Post Gupta - Pallava Dynasty

• Pallava was a variant of Pahlava (Parthians)
• Who moved from western India to the eastern coast of the peninsula, during the wars between the Sakas and the Satavahanas in the second century CE.
• Some say they are native to south India or “with some mixture of north Indian blood”.
• Associate with Thondaimandalam.                                        

Rulers

• Simhavishnu (his father Simhavarman), vanquishing the Kalabhras, conquered the land of chola country up to the Kaveri.

Mahendravarman I

• Simhavishnu’s successor Mahendravarman I (590-630), whom Appar, converted from Jainism to Saivism.
• During Mahendravarman I, Pulikesin II annexed the northern part of Pallava kingdom.

Narasimhavarman I (630-668 CE)

• Narasimhavarman I (630-668), several victories over the Chalukyas with the aid of their ally Manavarman, a Sri Lankan prince, who later became ruler of the island kingdom.
• Narasimhavarman’s invasion of the Chalukyan kingdom and his capturing of the Badami.
• Narasimhavarman claims to have defeated the Cholas, Cheras and Kalabhras.
• Two naval expeditions despatched to help Manavarman were successful, but this Sri Lankan ruler subsequently lost his kingdom.

Paramesvaravarman I (670-700 CE)

• Vikramaditya, chalukya king indaded pallava with support of ganga and pandyas. Result pallava conflict with pandyas.

Other Kings

• Rashtrakuta king, Govind III invaded Kanchi during Dantivarman
• Dantivarman’s son Nandivarman III aided by western Gangas & Cholas defeated pandyas (Battle of Sripurambiyam or Thirupurambiyam).
• Aparajita, grandson of Nandivarman III, lost his life in a battle fought against Aditya I of the Chola kingdom who invaded Tondaimandalam.
• Tondaimandalam passed into the hands of the Cholas.
• Chera Perumals (6^th to 9^th Century)

Pallava Administration

• King title maharajadhiraja.
• Sanskrit - official language at the court.
• Assisted by a group of ministers.
• They were central officers under the Pallava king
• mantri- generally understood to be a diplomat,
• amatya - a counsellor.
• Mantri Mandala - council of ministers.
• Rahasyadhikrita - private secretary of the king.
• Manikkappandaram-Kappan - officer in charge of the treasury (Manikka - valuables; Pandaram - treasury; Kappan – keeper).
• Kodukkappillai - officer of gifts.
• Kosa-adhyaksa- the supervisor of the Manikkappandaram-kappan.
• Judicial courts - AdhikarnaMandapaand
• Judges - Dharmadhikarins.
• Fines are mentioned in the Kasakudi plates of Nandivarman Pallava as Karanadandam(fine in superior/ higher court) and Adhikaranadandam(fine in district level)
• There were assemblies of villagers and also representatives of districts.

Land Grants

• Latter was most common practice.
• Leased out to tenants-at-will.
• Village with an inter-caste population paid land revenue.
• Brahmadeya villages were donated to a single Brahman or a group of Brahmans (No need to paid tax).
• Devadana village, donated to a temple.

Village Life

• Basic assembly, sabha.
• The sabha was a formal institution but it worked closely with the urar.
• District council worked with nadu or district administration.
• Headman of the village link with village assembly and official administration.

Tank Irrigation

• Eripatti or tank land (Special category of land).
• Built through the cooperative effort of the village.
• Special tank committee appointed.
• Water taken in excess of allotted to a particular cultivator was taxed.

Revenue and Taxation

• Two categories
• For cultivator, 1/6^th to 1/10^th of produce.
• Second category were local taxes.
• Additional taxes on draught cattle, toddy-drawers, marriage parties, potters, goldsmiths, washermen, textile-manufacturers, weavers, brokers, letter-carriers, and the makers of ghee.
• Loot and booty obtained in war (Pallava troops attacking a fort are seen in the Vaikunta Perumal temple at Kanchipuram).

Army

• Foot-soilders, cavalry, small force of elephant.
• Pallavas developed a navy and built dockyards at Mamallapuram and Nagapattinam.
• Pallava navy was inconsiderable compared to the naval strength of the Cholas who succeeded them.

Trade

• Kanchipuram (Important trading center). Merchant obtained license to market their goods. Mamallapuram was an important seaport.
• Barter system prevailed, later pallavas issue gold & silver coins.
• Manigramam – Merchant organisation.
• Guilds - as sudesi, nanadesi, ainurruvar. (Chief of guild - pattanswamy, pattnakilar, dandanayaka. Members - ayyavole-parameswariyar).
• Nanadesi – Foreign merchant (has separate flag). Right of issuing vira-sasanas.

Maritime Trade

• Maritime trade with south-east Asia. Three major kingdom Kambuja (Cambodia), Champa (Annam), and Srivijaya (the southern Malaya peninsula and Sumatra).
• On the west coast, the initiative in the trade with the West was gradually passing into the hands of the foreign traders settled along the coast, mainly Arabs.
• Indian traders were becoming suppliers of goods rather than carriers of goods to foreign countries.

Society

• Brahmins – Involve in Scholars in literature, astronomy, law, agriculture, trade & war.
• Kshatryas - sat-kshatryas (Ruled the state - Quality Kshatriyas), some do trading.
• Right to read Vedas, privilege denied to the lower varnas.
• Caste structure. Sanskrit – High esteem.

Religion

• Followers of Vedic religion were devoted to the worship of Siva. Mahendravarman first adopt workship of Siva.
• Intolerant of Jainism and destroyed some Jain monasteries. Buddhism and Jainism lost their appeal
• Nayanmars, Alwars, Saiva & Vaishanava poet-saints lived.

Growing influence of Brahmanism

• Influence of Aryan culture in the south was the pre-eminent position given to Brahmins.
• Early education controlled by Jains & Buddhists. Later Brahmin superseded.
• Mahendravarma I lost intrest in Jainism and took Saivism. Jain develop few Jain education center Madurai & Kanchi.
• Religious center, one at Shravanabelagola in karnataka.

Monasteries and Mutta

• Period of intense conflict between orthodox and heterodox sects of Buddhist.
• Royal protagonists of Vedic religions, Buddhists lacked.
• 8^th century the mathas (mutts) became popular – combination of Rest house, feeding centers & Education center.

Growing Popularity of Sanskrit

• Mahendravarman I composed Mathavilasa Prahasanam in Sanskrit.
• Two extraordinary Sanskrit work: Bharavi’s Kiratarjuniya and Dandin’s Dashakumaracharita.
• Dandin of Kanchipuram (stayed in Pallava court for some time), author of the great treatise on rhetoric Kavyadarsa.

Rock-cut Temples

• Mahendravarman I introduce rock-cut temple.
• Rock temple are usually the mandapa type with a pillared hall or the mandapa in front and a small shrine at the rear or sides.
• Both the Pallavas and the Chalukyas gave way to new rulers belonging to the Rashtrakuta and Chola dynasties,