147-634: Kannappa is a legendary figure in South Indian folklore, widely celebrated for his devotion to the Hindu god Shiva . His story is closely connected with the Srikalahasteeswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh . Kannappa, originally a hunter, became renowned for offering his eyes to a Siva Lingam as an act of ultimate devotion. Before he could sacrifice both eyes, Shiva appeared and stopped him. Kannappa
294-573: A fertility goddess is known. Jainism too was a prominent religion during this period. The kings of the dynasty were however secular and actively encouraged Jainism . One of the Badami Cave temples is dedicated to the Jain faith. Jain temples were also erected in the Aihole complex, the temple at Maguti being one such example. Ravikirti, the court poet of Pulakeshin II was a Jain. Queen Vinayavati consecrated
441-684: A golden age in the history of Karnataka . The political atmosphere in South India shifted from smaller kingdoms to large empires with the ascendancy of Badami Chalukyas. A Southern India-based kingdom took control and consolidated the entire region between the Kaveri and the Narmada rivers. The rise of this empire saw the birth of efficient administration, overseas trade and commerce and the development of new style of architecture called "Chalukyan architecture". Kannada literature , which had enjoyed royal support in
588-650: A Northern kingdom. The Badami Chalukya records themselves are silent with regards to the Ayodhya origin. While the northern origin theory has been dismissed by many historians, the epigraphist K. V. Ramesh has suggested that an earlier southern migration is a distinct possibility which needs examination. According to him, the complete absence of any inscriptional reference of their family connections to Ayodhya, and their subsequent Kannadiga identity may have been due to their earlier migration into present day Karnataka region where they achieved success as chieftains and kings. Hence,
735-684: A crescent approximately along the borders of Tamil Nadu with northern Kerala and Karnataka, encompassing the Palakkad and Wayanad hills and the Sathyamangalam ranges, extending to the relatively low-lying hills of the Eastern Ghats on the western portion of the Tamil Nadu–Andhra Pradesh border, forming the Tirupati and Annamalai hills . The Deccan plateau is the elevated region bound by
882-480: A different standard compared to the coins of the northern kingdoms. The coins had Nagari and Kannada legends. The coins of Mangalesha had the symbol of a temple on the obverse and a 'sceptre between lamps' or a temple on the reverse. Pulakeshin II's coins had a caparisoned lion facing right on the obverse and a temple on the reverse. The coins weighed 4 grams and were called, in old-Kannada, hun (or honnu ) and had fractions such as fana (or fanam ) and
1029-497: A higher HDI as the economy has undergone growth at a faster rate than in most northern states. As of 2011, Literacy rates in the southern states is higher than the national average at approximately 76%. The fertility rate in South India is 1.9, the lowest of all regions in India. "South India" is also known as "Peninsular India" indicating its location in a peninsula surrounded by water on three sides. The term "Deccan", referring to
1176-533: A higher per capita income and lower debt-to-GDP ratio than the national average. According to the Globalization and World Cities Research Network , Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad are amongst the most integrated with the global economy with Bengaluru classified as an alpha- city , Chennai as beta and Hyderabad as beta-. Agriculture is the primary occupation in South India with nearly 5.31 crore people engaged in agriculture and allied activities in 2021. Rice
1323-468: A local rail transit system. As of December 2022, South India has 205.06 km of operational metro lines and 16 systems. In 1915, Tata Sons started a regular airmail service between Karachi and Madras marking the beginning of air transportation in the southern part of India. In March 1930, a discussion initiated by pilot G. Vlasto led to the founding of the Madras Flying Club , which became
1470-561: A long coastline. A total of 67 ports are situated in South India: Tamil Nadu (18), Kerala (14), Andhra Pradesh (13), Karanataka (11), Lakshadweep (10) and Pondicherry (1). Major ports include Visakhapatnam , Chennai , Mangalore , Tuticorin , Ennore and Kochi . The Kerala backwaters are a network of interconnected canals, rivers, lakes, and inlets, a labyrinthine system formed by more than 900 km of waterways. The Eastern Naval Command and Southern Naval Command of
1617-875: A major party in Telangana, Karnataka, and Kerala. The party ruled with minimal opposition for 30 years in Andhra Pradesh, before the formation of the Telugu Desam Party by Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao in 1982. Two prominent coalitions in Kerala are the United Democratic Front , led by the Indian National Congress, and the Left Democratic Front , led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) . For
SECTION 10
#17328588401601764-543: A pioneer in pilot training in South India. On 15 October 1932, Indian aviator J. R. D. Tata flew a Puss Moth aircraft carrying mail from Karachi to Juhu aerodrome , Bombay ; and the aircraft continued to Madras , piloted by Neville Vincent, a former Royal Air Force pilot and friend of Tata. There are 12 international airports , 2 customs airports , 15 domestic airports, 5 state owned/private airports and 15 air bases in South India. Bengaluru , Chennai , Hyderabad , and Kochi international airports are amongst
1911-580: A poet named Vijayanaka who describes herself as the "dark Sarasvati " have been preserved. It is possible that she may have been a queen of prince Chandraditya (a son of Pulakeshin II). Famous writers in Sanskrit from the Western Chalukya period are Vijnaneshwara who achieved fame by writing Mitakshara , a book on Hindu law, and King Someshvara III , a noted scholar, who compiled an encyclopaedia of all arts and sciences called Manasollasa . From
2058-422: A separate sovereign state. The States Reorganisation Act of 1956 reorganized the states based on linguistic lines resulting in the creation of the new states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , Kerala and Tamil Nadu . As a result of this act, Madras State retained its name with Kanyakumari district added to from Travancore-Cochin . The state was subsequently renamed Tamil Nadu in 1968. Andhra Pradesh
2205-501: A temple for the Trimurti ("Hindu trinity") at Badami. Sculptures of the Trimurti, Harihara (half Vishnu, half Shiva) and Ardhanarishwara (half Shiva, half woman) provide ample evidence of their tolerance. Buddhism was on a decline, having made its ingress into Southeast Asia. This is confirmed by the writings of Hiuen-Tsiang. Badami, Aihole, Kurtukoti and Puligere (modern Lakshmeshwar in
2352-562: A vast empire, the Chalukyan workshops concentrated most of their temple building activity in a relatively small area within the Chalukyan heartland – Aihole , Badami , Pattadakal and Mahakuta in modern Karnataka state. Their temple building activity can be categorised into three phases. The early phase began in the last quarter of the 6th century and resulted in many cave temples, prominent among which are three elementary cave temples at Aihole (one Vedic , one Jain and one Buddhist which
2499-517: Is a celebration of the achievements of the Chalukyas in the realm of art, craft, music and dance. The program, which starts at Pattadakal and ends in Aihole, is inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Karnataka . Singers, dancers, poets and other artists from all over the country take part in this event. In the 26 February 2006 celebration, 400 art troupes took part in the festivities. Colorful cutouts of
2646-413: Is able to form a government. As per the 2011 census of India , the estimated population of South India was 252 million, around one fifth of the total population of the country. The region's total fertility rate (TFR) was less than the population replacement level of 2.1 for all states, with Kerala and Tamil Nadu having the lowest TFRs in India at 1.7. As a result, from 1981 to 2011 the proportion of
