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Andhra Ikshvakus (Sanskrit इक्श्वाकू, Telugu ఇక్ష్వాకులు) were one of the earliest recorded ruling dynasties of the Krishna-Guntur regions of Andhra Pradesh. They ruled the eastern Andhra country along the Krishna river during the later half of the 2nd century CE. [1] Their capital was Vijayapuri (Nagarjunakonda). It is a strong common belief that Andhra Ikshvakus were related to the mythological Ikshvakus, although Andhra Ikshvakus seem to be a local tribe who adopted the title.[2]
Archaeological evidence has suggested that the Andhra Ikshvakus immediately succeeded the Satavahanas in the Krishna river valley. Ikshvakus have left inscriptions at Nagarjunakonda, Jaggayyapeta, Amaravati and Bhattiprolu.
Although the Ikshvaku rulers practiced the Vedic religion, they were also great patrons of Buddhism. Most of the kings and their household donated to the Buddhist cause. Buddhism was at its height in the Andhra country during their reign. The Ikshvakus were supplanted by the Pallavas in the Deccan.
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Buddhist literature refers to the penetration of the Ikshvakus into South India and declares that they founded the Asmaka, Mulaka and other principalities. These Kshatriyas settled down in the South and established small kingdoms there . Jain literature also refers to the exodus of northern Indian princes to the south. In Dharmamrita a reference was made that during the lifetime of the 12th Tirthankara, a prince named Yasodhara hailing from the Ikshvaku family came from the Anga kingdom to Vengi in the south. We are informed that the prince was so impressed with beauty of the region, and the fertility of the soil that he made it his permanent home and founded a city called Pratipalpura. It is believed that Pratipalapura is the modern Bhattiprolu, a town in Guntur District. Inscriptions have also been discovered in the Nagarjunakonda valley and at Jaggayyapeta and Bhattiprolu alluding to this.
The Puranas mention them as the Sriparvatiyas (Foresters), Rulers of Sriparvata (Forests) and Andhrabhrityas (Servants of the Andhras). The Satavahanas were also known as Andhras.
Andhra Ikshvakus were originally feudatories of the Satavahanas and bore the title Mahatalavara. Although the Puranas state that seven kings ruled for 100 years in total, the names of only four of them are known from inscriptions.
Most of the inscriptions of the Andhra Ikshvaku period record either the construction of the Buddhist Viharas or the gifts made to them. All the donors and builders of the Viharas were the female members of the Andhra Ikshvaku royal family. Although Santamula I is reported to have performed the Vedic sacrifices, nothing is known about the religious leanings of his successors.
This was the period during which Andhra became a flourishing center of Buddhism and a place of pilgrimage for the Buddhists. The patrons were ladies from the royal household, the merchants and artisans and the people at large. The great stupas of Jaggayyapeta, Nagarjunakonda and Ramireddipalle were built, repaired or extended during their reign. Buddhist pilgrims and scholars visited the Buddhist centre at Nagarjunakonda. The attraction for this Buddhist centre can be accounted for from the sea trade which was carried on between Lanka and the Andhra Ikshvakus though the ports situated on the mouths of the Krishna and the Godavari.