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Vimaladitya

Eastern Chalukya king of Vengi (1011–1022), the younger brother of Saktivarman I. He was crowned on 10 May 1011. The Chola prince Rajendra defeated him, and he appears to have spent some years at the Chola court. There he married Kundavadevi, daughter of the Chola king Rajaraja I. Their son Rajaraja Narendra succeeded him.

Vimaladitya ruled Vengi, the Eastern Chalukya kingdom between the Krishna and the Godavari, in the early 11th century.1 He belonged to the first generation after the long break in the dynasty’s rule.1 His marriage to a Chola princess began the series of Chola marriages that in the end carried his grandson Kulottunga I to the Chola throne.23

Family

Vimaladitya was the son of Danarnava and his queen Aryamahadevi, and the younger brother of Saktivarman I.1 The Korumelli plates of his son also say that he followed his elder brother on the throne.4 The Godavari grant used by J. F. Fleet calls him Vimalarka as well as Vimaladitya.5

Vimaladitya married Kundavadevi, the daughter of the Chola king Rajaraja I and the younger sister of Rajendra-Chola.45 (See Kundavadevi.) Their son was Rajaraja Narendra, who succeeded him in 1022.54

Vimaladitya also had a son by another queen.67 In 1930 B. V. Krishna Rao edited a grant of Vimaladitya’s grandson Saktivarman II.67 He read it as saying that Rajaraja and Vijayaditya VII were both sons of Vimaladitya by different mothers.67 He gave Vijayaditya’s mother as Medavamahadevi, also a Chola princess, whom the Government Epigraphist had read as Malavamahadevi.67 His table makes Kundavamba the mother of Rajaraja and Medavamahadevi the mother of Vijayaditya VII.8

Vimaladitya also had a daughter who married a Yadava king, according to Robert Sewell’s genealogical table of 1932.9

Coming to the throne

The Ranastipundi grant is dated in the eighth year of his reign and gives the day of his coronation. F. Kielhorn worked it out as Thursday, 10 May 1011.1 The grant’s editor, V. Venkayya, pointed out that this date settled a difficulty in the chronology.1

All the grants allow 27 years for the interregnum (the gap in rule) after Danarnava.1 But counting back from Rajaraja’s coronation had seemed to make it 30.1 With Vimaladitya’s accession fixed in 1011, the interregnum fell roughly between 972 and 999, and lasted the 27 years of the records.1 Robert Sewell’s chronology of 1932 dates his reign 1011–1022.9

The grant gives Vimaladitya several surnames: Birudanka-Bhima, Tribhuvanankusa, Mummadi-Bhima and Bhupa-Mahendra.10 Venkayya explained Mummadi-Bhima as “the third Bhima”, since only two earlier kings of the family had borne that name.10 The annual epigraphy reports mention a liquid measure called the Mummadi-Bhima-mana.11 It was thought to have been named after Vimaladitya.11

The composer of the grant twice calls the king the rescuer of his family.10 Venkayya thought this might refer to his alliance with the Cholas through his marriage, and perhaps to the birth of an heir.10

Defeat and the Chola court

The later grants give Vimaladitya a reign of seven years.10 But the Ranastipundi grant is dated in his eighth year, and eleven years passed between his coronation and his son’s.10 Venkayya explained the difference from two other inscriptions:10

  • on the Mahendragiri hill in Ganjam, two records say that the Chola Rajendra-Chola defeated Vimaladitya and set up a pillar of victory
  • at Tiruvaiyaru near Tanjore, an inscription of the 29th year of Rajaraja Chola (1013–14) records gifts to the temple by Vishnuvardhana-Vimaladitya10

Venkayya concluded that Vimaladitya was taken prisoner to Thanjavur (then Tanjore) and married Kundava there.10 In his view Vimaladitya was sent back to Vengi about 1015, and the later records counted the seven years from that return.10 Sewell repeated Venkayya’s explanation of a four-year captivity.2

E. Hultzsch had already suggested in 1890 that the marriage “was probably a forced one and the result of his conquest of Vimaladitya” by Rajaraja Chola.12 Sewell, on the other hand, described Vimaladitya as on friendly terms with his father-in-law.2 He thought the marriage very important as the first to unite the Eastern Chalukya and Chola houses.2