2793-471: Is about 60% of the country's total. As of 2019–20, the total gross domestic product of the region is ₹67 trillion (US$ 946 billion). Tamil Nadu has the second -highest GDP and is the second-most industrialised state in the country after Maharashtra . With the presence of two major ports, an international airport, and a converging road and rail networks, Chennai is referred to as the "Gateway of South India". South India contributes 30% of India's GDP with
2940-1004: Is home to one of the largest populations of endangered Bengal tigers and Indian elephants in India, being home to one-third of the tiger population and more than half of the elephant population, with 14 Project Tiger reserves and 11 Project Elephant reserves. Elephant populations are found in eight fragmented sites in the region: in northern Karnataka, along the Western Ghats, in Bhadra – Malnad , in Brahmagiri – Nilgiris – Eastern Ghats , in Nilambur – Silent Valley – Coimbatore , in Anamalai – Parambikulam , in Periyar – Srivilliputhur , and in Agasthyamalai Other threatened and endangered species found in
3087-701: Is incomplete), followed by four developed cave temples at Badami (of which cave 3, a Vaishnava temple, is dated accurately to 578 CE). These cave temples at Badami are similar, in that, each has a plain exterior but an exceptionally well finished interior consisting of a pillared verandah , a columned hall ( mantapa ) and a cella (shrine, cut deep into rock) which contains the deity of worship. In Badami, three caves temples are Vedic and one in Jain. The Vedic temples contain large well sculpted images of Harihara , Mahishasuramardhini , Varaha , Narasimha , Trivikrama, Vishnu seated on Anantha (the snake) and Nataraja (dancing Shiva ). The second phase of temple building
SECTION 20
#17328588401603234-487: Is largely dependent on seasonal monsoons and monsoon failure often leads to droughts forcing farmers into debt, selling livestock and sometimes into committing suicide. Chalukya dynasty The Chalukya dynasty ( [tʃaːɭukjə] ) was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynasty, known as
3381-449: Is not suitable for agriculture. The southwest monsoon from June to September accounts for most of the rainfall in the region. The Arabian Sea branch of the southwest monsoon hits the Western Ghats along the coastal state of Kerala and moves northward along the Konkan coast , with precipitation on coastal areas west of the Western Ghats. The lofty Western Ghats prevent the winds from reaching
3528-480: Is presumed Pulakeshin II, "the great hero", died fighting. The Badami Chalukya dynasty went into a brief decline following the death of Pulakeshin II due to internal feuds when Badami was occupied by the Pallavas for a period of thirteen years. It recovered during the reign of Vikramaditya I , who succeeded in pushing the Pallavas out of Badami and restoring order to the empire. Vikramaditya I took
3675-532: Is repeated by his court poet Bilhana, who claims that the first member of the family, "Chalukya", was so named as he was born in the "hollow of the hands" of God Brahma . Some genealogical accounts point to an Ayodhya origin and claim that the Chalukyas belonged to the Solar dynasty . According to a theory put forward by Lewis, the Chalukya were descendants of the " Seleukia " tribe of Iraq and that their conflict with
3822-593: Is revered in Tamil Shaivite traditions, and his story is documented in the Periya Puranam , a 12th-century Tamil hagiography of the 63 Nayanars. He is venerated as a symbol of devotion in Shaivism , and his life continues to inspire worshippers. Kannappa's life has been depicted in several Indian films across different languages. South India South India , also known as Southern India or Peninsular India ,
3969-699: Is said to have authored the Prabhrita , and Srivaradhadeva (also called Tumubuluracharya, 650 or earlier), the possible author of the Chudamani ("Crest Jewel"), a lengthy commentary on logic . The rule of the Western and Eastern Chalukyas, however, is a major event in the history of Kannada and Telugu literatures respectively. By the 9th–10th centuries, Kannada language had already seen some of its most notable writers. The "three gems" of Kannada literature , Adikavi Pampa , Sri Ponna and Ranna belonged to this period. In
4116-515: Is seen clearly in the field of architecture. The Chalukyas spawned the Vesara style of architecture which includes elements of the northern nagara and southern dravida styles. During this period, the expanding Sanskritic culture mingled with local Dravidian vernaculars which were already popular. Dravidian languages maintain these influences even today. This influence helped to enrich literature in these languages. The Hindu legal system owes much to
4263-917: Is similar to the Dasagrama unit used by the Kadambas . At the lower levels of administration, the Kadamba style prevailed fully. The Sanjan plates of Vikramaditya I even mentions a land unit called Dasagrama . In addition to imperial provinces, there were autonomous regions ruled by feudatories such as the Alupas, the Gangas , the Banas and the Sendrakas. Local assemblies and guilds looked after local issues. Groups of mahajanas (learned brahmins ) looked after agraharas (called ghatika or "place of higher learning") such as at Badami which
4410-502: Is spoken by about 1.5 million people in coastal Kerala and Karnataka; Konkani , an Indo-Aryan language, is spoken by around 0.8 million people in the Konkan coast (Canara) and Kerala; Kodava Takk is spoken by more than half a million people in Kodagu, Mysore, and Bangalore. English is also widely spoken in urban areas of South India. Deccani Urdu a regional dialect of Urdu is spoken by
4557-496: Is that the founders of the empire at Badami were native to the modern Karnataka region. A theory that they were descendants of a 2nd-century chieftain called Kandachaliki Remmanaka, a feudatory of the Andhra Ikshvaku (from an Ikshvaku inscription of the 2nd century) was put forward. This according to Kamath has failed to explain the difference in lineage. The Kandachaliki feudatory call themselves Vashisthiputras of
Kannappa - Misplaced Pages Continue
4704-532: Is the tropical monsoon climate characterized by moderate to high year-round temperatures and seasonally heavy rainfall above 2,000 mm (79 in) per year. The tropical climate is experienced in a strip of south-western lowlands abutting the Malabar Coast , the Western Ghats and the Lakshadweep islands. A tropical wet and dry climate , drier than areas with a tropical monsoon climate, prevails over most of
4851-627: Is the highest peak in South India. The Eastern Ghats run parallel to the Bay of Bengal along the eastern coast and the strip of land between them forms the Coromandel region. They are a discontinuous range of mountains, which have been eroded and quadrisected by the four major rivers of southern India, the Godavari , Mahanadi , Krishna , and Kaveri . Both mountain ranges meet at the Nilgiri mountains which run in
4998-606: Is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , Kerala , Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry , occupying 19.31% of India's area (635,780 km or 245,480 sq mi) and 20% of India's population. It is bound by the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea in
5145-473: Is the staple food and major crop in the region. South India is a major producer of spices with black pepper , cardamom , clove and nutmeg grown exclusively in the region. Some of the main crops cultivated in South India include sugarcane , chilli , banana , cotton , turmeric , millets and pulses. Other plantation crops include cashew , coffee , tea , rubber , betel , areca nut , coconut , bamboo and cocoa . The region accounts for 92% of
5292-547: The Varaha the Chalukya emblem, Satyashraya Pulakeshin (Pulakeshin II), famous sculptural masterpieces such as Durga , Mahishasuramardhini (Durga killing demon Mahishasura ) were present everywhere. The program at Pattadakal is named Anivaritacharigund vedike after the famous architect of the Virupaksha temple, Gundan Anivaritachari . At Badami it is called Chalukya Vijayambika Vedike and at Aihole, Ravikirti Vedike after
