Emergence of the Pallavas of Kanchi

Simhavishnu defeated the Kalabhras and inaugurated the rule of the imperial Pallavas. The dynasty rose to power during the reigns of Mahendravarman I and Narasimhavarman I. Throughout their history, the Pallavas were in constant conflict with the Chalukyas of Vatapi to the north and the Tamil kingdoms of the Cholas and Pandyas to the south.

The Pallavas established their authority over south Andhra Pradesh and north Tamil Nadu, with the capital at Kanchi, which became an important temple town and a centre of trade and commerce. By their time, South India was contested by the other two great powers — the Chalukyas of Badami and the Pandyas of Madurai.

Pallava Rulers and Their Contributions

Period: 575–897 AD  ·  Capital: Kanchi. The Pallavas are especially noted for their patronage of Hindu temple architecture.

Art & Architecture under the Pallavas

The Pallavas are credited with introducing the Dravidian style of architecture in South India. Their rock-cut architecture laid its foundation, progressively evolving from rock-cut temples to monolithic rathas and finally to structural temples. This evolution is divided into four stages, and Pallava architecture even influenced Southeast Asian temple architecture.

1. Mahendra Style

• Began under Mahendravarman I; did not use bricks, iron, lime or wood.
• Temples were called Mandapas — pillared verandas with a garbhagriha at the end.
• Examples: rock-cut temples at Mahabalipuram; Trimurti Mandapa of Mandagapattu; Panchapandava Mandapa of Pallavaram; Mahendravishnu Mandapa of Mahendravadi; Lalitankura Pallaveshwaram Griha Mandapa of Trichinapalli.

2. Mamalla Style

• Two temple forms appear — Mandapas and Rathas.
• The Mandapas are more ornamental, with pillars built on lions’ heads (examples: Varaha Mandapa, Mahishasura Mandapa, Pancha Pandava Mandapa).
• The Rathas are free-standing monolithic shrines (chariots) carved from granite, built alongside pillared halls. Western writers call them the “Seven Pagodas” or “Seven Rathas”. Examples: Draupadi Ratha, Dharmaraja Ratha, Bhima Ratha, Ganesha Ratha.

3. Rajasimha Style

• Began under Narasimhavarman II; temples were built using bricks, wood and stone.
• Examples: Ishwariya temple, Mukunda temple, the Shore Temple of Mahabalipuram, the Kailasanathar temple of Kanchi, and the Vaikunta Perumal temple.

4. Nandivarman Style

• Pallava architecture began to decline as the Rajasimha style waned.
• Temples were smaller, less ornamented and lacked innovation. Examples: Mukteshwara temple and Matangeshwara temple of Kanchi.

Temples & Structures under the Pallavas

Shore Temple (Mahabalipuram)

• Initiated by Narasimhavarman II; called the “Seven Pagodas” by Marco Polo and European travellers.
• Unlike the Dharmaraja Ratha, it is a structural temple (not rock-cut), built with blocks of granite.
• A combination of three shrines — the main and a smaller second dedicated to Shiva, and a third to a reclining Vishnu.
• Lion Monolith: a partly carved, partly sculpted lion, with a miniature Durga as Mahishasuramardini on its back.
• A UNESCO World Heritage Site; its architecture was continued by the Cholas who later ruled Tamil Nadu.

Kailasanathar Temple (Kanchipuram, on the Vedavati River)

• Built by Narasimhavarman II shortly after the Shore Temple, in the 8th century AD; larger than the Shore Temple.
• Set in a rectangular courtyard surrounded by a peristyle of cell-like mini-shrines resembling rathas; described as the biggest sandstone temple, with a foundation of granite.
• The sanctum has a 16-sided Shivalinga in black granite; two sculptures show Shiva holding the alapini veena.
• Unique feature: 58 devakulikas (mini-shrines) running around the main temple; frescoes of the Sivalila and sculptures of Uma Maheshvara, Parvati, Ganapati and Kartikeya.
• Pallava-grantha inscriptions record Narasimhavarman II’s titles — Rajasimhan, Ajiranakanta, Srithara, Ranathira and Kshatriya Simhesvara.

Seven Ratha Temples

• Built under Narasimhavarman I; a transition between rock-carved cave temples and free-standing stone structures.
• They imitate free-standing construction in living rock, with detailing that carefully mimics wooden timber supports, pilasters, beams and brackets.

