Mysore and Coorg from the Inscriptions c8.s12: 12. Kalachuryas
Mysore and Coorg from the Inscriptions c8.s12
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12. Kalachuryas
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The Kalachuryas or Kalabhuryas were one of the lines of kings subdued by the Chalukyas on their first arrival in the south. They were apparently connected with the Haihayas in descent. The founder of the line was named Krishna, said to have been born of a Brāhmani girl by Śiva. In the guise of a barber, he slew in Kālanjara an evil spirit of a king who was a cannibal, and took possession of the Nine-lakh country of Ḍahala (Chēdi or Bandelkhand). A Chēdi or Kalachuri era, dating from A.D. 248,¹ is used in their inscriptions in the north, and is evidence of the antiquity of the family. Their inscriptions in Mysore, some seventy in number, are principally confined to Belgāmi in Shikarpur tāluq, Harihar in Dāvangere tāluq, and some places in Sorab tāluq. Among their titles are: Lord of the city of Kālanjara (in Bandelkhand), having the flag of a golden bull, Śanivāra-siddhi, Giridurgamalla.²
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¹ As determined by Dr. Kielhorn (EI. ix. 129).
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² The last two were adopted by Vīra Ballāla of the Hoysala line.
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The genealogy of the family is given as follows in Dg 42. After many kings had ruled in succession to Krishna, the founder, there arose the celebrated Kannama-Dēva. He had two sons, Bijjala and Rāja, of whom the former came to the throne. On the other hand, Rāja had four sons—Ammugi, Śankhavarmma, Kannara, and Jōgama. The first and last of these occupied the throne in succession. Then followed Jōgama's son Permmāḍi, whose son was Bijjala-Dēva. He made the whole earth his own, even as Agastya swallowed up the ocean. Another account (Sk 236) says the Kalachurya line gave light to the world through Sōma; through Pemma it became spotless; through Gorvappa it was distinguished for enjoyment; through Vajra it acquired might of arm; king Yōga gave it stability; and through king Bijjala it gained power.
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Bijjala was a Jain by religion. Though he had usurped the throne, he did not assume the royal titles till six years afterwards, in 1162. A minister named Rēcha claims (Sk 197) to have obtained the empire for him and his successors. He then marched to the south, whither the Chālukya prince had retired, and proclaimed himself supreme. During his reign Basava, the son of an Ārādhya, came to settle in Kalyāna, where he became the son-in-law of the chief minister. He had a very beautiful sister named Padmāvatī, whom Bijjala, having seen, became enamoured of and married. Basava was thus in course of time appointed chief minister and general. The Rāja gave himself up to the charms of his beautiful bride and left all power in the hands of Basava, who employed the opportunity thus afforded him to strengthen his own influence, displacing the old officers of State and putting in adherents of his own, while at the same time he sedulously cultivated the favour of the king. By these means, and the promulgation of the new Lingāyit faith, he increased rapidly in power. At length Bijjala's fears were aroused, and he made an attempt to seize Basava; but the latter escaped, and afterwards dispersed the party sent in pursuit. His adherents flocked to him, and Bijjala, advancing in person to quell the insurrection, was defeated and compelled to reinstate the minister in all his dignities. Basava not only resumed his former power and authority, but formed a plot against the life of the king, probably in the hope of becoming supreme in the State as regent during the minority of his nephew, the son of Bijjala and Padmāvatī. Accounts differ as to the mode in which the king was killed. According to the Jain version, he was poisoned on the banks of the Bhīma when returning from a successful expedition against the Silāhāra chief of Kolhāpur; while the Lingāyits state that he was assassinated by three of Basava’s followers.
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Rāyamurāri Sōvi, the son of Bijjala, resolved to avenge his father’s death, and Basava fled to Ulive or Vṛishabhapura on the Malabar coast. Thither the king pursued him and laid siege to the place. It was reduced to extremities, and Basava in despair threw himself into a well and was drowned. But according to the Lingāyits he disappeared into the linga at Sangamēśvara, at the junction of the Malprabhā and Krishnā.
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The remaining three kings of this line were brothers of Sōvi, and during this period the last Chālukya regained a certain portion of his kingdom. But the territories of both towards the south were absorbed into the dominions of the Hoysalas, who had by this time risen to power in Mysore.
