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Pallava
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The Pallava kingdom was an ancient South Indian Tamil kingdom with their capital at Kanchipuram. They rose in power during the reign of Mahendravarman I (571 – 630 CE) and Narasimhavarman I (630 – 668 CE) and dominated the 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.
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The Pallava kingdom was an ancient South Indian Tamil kingdom with their capital at Kanchipuram. They rose in power during the reign of Mahendravarman I (571 – 630 CE) and Narasimhavarman I (630 – 668 CE) and dominated the 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. Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang visited Kanchipuram during Pallava rule and extolled their benign rule.
Sources describe Bodhidharma, the founder of the 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.
Origins
Indigenous Origin Theories
One theory proposed that they were an offshoot of the Cholas. The Pallava kings at several places are called Thondamans or Thondaiyarkon.
All the early as well late Pallava grants trace the origin of Pallavas to warrior sage Aswathaman of Mahabharatha. It is said in the Puranas that as this saint sat in meditation in the province of Funan in Southeast Asia, Menaka the celestial nymph fell in love with him "like uma(goddess parvati) fell in love with sarva (lordsivan)" and requested his companionship. Of the resultant marriage was born, handsome Pallava who was nursed in the ashram of sage Kaundinyan who had established hermitage there. All Pallava grants accept this theory. The Vayalur inscription of Pallavas issued on the eve of coronation of Rajasimha (695 CE-728 CE), gives a lineage of 54 rulers through the epochs of kritam, dwaparam and kali up to emperor Rajasimha, this includes 47 kings after Aswattaman. Also the Pallava insignia consisting of the mace Khatvangam, the weapon of Lord Sivan, in their flag, and the conch Samudraghosham, both of which were also associated with warrior Aswattaman, may further hint to pallava descent from him. This apart many Pallava kings are said to have: "mastered along with the sciences of arms, the agamic worship rituals ( sarva agama sastra paradrushtva ).". King Mahendra's grants refer to Pallavas of being mixed origin (sankirana jati of brahmana-kshatriya). This is further extended by regular alliances with kshatriya Cholas and Cheras. Many kings who were crowned in Kanchipuram actually came from far eastern countries. Many ancient literature celebrate pallava princes as being amongst the most valorous of prastara danda(royalty).
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 Pallavas
The history of the early Pallavas has not yet been satisfactorily settled. The earliest documentation on the Pallavas is the three copper-plate grants, belonging to Skandavarman I and written in Prakrit. Skandavarman appears to have been the first great ruler of the early Pallavas, though there are references to other early Pallavas who were probably predecessors of Skandavarman.
Skandavarman 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 and bore the title of 'Supreme King of Kings devoted to dharma.
An absence of documentation about the Pallavas following Skandavarman is broken by the Allahabad pillar inscription of Samudragupta, which indicates that he defeated the Pallava Vishnugopa (350–355 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.
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 and were a regional power by the end of the 6th century. The 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.
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.
Religion
Pallavas were followers of Hinduism and made gifts of land to gods and brahmins. In line with the prevalent customs, some of the rulers performed the Aswamedha and other Vedic sacrifices.
They were, however, tolerant of other faiths. The Chinese monk Xuanzang who visited Kanchipuram during the reign of Narasimhavarman I reported that there were 100 Buddhist monasteries, and 80 temples in Kanchipuram.
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 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.
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