A brief study on the Pallava (Pallavar) period of rule in Tamil Nadu
  • A brief study on the Pallava (Pallavar) period of rule in Tamil Nadu

    (1) The Andhra-Pallavas captures Kanchipuram of Tamil Nadu

    With the fall of the Sathavaahana empire of Maharashtra encompassing the
    present Maharashtra and whole of Andhra Pradesh in the year A.D.250,
    the Andhra-Pallava dynasty who ruled their own kingdom in the present
    Bellary region of Andhra Pradesh became independent. During the period
    of the king Sivaskandhavarman (A.D.340-355) of the Andhra-Pallava
    dynasty their territorial region extended up to Kanchipuram in north
    Tamil Nadu. He and his son Vishnugopa (A.D.345-355) during their rule
    have issued copper-plate grants on the gifts they have made to Vedic
    Priests during their visits to Kanchipuram from their capital city at
    Bellary region.

    The decline of Sathavaahana empire gradually paved way to the rise of
    the Gupta empire in North India. During this period the king
    Samudragupta (A.D.335-380) captured many regions of North India and also
    sent forces to capture the regions of the present Andhra Pradesh. These
    forces defeated the king Vishnu Gupta the last Andhra-Pallava of the
    present Bellary region, and the Kanchipuram of Tamil Nadu under their
    fold, in the year A.D.355.

    "...........the Mahārājādhirāja, the glorious
    Samudragupta..........Whose great good fortune was mixed with, so as to
    be increased by (his) glory produced by the favour shewn in capturing
    and then liberating Mahendra of Kosala, Vyāghraraja of
    Mahākantāra, Mantarāja of Kurūḷa, Mahendra of
    Pishtapura, Svāmidatta of Kottura on the hill, Damana of
    Erandapalla, Vishnugopa of Kānchi, Nīlarāja of Avamukta,
    Hastivarman of Vengā, Ugrasena of Palakka, Kubera of
    Devarāshtra, Dhananjaya of Kusthalapura, and all the other kings of
    the region of the south......"

    Allahabad Stone Pillar Inscription of Samudragupta
    Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum: Inscriptions of the Early Guptas. John
    F. Fleet Vol. III. Calcutta - 1888, 10-17

    This could be the possible reason as to why only the Pallava kings -
    Sivaskandavarman and Vishnugopa have specifically mentioned in their
    copper-plate grants as "issued from Kanchipuram", while all other
    successive Pallava kings ruling from the Bellary region of Andhra
    Pradesh have not mentioned in their copper-plate grants as issed from
    Kanchipuram.

    It appears with the defeat of Vishnu Gopa the region of Kanchipuram was
    given to it's traditional rulers the Tamil Thiraiyar kings (of Naga
    Vamsam) of Thondai Mandalam in north Tamil Nadu probably under a treaty.

    The chronology of the Andhra-Pallava kings of Bellary region of Andhra
    Pradesh is as follows:

    (1) Skandavarman
    (2) Vijaya Viravarman
    (3) Vijaya Skandavarman - {Sivaskandavarman} - (A.D.340-355) - king of
    the Pallava kingdom at Bellary region in Andhra, and viceroy of
    Samudragupta at Kanchipuram.
    (4) Vijaya Simhavarman
    (5) Vishnu Gopa - 1 {Yuvamaharaja Vishnu Gopa} - (A.D.345-355) - king of
    the Pallava kingdom at Bellary region in Andhra, and viceroy of
    Samudragupta at Kanchipuram.
    (6) Simhavarman
    (7) Asokavarman
    (8) Kaalaparththaa Pallava
    (9) Simhavarman {Suutha Pallava}

    Evidence for above:

    The names of the Pallava kings and their sequence are as per
    Ongodu Copper Plates, Vilavetti Copper Plates - No 19, Pallankoil
    Copper Plates & Velurppalayam Copper Plates - No 11, Thirty Pallava
    Copper Plates - Published by The Tamil Varalatru Kalakam, Chennai.