5439-659: The 1937 elections to the Indian National Congress, and Chakravarti Rajagopalachari became the Chief Minister of the Madras Presidency. During the 1920s and 1930s, the Self-Respect Movement , spearheaded by Theagaroya Chetty and E. V. Ramaswamy (commonly known as Periyar), emerged in the Madras Presidency. In 1944, Periyar transformed the party into a social organisation, renaming the party Dravidar Kazhagam , and withdrew from electoral politics. The initial aim
5586-491: The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation , Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation , Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation , Telangana State Road Transport Corporation , Kerala State Road Transport Corporation , and Puducherry Road Transport Corporation . In 1832, the proposal to construct the first railway line in India at Madras was made. In 1835, a railway track
5733-568: The Chola kingdom. Choda Bhima's invasion of Tondaimandalam, a Chola territory, and his subsequent death on the battlefield opened up a new era in Chola–Chalukya relations. Saktivarman I, the elder son of Danarnava was crowned as the ruler of Vengi in 1000, though under the control of king Rajaraja Chola I . This new relationship between the Cholas and the coastal Andhra kingdom was unacceptable to
5880-469: The Gadag district ) were primary places of learning. The Hindu caste system was present and devadasis were recognised by the government. Some kings had concubines ( ganikas ) who were given much respect, and Sati was perhaps absent since widows like Vinayavathi and Vijayanka are mentioned in records. Devadasis were however present in temples. Sage Bharata 's Natyashastra , the precursor to Bharatanatyam ,
6027-564: The Hiranyakagotra . The Chalukyas, however, address themselves as Harithiputras of Manavyasagotra in their inscriptions, which is the same lineage as their early overlords, the Kadambas of Banavasi. This makes them descendants of the Kadambas. The Chalukyas took control of the territory formerly ruled by the Kadambas. A later record of Eastern Chalukyas mentions the northern origin theory and claims one ruler of Ayodhya came south, defeated
Kannappa - Misplaced Pages Continue
6174-882: The Karnata dravida tradition. The most notable of the many buildings dating from this period are the Mahadeva Temple at Itagi in the Koppal district , the Kasivisvesvara Temple at Lakkundi in the Gadag district , the Mallikarjuna Temple at Kuruvatti, and the Kallesvara Temple at Bagali, both in the Davangere district . Other notable constructions are the Dodda Basappa Temple at Dambal (Gadag district),
6321-610: The Kupgal petroglyphs of eastern Karnataka, at Stone Age sites. Hinduism is the major religion today in South India, with about 84% of the population adhering to it, which is often regarded as the oldest religion in the world, tracing its roots to prehistoric times in India. Its spiritual traditions include both the Shaivite and Vaishnavite branches of Hinduism, although Buddhist and Jain philosophies were influential several centuries earlier. Ayyavazhi has spread significantly across
6468-739: The Madras States Agency (composed of Travancore , Cochin , Jeypore , and a number of other minor princely states ). The region played a major role in the Indian independence movement . Of the 72 delegates who participated in the first session of the Indian National Congress at Bombay in December 1885, 22 hailed from South India. After Indian Independence in 1947, the region was organized into four states Madras State , Mysore State , Hyderabad State and Travancore-Cochin . Dravida Nadu
6615-574: The Mahakuta Pillar inscription of Mangalesha (595) and the Aihole inscription of Pulakeshin II (634) are examples of important Sanskrit inscriptions written in old Kannada script . The reign of the Chalukyas saw the arrival of Kannada as the predominant language of inscriptions along with Sanskrit, in areas of the Indian peninsula outside what is known as Tamilakam (Tamil country). Several coins of
6762-423: The Malaprabha river basin in modern Bagalkot district of northern Karnataka. The building material they used was a reddish-golden Sandstone found locally. These cave temples are basically excavations, cut out of the living rock sites they occupy. They were not built as their structural counterparts were, rather created by a special technique known as "subtraction" and are basically sculptural. Though they ruled
6909-497: The Millennium Development Goals set by the United Nations and expected to be achieved by 2015, Kerala and Tamil Nadu achieved the goals related to improvement of maternal health and of reducing infant mortality and child mortality by 2009. Languages of South India ( 2011 census ) The largest linguistic group in South India is the Dravidian family of languages , of approximately 73 languages. The major languages spoken include Telugu , Tamil , Kannada , and Malayalam . Tulu
7056-611: The Muslims . Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Urdu, and konkani are listed among the 22 official languages of India . Tamil was the first language to be granted classical language status by the Government of India in 2004. Later Telugu (2008), Kannada (2008) and Malayalam (2013) were also declared as classical languages. These four languages combined have literary outputs larger than other literary languages of India. Religion in South India (2011) Evidence of prehistoric religion in South India comes from scattered Mesolithic rock paintings depicting dances and rituals, such as
7203-665: The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in the Nilgiri Hills , the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve in the Agastya Mala - Cardamom Hills and Gulf of Mannar coral reefs. The Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve covers an area of 10,500 km (4,100 sq mi) of ocean, islands and the adjoining coastline including coral reefs , salt marshes and mangroves. It is home to endangered aquatic species, including dolphins , dugongs , whales and sea cucumbers . Bird sanctuaries including Thattekad , Kadalundi , Vedanthangal , Ranganathittu , Kumarakom , Neelapattu , and Pulicat are home to numerous migratory and local birds. South India
7350-440: The Pallava of Kanchi was, but a continuation of the conflict between ancient Seleukia and " Parthians ", the proposed ancestors of Pallavas . However, this theory has been rejected by Kamath as it seeks to build lineages based simply on similar-sounding clan names. The Chalukyas ruled over the Deccan plateau in India for over 600 years. During this period, they ruled as three closely related, but individual dynasties. These are
7497-403: The Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta , the Chalukyas of Badami , the Hoysalas of Belur , and the Kakatiyas of Orugallu ruled over the region from the 6th century BCE to the 14th century CE. In the 15th century, Vijayanagara empire was the last kingdom to conquer all of Southern India. After repeated invasions from the Sultanate of Delhi , the Vijayanagara empire fell in 1646 and the region
SECTION 50
#17328588401607644-418: The Sangam period (c. 3rd century BCE to c. 4th century CE). The region was part of the ancient Silk Road connecting the East with the West . Several dynasties such as the Cheras of Karuvur , the Pandyas of Madurai , the Cholas of Thanjavur , the Zamorins of Kozhikode , the Satavahanas of Amaravati , the Pallavas of Kanchi , the Kadambas of Banavasi , the Western Gangas of Kolar ,
7791-405: The Siddhesvara Temple at Haveri ( Haveri district ), and the Amrtesvara Temple at Annigeri ( Dharwad district ). The Eastern Chalukyas built some fine temples at Alampur, in modern eastern Andhra Pradesh. The Aihole inscription of Pulakeshin II (634) written by his court poet Ravikirti in Sanskrit language and Kannada script is considered as a classical piece of poetry. A few verses of
7938-436: The Vishnukundina kingdom. He appointed his brother Kubja Vishnuvardhana as Viceroy in 621. Thus the Eastern Chalukyas were originally of Kannada stock. After the death of Pulakeshin II, the Vengi Viceroyalty developed into an independent kingdom and included the region between Nellore and Visakhapatnam . After the decline of the Badami Chalukya empire in the mid-8th century, territorial disputes flared up between
