The document provides information on the Pallava Dynasty of South India. It discusses the various sources used to study the Pallavas such as inscriptions, literature, and foreign accounts. It outlines the origin of the Pallavas which remains unclear, and discusses early Pallava rulers. It then focuses on the rise of the Imperial Pallavas beginning with Simhavishnu who expanded the empire. Mahendravarman I and Narsimhavarman I were two of the greatest rulers who expanded the empire through military conquests and engaged in conflicts with the Chalukyas. They also patronized art, architecture, and literature. Narsimhavarman I in particular defeated the Chalukyas and captured Vatapi, establishing

1. Pallava Dynasty
By
Dr. Rajiv Jaiswal
Assistant professor
Dept. of AIHC & Archaeology
VCW, KFI, Rajghat

2. Main Sources()
• We came to know about history Pallava dynasty through many
sources:
Inscription (अभिलेख)
Literature (साहित्य)
Foreign Account (विदेशी वििरण)
Inscription:
i. Inscription are the one of the Important & Valuable source to know
about Pallava Dynasty. They are found from: Temples, Rock Edict,
Copper Plate and seals. (पल्लि इतििास क
े सबसे प्रमाणणक साधन
िैं)

3. Cont......
ii. Language used for inscription : Prakrit & Sanskrit (प्राकृ ि एिं संस्कृ ि िाषा
का प्रयोग िुआ िैं अभिलेखों में)
iii. All the inscription had Geneology and Dates (इनमें िंशािली िथा तिथथयााँ
िी अंककि िैं)
iv. Inscriptions throw light on Political and cultural achievements of the Pallava
Ruler’s. (अभिलेखों से पल्लि शासकों क
े राजनैतिक एिं सांस्कृ तिक उपलब्धधयों
की सूचना प्राप्ि िोिी िैं)
Important Inscription:
• Maidavolu
• Hirahadgalli
• Charudevi copper plate ins.
All 3 inscription belongs to Early pallava rulers.

4. • Kendalur grant ins.
• Udayendiram grant ins.
• Kashakudi grant ins.
• Mandagapatta ins.
• Kuram grant ins
• Gadhwal ins.
• Vailur palyam ins.
• Pallavaram ins.
• Panamallai ins.
• Vayalur ins.
• Vaikuntha perumal ins.

5. Literary Sources:
• Avanti Sundari Katha: written by Dandin
• Mattavilasa Prahasan: written by Mahendravarman I
• Tamil text Nandikaklambak is mainly describe life and achievement of
Nandivarman III.
• Jaina text Loka-vibhag is also important to know about reign of
Narsinghvaraman.
• Baudhha text Mahavansha is important for Early Pallava rulers.
Foreign Account : travel account of Huin-Tsang (Chinese traveller) is very
important to know about reign of Narsinghvarman I (640 AD)

6. Imperial Pallavas
• The political vacuum created by the downfall of the Satavahanas did not
last long, for soon after, South India witnessed the gradual emergence of
a new dynasty which equaled, if not eclipsed, the glories of the rule of its
predecessors in the domains of political, military, religious, literary and
artistic activities. It was the Pallava dynasty.

7. Origin
• Unfortunately the origin of the Pallavas is shrouded in Mystery:
K. P. Jayaswal was of the view that they were a branch of the vakatakas
……………………………………………………. But the whole theory is extremely imaginary.
The vakatakas had no relation with pallavas, whatsoever. Vakataka belongs to
Vishnuvriddhi Gotra and Pallava belongs to Bharadvaja Gotra.
Dubreuil and Lewis Rice went to the extent of assuming that the Pallavas were an
off-shoot of the Pahlavas (Parthian). This assumption drew strength mainly from
two notions.
i. Firstly, there is some phonetic similarity between the names Pallavas and
Pahlavas.
ii. Secondly, a statue of a Pallava king, in the Vaikuntha Perumal temple at kanchi is
wearing a head-gear resembling the elephant-scalp on the head of Demetrius,
the Indo-Greek king on his coins.
But these assumptios are purely conjectural. The Pallava records do not even once
refer to the pahlavas. Pallavas had performed Vedic sacrifice but Pahlavas did not.

