their original home of the Chalukyas was Ayodhya. Also, the later Chalukyan
inscriptions lay claim to Ayodhya as their ancestral home. But all this seems
to have been done to claim legitimacy and respectability.
West Indian Origin According to another opinion the Chalukyas were
related to Gurjaras. But there is no direct evidence for this opinion also.
Indigenous Origin The Chalukyas, according. to third opinion, were a
local Kanarese people, who improvised into the ruling varna under
Brahmanical influence. The third opinion seems to be more probable, though
there is no sufficient evidence for this also.
Political History
Pulakesin I (543–66) Founder of the Chalukya Dynasty, he established a
small kingdom with Badami (Vatapi) as its capital.
Kirtivarman I (566–97) The son and successor of Pulakesin I, he
expanded the kingdom by wars against the Kadambas of Banavasi and the
Nalas of Bastar.
Mangalesa (597–609) On the death of Kirtivarman, his brother became the
regent, since his son, Pulakesin II was a minor. Mangalesa plundered the
territories of Gujarat, Khandesh and Malwa.
Pulakesin II (609–42) Considered the greatest of the Chalukya rulers of
Badami not only because of the problems he had to face while coming to the
throne, but also because of his subsequent military as well as diplomatic
achievements.
He had to wage a civil war against his uncle, Mangalesa, who refused to hand
over the power.
Though Pulakesin succeeded in defeating and killing his uncle, this civil war
shook the young kingdom and rebellions began to appear on all sides. But he
was quite successful in the suppression of these rebellions. He defeated the
rebel feudatory, Appayika, and pardoned his confederate, Govinda, when the
latter offered his submission.
Establishment of his suzerainty over the neighbours such as Kadambas of
Banavasi, the Alupas of south Kanara, the Gangas of Mysore, and the
Mauryas of north Konkan. Apart       from the above rulers, the Latas, Malwas