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No. 26.] THREE INSCRIPTIONS OF VAIDUMBA-MAHARAJA GANDATRINETRA 185
were the Mahārāja and Baparasa on the one side, and Nolarbi, Dadiga, Rachamalla, Mayindadi and Gundigegulla (1) on the other. A Bangavādi records of Mahabali Bāņarasa adds that Permånadigal had joined the party of the Mahārāja in a fight with the same enemies at Mändåvuda. According to the Chadalla inscription. Mahabali-Banarasa roBE against Nolamba, Rächamalla and Mayindadi on the battle field of Söremaţi on behalf of Permånadi. Mayindadi's name is substituted by Mayindiramikkirama (Mahēndravikrama) in another inscription of Bangavādi dated in the 24th year of Vijaya Narasimhavikramavarman. The Soremati battle which took place during the reign of Gandatriņētra must have therefore been of great consequence for the history of the south-eastern Dekkan in this early period. An attempt will be made in the sequel to enquire into the causes that led to the meeting of these powers at Söremați and to ascertain the probable date when this important event occurred as also the result of this campaign.
Two of the Vaidumba kings, viz., Manujatriņētra and Gandatriņētra, are stated to be ruling over Rēnāndu-seven-thousand country which, as we know, had been subject to the administration of the Cholas under Vikramaditya Satyadityunju. The Rēnāndu country comprised a major part of Cuddapah and Kurnool Districts along the valley of the Kundēru river. The Mālepādu stone inscription of the Chola king Satyāditya states that Siddhi-one-thousand (Siddhaut country) also formed part of the dominions of the Cholas. Since the inscriptions of these early Cholas are found in the Proddatur taluk of the Cuddapah District, Madanapalle and Punganūr taluks of the Chittoor District, besides Göribidanūr of the Kolar District, Mysore State, it may be sur mised that their territory extended almost over the whole of the Cuddapah and Kurnool Districts, part of Chittoor and the north-western portion of the Kolar Districts. This could not have been held by them intact from the beginning of their political career. For Pulinádu (in Punganūr) was mainly a Bana district and had been occupied by the Cholas in the course of their aggressive cam. paign.' Similarly Göribidanür which was included originally in the Ganga or Nolamba territory had been wrested from them by the Cholas in a similar campaign. The Rashtrakūtas who were engaged in battles with the Gangas, the Eastern Chalukyas and the Pallavas in the 8th and the beginning of the 9th centuries A.D. could not devote their attention to the expansion of their dominion in the south-east of Dekkan, nor could they have done so without subduing the Gangas and the Nolambas who ruled in the intervening province.
The Bāņa (or Brihad-Bâņas;* who were originally settled in the Srisaila country in the 4th century A.D. lingered on and continued to rule in the Gooty province in the 7th-8th centuries A.D. as subordinates of the Chalukyas of Bādāmi. After the decline of the Chāļukyas, one branch appears to have slowly moved down to the south and taken service under the Pallava kings, protecting the north-western frontier of the latter's country. Their inscriptions are found in the
1 Ep. Carn., Vol. X, Mb. 228. * No. 453 of 1906 of the Madras Epigraphical Collection.
3 Ep. Carn., Vol. X, Mb. 227. . Above, Vol. XI, p. 337. No. 342 of 1922 and Ep. Carn., Vol. X, Bågepalle 69. In the latter, the Kirudore is thentioned as the limit of Rēnāndu. This might be the Kundēru river mentioned below.
Ibid., p. 345, Postacript. • E.... Nos. 466 and 617 of 1906, 307 and 329 of 1922-23, 299 of 1905, 174 of 1931-32, of the Madras Epigraphical Collection; Ep. Carn., Vol. X, Goribidanûr 69, 72-75, etc.
+ Nos. 174 and 183 (probably & Chola record) of 1931-32. The Cholas could not have occupied this district without an encounter with the Bānas.
• Talgunda Pillar inscription of Kakusthavarman (above, Vol. VIII, pp. 24 f.). Perbbanavanla is mentioned in an inscription of Srlvallabha-Maharajadhirkja, from Arakatavemula in the Cuddapah District (No. 474 of 1906). This Suivalabha is most probably Chalukya Vikramaditya I who according to the Gadval grant acquired the title of Srivallabhun after defenting the Pallavan.
Nos. 333 and 343 of 1920 of the Madras Epigraphical Collection.
