Mudigonda Chalukyas - Telangana History

Introduction

• The Mudigonda Chalukyas were contemporaries of the Vemulawada Chalukyas.
• They ruled the region of the present-day Khammam district.
• They were not independent rulers but feudatory kings (Samanta Rajulu).
• They were vassals to the Eastern Chalukyas and ruled the Manchikonda Mandalam.

Kingdom and Capitals

• Kingdom Extent: Located on the eastern border of Telangana, extending from Kondapalli on the banks of the Krishna River in the south to Koravi in the Warangal district in the north.
• Capitals:
  • Initial Capital: Mudigonda (also known as Mudigonduru).
  • Later Capitals: Koravi, Bottu.

Sources

• Koravi Inscription
• Mogal Cheruvu Inscription
• Viriyala vari Gudur Inscription
• Krivvaka Inscription (also called Kuksamuru Inscription) - Issued by the Sixth Kusumayudha. It describes the genealogy of the Mudigonda Chalukyas.
• Bejawada Copper Plate Inscription
• Recherla Rudra's Palampet Inscription
• Kolani Somaya Nattarameswaram Inscription
• Vikramarjuna Vijayam written by Pampa Kavi

Important Rulers

• Kokkiraja and Ranamardha

  • Founders of this dynasty. They were brothers.
  • Occupied the combined Khammam district area and established their rule with Mudigonduru (Mudigonda) as the capital.
  • Kokkiraja's Titles: Pravardhamanudu, Sampannudu, Vijayudu. Skilled in warfare.
  • Ranamardha: Assisted Kokkiraja in administration. A great warrior.
  • The Mogal Cheruvu inscription describes him as "Another Rama in the battlefield".
  • Defeated Chiyyaraja and captured the Garuda and Betala flags (Dhvajas).
  • Extended authority over the Manchikonda Vishayam (region) and Kondapalli areas.
  • Royal Emblem: A necklace (Kanthaharam) called Kantiya. It was known as Ranamardha Kantiya Haram and remained the royal emblem until the fall of the dynasty.

• First Kusumayudha (Modati Kusumayudha) (c. 870-895 AD)

  • Son of Ranamardha (according to Mogal Cheruvu inscription).
  • Vassal to Vengi Chalukya Bhima-I.
  • His political activities and loyalty to Chalukya Bhima-I are mentioned in the Koravi and Bejawada inscriptions.
  • When Vemulawada Chalukya king Baddega defeated and imprisoned Chalukya Bhima-I, Kusumayudha defeated Baddega and freed Bhima.
  • At his request, Chalukya Bhima-I donated the village of Kukiparru to a Brahmin named Potamayya.
  • When the Rashtrakuta Emperor Krishna II invaded Vengi, Kusumayudha defeated the Rashtrakutas and drove them away (Koravi inscription).

• Vijayaditya Gonaga and Niravadhyudu

  • Sons of the First Kusumayudha.
  • Vijayaditya Gonaga: Became king after his father. Initially loyal to Vengi kings.
  • Internal conflicts arose between the brothers. Niravadhyudu defeated his elder brother and occupied the throne (Koravi inscription).
  • Vijayaditya Gonaga lost the kingdom and took refuge with the Vemulawada Chalukya king Arikesari II.
  • Assisted Arikesari in wars against the Rashtrakutas (mentioned in Pampa Kavi's Vikramarjuna Vijayam). Became a feudatory lord to Arikesari.
  • Niravadhyudu (c. 910-935): Ruled loyally to the Vengi Chalukyas. Maintained good relations with the sons of Vijayaditya Gonaga.
  • Niravadhyudu died without children.

• Second Kusumayudha (Rendava Kusumayudha) (935-960)

  • Son of Vijayaditya Gonaga.
  • Ascended the Koravi throne after his paternal uncle Niravadhyudu.
  • Title: 'Vinita Janasrayudu' (One whom people approach for justice).
  • The Koravi inscription provides information about his political affairs.

