Origin of Rashtrakutas

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The origin of Rashtrakuta empire has been a controversial topic and has been debated over the past decades by various historians. The differing opinions balance on the question of whether the kings of the empire were of Kannada, Maratha or Rajput origin.

Contents

[edit] Theories Of Early Origin

In ancient times the areas south of the Godavari river including southern districts of modern Maharashtra, northern districts of modern Karnataka and south Karnataka districts of Shimoga and Chitradurga were collectively called Kuntala. An inscriptional passage the upper valley of the Krishna points to this theory.[1]. Pratishthana on the Godavari is said to be the capital of the Kuntala country.[2]. In early times Kuntala was probably included in the larger country called Maharashtra. The Aihole inscription of Pulakeshi II includes all these areas mentioned in Kuntala as Maharashtra. This designation of the entire area seems to be confirmed in Chinese notes as well. During these times, Kuntala came to denote the predominantly Kannnada-speaking country, further corroborating views of historians such as Dr. Altekar and Dr. P.B. Desai. The Early Chalukyas of Badami and the Later Chalukyas of Kalyani were known as Kuntaleshvaras or lords of Kuntala. All their inscriptions are in Kannada and Sanskrit and their regal capitals at different times, Badami, Manyakheta(Malkhed in Gulbarga district) and Kalyani were also in present day Karnataka, which historically would be southern Kuntala. During these times however, the districts of Kolhapur, Satara, Sholapur, Ahmadnagar and Bid which are now Marathi-speaking, were included in Kuntala, indicating that Kannada country spread much further north of today's political boundaries. The Kannada classic Kavirajamarga calls the entire region between the Godavari and Kaveri rivers as Karnataka indicating Kannada country at one time extended far north and east of present day boundaries. Perhaps this was the region that embraced Hale Kannada as the official language. It is well known that during these times, Kannada and Telugu were written in Hale Kannada script. The Early Rashtrakutas, who were ruling over this territory as feudatory of the Chalukyas, were known as Kuntaleshvaras as well and their inscriptions call their overlords at that time as Karnataka Bala. Much later their imperial empire would rule large parts of India from regal capital Manyakheta in present day Karnataka, though as their empire grew they had many provincial capitals.

Their oldest inscription is found in Satara district of Maharashtra belonging to 6th century. In it Rashtrakuta king Avidheya has donated a village to learned brahmins. The inscription is in Sanskrit written in Bhrami script.[3]. This has confirmed their origin at above place generally called Kuntala. From above theories it is clear that the ancient regional names such as Kuntala, Karnata or Maharshtra may have covered large common areas in the deccan at different times in Indian history. It is clear also that in the spirit of the deccan that normally prevailed, the Rashtrakutas encouraged and made Kannada and Sanskrit their official languages. This is proven by the great works of literature that were accomplished in these languages. Rashtrakuta inscriptions are in Kannada closer to and in the core Kannada country at that time and in Sanskrit going farther away from their crux land. Theories that further support above historical notes are given below. The inscription at Jura, belonging to the reign of Krishna III, is regarded as an epigraphical landmark of classical Kannada literary composition, with charming poetic diction in polished Kannada metre.

[edit] Research Notes

While the Rashtrakutas were descendants of the Rastiks or Rathikas mentioned in the edits of King Ashoka, the original home of builders of the Rashtrakuta empire was present day Karnataka. They inherited the cultural tradition of Karnataka, spoke Kannada as their mother tongue and almost all their inscriptions are in Kannada. They patronized Kannada literature.[4]. The earliest extant classical work on Kannada poetics, Kavirajamarga (850C.E.), is ascribed to Nripatunga Amoghavarsha I himself, though some historians argue that it may have been written by his court poet Sri Vijaya. This was the time of great 9th century Kannada poets like Sri Ponna, Adikavi Pampa and Shivakotiacharya. The Rashtrakuta inscriptions are almost all in the Kannada script and language. An epigraph of Krishna III composed in ornate literary style has been found at Jura near Jabbalpur[5]

In Amoghavarsha's records, the Rashtrakutas called themselves Lattalura - Puravara -Dhisvara, implying thereby that they hailed from Lattalur or Latur in Osmanabad district of present day Maharashtra. It is opined that the area formerly formed the part of present day Karnataka as attested by the surviving vestiges of Kannada place - names, Kannada inscriptions and other cultural relics.[6].

