Chalukyas were dynasties (series of rulers that belong to the same family) that ruled in regions of southern India at different times between the 500’s and 1100’s. There were three major Chalukya dynasties. The Early Chalukyas and the Late Chalukyas were both based in the western Deccan, in the area that is now southern Maharashtra and northern Karnataka. The Eastern Chalukyas ruled over what is now central Andhra Pradesh. At their height, the Chalukyas ruled as far north as the Narmada River and as far south as the Kaveri (Cauvery) River, and from coast to coast. Their empire was always under attack from rival kingdoms, however, and the borders were always changing.
The Early Chalukyas were the strongest of the three major Chalukya dynasties. Their reign lasted from 543 until the mid-700’s. They ruled from Vatapi, now known as Badami. They fought many wars with kingdoms on all sides of their territory, but their main rivals were the Pallavas to the south, who ruled over much of what is now Tamil Nadu. Pulakeshin I, whose reign began in 543, was the first Chalukya ruler. His armies gained dominance over the fertile region between the Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers, as far west as the Western Ghats. His son Kirtivarman I conquered the coastal strip known as the Konkan coast, in what is now southern Maharashtra.
The greatest Chalukya king was Pulakeshin II, who ruled from 608 to 642. During his reign, Chalukya territory expanded rapidly, through a series of successful wars. When the northern Indian king Harsha attempted to expand his empire southward, the armies of Pulakeshin II defeated him, and a stable border emerged at the Narmada River (see Harsha). Pulakeshin II also defeated the kingdom of Vengi in the east and installed his brother Vishnuvardhana as the first king of what became the Eastern Chalukya dynasty. This dynasty persisted after the Chalukyas of the west fell, until late in the 1000’s. Pulakeshin II’s reign ended when he was killed by Pallava invaders. Two later kings, Vikramaditya I and Vikramaditya II, conducted a series of successful campaigns against the Pallavas. They captured the Pallava capital Kanchi (now Kanchipuram) several times. However, the fatal blow to the Early Chalukya dynasty came not from the south but from the north, from the Rashtrakutas.
The Late Chalukya dynasty was founded in 973 after the Rashtrakutas fell from power. This dynasty ruled over a much smaller area than the Early Chalukyas had; they were mostly confined to the original Chalukya heartland in what is now northern Karnataka and southern Maharashtra. They fought a number of wars with the Hoysalas and Kakatiyas to the north, but their main enemy was the Chola Empire (see Chola Empire). Their greatest ruler was Vikramaditya VI, who achieved major victories against the Hoysalas and the Cholas. The poet Bilhana wrote the epic Vikramankadevacharita about the life and achievements of Vikramaditya VI. The Late Chalukya dynasty fell from power at the end of the 1100’s, after losing a series of wars with the Kalachuris and Yadavas, two kingdoms in northern India.
The Chalukya reign was a time of major development in the architecture of the region. Chalukya temples and ruins are in Aihole, Badami, and Pattadakal. Fine arts and literature also flourished during the Chalukya reign.
All of the Chalukya dynasties were Hindu dynasties, but other religions were also tolerated. The Early Chalukyas gave asylum to large groups of Zoroastrians, who were fleeing Muslim persecution in their homeland, Persia (now Iran). This community remained in India, becoming traders. They became known as Parsis, and their descendants still live in the western Deccan, primarily in Mumbai. Jainism was also strong in the northwestern area of Chalukya territory.
