The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v1.c11.s8.22

v1.c11.s8.22

The feudatory position of Bijjaḷa indicated by the designation *mahāmaṇḍaleśvara* is mentioned in records as late as A.D. 1156-7,⁵ but this fact does not preclude his being described also as the ruler of ‘all the provinces’—*sakala deśagaḷam āḷuttamire*.⁶ There is in addition another inscription in which only the contemporaneity of the two rulers is noted with no indication of their political relationship.⁷ But the trend of Bijjaḷa’s activities is clearly seen from two facts. The inscription from Baḷagamve just cited, which describes him as ruling all the provinces, also records that his *daṇḍanāyaka* Mahādevarasa had charge of the Banavase province together with some others who are described as the mind of Bijjala incarnate—*antaḥkaraṇa-rūpa*. Is it too far-fetched to see here some indication of widespread secret designs entertained by Bijjala against his suzerain—designs which involved the co-operation of many assistants in different parts of the Cāḷukya empire, as it still was? And again, shortly after the date of the Balagamve inscription, Bijjala introduced a reckoning of his own of which the first year was the Dhātu Samvatsara, Śaka Samvat 1079 current—A.D. 1156-7—and assumed the *biruda* of Tribhuvanamalla and the designations of *Bhujabala-Chakravartin* and *Kalachurya-Chakravartin*; the *mahāmaṇḍaleśvara* title is sometimes retained, but the other designations are set forth in a formal preamble of the style customarily employed only in the case of paramount sovereigns.¹ It is clear therefore that Bijjala threw off the yoke of subordination to Taila III in 1156 and set himself up on equal terms with the latter in at least a part of his dominions. An inscription at Hāvēri, although dated as early as the eighth year of Taila III (Dec. 1157), gives Bijjala the full imperial titles, describing him as Mahārājādhirāja Bhujabala Chakravartin Kalachurya Bijjaladeva.² About the same time an inscription at Annigere is dated in the second year of Bijjala without any mention of Taila III.³ The completion of the process of usurpation is seen from inscriptions which give to Bijjala all the imperial titles employed by any of the Cāḷukya emperors and proclaim him as ruling from Kalyāṇī; these titles include *Samastabhuvanāśraya*, *Śrīpṛthvīvallabha*, *Mahārājādhirāja*, *Parameśvara*, and *Parama-bhaṭṭāraka*. Among the earliest of such records must be counted one⁴ dated in his seventh year (Chitrabhānu) on a day corresponding to 16 May 1162.