The Relations Between the Eastern Chalukyas and the Cholas

(The interference of the Western Chalukyas of Kalyani in the Affairs of the Vengi Chalukyas)

Towards the last quarter of tenth century A.D., the Deccan was ruled by two Chalukyan dynasties, the Western from Kalyani and the Eastern from Vengi (In fact, Rajamahendravaram was the new capital). The Eastern Chalukyan kingdom, founded by Kubja Vishnuvardhana, a brother of Pulakesin II. continued without break from the 7th to the 11th century A.D. (with the exception of the Telugu Choda interregnum). Tailapa II brought about the fall of the Rashtrakuta power in Western Dec-can in 973 A.D. He revived the Western Chalukyan kingdom and founded in Kalyani kingdom of the Chalukyan dynasty. The relations between the Kalyani and the Vengi Chalukyan king-doms were mostly inimical.

To the South of the Vengi kingdom were the Cholas who became dominent having brought about fall of the Pallavas. Raja-raja, who is considered the greatest Chola ruler, ascended the throne of Tanjore in 985 A.D. He pursued his imperialistic ambitions with an aggressive attitude. He conquered and consolidated the southern provinces and then in a mighty sweep in the north, brought Gangapadi, Nolambapadi, Talaik-kadu and parts of southern Mysore under his rule. This Chola advance into Mysore brought them into conflict with the Kalyani Chalukyan power.

It is at this juncture Rajaraja thought that it was in the best interests of the Cholas to see that the Eastern Chalukyas did not make common cause with their cousins in the west, for such a coalition would constitute a challenge to the rising Chola power. He decided befriend the weaker as against the

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stronger and create the traditional sphere of balance of power in South India. He took advantage of the situation when the sons of the Eastern Chalukya Danamava, being deprived of their parental kingdom by Jata Choda Bhima, sought his help.

He espoused their cause and entered into matrimonial alliance with them. He gave his daughter Kundavai in marriage to Vimaladitya, the younger of the two princes and his was but a beginning of series of diplomatic marriages between these two dynasties. He invaded coastal Telugu country twice and in the second attempt in 1002-03 A.D., having slain Jata Choda Bhima in battle succeeded in establishing Darramava's elder son Saktivarma I firmly on the Vengi throne.

This Eastern Chalukyan alliance with the Chola monarch had its far-reaching consequences. It deprived the rulers of Vengi much of their individuality and autonomy. Vengi ceased to be an independent kingdom and became a protectorate of the Chola empire. 'The formation of the Chola-Chalukya alliance and the establishment of Chola ascendency over the entire coastal Telugu country upset the political equilibrium of the Southern Deccan and plunged the land into interminable dynastic wars. The Chalukyas of Kalyani challenged the Chola supremacy over the Telugu country of the maritime plain, and Vengi became the theatre of a long war which lasted, with few brief intervals, for the next 135 years, the history of Vengi during this period is a history of this war; the Eastern Chalukyas, the rulers of the country recede into the background, leaving the Cholas and the Kalyani Chalukyas to dispute the field.'

The first of the series of Kelyani Chalukyan invasions which was to devastate Vengi during the next century and a quarter occured during the early years of rule Saktivarma I (1000-11 A.D.). Satyasraya (997-1008 A.D.) the son and successor of Tailapa II, sent an army led by one of his generals.

Baya Nambi to invade the Eastern Chalukyan kingdom in 1006 A.D. to overthrow the Chola-Chalukya alliance and bring the east coast under his control. The general entered Vengi from the south, reduced the forts of Dharanikota and Yana-madala to ashes and established himself at Chebrolu (Guntur

104 HISTORY OF THE ANDHRAS district). At this juncture. Rajaraja distracted the atten-tion of Satyasraya by sending his son Rajendra Chola to invade Rattapadi in the west and thus compelled him to withdraw his army from Vengi for the defence of his realm. After the Western Chalukyan army retired from the east coast, Sakti-varma was left in possession of his kingdom.

