Eastern Chalukya dynasty

A gold coin dating back to the Eastern Chalukyas was discovered in Rajamahendravaram.

The city of Rajamahendravaram, in Andhra Pradesh, which the Eastern Chalukya ruler Raja Raja Narendra built on the banks of the Godavari river, still bears his name.
Seven gold coins that date back to the Eastern Chalukya dynasty, including the regime of Raja Raja Narendra, are a proud possession of the city.
The big coin contains the image of “Varaha” (boar), an official symbol of the Eastern Chalukyas.

The Eastern Chalukyas, also known as the Chalukyas of Vengi, were a dynasty that governed areas of South India from the 7th to the 12th century.
The Chalukyas of Vengi separated out from the Badami Chalukyas.
After destroying the remnants of the Vishnukundina dynasty, Badami ruler Pulakeshin II (609–642 AD) controlled the Vengi territory in eastern Deccan.
In 624 A.D., he placed his brother Kubja Vishnuvardhana as governor of the newly gained region.
After Pulakeshin died facing the Pallavas in the Battle of Vatapi, his brother Kubja Vishnuvardhana developed an independent state.
So, the founder of the Eastern Chalukya kingdom was Kubja Vishnuvardhana.
After that, they established a sovereign kingdom and dominated the Vengi region of modern-day Andhra Pradesh.

The Eastern Chalukya court was largely a Badami republic in its early years, but as decades passed, local elements gained prominence, and the Vengi kingdom developed its characteristics.
External influences remained, as the Eastern Chalukyas had long and close relationships with the Pallavas, Rashtrakutas, Cholas, and Chalukyas of Kalyani, either friendly or hostile.
The administration of the Eastern Chalukyas was based on Hindu philosophy.
The inscriptions refer to the traditional seven components of the state (Saptanga) and the eighteen Tirthas (Offices). It includes
- Mantri (Minister),
- Purohit (Chaplain),
- Senapati (Commander),
- Yuvaraja (Heir-apparent),
- Dauvarika (door keeper),
- Pradhana (Chief),
- Adhyaksha (Head of Department)

According to sources, the administrative subdivisions Vishaya and Kottam existed.
Famous Rulers:
- Kubja Vishnuvardhana I (624 – 641 AD)
- Jayasimha I (641 – 673 AD)
- Indra Bhattaraka (673 AD, seven days)
- Vishnuvardhana II (673 – 682 AD)
- Mangi Yuvaraja (682 – 706 AD)
- Jayasimha II (706 – 718 AD)
- Kokkili (718–719 AD, six months)
- Vishnuvardhana III (719 – 755 AD)
- Vijayaditya I Bhattaraka (755 – 772 AD)
- Vishnuvardhana IV Vishnuraja (772 – 808 AD)
- Vijayaditya II (808 – 847 AD)
- Kali Vishnuvardhana V (847– 849 AD)
- Gunaga Vijayaditya III (849 – 892 AD) with his two brothers : Yuvaraja Vikramaditya I and Yuddhamalla I
- Bhima I Dronarjuna (892 – 921 AD)
- Vijayaditya IV of Kollabiganda (921 AD, six months)
- Amma I Vishnuvardhana VI (921 – 927 AD)
- Vijayaditya V Beta (927 AD, fifteen days)
- Tadapa (927 AD, one month)
- Vikramaditya II (927 – 928 AD, eleven months)
- Bhima II (928 – 929 AD, eight months)
- Yuddhamalla II (929 – 935 AD)
- Bhima III Vishnuvardhana VII (935 – 947 AD)
- Amma II Vijayaditya VI (947 – 970 AD)
- Danarnava (970 – 973 AD)
- Jata Choda Bhima (973 – 999 AD) (usurp.)
- Shaktivarman I Chalukyacandra (999 – 1011 AD)
- Vimaladitya (1011–1018 AD)
- Rajaraja Narendra I Vishnuvardhana VIII (1018–1061 AD)
- Shaktivarman II (1061-1063 AD)
- Vijayaditya VII (1063–1068 AD, 1072–1075 AD)
- Rajaraja II (1075–1079)
- Virachola Vishnuvardhana IX (1079–1102)

In the Western Chalukya empire, whereas Shaivism was more popular than Vaishnavism in the Eastern Chalukya empire,
Some rulers proclaimed themselves to be Parama Maheswaras (Emperors).
The Vijayaditya II, Yuddhamalla I, Vijayaditya III, and Bhima I were all involved in constructing temples in the Eastern Chalukya kingdom.
The annual Jatra of the Mahasena temple involves a procession of the deity’s idol.
Buddhism was in decline, whereas Jainism maintained considerable public support.
This is evidenced by the numerous portraits of Jainism seen in wrecked villages across Andhra Pradesh.
The inscriptions also detail the construction of Jain temples and land grants in exchange for the monarchs’ and people’s support.
Vimaladitya even declared himself a devotee of Mahavira’s doctrine.

The Eastern Chalukya rulers built a huge number of temples as a result of the widespread Shiva devotional cult throughout the kingdom.
The construction of 108 temples is attributed to Vijayaditya II.
- Yuddhamalla I built a Kartikeya temple in Vijayawada.
- The magnificent Draksharama and Chalukya Bhimavaram (Samalkot) temples were built by Bhima I.

Following the Pallava and Chalukya traditions, the Eastern Chalukyas created their own distinct architectural style, which can be seen in the Pancharama shrines (particularly the Draksharama temple) and Biccavolu temples.
The Golingeshvara temple at Biccavolu has rich sculptures of deities like Shiva, Vishnu, Agni, and Surya.
Also, the famous Jain centres of the time were Vijayawada, Jenupadu, Penugonda (West Godavari), and Munugodu.

Content Source: The Hindu