The Western and the Eastern Chalukyas: 600AD to 1200AD

In this chapter, the author explores the history of the Chalukya Empire, a dominant force in central and southern India from the sixth to the twelfth centuries AD. The chapter delves into the economic and cultural exchanges that defined this era, including the influence of the Tang Dynasty’s economic policies on global trade and the Chalukyas’ role in the Indian Ocean trade network. The consolidation of the Chalukya Empire is examined through the lens of Tamil Sangam literature, highlighting the rise of the Pallavas and the subsequent conflicts with the Rashtrakutas. The governance systems, based on the Brahmin-Kshatriya relationship and the Mandala Principle, are explored, revealing a complex interplay of centralised control and local autonomy. The chapter also addresses the decline of the Chalukya dynasties marked by internal strife and external pressures from rival kingdoms as well as its eventual demise around 1312AD with the invasion of Karnataka by Malik Kafur, a general of the Khiljis. Thus, marking the beginning of Turkish rule in southern India. The narrative concludes with a reflection on the lasting impact of the Chalukyas on the Deccan region’s cultural, economic, and architectural landscape.