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The following is a table of this short-lived but eventful Kalachurya¹ dynasty :—
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¹ The name also appears in the form Kalatsurya (Sb 131, 267).
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| 1. Bijjala, Bijjana, Nissankamalla, Tribhuvanamalla, 1156-1167 |
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| 2. Rāyamurāri Sōvi, Sōmēśvara, Bhuvanaikamalla, 1167-1176 | 3. Sankama, Nissankamalla, 1176-1181 | 4. Āhavamalla, Apratimalla, 1181-1183 | 5. Singhana, 1183 |
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The first appearance of Bijjala in our inscriptions is in 1156 (Sk 104, 108). In these, which acknowledge the Chālukya supremacy, Bijjala is styled a mahā-maṇḍalēśvara, but in the first he is significantly said to be ruling all the countries. From 1158, described as his 2nd year (Sb 255), he is entitled *bhujabala-chakravartti*¹ or mighty emperor, and invested with a number of epithets (Sk 18). In the next year, 1159, the dominion appears as his (own) victorious kingdom (Sk 123). On the other hand, Sb 328 of the same year begins with a genealogy of the Chālukyas down to Nūrmmaḍi Taila, and merely adds "at that time" was Bijjala king (*kshōṇipāla*). Sk 102 of 1162 relates how he came to subdue the southern region and encamped at Balligāve. The next year he is said (Sk 242) to have extended his territory to the shore of the ocean, while Sk 123 says he subdued from the ocean in the south to the Chālukya capital in the north. In 1164 and 1165 raids by the Hoysalas are mentioned (Dg 42, Sb 372). In 1168 Bijjala has all the Chālukya supreme titles (Sk 92). Sk 197 says that the king of Simhala carried his tray, the Nepāla king was his perfumer, Kērala was his betel-bearer, Gurjjara was his artificer, Turushka was his groom, Lāla was his valet, Pāṇḍya was his crutch, and Kalinga the attendant on his elephant.²
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¹ This title was also taken by the Hoysalas.
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² Certain inscriptions (Hl 50, Sk 197, 119) introduce Bijjala's younger brother Mailugi-Dēva and his son Kali-Dēva or Kandara, and a Mailugi-Dēva, younger brother (probably cousin) of Rāyamurāri Sōvi-Dēva, as if they had sat on the throne. They may perhaps have been associated in the government.
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He was succeeded by his son Sōmēśvara or Rāyamurāri Sōvi-Dēva, who is said (Sb 389) to have exacted tribute from Lāla, Chōla, and Gurjjara. Kadamba kings had for some time at this period been governors of the Banavase province, and of interest is the statement in Sb 345 of 1171 that Sōvi-Dēva, the Kadamba governor in that year, had put the Changālva king³ into chains, as he had vowed. Sb 139 of 1173 shows how the despatch of a military force was needed to collect the fixed land rent.
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³ For the Changālva kings, see section under that head below.
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Sankama-Dēva, a younger brother, next came to the throne. Of him it is said (Sk 96) that twice five heralds were continually heard proclaiming in his court how Gaula had sent (as tribute) elephants; Turushka, horses; the Simhala king, pearls; Chōla, white cloths; Magadha, musk; the Malaya king, sandal; and the Lāla king, young girls. In this year, 1179, Sankama paid a visit to Balligrāme, accompanied by the chief officers of his court, and being greatly impressed with the munificence and charities of the Kēdārēśvara temple, and with the erudition of its high priest, the rāja-guru Vāmaśakti, made a grant for it.
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Āhavamalla, another brother, succeeded, but may have been associated in the government with Sankama for some time before. Sk 119 says he was a lion to the elephant Gaula, a net for the shoal of fish the Chōlika army, a south wind to the rain-cloud the Āndhra king, and a continual thunderbolt to the royal swan the Mālava king. The latest date we have for him, 1183, is described as his 4th year or his 8th year (Sk 245, 159). With him the Kalachuryas came to an end, though there is no record of how this happened. But a chief named Brahma or Bomma is credited (*IA*. ii. 299) with destroying the Kalachuryas and restoring the Chālukyas. He was eventually defeated by the Hoysala king Ballāla.