History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c16.3

v1.c16.3

These Chālukyas of Vengi have left many grants and inscriptions and what is peculiar they usually mention the whole line with the regnal years of each king. Hence a tolerably accurate genealogy of this line can be given, like the one given at page 32 of the first volume of " South Indian inscriptions " by Hultzsch. The initial date of Vishnuvardhana is subject to discussion and is given by Hultzsch as 605 and by Dr. Fleet as 615 A. D. Probably it must be some years before 615 A. D. Five grants of these Eastern Chālukyas are given in the first volume of Smiths' Indian copperplates. The earlier of these grants do not give any history or legend before the mention of Chālukya Pulakeśin I. But the fifth which is clearly later and the Ranastipundi grant of Vimalāditya gives at the beginning the new legend which had become then current about the origin of the Chālukyas and which we have already noticed. These two grants ( Chellur, p. 51. S. I. Ins. Vol. I and Ranastipundi grant ditto Vol. V.) give a long list of kings with regnal years and these we will give here in detail as they are given in these two grants. Both these grants also give dates in Śaka year and the years of the coronation of the two last kings and hence we have a final date from which we may count back to the very first Kubja Vishnuvardhana as the regnal years of each and every king are given. But the list extends over a period of about 500 years a very long time indeed and certainty is unattainable. Dynastic lists appear to have been preserved in every state in India in ancient times and the records of Vengi as of Kashmir appear to have been particularly well preserved. But an interregnum of 27 years is mentioned and hence the list becomes again somewhat subject to doubt.