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Western Ganga was an important ruling dynasty of ancient Karnataka in India which lasted from about 350 to 1000 AD. They are known as 'Western Gangas' to distinguish them from the Eastern Gangas who in later centuries ruled over Kalinga (modern Odisha). The general belief is that the Western Gangas began their rule during a time when multiple native clans asserted their freedom due to the weakening of the Pallava empire in South India, a geo-political event sometimes attributed to the southern conquests of Samudra Gupta. The Western Ganga sovereignty lasted from about 350 to 550 AD, initially ruling from Kolar and later, moving their capital to Talakadu on the banks of the Kaveri River in modern Mysore district. After the rise of the imperial Chalukyas of Badami, the Gangas accepted Chalukya overlordship and fought for the cause of their overlords against the Pallavas of Kanchi. The Chalukyas were replaced by the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta in 753 AD as the dominant power in the Deccan. After a century of struggle for autonomy, the Western Gangas finally accepted Rashtrakuta overlordship and successfully fought alongside them against their foes, the Chola Dynasty of Tanjavur. In the late 10th century, north of Tungabhadra river, the Rashtrakutas were replaced by the emerging Western Chalukya Empire and the Chola Dynasty saw renewed power south of the Kaveri river. The defeat of the Western Gangas by Cholas around 1000 resulted in the end of the Ganga influence over the region. Though territorially a small kingdom, the Western Ganga contribution to polity, culture and literature of the modern south Karnataka region is considered important. The Western Ganga kings showed benevolent tolerance to all faiths but are most famous for their patronage toward Jainism resulting in the construction of monuments in places such as Shravanabelagola and Kambadahalli. The kings of this dynasty encouraged the fine arts due to which literature in Kannada and Sanskrit flourished. Chavundaraya's writing, ''Chavundaraya Purana'' of 978 AD, is an important work in Kannada prose. Many classics were written on various subjects ranging from religion to elephant management. ==History== Multiple theories have been proposed regarding the ancestry of the founders of the Western Ganga dynasty (prior to the 4th century). Some mythical accounts point to a northern origin,〔(Rice in Adiga 2006, p88)〕〔Jayaswal in 〕 while theories based on epigraphy suggest a southern origin. Historians who propose the southern origin have further debated whether the early petty chieftains of the clan (prior to their rise to power) were natives of the southern districts of modern Karnataka,〔Adiga and Sheik Ali in Adiga (2006), p89〕〔Sarma (1992), pp1-3〕〔Ramesh (1984), pp1-2〕〔The Gangas were sons of the Soil – R. S. Panchamukhi and Lakshminarayana Rao 〕 the Kongu region in modern Tamil Nadu〔Baji and Arokiaswamy in Adiga (2006), p89〕〔Robert Sewell and Vishwanatha in 〕 or of the southern districts of modern Andhra Pradesh.〔Kamath (2001), p39〕〔Krishna Rao in Adiga (2006), p88〕 These regions encompass an area of the southern Deccan where the three modern states merge geographically. It is theorised that the Gangas may have taken advantage of the confusion caused by the invasion of southern India by the northern king Samudra Gupta prior to 350, and carved out a kingdom for themselves. The area they controlled was called Gangavadi and included regions of the modern districts of Mysore, Hassan Chamarajanagar, Tumkur, Kolar, Mandya and Bangalore in Karnataka state.〔Kamath (2001), pp39-40〕 At times, they also controlled some areas in modern Tamil Nadu (Kongu region starting from the 6th century rule of King Avinita) and Andhra Pradesh (Ananthpur region starting from the middle of the 5th century).〔 The founding king of the dynasty was Konganivarma Madhava who made Kolar his capital around 350 and ruled for about twenty years. By the time of Harivarma in 390, the Gangas had consolidated their kingdom with Talakad as their capital. Their move from the early capital Kolar may have been a strategic one with the intention of containing the growing Kadamba power.〔Sarma (1992), p4〕 By 430 they had consolidated their eastern territories comprising modern Bangalore, Kolar and Tumkur districts and by 470 they had gained control over Kongu region in modern Tamil Nadu, Sendraka (modern Chikkamagaluru and Belur), Punnata and Pannada regions (comprising modern Heggadadevanakote and Nanjangud) in modern Karnataka.〔Adiga 2006, p97, p100〕〔From the Cakra-Kedara grant, Kodunjeruvu grant (Adiga 2006, p99〕 In 529, King Durvinita ascended the throne after waging a war with his younger brother who was favoured by his father, King Avinita.〔Kamath (2001), p40〕 Some accounts suggest that in this power struggle, the Pallavas of Kanchi supported Avinita's choice of heir and the Badami Chalukya King Vijayaditya supported his father-in-law, Durvinita.