# Pallava–Chalukya Conflict

The Pallava–Chalukya Conflict was an important Conflict in the 7th Century fought between Chalukya dynasty and Pallava dynasty.

## Background

In 642 CE, Narasimhavarman I sent a strong Pallava army led by Paranjothi to take Vatapi, the capital of the Chalukya dynasty. Pulakeshin II confronted the Pallava forces at the outskirts of Vatapi, where he is said to have been killed in the battle. The Pallavas emerged victorious and captured Vatapi, ruling the city for 12 years from 642 to 654 CE.
The Kuram plates of Paramesvaravarman I give an account of this battle and underlines the importance of the Pallavas' victory.
   Narasimhavarman... who wrote the syllables of (the word) vijaya, as on a plate, on Pulikesin's back, which was caused to be visible in the battles of Pariyala, Manmangala, Suramara, etc., and who destroyed Vatapi, just as the pitcher born (Agastya) (destroyed the demon) Vatapi
The Udayachandramangalam plates state
   Narasimhavarman, the equal of Agastya, the crushed of Vatapi, who frequently conquered Vallabharaja at Periyar-Bhumanimangala, Shuramara and other places
According to the Velurpalaiyam plates
   Narasimhavarman I famous like Upendra (Vishnu) who defeating the host of his enemies took from them the pillar of victory standing in the centre of Vatapi

## Prelude

Inscriptions are available showing that the fight between the Pallavas and the Chalukyas went on during Vikramaditya I. Narasimhavarman, the king of the Pallavas, seems to have launched a counterattack against the Badami Chalukyas with the motive of destroying them completely and disempowering their kingdom, presumably in retaliation against earlier defeats suffered at their hands. Both continued to try and settle their account later on. After Vikramaditya had regained the capital of Chalukyas, his first concern would have been reoccupying territories lost to Pallavas, and then proceeding to attack the latter. Such a conflict episode appears to be divided into two distinct phases, with a period of time elapsed between the former and the later ones.

## The Conflict

After gaining control over the territories bequeathed to him by his father, Pulakesin II, Vikramaditya I attacked the Pallavas, a traditional foe. The Honnur Plates, dated 671 CE, report that the Chalukyan king had set up his camp at Malliyuragrama near Kanchi. It indicates that he had acquired mastery over this region probably due to his military campaign against the Pallavas and later the conquest of the region that bordered their capital. The inscriptions found at Gadval (Velnalli), Savnur, Hyderabad, and Kurta-koti give elaborate accounts of the military campaigns and achievements of Vikramaditya I against the Pallavas. These records also narrate earlier events of his reign and, in four verses, celebrate his triumphs over his rivals, the Pallava dynasty.
The first verse speaks of the prowess of Vikramaditya I, called Śrī Vallabha, who subjugated Narasimha, brought down the valor of Mahendra, and subdued Īśvara by his commanding presence. The second verse speaks of his conquest of Kanchipuram, made symbolic as the " lady of the southern quarters," whom he subdued by force, and claimed her "girdle," which here refers to the capture of that city. The third stanza describes Vikramaditya as Ranarasika, that is, "boaster of victory," who on defeating Narasimhavarman Pallava, also Mahamalla, titled himself Rājamalla, which means "grappler of kings." In the last one, he says he defeated Īśvarapotarāja, the king of Pallava, and invested Kanchipuram, his capital, from which the city derives its name- Kanchipuram, in Tamil, because it was so strongly fortified, with a great moat deep and strong walls.
The lines of the verses clearly indicate that Vikramaditya I fought against the three Pallava rulers—Narasimhavarman, his son Mahendravarman ruling around 668–670 CE, and Paramesvaravarman ruling between 670–695 CE. His campaign against the Pallavas extensively captured the territories of their southern allies, as mentioned in the Gadval Plates Inscription. This inscription tells us of his entering the region called Cholika Vishaya and making an encampment at Uragapura, which is said to be present-day Uraiyur in the Tiruchirappalli district of Tamil Nadu. This includes the fact that Vikramaditya I seems to have taken his campaigns into Chola territory and captured the southern kingdoms, among others, Pandyas and the Keralas (Cheras). His victories over the south are supported by the Surat Plates of yuvaraja Shryashraya Siladitya.
Vikramaditya overran the Pallavas and took possession of the Chola, Pandya, and Kerala (Chera) territories that cut them off from Pallava influence and completely surrounded their capital, Kanchipuram. According to archaeological evidence, historical accounts like Gadval Plates issued in 674 CE and Savnür inscription dated 675 CE, the incidents took place between 671 and 675 CE avenging defeat by his father and the ruin of Badami.

## Review & Result

Vikramaditya's conflict with the Pallavas marks an important chapter in the Chalukya-Pallava rivalry. Early in his reign, or even before his coronation, Vikramaditya, along with his brothers, forced Narasimhavarman to vacate previously conquered Chalukyan territories. Later, Vikramaditya fought with Mahendravarman, son and successor of Narasimhavarman. This is recorded in the Gaddemane inscription of Pestani Satyanka, which mentions that Vikramaditya was aided by his nephew, Shryashraya Siladitya, son of Dharasraya Jayasimha. After some time, Vikramaditya I defeated Paramesvaravarman and took the Pallava capital Kanchi. Probably the Pallava ruler had raised adequate forces to retake the lost territory. Still, according to the extant historical sources, it is not clear whether the battle of Peruvalanallur was prior to the conquest of Kanchi or a part of Paramesvaravarman's efforts to retake his capital. Vikramaditya I, regardless of the sequence of events, greatly reduced and powered down the Pallava.
In line with the foregoing viewpoint, it is established through the later Chalukyan inscriptions that Vinayaditya defeated, according to the words of his father, Pallavapati of Trairajya like how, upon the orders of Shiva, Kumāra had won over the army of asura. Such epigraphic sources narrate about not only a glorious warrior named Vikramaditya but also about Kanchipuram-victory one and restoring their erstwhile lost political glory. The inscriptions further credit him with defeating the rulers of the Pandyas, Cholas, Keralas, Kalabharas, and others through his valor, compelling the ruler of Kanchipuram, who had never surrendered to anyone before, to submit to him. Vikramaditya I was aided by his son Vinayaditya and grandson Vijayaditya in his vast conquests. Together they held back the foreign incursions into the homeland state and ensured that the kingdom was peaceful as the Chalukya king occupied himself for many decades by thwarting the ambitions of the Pallavas, their arch rivals. The Jejuri Plates state that Vijayaditya had successfully eliminated all inner threats to the state while Vikramaditya I was otherwise occupied by his southern campaign.
It is also surmised that the supposed invasion of Siguttondar by the Pallavas must have created chaos in the Chalukyan domain. The rationale behind this conclusion lies in the mention of the same records about Chalukyan, wherein King Vinayaditya gained his father's favor for regaining peace to the kingdom. The Chalukyan king was well supported by his younger brother, governor of the Nasik and Gujarat regions of the Chalukyan empire, Dharashraya Jayasimha, along with Jayasimha's son, Yuvaraja Śryashraya Siladitya, who often accompanied the king in various military campaigns. Furthermore, his uncle, Buddhavarasaraja, was also the governor of the Thana region as a subordinate of his nephew, according to the Sanjan Plates.