• Fourth Kusumayudha (Nalugava Kusumayudha) (1050-1075)

  • A scholar of Vedas and Vedangas.
  • Donated the Mogali Cheruvula village to a Brahmin named Donaya of Kutsa Gotra (Mogal Cheruvu Inscription).

• First Betaraja (Modati Betaraja) (1075-1100)

  • Son of the Fourth Kusumayudha.
  • Lost Koravi during his reign.
  • Took refuge at a place called Bottu (somewhere on the Godavari river bank, location unidentified). Hence, he got the name 'Bottu Betaraja'.
  • P.V. Parabrahma Sastry opines that Gundyana, son of Kakatiya Beta I, drove him out of Koravi.
  • However, according to the Gudur inscription of 1124 AD, Viriyala Erra killed the enemies of Bottu Betaraja and restored the Koravi kingdom to him.

• Fifth Kusumayudha (Aidava Kusumayudha) (c. 1100 - 1125)

  • Son of the First Betaraja.
  • Title: 'Muttenagalla'.
  • Could not withstand the growing number of enemies.
  • During his initial reign, some calamity befell the kingdom (Krivvaka inscription).
  • Therefore, his ministers Indupararaja and his younger brother Ramaraju took Kusumayudha to distant lands for safety.
  • After 12 years, they brought Kusumayudha back to the kingdom.
  • In gratitude for helping him in difficult times, he granted them Mahamandaleswara titles and gave the Krivvaka village as an Agrahara (land grant).

• Nagatiraja (c. 1175-1200)

  • Younger brother of the Fifth Kusumayudha.
  • Title: 'Viveka Narayanudu'.
  • In 1198 AD, when the Kakatiya king Mahadeva attacked Devagiri, Nagatiraja tried to invade the main Kakatiya territories.
  • Consequently, the Kakatiya commander Recherla Rudra defeated Nagatiraja and drove him out of the Telangana region.
  • Nagatiraja fled to the Godavari valley regions and took refuge in the court of the Kolanu Nayakas.
  • The Kolani Somaya Nattarameswaram inscription dated 1218 AD mentions Bottu Nagatiraja.
  • Nagatiraja spent the rest of his life in the service of Kolani Somaya.

Decline

• The inability of the Fifth Kusumayudha to withstand enemies indicated the beginning of the decline.
• The Krivvaka, Palampet, and Nattarameswaram inscriptions suggest the gradual political decline of the Mudigonda kings.
• According to P.V. Parabrahma Sastry, the Kakatiya ruler Rudradeva (1158-1195) invaded the Mudigonda kingdom (believed to be the one who expelled Betaraja).
• The final fall of the Mudigonda Chalukya kingdom occurred when Nagatiraja was defeated by Recherla Rudra and driven out of the Telangana region.

Royal Seal Details (Krivvaka Inscription)

• Symbols found on the seal of the Krivvaka inscription:
  • Varaha emblem (Boar)
  • Ankusha (Elephant goad)
  • Chandravanka (Crescent moon)
  • Shankha (Conch)
  • Makara Torana (Archway with mythical sea creatures)
  • Janta Vinjamarulu (Pair of fly-whisks)
  • Empty throne
  • Umbrellas

Key Exam Points

• Founders: Kokkiraja, Ranamardha.
• Capitals: Mudigonda (Mudigonduru), Koravi, Bottu.
• Vassals to: Eastern Chalukyas.
• Important Titles:
  • Ranamardha: Kantiya Haram (Royal Emblem), Another Rama in the battlefield.
  • Second Kusumayudha: Vinita Janasrayudu.
  • Fifth Kusumayudha: Muttenagalla.
  • First Betaraja: Bottu Betaraja.
  • Nagatiraja: Viveka Narayanudu.
• Key Inscriptions: Koravi, Mogal Cheruvu, Krivvaka, Gudur, Nattarameswaram.
• Reasons for Decline: Internal conflicts, Kakatiya attacks (Gundyana, Rudradeva), defeat of Nagatiraja by Recherla Rudra.
• Relations: Eastern Chalukyas (Overlords), Vemulawada Chalukyas (Contemporaries, Refuge), Kakatiyas (Enemies), Kolanu Nayakas (Refuge).