History-Part-14-in-English
History-Part-14-in-English
14] Satavahanas
NOTES
They were the first native Indian rulers to issue their own coins with the
portraits of the rulers. This practice was started by Gautamiputra Satakarni who
derived the practice from the Western Satraps after defeating them.
The coin legends were in Prakrit language. Some reverse coin legends are in
They supported both Buddhism and Brahminism although they were Hindus
They successfully defended their territories against foreign invaders and had
Satakarni I was the first Satavahana king to expand his empire by military
conquests.
Dakshinapatha’.
His queen was Nayanika who wrote the Naneghat inscription which describes
His kingdom ran from Krishna in the south to Malwa and Saurashtra in the
north and from Berar in the east to the Konkan in the west.
His mother was Gautami Balasri and hence his name Gautamiputra (son of
Gautami).
Decline of satavahanas
He ruled until 225 AD. After his death, the empire fragmented into five smaller
kingdoms.
The Pallavas
After the decline of the Sangam Age in the Tamil country, the Kalabhra
was captured and annexed by the Imperial Cholas in the beginning of the
The origins of the Pallavas are shrouded in mystery. There are several
Some historians say they are a branch of the Pahlavas of the Parthians
Some say they are an indigenous dynasty that arose within the Southern
Some experts believe them to be of Naga origin who first settled around
Another theory says that they are descendent from a Chola prince and a
Some others are of the opinion that the Pallavas were feudatories of the
Satavahanas.
The first Pallava kings ruled during the beginning of the 4th century AD.
By the 7th century AD, there were three kingdoms in southern India vying
Extent
Their territories at the height of their powers extended from northern part
During the seventh century, the Cholas were reduced to a marginal state
The Kalabhra uprising was crushed by the Pandyas, Chalukyas and the
Pallavas jointly. The Kalabhras were protesting against the numerous land
three dynasties.
Was a Buddhist.
tondaimandalam
efficient ruler.
Mahendramangalam.
Defeated and killed Pulakesin II in 642 AD. He took control of Vatapi, the
He sent a naval expedition to Sri Lanka two times and reinstated the
after him.
Hiuen Tsang visited the Pallava kingdom during his reign in about 640
670 AD.
Mahendravarman II (668-700)
He ruled for a very short period, since he was killed by Chalukya king,
Paramesvaravarman 1 (670-700)
Narasimhavarman II (700-728)
His rule is marked by peace and prosperity, literary activity, and the
Dandi was present in his court and dandi alangaram was written by him in
sanskrit.
The Pallava kingdom again had to face defeat and humiliation during his
reign.
When the Pallava ruler tried to retaliate, he was killed by the Ganga ally
of the Chalukyas.
Nandi soon strengthened himself and defeated the Chalukya ally, the
Gangas. But he had to meet defeat at the hands of the Pandyas. And after
During his reign, several old temples were renovated and new ones like
The last nail in the coffin was driven by Aditya Chola by defeating
However, the Pallava chiefs continued to exist till the end of the 13th
century AD as feudatories.
Urs
able ministers.
During the Pallava period, there were civil and criminal courts
Detailed information on the tax system could also be traced from the
Pallava inscriptions.
The Pallava inscriptions throw much light on the village assemblies called
They maintained records of all village lands, looked after local affairs and
managed temples.
The Tamil society witnessed a great change during the Pallava period.
The Brahmins occupied a high place in the society. They were given land-
grants by the kings and nobles. They were also given the responsibility of
The Pallava period also witnessed the rise of Saivism and Vaishnavism
temples by the Pallava kings paved the way for the spread of these two
religions.
The Pallavas were great patrons of learning and their capital Kanchi was
Kanchi.
Bharavi, the great Sanskrit scholar lived in the time of Simhavishnu and
wrote Kiratarjuniya.
Tamil literature had also developed and the Nayanmars and Alwars
period.
Religion
The Pallavas were orthodox Brahmanical Hindus and their patronage was
Most of the Pallava kings were devotees of Siva, the exceptions being
Pallavas were tolerant towards other religions like Buddhism and Jainism.
However, some of the sects like Buddhism were losing their former glory
to Saivism.
the sixth and seventh centuries AD were the progenitors of the bhakti
movement.
The hymns and sermons of the Nayanars (Saivite saints) and Alvars
remarkable thing about this age was the presence of women saints such as
The Pallavas introduced the art of excavating temples from the rock. In
fact, the Dravidian style of temple architecture began with the Pallava
rule.
four stages.
Tirukalukkunram.
beautiful sculptures on its walls. The most popular of these mandapas are
Madapam.
temples were built by using the soft sand rocks. The Kailasanatha temple
art.