The Rashtrakutas of Malkhed (Manyakheta, Gulbarga) were a different branch and could not be identified with those of Lattalur. It is argued that while some of early records of one Rashtrakuta branch was found in Amaravathi district of modern Maharashtra (Tivarkhed and Multhai inscriptions), their ruling from Elichpur could mean that the predecessors of Dantidurga may have carved out a kingdom in Berar (modern Vidarbha) and ruled a subordinates of the Badami Chalukyas. Its is also argued emphatically that these regions were part of Kannada country at that time[7]. It was from Manyakheta that the empire later ruled large parts of India.

Many of the kings and princess had Kannada names like "Kambarasa", "Asagavve", "Revakka" and "Abbalabbe" which indicate their Kannada origin. Even the viceroys (Dandanayaka) of the Gujarat line hailing from the Rashtrakuta family signed their Sanskrit records in Kannada, examples of which are the Navasari and Baroda plates of Karka I and the Baroda records of Dhruva II. It is argued that the word Rashtrakuta emerges from the Kannada word Ratta and many of their records call them as Ratta Vamsha. Their later decendents who ruled parts of Karnataka are also called as Rattas[8]. The Gujarat Rashtrakuta princes used Kannada signatures as this was the mode of writing in their native country, meaning Kannada country.[9].

The suffix "Ur" is a Kannada term indicating town or city as in "Mysuru" (Mysore) and "Bangaluru" (Bangalore).

Perhaps, Dr. Desai means that Latur in present day Maharashtra was a part of Kannada country at that time. One must cautiously look at these modern theories based on newly formed states on linguistic criterion.

Rashtrakutas find mention in the edicts of Ashoka, where they are referred to as the Rathika or Rastika. The Rashtrakuta's ruled nearly all of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh for several centuries. Dhruva (780 CE - 793 CE) considerably expanded the kingdom. The Rashtrakuta's were involved in several wars and alliances with other deccan kingdoms like the Vengi, Cholas and Gangas.

The final decline was sudden, Taila II (973 CE - 997 CE) a feudatory of the Rashtrakutas tracing his lineage back to the Chalukyas declared himself independent after defeating the king Indra II. However by this time, several branches of Rashtrakutas had established themselves in North India.

Kannada inscriptions from this empire from the Bombay-Karnataka region have been deciphered and recorded by historians.[10].

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ [Ep. Ind., Vol. XII, p. 153. See Mirashi, Studies in Indology, Vol. I, p. 9, D. 4].
  2. ^ In the Sanskrit work Udayasundarikatha of Soddhala (11th cen. A.D.).
  3. ^ According to an article on early Rashtrakuta history in the Nasik gazetteer.
  4. ^ Dr. A.S. Altekar claims in his book Rashtrakutas and their Times (1934) - A Concise History of Karnataka- Dr. S.U.Kamath, History of Karnataka, Arthikaje
  5. ^ A Concise History of Karnataka- Dr. S.U.Kamath, History of Karnataka, Arthikaje, The Rashtrakutas - Dr. Jyotsna Kamath
  6. ^ According to Dr. P.B. Desai (HOD, Ancient Indian History and Culture, Karnataka University), History of Karnataka, Arthikaje
  7. ^ According to Dr. Altekar, A Concise History of Karnataka-Dr. S.U. Kamat, 2001
  8. ^ According to Dr. S.U Kamat, A Concise History of Karnataka, who won the Sahitya Academy award for his work in 1973
  9. ^ According to Dr. D.R. Bhandarkar, A Concise History of Karnataka, Dr. S.U. Kamath
  10. ^ Archeological Survey of India - South Indian Inscriptions (vol 9, 11,15,17 and 18)[1]

[edit] References

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