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JULY, 1919)
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CHALUKYA VIKRAMADITYA
113
Prof. D. R. Bhandarkar 10 is of opinion that the Chalukyas constitute a foreign element in the Hindu population and that they are a second Rajput tribe of Gujar origin. There is no doubt, he says, that Gujarat (a corrupt form of Gurjaratrå but not of Gurjara-rashtra) of the Bombay Presidency known for a long time as LALA 11 bore the new name only after the Châļukyas had conquered and occupied it. But as he himself admits that there is no epigraphic evidence in support of his assertion, it is too much to infer for certain the race of # peoplo merely from the name of the province they occupied
Mr. M. Raghavayyangar 13 has classed the Châļukyas under the Vedir community which would appear to have once held large sway in the Dekkan. He has based his conclusion on certain Tamil classics 13 and later Chola inscriptions. He would also point in support of his statement to several towns in India beginning with Vel or its corrupted forms, such as Belhuti, Bela, Belgaum, Vēļâpur, eto.
The Châlukyas themselves, as is seen in records, both literary and inscriptional, 1* (a) claim to belong to the lunar race, Manavya gôtra and callthemselves the descendants of Hariti and the ornaments of the race of Satyaśraya. Perhaps historically it is not possible at this distance of time to state more definitely who they were and to what stock they belonged.
Their original abode and early migrations. Nor is it possible to trace step by step, except in broad outline, when and whence they came to the Dekkan. Prof. D. R. Bhandarkar 15 has shown that their original habitat in India was Ahichchatra, the capital of the old Sapâdalaksha country in the Sawalâkh (Siwalik) mountains in the north. Bilhaņa 16 states that they first ruled at Ayôdhyâ and that desirous of further oonquest, they went south. The Miraj 17 and Kauthem 18 grants and the Yåvůr 19 tablet oonfirm the same with some greater detail:-"One less than sixty ruled at Ayodhyâ; after that, sixteen kings born in that lineage ruled the country that includes the region of the south"-evidently not the Dekkan but the Gangetic valley south of Ayodhya Hence all that can be said with some oertainty about their migrations is that they came from the north.
The early Chalukyas. The first historically famous prince of the early Châļukyas was Satyasraya Sri Pulakes i Vallabha Mabârâja, who crossed the Narmada and made Vât&pipura (modern Badâmi in the Kalê lgi district of the Nizâm's dominions) their capital. The fortunes of the family reached their zenith in the days of his grandson Pulakési II (A.D. 609 to A.D. 642). Ho orushed the power of the Pallevas in the south and was undoubtedly the greatest king of the early Chåļukyas. He performed an aswamedha or horse-sacrifice and became the paramount
10 Ind. Ant., XL.
11 The name 'Laţa would appear to signify only the southern portion of Gujarat and it is used oven after the name Gujarat came into use.
13 V alirvaraldru, 8, 9, 14. " தாரகாரியும் சளுக்கியர் வேந்தனும்
வேனிலாளனும் வேளெனலாகும்'- பிங்கலந்தை ‘வேள்புலவரசர் சளுக்கு வேந்தர்' ' கேழல் வேள் புலவரசர்
சொதிவாகரம் * Cerer geisti
Haltech, 811., III, 28, 73. வேள் குவச்சளுக்யெர் " 1. Hemachandra's Doyatroyal's; Jina barobana's Vaskepalackarita; Gadag inseriztion : Ind.. Ans., XXI: 167; Korumolli plate : Ind. Ant., XIV, 50-65. 16 Ind. Anb., XL.
* Vik. charita, 1, 63, 64, 66. 11 Ind. An., VIII, 18. $ Ibid, XVI, 22.
19 Ibid, VIII, 15.