8085-407: The coffee and 85% of the natural rubber production in the country. Other major agricultural products include poultry and silk . Being a peninsular region, aquaculture is a major contributor to the economy. As of 2017–18, the region produced 53.68 lakh tonnes fish contributing to nearly 43% of total fish production in India. Like most of the Indian subcontinent, agriculture in the region
8232-581: The quarter fana (the modern day Kannada equivalent being hana – which literally means "money"). A gold coin called gadyana is mentioned in a record at the Vijayeshwara Temple at Pattadakal , which later came to be known as varaha (their royal emblem). Both Shaivism and Vaishnavism flourished during the Badami Chalukya period, though it seems the former was more popular. Famous temples were built in places such as Pattadakal, Aihole and Mahakuta, and priests ( archakas ) were invited from northern India. Vedic sacrifices, religious vows ( vrata ) and
8379-432: The "Badami Chalukyas", ruled from Vatapi (modern Badami ) from the middle of the 6th century. The Badami Chalukyas began to assert their independence at the decline of the Kadamba kingdom of Banavasi and rapidly rose to prominence during the reign of Pulakeshin II . After the death of Pulakeshin II, the Eastern Chalukyas became an independent kingdom in the eastern Deccan . They ruled from Vengi until about
8526-427: The "Chalukyas of Badami" (also called "Early Chalukyas"), who ruled between the 6th and the 8th century, and the two sibling dynasties, the "Chalukyas of Kalyani" (also called Western Chalukyas or "Later Chalukyas") and the "Chalukyas of Vengi" (also called Eastern Chalukyas ). In the 6th century, with the decline of the Gupta dynasty and their immediate successors in northern India, major changes began to happen in
8673-400: The 10 busiest in the country. Chennai International Airport serves as the Southern Regional Headquarters of the Airports Authority of India , the Southern Region comprising the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, and the union territories of Puducherry and Lakshadweep. Four of the ten busiest airports in India are in South India. The region comes under
8820-471: The 11th century, Telugu literature was born under the patronage of the Eastern Chalukyas with Nannaya Bhatta as its first writer. The army was well organised and this was the reason for Pulakeshin II's success beyond the Vindyas. It consisted of an infantry, a cavalry, an elephant corps and a powerful navy. The Chinese traveller Hiuen-Tsiang wrote that the Chalukyan army had hundreds of elephants which were intoxicated with liquor prior to battle. It
8967-426: The 11th century. In the western Deccan, the rise of the Rashtrakutas in the middle of the 8th century eclipsed the Chalukyas of Badami before being revived by their descendants, the Western Chalukyas , in the late 10th century. These Western Chalukyas ruled from Kalyani (modern Basavakalyan ) until the end of the 12th century. The rule of the Chalukyas marks an important milestone in the history of South India and
SECTION 60
#17328588401609114-420: The 2011 census, the HDI in the southern states is high, and the economy has grown at a faster rate than those of most northern states. As per the 2011 census, the average literacy rate in South India is approximately 80%, considerably higher than the Indian national average of 74%, with Kerala having the highest literacy rate of 93.91%. South India has the highest sex ratio with Kerala and Tamil Nadu being
9261-403: The 8th century and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site , marks the culmination and mature phase of Badami Chalukyan architecture. The Bhutanatha group of temples at Badami are also from this period. There are ten temples at Pattadakal, six in southern dravida style and four in the northern nagara style. Well known among these are the Sangamesvara Temple (725), the Virupaksha Temple (740–745) and
9408-413: The 9th century Rashtrakuta court found eager patronage from the Western Chalukyas in the Jain and Veerashaiva traditions. The 11th century saw the patronage of Telugu literature under the Eastern Chalukyas . While opinions vary regarding the early origins of the Chalukyas, the consensus among noted historians such as John Keay , D.C. Sircar , Hans Raj, S. Sen, Kamath , K. V. Ramesh and Karmarkar
9555-624: The Badami Chalukyas with Kannada legends have been found. All this indicates that Kannada language flourished during this period. Travelogues of contemporary foreign travellers have provided useful information about the Chalukyan empire. The Chinese traveller Xuanzang had visited the court of Pulakeshin II . At the time of this visit, as mentioned in the Aihole record, Pulakeshin II had divided his empire into three Maharashtrakas or great provinces comprising 99,000 villages each. This empire possibly covered present day Karnataka , Maharashtra and coastal Konkan . Xuanzang, impressed with
9702-409: The British Indian court system. It was during the Western Chalukya rule that the Bhakti movement gained momentum in South India, in the form of Ramanujacharya and Basavanna , later spreading into northern India. A celebration called Chalukya utsava , a three-day festival of music and dance, organised by the Government of Karnataka , is held every year at Pattadakal, Badami and Aihole. The event
9849-472: The Chalukya king Pulakeshin II was war-like and loved "military arts", because he was a Kshatriya by birth. The historians Jan Houben and Kamath, and the epigraphist D.C. Sircar note the Badami Chalukya inscriptions are in Kannada and Sanskrit . According to the historian N. L. Rao, their inscriptions call them Karnatas and their names use indigenous Kannada titles such as Priyagallam and Noduttagelvom . The names of some Chalukya princes end with
9996-409: The Chalukya rule in the western Deccan and recovered most of the Chalukya empire. The Western Chalukyas ruled for over 200 years and were in constant conflict with the Cholas , and with their cousins, the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi. Vikramaditya VI is widely considered the most notable ruler of the dynasty. Starting from the very beginning of his reign, which lasted fifty years, he abolished
10143-446: The Chalukyas maintained close family and marital relationships. Pulakeshin II extended the Chalukya Empire up to the northern extents of the Pallava kingdom and halted the southward march of Harsha by defeating him on the banks of the river Narmada . He then defeated the Vishnukundins in the south-eastern Deccan. Pallava Narasimhavarman however reversed this victory in 642 by attacking and occupying Badami temporarily. It
10290-408: The Deccan Plateau; hence, the leeward region (the region deprived of winds) receives very little rainfall. The Bay of Bengal branch of the southwest monsoon heads toward northeast India, picking up moisture from the Bay of Bengal. The Coramandel coast does not receive much rainfall from the southwest monsoon, due to the shape of the land. Tamil Nadu and southeast Andhra Pradesh receive rains from
10437-402: The Deccan were laid down in the massive Deccan Traps eruption, which occurred towards the end of the Cretaceous period, between 67 and 66 million years ago. Layer after layer was formed by the volcanic activity that lasted many years and when the volcanoes became extinct, they left a region of highlands with typically vast stretches of flat areas on top like a table. The plateau is watered by
10584-475: The Eastern Chalukyas. The Badami Chalukya era was an important period in the development of South Indian architecture. The kings of this dynasty were called Umapati Varlabdh and built many temples for the Hindu god Shiva. Their style of architecture is called "Chalukyan architecture" or "Karnata Dravida architecture". Nearly a hundred monuments built by them, rock cut (cave) and structural, are found in
10731-479: The Government of India operates the railway system. Currently, operational metro systems are there in four cities Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kochi. Chennai Suburban founded in 1928 is one of the oldest and largest urban networks in the country. Opened in 1995, Chennai MRTS was the first elevated urban railway in India. Hyderabad MMTS was opened in 2003, becoming the second city in South India to have