8. Cont…..
S. Krishnaswami advocated the Tamil origin of the Pallavas. According to him,
the word Pallava is the Sanskrit rendering of the Tamil word Tondaiyar.
Sathianathaier even suggested that the Pallavas were the Pulindas of Asokan Ins.
But not agree with these opinion.
Mahalingam has propunded the theory that the Pallavas were a branch of the
Salankayanas ……………………………………………… (Add grounds)……………..
Scholars like Rasanayakam, Vincent Smith, Srinivas Ayengar held the view of
Pallava had Naga Origin
The Pallava were basically Brahmanas is attested by a number of Inscriptions.
The Pallava king assumed the title of ‘Parabrahmanya’, which is indicative of
their Brahman Caste.
Mahalingam thinks that the Pallava must have been the feudatories under the
Satvahana in the Nellore region, until they moved to South to Kanchi to start a
new independent line after a rewarding matrimonial alliance with the Nagas.

9. Early Pallava Rulers
• Simhavarman : First ruler of the Pallava dynasty.
• Shiva Skandavarman
• Skandavarman
• Vishnugopa (350-375) : one such Pallava in known to us from the
Allahabd Pillar Ins. Of Samundragupta. This ins. Calls him the king of
‘Kanchi-Kancheyaka’.
• Total 8 rulers ruled between 375-550 AD.

10. Great Imperial Pallava dynasty
• Simhavarman II (550-575): the rise of Pallava power started with
Simhavarman. We know little about his political achievement.
• Simhavishnu (575-600 AD): his accession marked the beginning of a new
era in the history of the Pallavas which saw them building up an extensive
empire and giving unprecedented fillip to creative and productive activities
in South india. He had assumed the title of ‘Avanisimha’.
Simhavishnu Avanisimha was the first to lay the foundations of the the
greatness of the Pallavas both in political and cultural spheres. Under his
patronage Kanchi became an important centre of learning which attracted
such great Sanskrit Scholars as Bharavi (Author of Kiratarjuniya).

11. Mahendravarman- I (600-630 AD)
• The son of Simhaishnu, he was an outstanding ruler. He was real
founder of Impeerial Pallava dynasty. To quote T. V. Mahalingam: ‘the
accession of Mahendravarman marks the beginning of an important
epoch in the history of the Pallavas, in fact in the history of South
india itself’.
• Sources : Kasakkudi grant ins., Aihole Prasasti, Maruturu ins.,
• He got Cholamandalam region in inheritance.
• The contemporary dynasty of his time were Chalukya of Vatapi in
north and Pandya in South. Both the neighbour dynasty of Pallavas
adopted Emperial Policy.

12. Cont….
• Mahendravarman also adopted Emperial Policy. As a result, conflicts started with
Chalukya and Pandya.
Pallava-Chalukya conflict:
In the Pallava-Chalukya conflict the first shot seems to have been fired by Pulakesin II
(Chalukya King), who, as inferred from his maruturu ins. Found in Guntur district,
seized the Guntur region from Mahendravarman I. But a decisive was was yet to come.
The Aihole ins. Of pulakesin II refers to a fierce conflict between the Pallavas and
Chalukyas. To quote the inscription, the armies of Pulakesin II ‘caused the spendour of
the Lord of the Pallavas first to be obscured by the dust they raised and then to vanish
behind the walls of kanchipura’.
However the Chalukya victory was short-lived. For soon after Mahendravarman
I is credited with a victory at Pullalura against special enemies by the Kasakkudi
Inscription. T. N. Subramaniam believes that the special enemy defeated by
Mahendravarman I was Durvinita (Ganga ruler), friend of Pulakesin II.

13. Cont….
• The net result of his war with Pulakesin II was that Mahendravarman was
able to keep his control over Kanchi and push the frontiers of his kingdom
further south of the Kaveri upto Tiruchirapalli where he got two caves
constructed.
• After that Pallava-Chalukya conflicts, became a tradition between both the
contemporary dynasties, later pallavas rulers also engaged with Chalukya of
vatapi.
• Pulakesin II also established friendly relation with Pallavas enemies viz.
Pandya, Chola and kerala.
Note: do write in detailed about the conflict.

15. Cultural Achievements:
• Mahendravarman I was not only a great warrior, but also a versatile genius.
He was a man of wide erudition. He composed the famous text : Mattavilas
Prahasan.
• The Mamandur ins. Brings out his knowledgeable and innovative capacity as
an expert in Music. He assumed the title of Sankirna-Jati, jati means-Taal. The
term indicates that Mahendravarman I was a inventor of New Variety of Taal.
• The same ins. Would make us believe that he had also authored a work on
South Indian Painting.
• His architectural activities led to the growth of a special variety of art, now
known as the Mahendravarman style. There are two noticeable features of
his architectural construction. Firstly, he was the originator of the Monolithic
temples. Secondly, the first Pallava temples were built in Tamilnadu. Thirdly,
the tradition of building rock cut caves and temples which flourished in South
India, was started by him.