The last stage of the Pallava art is also represented by structural temples
architecture.
Apart from the sculptures found in the temples, the ‘Open Art Gallery’ at
painting in stone.
The minute details as well as the theme of these sculptures such as the
the ‘ascetic cat’ standing erect show highly evovled sculpture era.
Fine Arts
Music, dance and painting had also developed under the patronage of the
Pallavas.
notes.
Asia.
Satavahanas - Questions
1) Who is the founder of the satavahanas clan?
(B) Simuka
2) How was the Andhra rulers who ruled the delta region of the Godavari and
(A) Cholas
(B) Simuka
(C) Pallavas
(D) Satavahanas
4) During whose rule the karshapana and suvarvana coins were in circulation ?
(A) Cholas
(B) Simuka
(C) Pallavas
(D) Satavahanas
(A) Cholas
(B) Simuka
(C) Pallavas
(D) Satavahanas
(B) AD 80 to AD 104
(C) AD 40 to AD 104
(D) AD 80 to AD 180
(C) To rule
(A) Pratishtana
(B) Nasik
(C) Amravati
2) Which of the following statements is not the correct statement about the origin
of the Pallava?
(A) Thanjavur
(B) Kanchipuram
(C) Mamallapuram
(D) Vengi
tondaimandalam ?
(A) Mahendravarman I
(B) Simhavishnu
(C) Narasimhamvarman I
(D) Narasimhavarman II
A) Mahendravarman I
(B) Simhavishnu
(C) Narasimhamvarman I
(D) Narasimhavarman II
(A) Appar
(B) Sundarar
(C) Manikavasagar
(D) Simhavishnu
(A) Mahendravarman I
(B) Simhavishnu
(C) Narasimhamvarman I
(D) Narasimhavarman II
5) The Chinese traveler Hieun Tsang came to Kanchi during the reign of
Mahendravarman.
(A) 1, 2, 3
(B) 2, 3, 4
(C) 2, 3, 7
(D) 1, 4, 5, 6
(A) Narasimhavarman I
(B) Narasimhavarman II
(D) Parameswarvarman II
(A) Tamil
(B) Telugu
(C) Sanskrit
(D) Hindi
(A) Narasimhavarman I
(B) Narasimhavarman II
(D) Parameswarvarman II
(D) Temples
(A) Narasimhavarman I
(B) Narasimhavarman II
(D) Parameswarvarman II
15) In battle of Tellaru the pandian king srivallan lost and which of these king is
(A) Nandivarman II
(B) Narsimhavarman I
(D) Narasimhavarman II
(B) Periyalvar
(D) Andal
(A) Vishnu
(B) Brahma
(C) Shiva
(D) Indhra
18) Which Chola king defeated the last Pallava King Aparajitavarman?
(A) Aditya I
(B) Rajarajan
(C) Parantaka II
(D) Parantaka I
order?
(A) Mahendravarman I
(B) Narasimhavarman II
(D) Parameswarvarman II
(A) Chalukyas
(B) Sungas
(C) Cheras
(D) Khilji
1) Kiratarjuniya - Perundevanar
(A) 4 3 2 1
(B) 2 3 4 1
(C) 3 2 1 4
(D) 1 2 3 4
(A) Two
(B) Three
(C) Four
(D) Five
1) The Rock cut temples were built during the Mahendravarman I period.
(A) 1, 3
(B) 2, 3
(C) 4
(D) 5
26) Who is the Pallava King has been praised as 'Sithirakarapuli and
sankiranavathi’ ?
(A) Mahendravarman I
(B) Narasimhavarman I
(C) Narasimhavarman II
(D) Parameswarvarman II
Thirakkalakkugandam, Mahendravati
28) The paintings on the Kanchi Kailasanathar temple belongs to whose period?
(A) Satavahanas
(B) Pallavas
(C) Cholas
(D) Pandya
(A) Narasimhavarman I
(B) Mahendravarman I
(C) ParameswaravarmanII
(D) Rajasimha
(A) Ellora
(B) Kanchipuram
(C) Kumbakonam
(D) Mamallapuram
31) The songs written by the Alvaras and Nayanmars belongs to whose period ?
(A) Chalukyas
(B) Cholas
(C) Pallavas
(D) Pandya
(A) Ellora
(B) Kanchipuram
(C) Kumbakonam
(D) Mamallapuram
(B) Rajasimha
34) During whose reign was the Chinese traveler Hieun Tsang visited Kanchi?
(A) paramesvaravarman I
(B) Nandivarman I
(C) Narasimhavarman I
(D) Mahendravarman I
(A) Chalukyas
(B) Cholas
(C) Pallavas
(D) Pandya