The Godavari district gazetteer of 1907 read the Mahendragiri campaign as Rajendra’s answer to an attempt by Vimaladitya to throw off Chola overlordship.13 It added that he was not deposed.13

Sewell also recorded the marriage under 1009 and noted that Vimaladitya came to the throne afterwards.142 He placed the defeat in Rajaraja’s reign, when Rajendra led his father’s army, but found no clue to its date.142

The end of the reign

Sewell dated Vimaladitya’s death to 1022, the year of his son’s coronation.9 Venkayya also put his death in 1022.10 N. Venkataramanayya edited the Kalidindi grant of Rajaraja I in 1952. He noted that the latest date for Vimaladitya was then August 1018, in his eighth year. He concluded that Vimaladitya died soon afterwards, and that his son ruled for some years before his coronation in 1022.1516

The two branches of the genealogy

The Ranastipundi grant is the earliest Eastern Chalukya record yet found to contain the Puranic and legendary family tree.1 This tree traces the family’s descent from the Moon and names its ancestor Vijayaditya, killed by Trilochana-Pallava.1 Venkataramanayya thought that this new opening was perhaps due to Chola influence after the main line was restored in 999–1000.17 The Chellur plates of Vira-Choda give Vimaladitya his seven years but do not mention his Chola queen.18

The literary historians P. Chenchiah and M. Bhujanga Rao gave a different date for the reign, 1005–22.1920 They described the Chola marriages as the step that ended the long conflict between the two houses.1920

Footnotes

  1. V. Venkayya, “Ranastipundi Grant of Vimaladitya”, Epigraphia Indica VI (1900–01), p. 349 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10

  2. Sewell and Aiyangar, Historical Inscriptions of Southern India (1932), p. 61 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  3. Fleet, “Chronology of the Eastern Chalukya Kings” (1891), p. 277 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  4. J. F. Fleet, “Korumelli Plates of Rajaraja II [I]”, Indian Antiquary XIV (1885), p. 50 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  5. J. F. Fleet, “The Chronology of the Eastern Chalukya Kings”, Indian Antiquary XX (1891), p. 273 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  6. B. V. Krishna Rao, “Telugu Academy Plates of Saktivarman II”, Journal of the Andhra Historical Research Society V, pt. 1 (1930), p. 36 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  7. Krishna Rao, “Telugu Academy Plates of Saktivarman II” (1930), p. 37 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  8. Krishna Rao, “Telugu Academy Plates of Saktivarman II” (1930), p. 39, genealogical table (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  9. Sewell and Aiyangar, Historical Inscriptions of Southern India (1932), p. 337 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  10. Venkayya, “Ranastipundi Grant of Vimaladitya” (1901), p. 350 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11

  11. Subject-Index to the Annual Reports on South Indian Epigraphy from 1887 to 1936 (1940), p. 4 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2

  12. Hultzsch, South-Indian Inscriptions, Vol. I (1890), p. 63 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  13. F. R. Hemingway, Madras District Gazetteers: Godavari (1907), p. 20 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2

  14. Robert Sewell and S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar, The Historical Inscriptions of Southern India (1932), p. 59 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2

  15. Venkataramanayya, “Kalidindi Grant” (1952), p. 60 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  16. Venkataramanayya, “Kalidindi Grant” (1952), p. 62 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  17. N. Venkataramanayya, “Kalidindi Grant of Eastern Chalukya Rajaraja I”, Epigraphia Indica XXIX (1951–52), p. 59 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  18. E. Hultzsch, South-Indian Inscriptions, Vol. I (1890), p. 51 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  19. P. Chenchiah and Raja M. Bhujanga Rao, A History of Telugu Literature (1928), p. 21 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2

  20. Chenchiah and Bhujanga Rao, A History of Telugu Literature (1928), p. 22 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2

Dynasties

Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi

c. 615–1077 CE

A branch of the Chalukyas of Badami that ruled Vengi, the coastal country between the lower Godavari and Krishna, from the early 7th century. Its founder, Kubja Vishnuvardhana, was a younger brother of Pulakesin II. The kings fought the Rashtrakutas for two centuries. After about 1000 they were bound to the Cholas by marriage, and in 1070 their heir became the Chola emperor Kulottunga I. Their copper-plate grants record the length of every reign. The first Telugu literary work, Nannaya's Mahabharata, was written at their court in Rajahmundry.