16. Cont……
• The Periyapuranam mentioned that, Mahendravarman I was a originally a
Jaina, but was later converted to Shaivism by Appar (Mahendravarman I
teacher).
• Mahendravarman I assumed a number of titles which are indicative of his
multi-dimensional personality. They are :
• Vichitra-chitra (having a unique or innovative mind),
• Gunabhara (highly virtuous)
• Mattavilas
• Chettakari (builder of temples)
• Avanibhajan

17. Narsimhavarman I (630-668 AD)
• Narsimhavarman I ascended the throne after the death of his father and ‘proved to
be the greatest ruler of his dynasty’
• Narsimhavarman I was a greatest military genius compred to his father.
• He not only continued the policy of aggression and aggrandizement coupled with
the furtherance of religio-cultural ideas and ideals, but also gave it new
demensions.
• Sources: Kasakkudi ins., Vailur palyam ins., Kuram grant ins, Periyapuranam,
Mahavamsa.
• Title: Vatapikonda, Mahamalla
• He had controlled all the contemporary power of his time, this was his greatest
achievement. He had established Pallavas empire as an prominent political power
in the South India.

18. Pallava-Chalukya conflict
• The most absorbing political event during his reign was the renewal of
hostilities with the Chalukya of Vatapi………………........................................
…………………………………………………………………………. (in detailed by student).
• According to the indirect evidence of the Kopparam ins, ‘indicates the
southward march of the Chalukya king…… to stem the tide of Pallava
expansion and punish the feudatory Banas…….. This southward march of the
Pulakesin II is put around 631 AD.
• In regard to the Pallava-Chalukya conflict, there are clear and manifold
evidences:
The kuram ins. Vividly narrates as to how Narsimhavarman, defeated
Pulakesin II in the battles of Pariyala, Manimangalama and Surmara and
destroy vatapi.

19. Cont……
• The Sorab ins. Informs us about the defeat of the Chalukya.
• The Velurpalayam ins. Adds that Narsimhavarman, took from the enemies
the pillar of victory standing in the centre of Vatapi.
• A Pallava ins. found at Vatapi also speaks of the pillar of victory.
• The Udayendiram ins. Also have similar content like Kuram.
• Periyapuranam, gives the additional information that the Pallava army was
led by its commander, Siruttondar who, in his triumphantmarch to Vatapi,
destroyed it.
• The Tirukkalukkunram ins. Uses the title “Vatapikonda” (the captor of Vatapi)
for Narsimhavarman I.
• The successive events of the war becomes clear after putting these
evidences together.

20. Cont…..
• The Mahavamsa informs us that in his war against the Chalukyas,
Narsimhavarman I was greatly assisted by the Sri Lankan prince Manavarma.
• After having captured Vatapi, the victorious Pallavas king Narsimhavarman I
assumed the title of ‘Vatapikonda’ to commemorate his capture of Vatapi. This
victory seems to have been achieved in 642 AD.
• Since we do not hear of Pulakesin II any more of his defeat at Vatapi, probably
Pulakesin died in the Battle of Vatapi.
• In recognition of his services, Narsimhavarman sent Manavarma to Sri Lanka
with a Pallava Army to occupy the throne in a war of succession- according to
Mahavamsa. (in detailed by Students)
• Thus, the successful expedition of Narsimhavarman to Sri Lanka made this
island virtually a Pallava colony. This event proved by Kasakkudi inscription.

22. • During his reign Mamallapuram (modern Mahabalipuram), developed into
an important centre of trade and art. It was here that Narsimhavarman I
built a number of monolithic Rathas temple which are described as
belonging to the Narsimhavarman style.
• Ratha temple: Arjuna Ratha, Dharmaraja Ratha, Draupadi ratha, Bhim
ratha, Nakul-sahadev ratha, Ganesh Ratha.
• Yuan Chwang visited the Pallava country during the reign of
Narsimhavarman I. He has given an interesting account of kanchipuram. It
was birth place of Dharmapala, the great Buddhist Scholar. There were
hundred monasteries and Ten thousand Buddhist monks.

23. Ratha Temples

24. • Thus, Narsimhavarman I had the distinction of humbling the
chalukyas and avenging the defeat and discomfiture of his father. He
carved out an extensive empire in south India whose power was felt
as far as Sri Lanka.
• He turned his Navy into an effective instrument of oceanic wars. He
ushered in a new style of monolithic temples, known as the
Narasimhavarman Style.
• The Monument of Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram) still stand to
vouch for the greatness and grandeur of his rule.
*****