    (2) Tamil Nadu-Pallava kings who ruled from Kanchipuram

    With the weakening of the Gupta Empire over a period of time the Pallava
    kings of Bellary region extended their kingdom in the Andhra Pradesh
    and turned their attention also towards the south. A much later Pallava
    king of Bellary region named Vira Koorchchan waged war with the Tamil
    Thiraiyar kings (Naga Vamsam) of Thondai Mandalam captured part of his
    kingdom with all regalia, and also married the Naga Princess the
    daughter of Thiraiyan. They were blessed with the son Skanda Shishayan.
    He possibly with his mother having the Tamil blood was the first Pallava
    king who issued copper-plate grants both in Sanskrit and Tamil.

    Evidence for above:

    Velurppalayam Copper Plates - No 11, & Royakottai Copper Plates No 5 -
    Thirty Pallava Copper Plates - Published by The Tamil Varalatru
    Kalakam, Chennai.

    Note:

    Thondaimandalam region north of Chola country with the Kanchipuram as
    their captal long before the Tamil Nadu Pallava kings made it as the
    capital of their Pallava kingdom. The Sangam period Tamil Literary work
    the Perumpaanaattruppadai bears testimony to same, which was composed on
    the glory of the king Thondaimaan Ilan-Thiraiyan who ruled from
    Kanchipuram of Thondaimandalam.

    Skanda Shishayan was blesssed with the son named Buddhavarman who too
    tried to capture the remaining regions of the Thondaimandalam still
    under the rule of the Thiraiyar kings (including Kanchipuram).
    Buddhavarman was blessed with a son named Kumara Vishnu. He was the
    first Pallava king who waged war with the king of Thondaimandalam and
    captured the region of Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu. He made Kanchipuram
    as the "new capital city" of Pallavas, with their permanent shift from
    the Bellary region in Andhra Pradesh.

    Note:

    There are no referencess in any Inscriptions or Historical Records that
    Thondaimandalam and it's capital Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu of the
    Thiraiyar Dynasty came under the sway of Kalabhras when they invaded
    Tamil Nadu much earlier before the Pallavas, possibly these two
    dynasties had very good relationship among themselves, which prevented
    the Kalabhras bringing Thondaimandalam and Kanchipuram under their
    control and continued to be ruled by the traditional kings of this
    region the Thiraiyar dynasty. Earlier the Kalabhras (Kalappirar) also
    known as the 'Vadukak Karunaader' (Vaduka=Andhra) were a dynasty tracing
    their origin from Andhra country and ruling from the Kolar region of
    Karnataka around Nandhi hills also known as the Kalabhra hills,.

    The next Pallava king who succeeded at Kanchipuram was Buddhavarman,
    remained a threat to the ocean like forces of Kalabhras (Kalappirar) of
    the Chola country in the south of their reigion the Kanchipuram. They
    were followed by the Pallava kings Vishnugopa -2, Nanthivarman and
    Simhavarman at Kanchipuram.

    After Simhavarman his son Simha Vishnu accended the Pallava throne, and
    was the first Pallava king who waged war with Kalabhras some time after
    the year A.D.550, and brought the Chola country which was under the
    sway of the Kalabhras during this period into the Pallava fold. This
    war paved way to the growing strength of the Pallavas in the north and
    central Tamil Nadu of that period, and gradual weakening of the
    Kalabhras in this region.

    The Pallava king Simha Vishnu's authority being up to the northern
    borders of Pandiya Nadu, apparently heard about "Jain Achariya Vajira
    Nandi" who formed the Nandi Sangam at a centre called "Sri
    Varthamaanesvara Dharma Theerththam" in Paandiya Nadu. He granted a
    village named "Srana-achramam" possibly on the borderline of south Chola
    region to the Nandi Sangam.

    Evidence for above:

    Pallankoil Copper Plates - No 11, Thirty Pallava Copper Plates -
    Published by The Tamil Varalatru Kalakam, Chennai.