Cholas of Tanjore

c. 985–1268 CE

The imperial Chola dynasty of Tanjore (Thanjavur) and Gangaikondacholapuram in the Tamil country, overlords of much of the Telugu country from about 1000 to the 12th century. Rajaraja I restored the Eastern Chalukya Saktivarman I in Vengi about 999 and married his daughter to Saktivarman's brother Vimaladitya. Rajendra I waited on the Godavari while his general marched to the Ganges, and Virarajendra fought the Western Chalukyas at Bezwada. In 1070 the Eastern Chalukya heir became the Chola emperor Kulottunga I, whose sons governed Vengi until 1118. After a Western Chalukya occupation, Vikrama-Chola recovered the coast, but by the mid-12th century Chola rule north of the Krishna was nominal. In the south, the Telugu Choda chiefs of Nellore and Pottappi acknowledged the Chola king until the dynasty ended in the 1260s.

References

Sources (11)
  1. E. Hultzsch (ed.), Epigraphia Indica, Vol. VI (1900–01) (opens in a new tab), Government of India, Calcutta, 1901, pp. 347–351. V. Venkayya, Ranastipundi grant of Vimaladitya (No. 36). [Public domain]
  2. R. C. Temple (ed.); article by J. F. Fleet, Indian Antiquary, Vol. XX (1891), incl. J. F. Fleet, 'The Chronology of the Eastern Chalukya Kings' (opens in a new tab), Education Society's Press, Bombay, 1891, pp. 12, 272–273. J. F. Fleet, 'The Chronology of the Eastern Chalukya Kings'. [Public domain]
  3. J. F. Fleet and R. C. Temple (eds.), The Indian Antiquary, Vol. XIV (1885) (opens in a new tab), Education Society's Press, Bombay (scan of the 1984 Swati Publications facsimile reprint), 1885, pp. 50. J. F. Fleet, Korumelli plates of Rajaraja I. [Public domain]
  4. E. Hultzsch, South-Indian Inscriptions, Vol. I: Tamil and Sanskrit Inscriptions (opens in a new tab), Government Press, Madras, 1890, pp. 51, 59, 63. E. Hultzsch, South-Indian Inscriptions I. [Public domain]
  5. F. Kielhorn (articles); E. Hultzsch (ed.), Epigraphia Indica, Vol. IV (1896–97) (opens in a new tab), Archaeological Survey of India, 1897, pp. 227. E. Hultzsch, Pithapuram pillar inscription of Mallapadeva. [Public domain]
  6. B. Ch. Chhabra (ed.), Epigraphia Indica, Vol. XXIX (1951–52) (opens in a new tab), Manager of Publications, Delhi, 1952, pp. 60, 62. N. Venkataramanayya, Kalidindi grant of Rajaraja I; paraphrased. [Public domain in India]
  7. K. V. Lakshmana Rao (article); Andhra Historical Research Society, Journal of the Andhra Historical Research Society, Vol. V, pt. 1 (July 1930), incl. K. V. Lakshmana Rao, 'Two Copper-plate Grants of the Salankayanas of Vengi' (opens in a new tab), Andhra Historical Research Society, Rajahmundry, 1930, pp. 36–37, 39. B. V. Krishna Rao, Telugu Academy plates of Saktivarman II (JAHRS V, 1930). [Public domain]
  8. Robert Sewell (ed. S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar), The Historical Inscriptions of Southern India (Collected till 1923) and Outlines of Political History (opens in a new tab), University of Madras, 1932, pp. 59, 61, 63, 337. Paraphrased. [Public domain in India]
  9. F. R. Hemingway, Madras District Gazetteers: Godavari, Vol. I (opens in a new tab), Government Press, Madras, 1907, pp. 20. [Public domain]
  10. C. R. Krishnamacharlu, Subject-Index to the Annual Reports on South Indian Epigraphy from 1887 to 1936 (opens in a new tab), Manager of Publications, Delhi, 1940, pp. 4. Paraphrased. [Public domain in India]
  11. P. Chenchiah and Raja M. Bhujanga Rao, A History of Telugu Literature (The Heritage of India Series) (opens in a new tab), Association Press (Y.M.C.A.), Calcutta / Oxford University Press, London, 1928, pp. 21–22. [Public domain]

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