south-west inclusively the provinces of Naggar or Bidneer
and of Sanda. These boundaries include a vast region,
namelyy the north-western part of the Dekhan reaching
almost as far southward as SeriBgapatam, and eastward to
the middle of the Peninsula: they are supposed indeed to
have extended as far as the Eastern Ghauts, under which lay
the kingdoms of Kalinga and Andhra, and there is distinct
evidence of their-having comprised, besides the country of
Karnataka, nearly the whole Mahratta territory reaching
northward to the Nermada. The four dynasties above
mentioned- are the Shalukhya, whose power commenced
about the fifth century of the era of Salivahana, the Ka-
labharijas who succeeded them in the eleventh century, the
first Yadavas or Iloisala Bellalas, and the Yadavas of De-
vagiri, who bring down the history of the Dekhan to the
thirteenth age,—year of Salivahana 1234 (a.-d . 8 B p j |
former of these are connected with the Rajpoot ftimiliesrof
Rajast’han, whose history has been investigated by Colonel
Tod : they belonged to the tribes who professed themselves
to be the offspring of the Moon.
Some of the earliest of the inscriptions relating to these
dynasties are of importance, as they serve to connect them
with other monarchies in different parts of India. One
prince of the first line, named Joya ffinha, is said to have
descended from royal ancestors, of whom fifty-nine reigned
in Ayodhyapura or Oude, and in other parts^f Hindustan.
Another performed the Aswamedha sacrifice, and was -therefore
an orthodox Hindfi; he imposed his orders on the
chiefs of Ohoi, Kerala, Kalinga, Simhala, and Bhupal.
Another waged wars with Chola, Pandya, and the Kadamba.
These are nearly all the most celebrated dynasties of the
Dekhan. Most of the first line of kings appear to have
been worshippers of Siva; their titles are derived from
Mahadeva, and the Lingam makes its appearance in the
inscriptions connected with their names. Traces of Ophite
worship also occur, and many individuals are mentioned
of the Snake Race, and old temples are found to be filled
with sculptured representations of serpents.
The history of the more southern parts of the Dekhan
during the same, and even to an earlier period, has been
illustrated'foy Professor Wilson, principally from documents
in the Mackenzie collection.* The historical traditions of
the South, of India divide Dravira-desa or the south-eastern
part of the Peninsula, into three principalities, those of
Pandya, Chola, and Chcra. The early existence of the
Pandya kingdom is proved by classical authorities. At
the Christian era, the “ regio Pandionis,” of which Madura
was the capital, comprehended the southern portion of the
Coromandel coast, and appears to’ have extended across
xt3ffe Peninsula to Canara and. Malabar. It was afterwards
reduced within narrower -limits fey the rise of Ohera to
the west and the aggrandisment of Chola in the east.
Northward, the boundary of Pandya is said to have been
the Palar river, a little to-the southward of Madras. The
lists and enumeration of kings, the only materials for chronology,
vary muckm the early periods, and scarcely afford
data- for any opinion as to the antiquity, of this state.
Professor. Wifaon conjectures that the foundation of Pandya
as an ^organised state may have happfewed five or six
hundred years before Christ; but be says, that most off the
recorded-accounts of -its history belong to the later periods,
a cirfcumstance which throws h suspicion over earlier parts
of tfee chronicle. In later times there is a great want of
precise chronology. “ The great outline is clear enough,
but the details continue imperfect. In the ninth and tenth
centuries the Chola princes extended tMMr power through
a great part of the Peninsula and overwhelmed the splendour
of the neighbouring kingdom of Pandya. To them
succeeded the Bel ala princes »©f Mysore, before whose
ascendency the ancient honours of Pandya and the later
glories of Chola disappeared- The decline of the Belalas
failed to restore the authority oft the older dynasties, the
provinces and chieftainships of which had take® the opportunity
of gaining independence. The disorganised condition
of the Southern States was perpetuated by the con-
* Historical Sketch of the kingdom of Pandya in the Southern Peninsula of
India, by H. H. Wilson, Esq., Boden Professor of Sanskrit, Oxford.—Journal
of Royal Asiatic Society, vol. 3.