10878-558: The Indian Navy are headquartered at Visakhapatnam and Kochi respectively. In the region, the Indian Navy has its major operational bases at Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Kochi, Karwar, and Kavaratti. Kochi Water Metro is the first water metro service in India launched in 2023. After independence, the economy of South India conformed to a socialist framework, with strict governmental control over private sector participation, foreign trade , and foreign direct investment . From 1960 to 1990,
11025-580: The Madras Presidency began in 1859 and the 80 miles (130 km) link from Trichinopoly to Negapatam and a link from Tirur to the Port of Beypore at Kozhikode on the Malabar Coast , which eventually got expanded into the Mangalore - Chennai line via Palakkad Gap were opened in 1861. The Carnatic Railway Company was founded in 1864 and opened a Madras– Arakkonam – Conjeevaram –Katpadi junction line in 1865. These two companies subsequently merged in 1874 to form
11172-672: The Madras State, the districts of Belgaum , Bijapur , North Canara and Dharwad from Bombay State , the Kannada-majority districts of Bidar , Raichur and Gulbarga from Hyderabad State and the province of Coorg . Mysore State was renamed as Karnataka in 1973. The Union Territory of Puducherry was created in 1954 comprising the previous French enclaves of Pondichéry , Karaikal , Yanam and Mahé . The Laccadive Islands which were divided between South Canara and Malabar districts of Madras State were united and organized into
11319-582: The Mallikarjuna Temple (740–745) in the southern style. The Papanatha temple (680) and Galaganatha Temple (740) are early attempts in the nagara – dravida fusion style. Inscriptional evidence suggests that the Virupaksha and the Mallikarjuna Temples were commissioned by the two queens of King Vikramaditya II after his military success over the Pallavas of Kanchipuram. Some well known names of Chalukyan architects are Revadi Ovajja, Narasobba and Anivarita Gunda . The reign of Western Chalukyas
11466-628: The Meguti Jain Temple (634) which shows progress in structural design; the Durga Temple with its northern Indian style tower (8th century) and experiments to adapt a Buddhist Chaitya design to a brahminical one (its stylistic framework is overall a hybrid of north and south Indian styles. ); the Huccimalli Gudi Temple with a new inclusion, a vestibule , connecting the sanctum to the hall. Other dravida style temples from this period are
11613-871: The Naganatha Temple at Nagaral; the Banantigudi Temple, the Mahakutesvara Temple and the Mallikarjuna Temple at Mahakuta; and the Lower Sivalaya Temple, the Malegitti Sivalaya Temple (upper) and the Jambulingesvara Temple at Badami. Located outside the Chalukyan architectural heartland, 140 km south-east of Badami, with a structure related to the Early Chalukya style is the unusual Parvati Temple at Sanduru which dates to
11760-505: The Pallavas and married a Pallava princess. She had a child called Vijayaditya who is claimed to be the Pulakeshin ;I 's father. However, according to the historians K. V. Ramesh, Chopra and Sastri, there are Badami Chalukya inscriptions that confirm Jayasimha was Pulakeshin I's grandfather and Ranaraga , his father. Kamath and Moraes claim it was a popular practice in the 11th century to link South Indian royal family lineage to
11907-470: The Rashtrakutas, the new rulers of the western deccan, and the Eastern Chalukyas. For much of the next two centuries, the Eastern Chalukyas had to accept subordination towards the Rashtrakutas. Apart from a rare military success, such as the one by Vijayaditya II(c.808–847), it was only during the rule of Bhima I (c.892–921) that these Chalukyas were able to celebrate a measure of independence. After
12054-417: The Sanskrit work Mitakshara by Vijnaneshwara in the court of Western Chalukya King Vikramaditya VI. Perhaps the greatest work in legal literature, Mitakshara is a commentary on Yajnavalkya and is a treatise on law based on earlier writings and has found acceptance in most parts of India. Englishman Henry Thomas Colebrooke later translated into English the section on inheritance, giving it currency in
12201-761: The South Indian Railway Company. In 1880, the Great Indian Peninsula Railway , established by the British , built a railway network radiating from Madras . In 1879, the Madras Railway constructed a line from Royapuram to Bangalore; and the Maharaja of Mysore established the Mysore State Railway to build an extension from Bangalore to Mysore . The Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway
12348-514: The South Indian economies experienced mixed economic growth. In the 1960s, Kerala achieved above-average growth while Andhra Pradesh's economy declined. Kerala experienced an economic decline in the 1970s while the economies of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh consistently exceeded national average growth rates, due to reform-oriented economic policies. As of March 2015, there are 109 operational Special Economic Zones in South India, which
12495-549: The Western Chalukyas, who had by then replaced the Rashtrakutas as the main power in the western Deccan. The Western Chalukyas sought to brook the growing Chola influence in the Vengi region but were unsuccessful. Initially, the Eastern Chalukyas had encouraged Kannada language and literature, though, after a period of time, local factors took over and they gave importance to Telugu language . Telugu literature owes its growth to
12642-537: The Western Ghats while tropical dry forests and scrub lands are common in the interior Deccan plateau. The southern Western Ghats have rain forests located at high altitudes called the South Western Ghats montane rain forests , and the Malabar Coast moist forests are found on the coastal plains. The Western Ghats is one of the eight hottest biodiversity hotspots in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Important ecological regions of South India are
12789-623: The area covered by the Deccan Plateau that covers most of peninsular India excluding the coastal areas, is an anglicised form of the Prakrit word dakkhiṇa derived from the Sanskrit word dakshiṇa meaning south. Carnatic , derived from "Karnāḍ" or "Karunāḍ" meaning high country , has also been associated with South India. Carbon dating shows that ash mounds associated with Neolithic cultures in South India date back to 8000 BCE. Towards
12936-609: The area south of the Vindhyas – the Deccan and Tamilakam . The age of small kingdoms had given way to large empires in this region. The Chalukya dynasty was established by Pulakeshin I in 543. Pulakeshin I took Vatapi (modern Badami in Bagalkot district, Karnataka ) under his control and made it his capital. Pulakeshin I and his descendants are referred to as "Chalukyas of Badami". They ruled over an empire that comprised
13083-527: The beginning of 1000 BCE, iron technology spread through the region; however, there does not appear to be a fully developed Bronze Age preceding the Iron Age in South India. The region was in the middle of a trade route that extended from Muziris to Arikamedu linking the Mediterranean to East Asia . Trade with Phoenicians , Romans , Greeks , Arabs , Syrians , Jews , and Chinese began during
13230-415: The classical dance of South India, was popular and is seen in many sculptures and is mentioned in inscriptions. Some women from the royal family enjoyed political power in administration. Queen Vijayanka was a noted Sanskrit poet, Kumkumadevi, the younger sister of Vijayaditya (and queen of Alupa King Chitravahana) made several grants and had a Jain basadi called Anesajjebasadi constructed at Puligere, and
13377-517: The death of Bhima I, the Andhra region once again saw succession disputes and interference in Vengi affairs by the Rashtrakutas. The fortunes of the Eastern Chalukyas took a turn around 1000. Danarnava, their king, was killed in battle in 973 by the Telugu Choda King Bhima who then imposed his rule over the region for twenty-seven years. During this time, Danarnava's two sons took refuge in
13524-402: The decades immediately after the independence of India, the economies of South Indian states have, over the past three decades, registered growth higher than the national average. While South Indian states have improved in some of the socio-economic metrics, poverty continues to affect the region as it does the rest of the country, although it has considerably decreased over the years. Based on