Vaikunta Perumal Temple

• The biggest sandstone temple of the post-Rajasimha period; built by Paramesvaravarman / Nandivarman II (736–796 AD), dedicated to Vishnu.
• A chaturasra tri-tala (three-storeyed square) vimana enshrining Vishnu in three forms — standing (sthanaka), sitting (asana) and reclining (sayana); praised by the Alvars as Paramesvara Vinnagaram.
• Its most significant feature is the depiction of Nandivarman II ascending the throne, and a sculpture of a visiting Chinese pilgrim.

The Descent of the Ganges (Mahabalipuram)

• Also called “Arjuna’s Penance”, it captures the descent of the river Ganga to earth.
• The penance of sage Bhagiratha (sometimes believed to be Arjuna) brought the river down; Shiva is shown controlling its fury through his hair-locks. The same panel also appears in the Kailasanathar temple.

Arts under the Pallavas

• The Pallava kings patronised fine arts; the Kudumianmalai and Thirumayam music inscriptions show their interest in music.
• Musical instruments included the Yaazhi, Mridangam and Murasu; both Mahendravarman I and Narasimhavarman I were music experts.
• Temple sculptures reveal that dance was popular, and the paintings at Chittannavasal illustrate Pallava painting. Mahendravarman was known as Chittirakkarapuli.

Literature under the Pallavas

• Literature was both religious and secular but primarily religious; both Sanskrit and Tamil flourished, with royal patronage to Sanskrit.
• Mahendravarman I authored Mattavilasa Prahasana (a Sanskrit satire) and Bhagavadajjuka.
• Tamil literature gained impetus from the Bhakti movement.
• Dandin adorned the court of Narasimhavarman II and wrote Dashakumaracharita and Avantisundarikatha.
• Kanchipuram was a major centre of Sanskrit learning — Mayurasharma, founder of the Kadamba dynasty, studied the Vedas here.
• Nalayira Divya Prabandham: the chief Vaishnavite work — 4,000 Tamil verses by 12 Alvars, also called the Dravida Veda or Fifth Veda.
• Tirumurai: the major Shaivite canon in 12 books; the first seven (the Tevaram) were composed by the Nayanmar saints Sundarar, Sambandar and Appar.

Administration under the Pallavas

• Monarchy was the norm; kings assumed the title “Dharma-Maharaja”.
• The state was divided into Kottams, each administered by royally appointed officers.
• Village administration (the basic unit) was run by local autonomous assemblies such as the Sabha and Urar; each village had a court of justice, the Dharmasasana.
• Miniature republics: villages had professional servants (potters, weavers, carpenters, smiths) and functioned as self-sufficient units — local autonomy being a hallmark of Pallava polity.

Society & Religion under the Pallavas

• Buddhism and Jainism were still active, but most Pallava kings followed both Vaishnavism and Saivism and performed Vedic sacrifices — so Buddhism and Jainism gradually lost royal patronage and mass support.
• From the 7th century, the Nayanars and Alvars drove the growth of Saivism and Vaishnavism — the Bhakti Movement.
• Adi Shankaracharya further reinforced the Vedic tradition, advocating Advaita philosophy.

Economy under the Pallavas

• Land revenue was the main income; additional taxes fell on professions, marriages, and the manufacture of salt, sugar and textiles, as well as draught cattle.
• Hsuen Tsang testified to a hard-working people and fertile soil; agricultural labourers were paid in kind.
• Brahmadeya villages (land grants) emerged in this period.
• Trade was initially by barter; later the Pallavas issued gold and silver coins, expanding commerce, and merchants formed guilds called Manigramam.
• Eripatti (tank lands): lands donated so their revenue could maintain the village tank.

Decline of the Pallavas

• After Narasimhavarman, the dynasty began to decline; continuous wars with the Chalukyas and Pandyas weakened it, and the Chalukyan army plundered the capital Kanchipuram.
• The dynasty ended with the defeat of Aparajitavarman, the last Pallava king, by the Chola king (Aditya I, c. 897 CE).

The Pallavas did not just rule South India — they invented the visual grammar of its temples. Every gopuram and vimana that followed, through the Cholas and beyond, traces a line back to the cliffs of Mahabalipuram. — Legacy IAS Faculty

Pallava Dynasty — UPSC PYQ

Q1. Who among the following rulers in ancient India had assumed the titles ‘Mattavilasa’, ‘Vichitrachitta’ and ‘Gunabhara’? (UPSC Prelims 2025)

• a) Mahendravarman I
• b) Simha Vishnu
• c) Narasimhavarman I
• d) Simhavarman