Later Gangas Mandali Thousand

Author(s): Nagarajaiah Hampa
Publisher: Ankita Pustak

Page 59

16/ The Later Gangas : Mandali-Thousand
A branch of the later Gangas, who ruled for some years from Kolar region, opted to go with the Coļas; another branch of the Gangas preferred to rule independently from Śivanasamudra which was superceded by Sri Rangarāja of Talkād.
Jaina monasteries were prevalent in certain pockets in the Mandalinād, at Bannikere, Nellavatti (Nyāmati), Tattekere etc., continued to enjoy the royal support and received irrevocable grants.
Towards the end of tenth century and to be more precise in the early decades of eleventh century, the Gangas liquidated and scattered to several places of protection and prosperity, though a major chunk found its settlement in the Mandali nād. The Cālukyas of Kalyāna, on the whole, were not hostile to the Gangas and accomodated them wherever suitable. During the reign of the Cālukyas, there was an exodus of the Ganga family to the Hoysaļa region, later to become an independent kingdom. The achievements of the Gangas under the hegemony of the Hoysalas reached its apogee in Gangarāja, who even defeated the mighty and invincible army of Tribhuvanamalla Vikramaditya-VI. But, we have some stray incidents of some individual Ganga chiefs holding responsible positions elsewhere also. For example, Gangarasa of the status of mahāmandalesvara of Kukkavādi-300, is mentioned in an inscription from Gunjagnūr of Holalkere taluk (EC. XI (BLR) Holalkere 68. 1126 (Chitradurga dt)]. When Govaladeva of the Kadambas of Goa was ruling, a Ganga Arikesari, with the titles of the Ganga dynasty, is mentioned as a manāmandalesvara of Kadarvalli-30. Similarly an inscription from Hūli (Pūli) records mahamandalesvara Pitta of the Ganga dynasty with some titles, along with the names of his wife and children, as followers of the Nirgrantha creed [El. XVIII. 22-H. Belgaum dt/Saudatti tk]. Re-instated
Bhujabali Ganga Permmādi Barmmadeva-1 was made manāmandalesvara of the Ganga Mandalinād, during the reign of the Kalyāņa Cālukya emperor Trailokyamalla AhavamallaSomeśvara-I (1042-68). Till then, upto the end of the reign of the