13671-561: The depression between the Vindhya and Satpura ranges, which define the northern spur of the Deccan plateau . The low-lying coral islands of Lakshadweep are situated off the southwestern coast of India and the Andaman and Nicobar islands lie far off the eastern coast. The Palk Strait and the chain of low sandbars and islands known as Rama's Bridge separate the region from Sri Lanka , which lies off
13818-611: The development of Kannada literature and Sanskrit literature . They went into their final dissolution towards the end of the 12th century with the rise of the Hoysala Empire , the Pandyas , the Kakatiya and the Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri . Pulakeshin II conquered the eastern Deccan, corresponding to the coastal districts of modern Andhra Pradesh in 616, defeating the remnants of
13965-478: The early Chalukyas, suggests that the Western Chalukya kings belonged to the same family line as the illustrious Badami Chalukya dynasty of the 6th century while other Western Chalukya inscriptional evidence indicates they were a distinct line unrelated to the Early Chalukyas. Tailapa II , a Rashtrakuta feudatory ruling from Tardavadi – 1000 ( Bijapur district ) overthrew Karka II , re-established
14112-856: The east-flowing Godavari , Krishna , Kaveri , Penna , Tungabhadra , Vaigai rivers and their tributaries. Other prominent features include the Gulf of Mannar , the Palk Strait , which separates India from Sri Lanka; the Ten Degree Channel , which separates the Andamans from the Nicobar Islands; and the Eight Degree Channel, which separates the Laccadive and Amindivi Islands from the Minicoy Island to
14259-693: The end of the Vellore Mutiny in 1806, the British consolidated their power over much of present-day South India, with the exception of French Pondichéry . The British Empire took control of the region from the British East India Company in 1857. During the British colonial rule, the region was divided into the Madras Presidency (later, the Madras Province), Hyderabad State , Mysore , and
14406-647: The entire state of Karnataka and most of Andhra Pradesh in the Deccan. Pulakeshin II , whose pre-coronation name was Ereya, commanded control over the entire Deccan and is perhaps the most well-known emperor of the Badami dynasty. He is considered one of the notable kings in Indian history. His queens were princess from the Alupa Dynasty of South Canara and the Western Ganga Dynasty of Talakad , clans with whom
14553-482: The giving of gifts ( dana ) was important. The Badami kings were followers of Vedic Hinduism and dedicated temples to popular Hindu deities in Aihole. Sculptures of deities testify to the popularity of Hindu Gods such as Vishnu , Shiva , Kartikeya , Ganapathi , Shakti , Surya and Sapta Matrikas ("seven mothers"). The Badami kings also performed the Ashwamedha ("horse sacrifice"). The worship of Lajja Gauri ,
14700-584: The governance of the empire observed that the benefits of the king's efficient administration was felt far and wide. Later, Persian emperor Khosrau II exchanged ambassadors with Pulakeshin II. Court poets of the Western Chalukya dynasty of Kalyani narrate: Some scholars connect the Chalukyas with the Chaulukyas (Solankis) of Gujarat . According to a myth mentioned in latter manuscripts of Prithviraj Raso , Chaulukyas were born out of fire-pit (Agnikund) at Mount Abu . However it has been reported that
14847-609: The governor of the Chalukya branch of Navsari . Vikramaditya II later overran the other traditional kingdoms of Tamil country, the Pandyas , the Cholas and the Cheras in addition to subduing a Kalabhra ruler. The last Chalukya king, Kirtivarman II , was overthrown by the Rashtrakuta king Dantidurga in 753. At their peak, the Chalukyas ruled a vast empire stretching from the Kaveri in
14994-615: The hunter's sincerity and pure heart. According to legend, Kannappa once noticed that the Siva Lingam was bleeding from one of its eyes. Without hesitation, he plucked out one of his own eyes and placed it on the lingam to stop the bleeding. When the other eye of the lingam began to bleed, Kannappa prepared to offer his remaining eye. To ensure he could correctly place his eye, he marked the spot with his foot. Moved by this ultimate act of devotion, Shiva appeared and stopped him, restoring his sight and granting him liberation. Kannappa's devotion
15141-434: The inland peninsular region except for a semi-arid rain shadow east of the Western Ghats. Winter and early summer are long dry periods with temperatures averaging above 18 °C (64 °F); summer is exceedingly hot with temperatures in low-lying areas exceeding 50 °C (122 °F); and the rainy season lasts from June to September, with annual rainfall averaging between 750 and 1,500 mm (30 and 59 in) across
15288-436: The late 7th century. It is medium-sized, 48 ft long and 37 ft wide. It has a nagara (north Indian) style vimana (tower) and dravida (south Indian) style parts, has no mantapa (hall) and consists of an antarala ( vestibule ) crowned with a barrel-vaulted tower ( sukhanasi ). The "staggered" base plan of the temple became popular much later, in the 11th century. The structural temples at Pattadakal, built in
15435-636: The main source of information about Badami Chalukya history. Among them, the Badami cave inscriptions of Mangalesha (578), Kappe Arabhatta record of c. 700, Peddavaduguru inscription of Pulakeshin II , the Kanchi Kailasanatha Temple inscription and Pattadakal Virupaksha Temple inscription of Vikramaditya II (all in Kannada language) provide more evidence of the Chalukya language. The Badami cliff inscription of Pulakeshin I (543),
15582-412: The mountain ranges. The plateau rises to 100 metres (330 ft) in the north and to more than 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) in the south, forming a raised triangle within the downward-pointing triangle of the Indian subcontinent 's coastline. It also slopes gently from West to East resulting in major rivers arising in the Western Ghats and flowing east into the Bay of Bengal. The volcanic basalt beds of
15729-461: The national parties usually aligning as junior partners to the major Dravidian parties, AIADMK and DMK. Indian National Congress dominated the political scene in Tamil Nadu in the 1950s and 1960s under the leadership of K. Kamaraj , who led the party after the death of Jawaharlal Nehru and ensured the selection of Prime Ministers Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi . Congress continues to be
15876-509: The northeast monsoon. The northeast monsoon takes place from November to early March, when the surface high-pressure system is strongest. The North Indian Ocean tropical cyclones occur throughout the year in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, bringing devastating winds and heavy rainfall. There is a wide diversity of plants and animals in South India, resulting from its varied climates and geography. Deciduous forests are found along
16023-500: The original Saka era and established the Vikrama Era . Most subsequent Chalukya inscriptions are dated in this new era. Vikramaditya VI was an ambitious and skilled military leader. Under his leadership the Western Chalukyas were able to end the Chola influence over Vengi (coastal Andhra) and become the dominant power in the Deccan. The Western Chalukya period was an important age in
16170-486: The past fifty years, these two coalitions have been alternately in power; and E. M. S. Namboodiripad , the first elected chief minister of Kerala in 1957, is credited as the leader of the first democratically elected communist government in the world. The Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal (Secular) are significant parties in Karnataka. C. Rajagopalachari, the first Indian Governor General of India post independence,
16317-640: The people and the monuments of Kanchipuram, the Pallava capital. He thus avenged the earlier humiliation of the Chalukyas by the Pallavas and engraved a Kannada inscription on the victory pillar at the Kailasanatha Temple. During his reign Arab intruders of the Caliphal province of Sind invaded southern Gujarat which was under Chalukya rule, but the Arabs were defeated and driven out by Avanijanashraya Pulakeshin ,