    (1) Vira Koorchchan - who captured the northern region of Thondai
    Mandalam complete with the royal regalia, and married the Tamil Naga
    Princess of the Thirayar dynasty of Thondaimandalam of Tamil Nadu.
    (2) Skandashishayan {Vijaya Skandavarman} (A.D.----506) - Son of (1)
    (3) Kumara Vishnu {Vijaya Simhavarman} - 2 (A.D.506-516) - Son of (2)
    who captured the southern region of Thondai Mandalam from the Thiraiyar
    Kumara Vishnu the captured Kanchipuram became the 'permanent capital
    city of Pallavas' for many years.
    (4) Buddhavarman (A.D.516-520) - Son of (3) - who became a continuos
    threat from north to the Cholas.
    (5) Vishnugopa - 2 {Kumara Vishnu} (A.D.520-530)
    (6) Nanthivarman - 1 (A.D.530-537) - who stamped the revolts of the
    Thiraiyar king under captive.
    (7) Simhavarman - (A.D.537-550)
    (8) Simha Vishnu - {Avani Simhan} (A.D.550-580) - Son of (7) - who
    captured the Chola country and brought it under the control of the
    Pallava dynasty.

    Evidence for above:

    The names of the Pallava kings and their sequence are as per
    Velurppalayam Copper Plates - No 11 & Sendalur Copper Plates - No 20
    Thirty Pallava Copper Plates - Published by The Tamil Varalatru Kalakam,
    Chennai.

    (9) Mahendravarman - 1 (A.D.580-629) - Son of (8)
    (10) Narasimhavarman - I {Maamallan} (A.D.629–668) - Son of (9) -
    During his period the Pallava Seaport city was named as Maamallapuram
    (present Mahabalipuram).
    (11) Mahendravarman - 2 (A.D.668-670) - Son of (10)
    (12) Paramesvaravarman - I (A.D.670-690) - Son of (11)
    (13) Narasimhavarman II {Rajasimhan} - Kalarsigha Naayanaar(A.D.690-705)
    - Son of (11) - He Built the famous Kailasanathar temple at Kanchipuram.
    (14) Paramesvaravarman II (A.D.705-710) - Son of (12)

    Evidence for above:

    The names of the Pallava kings and their sequence are as per
    Kuram Copper Plates - No 2, Thirty Pallava Copper Plates - Published by
    The Tamil Varalatru Kalakam, Chennai.

    (8A) Name not known - Brother of Simha Vishnu (8)
    (9A) Name not known - Son of the Brother of Simha Vishnu (8) - Name not
    known and never ruled any part of Pallava kingdom.
    (10A) Bhimavarman - Grand Son of the Brother of Simha Vishnu (8) - Never
    ruled any part of Pallava kingdom.
    (11A) Buddhavarman
    (12A) Athithiyavarman
    (13A) Govindavarman
    (14A) Hiraniyavarman
    (15) Nanthivarman - II {Pallavamallan} (A.D.710-775) - Son of (14A)
    (16) Thantivarman - (A.D.775-800) - Son of (15)
    (17) Nanthivarman - III (A.D.800-816) - Son of (16) - who was referred
    to as "Thamil Nanthi", Thamilaakaran Nanthi", and "Painth Thamilai
    aaikintra Ko Nanthi"
    (18) Nirupathungavarman - (A.D.816-840) - Son of (17)
    (19) Kampavarman - (A.D.816-848) - Step brother of (18) Met his death
    in the war with Vijayalaya Chola, waged with the assistance of
    Muththaraiyar king Saathan Paliyili, in which Thanjavur fell into hands
    of the Cholas.(Thiruinthalur Chepedukal)
    (20) Aparajithavarman - (A.D.848-866) - Son of (19)

    Evidence for above:

    The names of the Pallava kings and their sequence are as per
    Kasaakkudi Copper Plates - No 7 and Bahur Copper Plates No: 12, Thirty
    Pallava Copper Plates - Published by The Tamil Varalatru Kalakam,
    Chennai.


    Note: The foregoing will be reviewed frequently corrected where
    necessary, and added with additional informations with eviidence as and
    when they surface.
  • Kanchi is a place which wasruled by - Thondaimaans, Pallavas, Guptas, Pallavas, Chalukyas, Cholas, Rashtrakudas, Telugu Cholas, oddaras,Pandyas, Kakatheeyas, Sambuvarayars, Vijayanagar, Sultans, Nawabs,French, British.

    No other town in TN has this much history.

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