Pallava dynasty
The Pallava dynasty existed from 275 CE to 897 CE, ruling a significant portion of the Deccan, also known as Tondaimandalam. The Pallavas played a crucial role in shaping in particular southern Indian history and heritage. The dynasty rose to prominence after the downfall of the Satavahana Empire, whom they had formerly served as feudatories.
Pallava dynasty | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 275 CE–897 CE | |||||||||||||||
Pallava territories during Narasimhavarman I c. 645. This includes the Chalukya territories occupied by the Pallavas. | |||||||||||||||
| Status | Dynasty | ||||||||||||||
| Capital | Kanchipuram | ||||||||||||||
| Common languages | |||||||||||||||
| Religion | Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism | ||||||||||||||
| Demonym(s) | Pallavar | ||||||||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||||||||
• 275–300 | Simhavarman I | ||||||||||||||
• 885–897 | Aparajitavarman | ||||||||||||||
| Historical era | Classical India | ||||||||||||||
• Established | 275 CE | ||||||||||||||
• Disestablished | 897 CE | ||||||||||||||
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| Today part of | India Sri Lanka | ||||||||||||||
| Pallava Monarchs (200s–800s CE) | |
|---|---|
| Virakurcha | (??–??) |
| Vishnugopa I | (??–??) |
| Vishnugopa II | (??–??) |
| Simhavarman III | (??–??) |
| Simhavishnu | (??–??) |
| Mahendravarman I | 600–630 |
| Narasimhavarman I | 630–668 |
| Mahendravarman II | 668–670 |
| Paramesvaravarman I | 670–695 |
| Narasimhavarman II | 695–728 |
| Paramesvaravarman II | 728–731 |
| Nandivarman II | 731–795 |
| Dantivarman | 795–846 |
| Nandivarman III | 846–869 |
| Nrpatungavarman | 869–880 |
| Aparajitavarman | 880–897 |
The Pallavas became a major southern Indian power during the reign of Mahendravarman I (600–630 CE) and Narasimhavarman I (630–668 CE), and dominated the southern Telugu region and the northern parts of the Tamil region for about 600 years, until the end of the 9th century. Throughout their reign, they remained in constant conflict with both the Chalukyas of Vatapi to the north, and the Tamil kingdoms of Chola and Pandyas to their south. The Pallavas were finally defeated by the Chola ruler Aditya I in the 9th century CE.
The Pallavas are most noted for their patronage of Hindu Vaishnava temple architecture, the finest example being the Shore Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Mamallapuram. Kancheepuram served as the capital of the Pallava kingdom. The dynasty left behind magnificent sculptures and temples, and are recognized to have established the foundations of medieval southern Indian architecture, which some scholars believe the ancient Hindu treatise Manasara inspired. They developed the Pallava script, from which Grantha ultimately took form. This script eventually gave rise to several other Southeast Asian scripts such Khmer. The Chinese traveller Xuanzang visited Kanchipuram during Pallava rule and extolled their benign rule.