The Kadambas

The Kadambas were an ancient Karnataka royal dynasty that controlled northern Karnataka and the Konkan from Banavasi in the present-day Uttara Kannada district. Mayurasharma established the kingdom about 345, and it later showed the capacity to grow to imperial dimensions. The dynasty then ruled as a feudatory of the bigger Kannada empires, the Chalukya and Rashtrakuta empires, for about 500 years, during which time they expanded into Goa and Hanagal. This article will explain to you the Kadamba dynasty which will be helpful in Ancient History preparation for the UPSC Civil service exam.

Origin

• The Kadambas lived alongside the Western Ganga Dynasty and created one of the first local kingdoms to rule the country autonomously.
• From the mid-6th century, the dynasty ruled as a vassal of the bigger Kannada empires, the Chalukya and Rashtrakuta empires, for about 500 years, during which time it split into subsidiary kingdoms.
• The major sources of Kadamba history are inscriptions in Sanskrit and Kannada.
• The Talagunda, Gundanur, Chandravalli, Halasi, and Halmidi inscriptions are only a few of the noteworthy inscriptions that provide insight on Karnataka’s old royal line.
• They were Manavya Gotra and Haritiputras (lineage), which links them to the local Chutus of Banavasi, a feudatory of the Satavahana kingdom.
• The inscriptions of Talagunda and Gundanur bear witness to this.
• The Talagunda inscription of crown prince Santivarma, one of their earliest inscriptions, provides what may be the most likely explanation for the creation of the Kadamba monarchy.
• Mayurasharma was a resident of Talagunda (in present-day Shimoga district of Karnataka state), and his family was named after the Kadamba tree that flourished there.
• The Talagunda inscription also establishes Mayurasharma as the kingdom’s founder.

Expansion

• In around 365, Mayurasharma was replaced by his son Kangavarma. To safeguard his realm, he had to confront the strength of Vakataka.
• According to the Talagunda inscription, he had marital ties with prominent governing families such as the imperial Guptas of northern India.
• King Madhava of the Ganga dynasty married one of his daughters.
• Only Ravivarma, who ascended to the throne in 485, succeeded in developing the kingdom after Kakusthavarma.
• His reign was marked by a series of clashes within the family as well as against the Pallavas and the Gangas.
• He was credited with conquering the Vakatakas and extending his Kingdom as far north as the Narmada River.

Administration

• The Kadamba rulers, like the Satavahana kings, referred to themselves as Dharma Maharajas.
• The prime minister (Pradhana), the steward (Manevergade), the council secretary (Tantrapala or Sabhakarya Sachiva), the scholarly elders (Vidyavriddhas), the physician (Deshamatya), the private secretary (Rahasyadhikritha), the chief secretary (Sarva Karyakarta), the chief justice (Dharmadhyaksha), and other officials (Bhojaka and Ayukta).
• Officers in the army included Jagadala, Dandanayaka, and Senapathi.
• The king was assisted in administration by a crown prince from the royal dynasty.
• The royal family’s princesses were appointed as governors of numerous regions. Krishna, King Kakusthavarma’s son, was appointed viceroy of the Thriparvataha area.
• This subsequently proved disastrous to the monarchy since it allowed for breakaway factions inside the country.
• Mandalas (provinces) or Desha were used to partition the kingdom. Vishayas had been living in a Mandala (districts).

Economy

• The major source of knowledge on the economy and the things that shaped it is inscriptions and literature.
• Mixed farming, a combination of grazing and agriculture, dominated by the affluent Gavunda peasantry (today’s Gowdas), seemed to be the way to go, since both the amount of grain produced and the number of cattle head defined prosperity.
• Several accounts indicate the giving of both grazing and cultivable land in kolagas or khandugas to either people who battled livestock thieves or their relatives.
• There have been nine Vishaya discovered. There had been Mahagramas (Taluk) and Dashagramas (Hobli) under a Vishaya .
• Mahagrama had a greater number of villages than Dashagramas. Tax on one-sixth of land output was required.
• Perjunka (load tax), Vaddaravula (royal family social security tax), Bilkoda (sales tax), Kirukula (land tax), Pannaya (betel tax), and other professional charges on traders were among the levies imposed.