INDIA , THAT IS BHARAT -A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE, #BHARAT[PART-55][EP-284]

THE WESTERN CHALUKYA

The WESTERN CHALUKYA Empire or the CHALUKYA OF KALYANI ruled most of the western DECCAN , South INDIA between the 10th and 12th centuries . It was separate from the EASTERN CHALUKYA OF VENGI . Before these CHALUKYAS , the RASHTRAKUTAS of MANYAKHETA had been reigning over most of DECCAN and CENTRAL INDIA for about two countries . They ruled from 975 AD to 1184 AD .The Empire was subordinate to RASHTRAKUTA until 973 AD .Their capitals were MANYAKHETA and BASAVAKALYAN . Common languages of the people were KANNADA and SANSKRIT . And people followed HINDUISM and JAINISM .The EASTERN CHALUKYAS of VENGI were distant cousins of the WESTERN CHALUKYAS . But they were related to CHOLAS by marriage .That’s why took sides of CHOLAS whenever the WESTERN CHALUKYAS and the CHOLAS faought many wars to have control over the fertile lands of VENGI . During the rule of VIKRAMADITYA VI , in the late 11th and early 12th centuries , the WESTERN CHALUKYAS convincingly contended with (by marriage relationships) the CHOLAS and reached a peak ruling territories which spread over most of the DECCAN and as far as KAVERI river of the south . During the rule of his father SOMESHVARA I , he had led successful military campaigns as far as BIHAR and BENGAL in the east .The other major ruling families of the DECCAN like the HOYSALAS , the SEUNA YADAVAS of DEVAGIRI , the KAKATIYA DYNASTY and Southern KALACHURIS of KALYANI — all were subordinate to the WESTERN CHALUKYAS until later half of the 12th century .The fifty-year reign of VIKRAMADITYA VI , the most successful of the CHALUKYA rulers , was an important period in the history of KARNATKA . It is referred to by historians as the “CHALUKYA VIKRAMA ERA”.

ADMINISTRATION OF THE WESTERN CHALUKYA

Kingship of the WESTERN CHALUKYAS was hereditary .The administration was highly centralized . Feudatory clans such as the ALUPAS , the HOYSALAS , the KAKATIYA , the SEUNA , the southern KALACHURIS and others were allowed to rule their autonomous provinces freely .They were regularly paying annual tribute to the CHALUKYA Emperor . Excavated inscriptions reveal that  there were titles like MAHAPRADHANA Chief Minister) , DHARMADHIKARI (Chief Justice) , TADEYADANDAYAKA (Commander of reserve army) .The speciality with the then administration of the WESTERN CHALUKYAS was that the Cabinet Ministers of the government were also trained as army commanders as well as in general administrative skills .The Kingdom was divided into provinces such as BANAVASI- 12000 , NOLAMBAVADI-32000 , GODAVARI- 96000 .Thus , each name of province included the number of villages under its jurisdiction .The big provinces were called MANDALA . Many NADUS existed under a MANDALA . NADU was further divided into KAMPANAS (groups of villages) . And a village was called BADA . A MANDALA was kept under a member of of the royal family . TAILAPA II , the very founder of the WESTERN CHALUKYA DYNASTY , himself was in charge of TARDAVADI province during the RASHTRAKUTA rule . Chiefs of MANDALAS were transferable based on political developments . Moreover , women from the royal family also administered NADUS and KAMPANAS .The WESTERN CHALUKYAS minted punch-marked gold pagodas coins with KANNADA and NAGARI legends .Their heaviest gold coin was GADYANAKA weighing 96 grains .

ECONOMY DURING THE WESTERN CHALUKYA PERIOD

Agriculture was the main profession of the people .Taxes on land and produce were the main sources of revenue of the state during the period of the WESTERN CHALUKYAS . People were farming the staple crops of rice , pulses and cotton in the dry areas and cash crops like sugar cane , areca and betel were grown in the areas having sufficient rainfall .There was no record of revolts by the landless against wealthy landlords . It  shows that the condition of the labourers might be not so bad or they were not altogether organized at all . But the common practice among peasants was that they used to migrate in large numbers out of the jurisdiction of the ruler who was mistreating them . In this way , they used to drprive the ruler of revenue from their labour .Taxes were levied on mining and forest products .Tolls for the use of transport facilities further added in the revenue of the state . Fees were also collected from customs , professional licenses , and Judicial fines . Horses and salt were taxed like other commodities and agricultural produce . Land tax assessment was based on frequent surveys evaluating the quality of land and the type of produce grown there . GAVUNDAS (GOUDAS) were the local revenue officials . All arts and crafts were organized into guilds . And work was done on a corporate basis .Their only threat was the possibility of theft from BRIGANDAS (Pirates) when their ships and caravans traveled to distant lands . South INDIAN merchant guilds included the MANIGRAMAM , the NAGARATTAR , and the ANJUVANNAM . Local guilds were called NAGARAM . And the NANADESIS were traders from neighbouring kingdom .

NOTE : THE SOURCES OF THE BLOG ARE TEXT BOOKS AND OTHER WRITTEN MATERIALS ON THE SUBJECT .

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