The Badami Chalukyas 2 (in English)

– Dr.R.H.Kulkarni (Senior Historian)

Badami Chalukyas were the first southern empire builders one can say. Who were they and how they began? They were true indigenous people of Karnataka and they were probably a small chiefdom or kingdom around Badami in the early centuries of the first millennium. With the decline of the Kadambas of Banavasi, the western coastal kingdom of Karnataka, and the Vakatakas of Northern Deccan in the Early-6th century CE, Chalukyas asserted themselves to gain full status of a kingdom. Jayasimha I was the king then and Ranaranga and Pulakesin I followed him. Pulakesin can be called the true founder and he started the big time expansion to become the most powerful Emperor in the south.His earliest inscription dated 543CE, firmly establish his presence. His son Kirtivarman I further expanded by annexing the Mauryas of Konkan, the Nalas of Bellary and the Kadambas of Banavasi. His son Pulakesin II took the kingdom to greater heights to become its greatest emperor. Pulakesin I built a massive fort around Badami in 543-4 at the start of the empire, it still stands after 1500 years, the ramparts of which saw much history, great victories and great losses. The Malapraba River quietly watches her with affection from a distance ruminating on her glory days.

Though the Chalukyas saw decline and then renewed power to become supreme commanders of the Deccan, branching into Lata (Gujarat), Western (Kalyana/ Modern day BasavaKalyana) and Eastern Chalukyas (Vengi) to rule the huge territory between Narmada and Krishna and the two waters on the West and East, we are going to see their origin, expansion and decline as Badami Chalukyas in the following two sessions. It is a great story of empire building, triumph and defeat, arts and architecture, and artful administration. They started big time temple building in the South. Their unique Chalukya Style inspired the future Dravidian temple architecture. Badami, Aihole, Mahakuta and Pattadakal remain the pride of South India to this day. One can easily say that it all started with Pulakesin I. Dr, Kulkarni, who happened to be the native of Badami Surrounds, a pioneering authority on Chalukyan Art, is ready to tell us their long story, starting with Badami Chalukyas in Part I and II over this weekend and we are waiting.

The Badami Chalukyas 1 (in English)

– Dr.R.H.Kulkarni (Senior Historian)

Badami Chalukyas were the first southern empire builders one can say. Who were they and how they began? They were true indigenous people of Karnataka and they were probably a small chiefdom or kingdom around Badami in the early centuries of the first millennium. With the decline of the Kadambas of Banavasi, the western coastal kingdom of Karnataka, and the Vakatakas of Northern Deccan in the Early-6th century CE, Chalukyas asserted themselves to gain full status of a kingdom. Jayasimha I was the king then and Ranaranga and Pulakesin I followed him. Pulakesin can be called the true founder and he started the big time expansion to become the most powerful Emperor in the south.His earliest inscription dated 543CE, firmly establish his presence. His son Kirtivarman I further expanded by annexing the Mauryas of Konkan, the Nalas of Bellary and the Kadambas of Banavasi. His son Pulakesin II took the kingdom to greater heights to become its greatest emperor. Pulakesin I built a massive fort around Badami in 543-4 at the start of the empire, it still stands after 1500 years, the ramparts of which saw much history, great victories and great losses. The Malapraba River quietly watches her with affection from a distance ruminating on her glory days.

Though the Chalukyas saw decline and then renewed power to become supreme commanders of the Deccan, branching into Lata (Gujarat), Western (Kalyana/ Modern day BasavaKalyana) and Eastern Chalukyas (Vengi) to rule the huge territory between Narmada and Krishna and the two waters on the West and East, we are going to see their origin, expansion and decline as Badami Chalukyas in the following two sessions. It is a great story of empire building, triumph and defeat, arts and architecture, and artful administration. They started big time temple building in the South. Their unique Chalukya Style inspired the future Dravidian temple architecture. Badami, Aihole, Mahakuta and Pattadakal remain the pride of South India to this day. One can easily say that it all started with Pulakesin I. Dr, Kulkarni, who happened to be the native of Badami Surrounds, a pioneering authority on Chalukyan Art, is ready to tell us their long story, starting with Badami Chalukyas in Part I and II over this weekend and we are waiting.

Thamizh Meengal

– Prof. Dr.G. Deivanayagam (Senior Archaeologist)

A society that draped nature around it knew every way of recognizing and respecting the organisms that were weaved into it…..letting each have its space in the whole is compassion as well as wisdom….which the ancient Thamizh people instinctively had.

Funerary Practice in Megalithic Period (in Tamil)

-Dr. C. Santhalingam (Senior Archaeologist)

Funerary practices of Megalithic Thamizhagam

All cultures of the world from time immemorial realized the finality of death in this life and the respect it deserved. It bordered on reverence. The wish that they lived on made them believe that there might be an afterlife and rebirth. The rituals that accompanied the burial were geared toward this. Things that the persons liked while living were buried along with them.

The burial methods varied from burying in urns to more extensive ones like dolmen, menhirs, cists, stone circles, cairns circles and pit burials. It is a wonder how similar practices were followed in almost all cultures round the world.

Our excavations have revealed many such structures in all parts of Tamil Nadu. Burial urns with skeletal remains have been unearthed in the dozens in Adichanallur and other places. Cairns circles and stone circles litter the northern and western part of Thamizh Nadu. Cists and dolmen have extensive architecture and are full of information about the people. Precious stones, gold and other artefacts in the burial urns and cists exhibit the level of sophistication of the cultures.

Let us hear from Dr Santhalingam the story of the dead to know how they lived.

