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LURE - THRU THE AGES
Eternal India
encyclopedia
their overlord and paid him homage. It is also
mentioned in the Svayambu Purana that Nepal
was a vassal state of Dharmapala. Under him,
Bengal emerged as the most powerful state in
northern India.
Dharmapala was a great patron of Bud-
dhism and also founder of the Vikramasila
monastery which ultimately developed into
a great centre of Buddhist learning and cul-
ture. It was second only to the monastery of
Nalanda.
architecture received a fresh impetus. Nalanda
continued to flourish as the chief seat of Bud-
dhist learning.
The Eastern Gangas
Overview
*
Palas succeeded Harsha of Kanauj.
*
They reached the height of glory during
the 9th c. A.D. and controlled parts of
Bihar and Bengal until the 12th c. A.D.
*
Dharmapala and Devapala were the
famous kings of the Pala dynasty.
*
Mainly followed Buddhism.
Advent
*
Palas came to prominence during the 8th
c. A.D. and ruled north-east India till
12th c. A.D.
*
The dynasty was founded by Gopala in
750 A.D. in eastern India.
Chronology
*
Dharmapala
(780-810A.D.)
*
Devapala
(810-850 A.D.)
Dharmapala
780-810 A.D.
Gopala was succeeded by his son Dhar-
mapala who ruled for about 40 years. Dhar-
mapala became the Paramount Lord in
northern India.
The empire of Dharmapala was divided
into three parts, Bengal and Bihar were di-
rectly under his control. The kingdom of
Kanauj was subordinate to him as its rulers
was his nominee. Rulers of Punjab, Rajpu-
tana, Malwa and Berar acknowledged him as
Overview
*
Ruled South India for a period of 3 cen-
turies.
*
Raja Raja Chola (985-1014 A.D.) and
Rajendra Chola were most powerful
kings.
*
The
Chola
Kingdom
was
very
extensive, including half of Ceylon
(Lanka),
Lakkadive
Is.
(Malabar
Coast),
Kuntalanadu,
Gangavadi,
Nolambavadi,
Pallava,
Chera
and
Pandya Vengi regions.
*
The main source of information is the
large number of inscriptions.
Advent
*
Towards the end of the 9th c. Cholas
under Aditya overthrew the Pallavas
and established the Chola Kingdom.
*
Under Rajaraja the great and after, the
Cholas began to expand until they
became the paramount power in south
India.
THE PALAS 780 - 850 A.D.
Devapala
(810-850 A.D.): Dharmapala was
succeeded by his son Devapala. He not only
maintained intact the territories inherited by
him from his father but also added to them. De-
vapala got tributes from the rulers of the whole
of Northern India. His campaigns took him to
Kamboja in the west and the Vindhyas in the
south. He exterminated the Utkalas, conquered
Pragjyotisha or Assam, curbed the pride of the
Hunas and humbled the rulers of the Gurjars
andDravidas.
Devapala defeated Amoghavarsha, the Rash-
trakuta ruler. Devapala was a great patron of
Buddhism. He gave 5 villages for
"various
comforts "
of the Bhikshus as well as for writ-
ing the
"Dharma ratnas"
and for the upkeep of
a Buddhist monastery built by Balaputradeva,
king of Suvamadvipa or Sumatra or Yav-
abhumi or Java. Devapala constructed many
temples and monasteries in Magadha. Art and
CHOLAS 850-1173 A.D.
Chronology
*
Vijalaya
(850-871)
*
Aditya
(871-907)
*
Parantaka I
(907-953)
*
Gandharaditya
(953-956)
*
Arinjaya
(956-957)
*
Parantaka II
(957-973)
*
Uttamachola
(973-985)
*
Rajendra I
(985-1012)
*
Rajendra II
(1012-1044)
*
Rajadhiraja
(1044-1054)
*
Rajendra II
(1054-1063)
*
Vira Rajendra I
(1063-1069)
*
Rajendra III
(1052-1063)
*
Veera Rajendra
(1063-1069)
* Adhiraja
(1069-1070)
* Kulottunga I
(1070-1122)
* Vikrama Chola
(1122-1135)
* Kulottunga II
(1135-1146)
* Rajaraja II
(1146-1173)
The
Eastern
Gangas
established
themselves in southern Orissa and soon
controlled the Ganjam district of Orissa and
Srikakulam ofAndhra and also southern
Kosala. (mid. 6th C. A.D.) In 795 Mahasiva
Gupta Yavati came to the throne and with
him began the most brilliant epoch in the
history of Orissa, United Kalinga, Kengoda,
Utkala and Kosala; built the famous Jagan-
natha temple of Puri; later Narasinga Dev
built the unique temple of the Sun at Konark.
From the 14th century onwards the kingdom
was ruled by successive Muslim kings till
1592 when Akbar annexed it to the Mughal
empire.
Chronology
* Mahasiva Gupta Yavati795 A.D.
* Narasinga Dev
Wars
*
Aditya I defeated Parantaka Vira-
narayana of Kongu and annexed the
Kongu Country.
*
Parantaka I annexed the territory of the
Pandya King.
*
Raja Raja destroyed the Chera Navy at
Trivandrum; captured Madurai; took
Udagai (in Coorg); annexed the north-
ern part of Ceylon, sacked Anuradhpura;
captured Gangavadi, Tadigaivadi and
Nolambavadi from the Gangas (991 A.D)
conquered V aliya, Maldi ve Islands.
*
Rajendra I annexed the whole of Ceylon;
ordered expedition to Eastern India,
crossed Godavari, Bastar, Orissa; cap-
tured Sumatra and Malaya Archipelago.
Impact
*
Consolidation and expansion of Chola
Kingdom in South India and other parts.
Raja Raja Chola
985-1014 A.D.