At the close of the reign of Vrmaladitya (1011-18 A.D.)-the succession to A.D.)-the Vengi throne was in dispute. His son Rajaraja Narendra, through the Chola princess Kundavai, was appointed crown prince and succeeded his father on the throne of Vengi. But Vijayaditya VII, who was the step-brother of Rajaraja Narendra, seized power with the help of Jayasimha II, the Western Chalukyan ruler. Rajaraja Narendra naturally sought the help of his maternal uncle and overlord, the Chola emperor Rajendra Chola I. The latter promptly dispatched forces to his aid. The tradition of fighting on two fronts in the north, which was started by Rajaraja Chola, was continued by his son as well. Rajendra Chola I sent a powerful army against Rattapadi to divert the attenton of Jayasimha II and prevent him from sending effective help to Vijayaditya VII.

With this, the king of Kalyani was compelled to take steps for the defence of his kingdom. On the Eastern Chalukyan front, the Chola army ted by the general Soliyavarasan defeated Vijayaditya and his Kalinga and Odda supporters in several battles, took possession of the country on behalf of Rajaraja Narendra and proceeded afterwards on a grand military expedi-tion to the Gangetic valley. To protect the rear of his army campaigning in the Gangetic valley, Rajendra Chola I had his sojourn on the banks of the Godavari, during which he en-throned his nephew Rajaraja Narendra as the ruler of Vengi and celebrated the latter's coronation on 16th August 1022 A.D.

He even gave his daughter Ammangai in marriage to his nephew who had by her a son Rajendra named after him.

Rajaraja Narendra was constantly beset with difficulties during his long rule of 41 years. His half-brother Vijayaditya never gave up his designs upon the throne. He managed probably with the help from the Western Chalukya court to

The Eastern Chalukyas 105 oust his brother, seize the throne and keep himself in power between 1031 A.D. and 1035 A.D. Even after this, Rajaraja Narendra did not enjoy peaceful reign. About, the year 1042 A.D. the new ruler of Kalyani, Ahavamalla Somesvara I, with whom Vijayaditya VII allied himself, sent an expedition against Vengi. Rajendra Chola I sent some Chola forces to Vengi under his Brahman general Rajaraja Brahmamaharaja. A bloody battle took place at Kalidindi in the West Godavari district.

The result of the battle was indecisive. A lull prevailed in the warfare after this battle.

Rajadhiraja I (1042-52 A.D.), the son and successor of Rajendra Chola I, in his eagerness to restore the Chola hege-mony over Vengi to its former absolute state, led an expedition into the coastal Telugu country in 1044-45 A.O. He fought a battle at Dhannada (Dharanikota in the Guntur district) and compelled the Western Chalukyan army along with Vijayaditya VI! to retreat in disorder. He then entered into me Western Chaiukyan dominions and set fire to the Kollipaka fort on the frontier between the Kalyani and Vengi territories This relief for Rajaraja Narendra, however, was only temporary, for in 1047 A.O. itself, Vengi and Kalinga were lost by the Cholas.

The Western Chalukyas held them almost upto the end of Chola Virarajendra's reign (1062-69 A.D.). It is very strange that somehow Rajadhiraja I suddenly lost interest in the Vengi affairs and never made any attempt to re-establish his authority in the Telugu country. Rajaraja Narendra realised that to con-tinue fight with the Western Chalukyas was waste and hence concluded peace with Somesvare I. In order to show his respect towards Karnatakas, he assumed their titles like 'Satyasrayakulasekhara' and "Samastabhuvanasraya" Somes-vara appointed one of his Pradhanis. Narayanabhatta as the Sthanapati in the court of Rajamahendravarem to look after his imperial affairs. This Narayanabhatta was a distinguished scholar. He assisted Rajaraja Narendra's court poet and purohit Nannayabhatta in the composition of his Telugu Mahabharata

The death of Raiaraja Narendra in 1061 A.D. offered another opportunity to the Kalyani court to strengthen its hold on

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