A pastoral tribe in the southern India, Pallava Dynasty rule for about 500 years. The Pallava dynasty started to form in the early 4th century and lasted till the late 9th century AD.
The northern
Tamil Nadu and southern
Andhra Pradesh were under the rule and control of the Pallavas. Their capital was Kanchi. By the beginning of the seventh century AD, there were three major states which were seen emerging in the southern India and these were: the Pallavas along with the Chalukyas of Badami and the Pandyas of Madurai.
The Chola state was attacked and thrown out by the Pallavas and was reduced to a mere marginal role in the Southern India. Also it is known that the Gupta emperor Samudragupta brought the Pallavas under their sway. Initially in the fourth century AD, the Pallavas were at fight and warfare with the Kadambas, under who were northern
Karnataka and Konkan. But very soon the Pallavas realized the authority, Kadambas had over them.
The Kalabhras revolt immensely affected the Pallavas but soon it was put down to rest by the allied forces of the Pallavas, the Pandyas and the Chalukyas. The Pallavas and Chalukyas of Badami were seen struggling for a long period of time for supremacy in peninsular India soon after the Kalabhra upheaval. Efforts to establish a good control over the Krishna-Tungabhadra doab was seen by both. Though the Pallava capital was almost captured by the Chalukya ruler Pulakeshin II during his second invasion, but it ended in failure. Vatapi was occupied and the Pandyas, Cholas and Cheras were defeated by the Pallava ruler Narasimhavarman.
The Pallava capital, Kanchi was a city of temples and Vedic learning. The Pallavas proved to be pretty generous rulers. Numerous villages were granted free of taxes to the Brahmanas by them. The Pallavas also found their colonies in Sumatra, which is the present day Indonesia, in the initial centuries of the Christian era.
The founder of Pallava dynasty is Simha Vishnu who is said to be a very efficient and strong conqueror and ruler. After the death of Simha Vishnu, Mahendravarman, his son succeeded him and ruled from about 571 till 630 CE. Mahendravarman was believed to be a very efficient ruler and extremely learned. The famous cave temple at Mahabalipuram was constructed due to his proposal and his initiation. The tales of the prosper Pallava dynasty spread all around and as soon as Chalukya Pulakesi-II came to know about the richness and abundance of the kingdom, he attacked the kingdom and successfully defeated Mahendravarman.
The Pallavas were defeated only because their leader Mahendravarman died in between the battle. His son, Narasimhavarman ascended the throne after him. It is said that Narasimhavarman vowed to take revenge for his father's death. He is believed to have a well physical built with great intelligence. With planning, plotting and tactics, he almost destroyed the Chalukya Pulakesi kingdom. He got a number of temples constructed in the capital Kanchi. It was in 740 AD, that the Pallava supremacy completely ended in South India when the Chalukyas overrun the Pallavas in the revived conflict.
Last Updated on: February 17, 2022
