They built fine monuments in the Tungabhadra – Krishna river doab in present day Karnataka.
• More than 150 monuments attributed to the Badami Chalukya, and built between 450 and 700, remain in the Malaprabha basin in Karnataka.
• The rock-cut temples of Pattadakal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Badami and Aihole constitute their most celebrated monuments. This marks the beginning of Chalukya style of architecture and a consolidation of South Indian style.
• In Aihole, the Durga temple (sixth century), Ladh Khan temple (450), Meguti temple (634), Hucchimalli and Huccappayya temples (fifth century), Badami Cave Temples (600) provide examples of early Chalukyan art.
Chalukya Rulers
Pulakesin I (Reign: 543 AD – 566 AD)
Kirtivarman I (Reign: 566 AD – 597 AD)
Mangalesha (Reign: 597 AD – 609 AD)
Pulakesin II (609 AD – 642 AD)
Vikramaditya I (655 AD – 680 AD)
Kirtivarman II (746 AD – 753 AD)