16464-678: The period of the Badami Chalukyas, references are made to the existence of Kannada literature, though not much has survived. Inscriptions however refer to Kannada as the "natural language". The Kappe Arabhatta record of c. 700 in tripadi (three line) metre is the earliest available work in Kannada poetics. Karnateshwara Katha , which was quoted later by Jayakirti, is believed to be a eulogy of Pulakeshin II and to have belonged to this period. Other probable Kannada writers, whose works are not extant now but titles of which are known from independent references are Syamakundacharya (650), who
16611-454: The place of origin of their ancestors may have been of no significance to the kings of the empire who may have considered themselves natives of the Kannada speaking region. The writing of 12th century Kashmiri poet Bilhana suggests the Chalukya family belonged to the Shudra while other sources claim they were born in the arms of Brahma, and hence were Kshatriya caste. According to Xuanzang ,
16758-475: The population of South India to India's total population has declined. Scheduled Castes and Tribes form 18% of the population of the region. Agriculture is the major employer in the region, with 47.5% of the population being involved in agrarian activities. About 60% of the population lives in permanent housing structures. 67.8% of South India has access to tap water, with wells and springs being major sources of water supply. After experiencing fluctuations in
16905-455: The pure Kannada term arasa (meaning "king" or "chief"). The Rashtrakuta inscriptions call the Chalukyas of Badami Karnatakabala ("Power of Karnataka"). It has been proposed by the historian S. C. Nandinath that the word "Chalukya" originated from Salki or Chalki which is a Kannada word for an agricultural implement. According to some historians, the Chalukyas originated from agriculturists. Inscriptions in Sanskrit and Kannada are
17052-706: The purview of the Southern Air Command of the Indian Air Force headquartered at Thiruvananthapuram . In addition, the National Training Command is headquartered at Bengaluru . The Air Force operates nine air bases in Southern India. In the region, the Indian Navy operates airbases at Kochi , Arakkonam , Uchipuli , Vizag and Chennai. The region is covered by water on three sides and has
17199-516: The queens of Vikramaditya II, Lokamahadevi and Trailokyamahadevi made grants and possibly consecrated the Lokesvara Temple (now called Virupaksha temple) but also and the Mallikarjuna temple respectively at Pattadakal. The Chalukya era may be seen as the beginning of the fusion of cultures of northern and southern India, making way for the transmission of ideas between the two regions. This
17346-408: The region include the grizzled giant squirrel , grey slender loris , sloth bear , Nilgiri tahr , Nilgiri langur , lion-tailed macaque , and the Indian leopard . Politics in South India is characterized by a mix of regional and national political parties. The Justice Party and Swaraj Party were the two major parties in the erstwhile Madras Presidency. The Justice Party eventually lost
17493-467: The region was colonized by Britain , Portugal and France . After experiencing fluctuations in the decades immediately after Indian independence , the economies of South Indian states have registered a sustained higher-than-national-average growth over the past three decades. South India has the largest combined largest gross domestic product compared to other regions in India. The South Indian states lead in some socio-economic metrics of India with
17640-522: The region. The majority of the people in South India speak at least one of the four major Dravidian languages : Telugu , Tamil , Kannada and Malayalam . During its history , a number of dynastic kingdoms ruled over parts of South India, and shaped the culture in those regions. Major dynasties that were established in South India include the Cheras , Cholas , Pandyas , Pallavas , Satavahanas , Chalukyas , Hoysalas , Rashtrakutas and Vijayanagara . European countries entered India through Kerala and
17787-836: The region. Once the dry northeast monsoon begins in September, most precipitation in India falls in Tamil Nadu, leaving other states comparatively dry. A hot semi-arid climate predominates in the land east of the Western Ghats and the Cardamom Hills . The region – which includes Karnataka, inland Tamil Nadu and western Andhra Pradesh – gets between 400 and 750 millimetres (15.7 and 29.5 in) of rainfall annually, with hot summers and dry winters with temperatures around 20–24 °C (68–75 °F). The months between March and May are hot and dry, with mean monthly temperatures hovering around 32 °C (90 °F), with 320 millimetres (13 in) precipitation. Without artificial irrigation, this region
17934-400: The south to the Narmada in the north. The Chalukyas revived their fortunes in 973 after over 200 years of dormancy when much of the Deccan was under the rule of the Rashtrakutas. The genealogy of the kings of this empire is still debated. One theory, based on contemporary literary and inscriptional evidence plus the finding that the Western Chalukyas employed titles and names commonly used by
18081-507: The south. Laccadive Sea is a smaller sea. There are coral reefs located in the Gulf of Mannar and Lakshadweep islands. Large lakes include Vembanad Lake and Pulicat Lake . The region has a tropical climate and depends on monsoons for rainfall. According to the Köppen climate classification , it has a non- arid climate with minimum mean temperatures of 18 °C (64 °F). The most humid
18228-618: The southeastern coast. The southernmost tip of mainland India is at Kanyakumari where the Indian Ocean meets the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats runs south along the western coast from south of the Tapti River to Kanyakumari and forms a narrow strip of land with the Arabian sea called Konkan region. Anai Mudi in the Anaimalai Hills 2,695 m (8,842 ft)
18375-465: The southern parts of South India. Shaiva Siddhanta philosophy is prominent among many communities. Islam was introduced to South India in the early 7th century by Arab traders on the Malabar Coast, and spread during the rule of the Deccan Sultanates, from the 17th to 18th centuries. About 11% of the population In South India follow Islam . Muslims of Arab descent in Kerala are called Jonaka Mappila . About 4% follow Christianity . Christianity
18522-427: The state government. Each state or territory is further divided into districts , which are further subdivided into revenue divisions and taluk s / Mandal s or tehsil s. Local bodies govern respective cities, towns, and villages, along with an elected mayor , municipal chairman , or panchayat chairman , respectively. South India elects 132 members to the Lok Sabha , accounting for roughly one-fourth of
18669-405: The story of Agnikula is not mentioned at all in the original version of the Prithviraj Raso preserved in the Fort Library at Bikaner . According to the Nilagunda inscription of King Vikramaditya VI (11th century or later), the Chalukyas originally hailed from Ayodhya where fifty-nine kings ruled, and later, sixteen more of this family ruled from South India where they had migrated. This
18816-486: The title "Rajamalla" ( lit "Sovereign of the Mallas " or Pallavas). The thirty-seven year rule of Vijayaditya (696–733) was a prosperous one and is known for prolific temple building activity. The empire was its peak again during the rule of the illustrious Vikramaditya II (733–744) who is known not only for his repeated invasions of the territory of Tondaimandalam and his subsequent victories over Pallava Nandivarman II , but also for his benevolence towards
18963-432: The top two states. The South Indian states rank amongst the top 10 in economic freedom, life expectancy ., access to drinking water , house ownership , and TV ownership The poverty rate is at 19% while that in the other Indian states is at 38%. The per capita income is ₹ 19,531 (US$ 230), which is more than double of the other Indian states ( ₹ 8,951 (US$ 110)). Of the three demographically related targets of
