History of Early Ganga Monarchy and Jainism

Author(s): Nagarajaiah Hampa
Publisher: Ankita Pustak

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the Gangas held sway from the end of fourth to the beginning of 11th century C.E. But at the peak of their power, they lost their independence and were subdued by the more powerful Rāṣṭrakūtas, and from that point onward served as vassals. After tenth century, they were swallowed by the mighty Calukyas of Kalyāṇa and gradually were pushed in a state of political limbo.
Introduction / 3
But the Gangas had their saving grace, even when they were only mahāmāṇḍalikas. Because, the Raṣṭrakūtas cleared the uneasiness by showering on them, the warmth of royal treatment, sharing their moments of joy and distress. Thus, the Gangas maintained their identity, even when they were under the aegis of their soverigns. The Rāṣṭrakūṭa dynasty, which was generally aided by the Gangas, drew closer and closer to them by marriage allainces and by religious affiliation. As a result of this union and of their common creed, in addition to the political reasons, both preferred peace to war, friendship to hostility. The Gangas, reluctantly had to surrender their independence to the Raṣṭrakūta suzerainty.
1.5.1 The Gangas played a dominant role in the socio-cultural milieu of Karnataka and left an indelible mark on the life and thought of the people in Karnataka's southeastern tract. The unmatched patronage extended to Jainism by the Gangas, is apparent from their lithic and copperplate records, found in the epicentres like Sravanabelagola, Koppala, Kogali, Hombuja, Puligere and at several places in Kolar, Bangalore, Asandi and Mandya districts.
1.6
It is up to the historians to carefully relieve the legendary accounts looming large around the Ganga dynasty and their origin. Inscriptions of Shimoga number 4, 39, 57 and 64 betary an attempt to trace Ganga's genesis and emergence of their early ancestors from time immemorial, concocting imaginary tales. In the narration of