A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar c11.85

c11.85

In between the territory of the Kadambas in the west and the Pallavas in the east lay the kingdom of the Gangas in the southern part of the modern Mysore territory which came to be known as Gangavādi by its long association with Ganga rule. Early Ganga history has been much obscured by legend and by an unusually large number of spurious copper-plate grants. According to the authentic contemporary inscriptions, the first ruler, Konganivarma, belonged to the Jāhnaveya kula, the family of the Gangas, and the Kāṇvāyana gōtra. He distinguished himself in many battles and carved out a prosperous kingdom for himself. His title ‘Dharma Mahādhirāja’ implies independent status in the beginning, but the Gangas soon lost their position and throughout their long history were compelled to acknowledge the suzerainty of one or other of the greater dynasties of South India. Koṅgaṇivarman may be placed about 400. The name of his capital is not given in the inscriptions, though later tradition first locates it at Kuvalāla, modern Kolar, and afterwards at Talakād, nearer the hostile frontier of the Kadambas against whom, in company with the Pallavas, he waged war at this date.