Ganga Dynasty

The Ganga Dynasty had a significant impact on the states of Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh. The Ganga Dynasty is separated into two parts: the Eastern Ganga Dynasty and the Western Ganga Dynasty. The Western Gangas ruled in Mysore state (Gangavadi) from about 250 to about 1004 CE. The Eastern Gangas ruled Kalinga from 1028 to 1434–35. The imperial Ganga kings ruled from Kalinga Nagara had vanquished the Kesaris and other ruling clans and seized control of a vast region stretching from the Ganga River in the north to the Godavari River in the south.

Introduction

• The Ganga Dynasty‘s rulers were not only conquerors and capable administrators, but they were also great supporters of religion, religious institutions, art, and architecture, as evidenced by the construction of several exquisite temples.
• The skill of temple construction had achieved its pinnacle under their reign.
• The Ganga monarchs were devoted Shaivites at the beginning, as evidenced by a great number of copper plates and inscriptions.
• However, during the period of Anantha Varma Chodagangadeva, the Ganga kings’ creed has shifted from Shaivism to Vaishnavism.
• They gave vast tracts of land to Vedic academics and temples. Most gifts were given to Vishnu temples and Vaishnavite Brahmins.
• There are two divisions to the Ganga Dynasty: the Eastern Ganga Dynasty and the Western Ganga Dynasty.

Western Ganga Dynasty

• The Western Ganga Dynasty (350–1000 C.E.) was an important governing dynasty in ancient Karnataka, India, known as the Western Gangas to distinguish them from the Eastern Gangas, who reigned over current Orissa in following centuries.
• The Western Gangas established their reign during a time when various local clans asserted their independence due to the decline of the Pallava kingdom in South India, a geopolitical event frequently linked to Samudra Gupta‘s southern invasions.
• Despite being a minor kingdom in terms of territory, the Western Ganga has made significant contributions to the government, culture, and literature of contemporary south Karnataka.
• The Western Ganga monarchs were friendly to all faiths, but are most known for their sponsorship of Jainism, which resulted in the erection of monuments in sites like Shravanabelagola and Kambadahalli.
• Because the rulers of this dynasty supported the beautiful arts, Kannada and Sanskrit literature thrived.

Foundation

• The Ganga dynasty was founded by Konkanivarman. He was known as Dharmamahadhiraja.
• The Gangas accepted Chalukya overlordship with the establishment of the imperial Chalukyas of Badami and fought for the cause of their overlords against the Pallavas of Kanchi. In 753 C.E,the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta supplanted the Chalukyas as the dominating force in the Deccan.
• After a century of fight for independence, the Western Gangas ultimately acknowledged Rashtrakuta as their master and successfully fought alongside them against their adversaries, the Chola Dynasty of Thanjavur.

Administration

• The principles outlined in the ancient treatise Arthashastra inspired the governance of the Western Ganga.
• The Praje gavundas documented in the Ganga chronicles served in the same capacity as the village elders (gramavriddhas) reported by Kautilya.
• Succession to the king had been hereditary, however there were cases where this was neglected.
• The kingdom was split into Rashtra (districts), and then into Visaya (perhaps 1000 villages) and Desa.

Important Designations

• Several significant administrative titles have been disclosed in inscriptions, including prime minister (sarvadhikari), treasurer (shri bhandari), foreign minister (sandhivirgrahi), and chief minister (maha pradhan).
• All of the roles were accompanied by the extra title of commander (dandanayaka).
• Other titles were royal steward (manevergade), master of robes (mahapasayita), elephant corps commander (gajasahani), and cavalry commander (thuragasahani).
• Niyogis controlled palace administration, royal apparel, and jewels, while the Padiyara was in charge of court ceremonial tasks such as door keeping and protocol.
• The pergades were superintendents from many socioeconomic strata, including craftsmen, goldsmiths, and blacksmiths.
• The pergades who dealt with the royal household were known as manepergades (house superintendents), while those who collected tolls were known as Sunk Verdades.
• At the Nadu level, nadabovas, accountants and tax collectors, also served as scribes.
• The nalaga migas (officers) organised and managed defence in Nadu.
• The prabhu assembled a group of distinguished persons to witness land awards and the marking of land borders.
• The gavundas served as landlords and local elite for whom the state collected taxes, kept property ownership records, bore witness to grants and transactions, and even raised militia when necessary.

Economy

• The Gangavadi region was divided into three sections: the malnad region, the plains (Bayaluseeme), and the semi-malnad region, which had a lower height and undulating hills. Inscriptions attesting to irrigation of previously uncultivated regions appear to suggest the growth of an agricultural society.
• The principal crops of the malnad region were paddy, betel leaves, cardamom, and pepper, while the semi-malnad region produced rice, millets including ragi and maize, pulses, oilseeds, and served as a basis for cattle rearing.
• Some lands (manya) were free from taxes and occasionally included numerous villages.
• Talavritti was a donation granted for the maintenance of temples at the time of dedication.
• Income taxes included kara or anthakara (internal taxes), utkota (gifts to the king), hiranya (cash payments), and sulika (tolls and duties on imported items).
• Taxes had been levied on people who had the right to cultivate land, even if the land remained uncultivated.
• Siddhaya referred to a local agricultural tax, whereas pottondi alluded to a local feudal ruler’s tax on trade.

Western Ganga coins

Society

• The Western Ganga society mirrored the rising religious, political, and cultural trends of the period in various ways.
• Because Ganga rulers delegated territorial authority to their queens, women were involved in local government.
• The devadasi system predominated in temples, which were based after royal palace buildings.
• They avoided lethal punishment because Hindus believed that killing a brahmin (Bramhatya) was a sin.
• Because of their greater status in the caste system, upper caste kshatriyas (sat kshatriyas) were likewise spared from lethal punishment.
• Severe offences were penalised by the amputation of a foot or hand.
• Men wore two unrestricted clothes, a Dhoti as a lower garment and a plain fabric as an upper garment, while ladies wore Saris with sewn petticoats.
• Turbans were popular among upper-class males, and umbrellas made of bamboo or reeds were used.
• Men and women both adored wearing decorations, and elephants and horses were ornamented.

Literature

• The Western Ganga dynasty was a time of vigorous literary production in Sanskrit and Kannada, however many of the texts have since been destroyed and are only known through allusions to them.
• Chavundaraya Purana (or Trishashtilakshana mahapurana) by Chavundaraya of 978 C.E, an early known book in Kannada prose style, provides a synopsis of the Sanskrit literature, Adipurana and Uttara Purana, published a century earlier by Jinasena and Gunabhadra during the time of Rashtrakuta Amoghavarsha I.
• Gunavarma I wrote Harivamsa in Kannada. His now-extinct publications have been alluded to in later years. He was patronised by King Ereganga Neetimarga II.
• Chavundaraya also supported Nagavarma I, a brahmin scholar from Vengi in modern-day Andhra Pradesh (late tenth century).
• He composed Chandombudhi (ocean of prosody) to his wife, which is said to be the first Kannada prosody literature.
• He also penned Kadambari, one of the oldest Kannada romantic masterpieces.
• Madhava II (brother of King Vishnugopa) published the treatise Dattaka Sutra Vritti in the age of traditional Sanskrit literature, based on an earlier work on erotica by a writer named Dattaka.
• Durvinita is credited with a Sanskrit translation of Vaddakatha, a commentary on Panini’s grammar called Sabda Vathara, and a commentary on the fifteenth chapter of a Sanskrit work called Kiratarjuniya by poet Bharavi (who worked in Durvinita’s court).