〔Sheik Ali and Ramesh in Adiga (2006), p100-101〕 From the inscriptions it is known that these battles were fought in Tondaimandalam and Kongu regions (northern Tamil Nadu) prompting historians to suggest that Durvinita fought the Pallavas successfully.〔Adiga (2006), p101〕 Considered the most successful of the Ganga kings, Durvinita was well versed in arts such as music, dance, ayurveda and taming wild elephants. Some inscriptions sing paeans to him by comparing him to Yudhishthira and Manu – figures from Hindu mythology known for their wisdom and fairness.〔from the Nallala grant (Kamath 2001, p41)〕〔Adiga (2006), p109〕 Politically, the Gangas were feudatories and close allies who also shared matrimonial relations with the Chalukyas. This is attested by inscriptions which describe their joint campaigns against their arch enemy, the Pallavas of Kanchi.〔From the Aihole inscriptions and the Jangamarahalli inscription (Adiga 2006, 102)〕 From the year 725 onwards, the Gangavadi territories came to be called as the "Gangavadi-96000" (''Shannavati Sahasra Vishaya'') comprising the eastern and western provinces of modern south Karnataka.〔(Adiga 2006, p103)〕 King Sripurusha fought the Pallava King Nandivarman Pallavamalla successfully, bringing Penkulikottai in north Arcot under his control temporarily for which he earned the title ''Permanadi''.〔From the Shimoga records (N.L. Rao in Kamath 2001, p41)〕〔The title was given to a later Ganga King Rachamalla I (Ramesh in Adiga p115), the Agali grant and Devarahalli inscription calls Sripurusha ''Maharajadhiraja Paramamahesvara Bhatara'' (Adiga 2006, pp115-116)〕 A contest with the Pandyas of Madurai over control of Kongu region ended in a Ganga defeat, but a matrimony between a Ganga princess and Rajasimha Pandya's son brought peace helping the Gangas retain control over the contested region.〔Sastri in Adiga 2006, p115〕〔From Salem plates of Sripurusha dated 771 and the Koramangala grant (Ramesh in Adiga 2006, p116)〕 In 753, when the Rashtrakutas replaced the Badami Chalukyas as the dominant force in the Deccan, the Gangas offered stiff resistance for about a century.〔Kamath (2001), p42〕〔From several Tumkur inscriptions (Adiga 2006, p117)〕 King Shivamara II is mostly known for his wars with the Rashtrakuta Dhruva Dharavarsha, his subsequent defeat and imprisonment, his release from prison and eventually his death on the battle field. The Ganga resistance continued through the reign of Rashtrakuta Govinda III and by 819, a Ganga resurgence gained them partial control over Gangavadi under King Rachamalla.〔Adiga 2006, p118〕 Seeing the futility of waging war with the Western Ganga, Rashtrakuta Amoghavarsha I gave his daughter Chandrabbalabbe in marriage to Ganga prince Butuga I, son of King Ereganga Neetimarga. The Gangas thereafter became staunch allies of the Rashtrakutas, a position they maintained till the end of the Rashtrakuta dynasty of Manyakheta.〔from the Konnur inscriptions of 860 and Rajaramadu inscription (Adiga 2006, p119)〕〔From the Keregodi Rangapura plates and Chikka Sarangi inscription of 903 (Adiga 2006, p119)〕〔Kamath (2001), p43〕 After an uneventful period, Butuga II ascended the throne in 938 with the help of Rashtrakuta Amoghavarsha III (whose daughter he married).〔Kamath (2001), p44〕 He helped the Rashtrakutas win decisive victories in Tamilakam in the battle of Takkolam against the Chola Dynasty. With this victory, the Rashtrakutas took control of modern northern Tamil Nadu.〔Tirukkalukkunram and Laksmeshwar inscriptions – Kanchi and Tanjore were annexed by Krishna III who was an incarnation of death for the Chola Dynasty (Reu 1933, p83)〕〔Thapar 2003, p334〕〔Sastri 1955, p162〕 In return for their valour, the Gangas were awarded extensive territories in the Tungabhadra river valley.〔〔From the Kudlur inscription of King Marasimha II (Adiga 2006, p120)〕 King Marasimha II who came to power in 963 aided the Rashtrakutas in victories against the Gurjara Pratihara King Lalla and the Paramara kings of Malwa in Central India.〔From the Kukkanur inscription (Adiga 2006, p122)〕〔These victories were recorded in a Kannada inscription of 964 near Jabalpur (Kamath 2001, p83)〕 Chavundaraya, a minister in the Western Ganga court was a valiant commander, able administrator and an accomplished poet in Kannada and Sanskrit.〔Kamath (2001), p45〕〔Sastri (1955), pp356-357〕 He served King Marasimha II and his successors ably and helped King Rachamalla IV suppress a civil war in 975. Towards the end of the 10th century, the Rashtrakutas had been supplanted by the Western Chalukya Empire in Manyakheta. In the south, the Chola Dynasty who were seeing a resurgence of power under Rajaraja Chola I conquered Gangavadi around the year 1000, bringing the Western Ganga dynasty to an end. Thereafter, large areas of south Karnataka region came under Chola control for about a century.〔Kamath (2001), p118〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Western Ganga dynasty」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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