19110-542: The total strength. The region is allocated 58 seats in the Rajya Sabha , out of the total of 245. The state legislatures of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry are unicameral , while Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana have bicameral legislatures. States with bicameral legislatures have an upper house ( Legislative Council ) with members not more than one-third the size of the Assembly. State legislatures elect members for terms of five years. Governors may suspend or dissolve assemblies and can administer when no party
19257-404: The union territories of Puducherry, and Lakshadweep. Puducherry and the five states each have an elected state government, while Lakshadweep is centrally administered by the president of India . Each state is headed by a Governor who is appointed by the President of India and who names the leader of the state legislature's ruling party or coalition as chief minister , who is the head of
19404-430: The union territory of Lakshadweep . Telangana was created on June 2, 2014, by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh and comprises ten districts in northwestern Andhra Pradesh. South India is a peninsula in the shape of an inverted triangle bound by Indian Ocean in the South, Arabian Sea in the west, by Bay of Bengal in the east and the Vindhya and Satpura ranges in the north. The Narmada river flows westwards in
19551-402: The west and the Indian Ocean in the south. The geography of the region is diverse, with two mountain ranges, the Western and Eastern Ghats , bordering the plateau heartland. The Godavari , Krishna , Kaveri , Penna , Tungabhadra and Vaigai rivers are important non- perennial sources of water. Chennai , Bangalore , Hyderabad , Coimbatore and Kochi are the largest urban areas in
19698-403: Was a proposal for a separate sovereign state for the speakers of the Dravidian languages in South India. Initially, the demand of Dravida Nadu proponents was limited to Tamil -speaking regions, but it was later expanded to include other Indian states with a majority of Dravidian-speakers in the region. The States Reorganisation Act 1956, which created linguistic States, weakened the demand for
19845-608: Was an important period in the development of Deccan architecture. Their architecture served as a conceptual link between the Badami Chalukya architecture of the 8th century and the Hoysala architecture popularised in the 13th century. The centre of their cultural and temple-building activity lay in the Tungabhadra region of modern Karnataka state, encompassing the present-day Dharwad district ; it included areas of present-day Haveri and Gadag districts. Here, large medieval workshops built numerous monuments. These monuments, regional variants of pre-existing dravida temples, defined
19992-452: Was at Aihole (where some seventy structures exist and has been called "one of the cradles of Indian temple architecture" ) and Badami. Though the exact dating of these temples has been debated, there is consensus that the beginnings of these constructions are from c. 600. These are the Lad Khan Temple (dated by some to c. 450 but more accurately to 620) with its interesting perforated stone windows and sculptures of river goddesses;
20139-501: Was born as Thinna into a hunter family from the Chenchu or Boya tribe in what is now Andhra Pradesh . His birthplace is often associated with Uduppura near Sri Kalahasti . Kannappa's devotion to Shiva began when he discovered the Vayu Linga of the Srikalahasteeswara Temple while hunting in the forest. Unaware of traditional rituals, he offered Shiva whatever he could, including water from his mouth and meat from his hunts. These acts, while unconventional, were accepted by Shiva due to
20286-427: Was constructed between Red Hills and Chintadripet in Madras and became operational in 1837. The Madras Railway was established in 1845. The Great Southern of India Railway Company was founded in England in 1853 and registered in 1859. The construction on the first main line in the South between Royapuram in Madras and Arcot started in 1853, which became operational on 1 July 1856. Construction of track in
20433-428: Was created on 1 April 2003. Most of the region is covered by the three zones, with small portions of the coasts covered by East Coast Railway and Konkan Railway . In 2019, a new South Coast Railway zone was announced but is yet to become operational as of 2023. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway of Southern Railway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Indian Railways under the ownership of the Ministry of Railways of
20580-447: Was created with the merger of Andhra State with the Telugu-speaking districts of Hyderabad State in 1956. Kerala was created with the merger of Malabar district and the Kasaragod taluk of South Canara districts of Madras State with Travancore-Cochin . Mysore State was re-organized with the addition of districts of Bellary and South Canara (excluding Kasaragod taluk) and the Kollegal taluk of Coimbatore district from
20727-419: Was founded on 1 January 1908 by merging the Madras Railway and the Southern Mahratta Railway . On 14 April 1951, the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway, the South Indian Railway, and the Mysore State Railway were merged to form the Southern Railway , the first zone of Indian Railways . The South Central zone was created on 2 October 1966 as the ninth zone of Indian Railways and the South Western zone
20874-431: Was from South India. The region has produced six Indian presidents, namely, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan , V. V. Giri , Neelam Sanjiva Reddy , R. Venkataraman , K. R. Narayanan , and APJ Abdul Kalam . Prime ministers P. V. Narasimha Rao and H. D. Deve Gowda were from the region. South India consists of the five southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, as well as
21021-741: Was introduced to South India by Thomas the Apostle , who visited Muziris in Kerala in 52 CE and proselytized natives, who are called Nazrani Mappila . Kerala is also home to one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world, who are supposed to have arrived on the Malabar coast during the reign of King Solomon . The major metropolitan areas in south India are as follows: South India has an extensive road network with 20,573 km (12,783 mi) of National Highways and 46,813 km (29,088 mi) of State Highways . The Golden Quadrilateral connecting Chennai with Mumbai and Kolkata traverses Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Bus services are provided by state-run transport corporations, namely
21168-411: Was ruled by various Deccan Sultanates , polygars and Nayak governors of the erstwhile Vijayanagara empire who declared independence. The Europeans arrived in the 15th century; and by the middle of the 18th century, the French and the British were involved in a protracted struggle for military control over South India. After the defeat of Tipu Sultan in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1799 and
21315-401: Was served by 2000 mahajans and Aihole which was served by 500 mahajanas . Taxes were levied and were called the herjunka – tax on loads, the kirukula – tax on retail goods in transit, the bilkode – sales tax, the pannaya – betel tax, siddaya – land tax and the vaddaravula – tax levied to support royalty. The Badami Chalukyas minted coins that were of
21462-545: Was the secession of Dravida Nadu from the rest of India upon Indian independence. After independence, C. N. Annadurai , a follower of Periyar, formed the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in 1948. The Anti-Hindi agitations of Tamil Nadu led to the rise of Dravidian parties that formed Tamil Nadu's first government, in 1967. In 1972, a split in the DMK resulted in the formation of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) led by M. G. Ramachandran . Dravidian parties continue to dominate Tamil Nadu electoral politics,
21609-486: Was with their navy that they conquered Revatidvipa ( Goa ), and Puri on east coast of India. Rashtrakuta inscriptions use the term Karnatakabala when referring to the powerful Chalukya armies. The government, at higher levels, was closely modelled after the Magadhan and Satavahana administrative machinery. The empire was divided into Maharashtrakas (provinces), then into smaller Rashtrakas ( Mandala ), Vishaya (district), Bhoga (group of 10 villages) which
#159840