Tamil History (in Tamil)

– Prof. Dr.G. Deivanayagam (Senior Archaeologist)

Get to know about the origin of Tamils – The language, the region, the people and the emperors (மண்ணிலிருந்து மன்னர் வரை). The powerpoint presentation with maps and proof from Sangam literature is sure to enthrall you.

Story of Adichanallur (in Tamil)

– Dr. C. Santhalingam (Senior Archaeologist)

A virtual visit to an excavation site where pre-historic artefacts were found. You will be thrilled to learn about our ancestors who lived some 4000 years ago in our hometown – how they lived and what they did! Register to watch!

Ports and Trades – A Sangam Saga

– Prof. Dr. V. Selvakumar (Senior Archaeologist)

நளியிரு முந்நீர் நாவாய் ஓட்டி….
That is a spectacular line from the Classical Tamil Text Purananooru by poetess Vennikkuyaththiyar praising Karikal Chozhan as having descended from the line of people who sailed the Great Seas. How far back the Tamils tamed the seas and the winds! A society that is self-reliant will have time and inclination to excel. For more details read the detailed write-up shared along with this invite…

Professor Selvakumar will be taking us through those great cities and our thriving trade with the world more than two thousand years back and show us the evidences for the interactions.

The Origin and Development of Thamizh Brahmi Script (in Tamil)

– Prof. Dr. Rajavelu (Senior Archaeologist and Epigraphist)

Written language is a step forward in the level of civilization. We are finding out from archaeological excavations how far back Thamizh people took that step. Kodumanal, Porunthal, and Keezhadi take that time to almost 5th – 6th century BCE, which means the literature of the third Sangam could have been written on palm leaves. But how did the written script evolve in Tamil?

It was believed earlier that Ashokan Brahmi used in his inscriptions were the first form of written script in India. It now materialises that Thamizh script, which was called Tamil Brahmi thinking it emanated from Ashokan’s script, had evolved much earlier. The etching of names on potsherds found in many excavation sites in Tamil Nadu says that even a common man was well versed in writing. Some of our Thamizh scholars and foreign observers and linguists were speculating on it even before the evidence showed up. The name Tamil Brahmi has now been replaced with Thamizhi. Linguists contend that any script evolves from the basic form to the more complex. This fits the scenario of Thamizhi and Ashokan Brahmi.

Dr Rajavelu, specialist in epigraphy, former ASI personnel, former Professor in the Department of Marine History and Marine Archaeology, Thanjavur Thamizh University, and currently visiting Professor, Department of History, Alagappa University, pressents how Thamizhi script evolved and how Ashokan Brahmi could have evolved from it to accommodate the varga letters.

Flora in Thamizh Civilization (in Tamil)

– Prof Dr. G. Deivanayagam (Senior Archaeologist)

Flowers and plants were ubiquitous cultural artifacts of the Thamizh society. Sangam poetry abounds in references to flowers and trees. In this session we are going to hear from the expert who requires no introduction about how the flora were all pervasive in people’s life and made it beautiful and healthy all at once.

Jainism in Pandiya Country (in Tamil)

– Dr. C. Santhalingam

With more than 35 years of his research work as an Archaeologist, Dr. Santhalingam presents the origin and spread of Jainism in South India and their archaeological remains found elsewhere in Pandiya country.

Satavahanas – The First Empire of the Deccan (in English)

– Dr. Manjiri Bhalerao

Satavahana’s were the first true Kingdom of the South other than the three Thamizh Kingdoms. They are supposed to have originated in today’s Madyapradesh and expanded their territory to Maharahstra, Andhra, Telengana, Northern Karnataka, and Gujarat. They were named Andhras in the Puranas. After the initial establishment, the period of which is still in dispute between the 3rd century CE and 1st Century CE, there was an interregnum by the Kanva Kings, and Satakarni I revived the Dynasty in the 1 Century CE. It lasted till the early 3rd century.

Satavahana’s issued coins with Thamizh script on one side indicating Thamizh could have been one of the state languages. They were followers of Vedic religion at the start as kings were known to have performed vedic sacrifices and yagnas. Kings took on Mother’s names like Gauthamiputra, Vasishtiputra etc more for identification than to any matriarchal practice.

Satavahanas are credited with establishing an indigenous kingdom after a series of onslaught of foreign invasions and kingdoms like the Sakas, Yavanas and the Pahlvas in the north on the decline of the Mauryas. They still had to compete with the Shungas and the Kanvas for space. They brought about peace in the region. They kept changing their capital from Benakataka near Nasik, to Prathishthana (Paithan), to Amaravati (Dharanikota) to Junnar.
They were also great patrons of art as evidenced from the cave architecture around Nasik and the gateways to the Great Stupa at Sanchi. The sculptures are unique, the Buddhist architecture in the Krishna River valley and at Amaravati is elaborate and aesthetically of high calibre and their paintings at Ajanta are one of the oldest surviving.

The greatest of their kings is Gauthamiputra Satakarni who ruled between 60 and 85 CE (the final consensus). His mother Gauthami Balashri has an inscription in cave no. 3, the Pandavleni caves of Nasik. After describing Gautamiputra in superlative terms, it records a gift of a land to Bhadavanias, a Buddhist sect.

Satavahanas slowly disintegrated and their vassals and officials of regions under them declared themselves free and established independent kingdoms like the Vakataka, Pallava, Chalukya etc.

More from Dr Manjari.

Sangam Cheras (in Tamil)

– Prof. Dr. V. Selvakumar

Cheras were one of the Thamizh muvendars. Their symbol bow and arrow says it all for the valiant Cheras.

Prof Selvakumar brings us an overview of the Sangam Cheras and how integrated was Chera history into the composite Sangam Thamizh polity.