9.1 Chalukyas · Part 3

this Jaina temple is a -line Sanskrit inscription (dated to Saka era: - AD (CE)). The composer is a poet named Ravikriti. The inscription is a prashasti of the Chalukyas especially the reigning king Pulikesin II, referred to as Sathyasraya (the abode of truth). It highlights the history of the dynasty, defeat of all his enemies, especially Harshavardhana. BAY OF BENGAL ARABIAN SEA I N D I A N O C E A N N S W E SATHYA PUTRA KERALAPUTRA PANDYA CHOLA PULINDAS Anuradhapura Kaveri Krishna Suvarnagiri PITINKAS ANDHRA KALINGA BHOJAKAS Toshali Vatapi Narmada MAGADHA Tamralipti M a h a n a d i L a k s h a d w e e p i s l a n d s ( I N D I A ) A n d a m a n a n d n i c o b a r i s l a n d s ( I N D I A ) CHALUKYA DYNASTY Chalukya dynasty Godavari Tapti Map not to scale XI History - Lesson - - Cultural Development in South India became centres for popularising Saivism. Chalukyas patronised heterodox sects also and lavishly donated lands to the Jain centres. Ravikirti, the poet-laureate of Pulikesin II, was a Jain scholar. In the reign of Kirtivarman II a Jain village official built a Jain temple in a place called Annigere. The prince Krishna appointed Gunapatra, a Jain monk, as his master. According to Hiuen Tsang, there were many Buddhist centres in the Chalukya territory wherein more than followers of the Hinayana and Mahayana sects lived. Literature and Education Chalukyas used Sanskrit in pillar inscriptions such as in Aihole and Maha- kudam. A seventh-century inscription of a Chalukya king at Badami mentions Kannada as the local prakrit, meaning the people’s language, and Sanskrit as the language of culture. A chieftain of Pulikesin II authored a grammar work Saptavataram in Sanskrit. Chalukya Architecture Historically, in Deccan, Chalukyas introduced the technique of building temples using soft sandstones as medium. In Badami, two temples are dedicated to Vishnu and one each