The Panara Ratta dynasty traces its origins to Sankaraganda I around 846 CE. Over more than two centuries, they ruled the Medak-Sangareddy region and surrounding areas, navigating the decline of the Rashtrakutas and the rise of the Western Chalukyas.
- Administration: Controlled major divisions such as Kollipaka-7000, Pottalakere, Kolur, and Vendikole, combining urban governance with rural estate management.
- Religious Patronage: Built and supported Jain basadis and Shaivite temples, promoting pluralism and serving as trustees for local religious communities.
- Military Role: Chiefs like Sankaraganda III and IV held strategic military authority, hosting imperial armies and securing key locations.
- Family Governance: Maintained a multi-generational administrative system, with different branches overseeing local hubs under the senior patriarch.
- Economic Leadership: Instituted shop taxes, self-funded bureaucracy, and large-scale land grants, showing sophisticated local fiscal management.
This summary sets the stage for the detailed chronological records of individual chiefs, their grants, and their political, religious, and economic contributions from 846 CE through the late 11th century.
- Kommana is mentioned as the territorial lord of the division.
- Sankaraganda functioned as the superior provincial administrator.
- The division likely covered much of modern Medak and Sangareddy districts.
- Piriya Pippari — likely modern Sadasivpet region.
- Munipalle — modern Munipally in Sangareddy district.
- Rajamana – the royal standard of land measurement.
- Siddhaya – a fixed land tax used to fund temples.
- 12 marttars of dry land
- 1 marttar of wet land
- Emperor — Nityavarsha (Indra III)
- Provincial Lord — Mahasamanta Nurmadidhavala
- District Governor — Gommarasa
- Aruvana tax
- Revenue of 20 gold pons for two crops
- Nurmadidhavala
- Nanniya-Meru
- Medaku-366 — province containing 366 villages.
- Baliya Ravipola — territorial subdivision.
- Velura — the granted village.
- Siddhaya tax: 125 Gadyanas.
- Bhatta tax: 120 Visas from wetlands.
- 8 Prabhus
- 100 Mahajanas
The inscription dated 23 May 987 CE from Jinjarakonda represents an important turning point in the political history of the Medak–Sangareddy region. It documents the transition of authority from the Rashtrakutas to the Western Chalukyas.
The record identifies Somayyarasar as a feudatory of the Western Chalukya ruler Tailapa II (Ahavamalla), who overthrew the Rashtrakuta empire around 973 CE and established a new imperial dynasty centered at Kalyani.
This inscription confirms that by the late 10th century local Ratta chiefs had already aligned themselves with the Western Chalukyas while maintaining their traditional administrative authority over the Medak region.
The 1006 CE Vendikole inscription represents what can be described as a “Sacred Contract” between the military aristocracy of the Panara Ratta chiefs and the intellectual leadership of the Jain monastic orders. This record captures the family at a moment of transformation, moving from the survival politics of the late 10th century into the more stable and sophisticated administration of the early 11th century.
The Rise of Gangayyarasa
At the center of the inscription stands Mahasamanta Gangayyarasa. Earlier inscriptions show the Ratta family securing their position under the newly established Western Chalukya empire. By the time of this record, however, the family appears as established territorial authorities.
The inscription notes that the emperor Irivabedanga Satyasraya was stationed in a temporary royal transit camp at Ravulakola. This detail is extremely important because it indicates that the imperial court was moving through territory administered by Gangayyarasa. Hosting or accommodating a royal encampment was a sign of exceptional trust between the imperial court and a provincial chief.
The Legacy of the Patriarch
The emotional and political center of the record is the reference to the “Merit of Somayyarasa.” Somayyarasa, who appears as the ruling authority in the 987 CE Jinjarakonda inscription, had by this time passed away.
By commissioning the Vendikole inscription in his honor, Gangayyarasa achieved two purposes simultaneously:
- He ensured the spiritual merit and remembrance of his predecessor.
- He reinforced the family's legal and hereditary claim to the Vendikole territory.
This moment effectively marks the foundation of the Soma-Jinalaya lineage, where the identity of the Panara Ratta chiefs became permanently associated with the Jain religious institutions they patronized.
The Sacred Ritual and the Garden Grant
The grant itself consisted of 8 marttars of garden land (thota). Garden land was significantly more valuable than open agricultural fields because it implied a permanent water source such as wells or specialized irrigation channels.
Before the donation was finalized, Gangayyarasa performed the ritual act of washing the feet of the Jain monk Vimalachandra Pandita. This ceremonial gesture symbolized humility and the recognition that royal power ultimately remained subordinate to the authority of Dharma.
Despite commanding military authority as a Mahasamanta, Gangayyarasa publicly demonstrated reverence toward the Jain monastic order, reinforcing the deep connection between political power and religious patronage in the region.
The Administrative Hub of Vendikole
The land was located in a field known as Pogachenu. The description of this estate suggests that the Jain complex at Vendikole was far more than a single temple building. It likely included orchards, residential quarters for monks, gardens, and associated religious structures.
The inscription therefore marks the beginning of Vendikole’s transformation into a major regional religious and administrative center. This prominence continued for nearly a century until the political upheavals of the later 11th century.
- Pottalakere (modern Patancheru) – The gift was entrusted to a priest from Pottalakere, which was a major Western Chalukya secondary capital and an important center for both Jain and Shaiva religious traditions.
- Village of Kolur – Gangayyarasa granted the entire village to the deity Ramesvara. The ability to donate an entire settlement indicates that he held the rank of Mahasamanta with extensive territorial rights and land ownership authority.
A further record dated 1017 CE from Vendikole (Medak) confirms that the territory remained firmly under Panara Ratta control. Geographically this region lies between the earlier Ratta administrative center at Piriya Pippari and the later political hub at Gajwel.
Together these inscriptions demonstrate that the Panara Ratta chiefs maintained continuous dominance over the Medak heartland for more than 150 years.
The 1017 CE inscription from Vendicole (modern Vendikole in Medak district) is a crucial record that reveals how the Panara Ratta administrative network functioned during what can be called the "Grandson Generation" — the period between the rule of Sankaraganda II (c. 966–990) and the later authority of Sankaraganda III (1049 CE).
This inscription confirms that even decades after the collapse of the Rashtrakuta Empire, the Panara Ratta chiefs retained firm administrative control over the Medak region.
The Ratta Sub-Chiefs
The inscription mentions two ruling figures acting under the authority of the Western Chalukya emperor Irivabedemgadeva (Satyasraya).
- Bijjeyyarasa – He made a land grant to the Soma-Jinalaya, a Jain temple that had earlier been associated with the religious patronage of Sankaraganda II. This demonstrates the continuity of Jain patronage within the Panara Ratta family.
- Gangayyarasa – He issued a grant to the temple of Ramesavaradeva (a Shaiva shrine). This shows that the Ratta chiefs supported both Jain and Shaivite religious institutions.
The naming pattern ending in “-arasa” and their activity as regional donors strongly suggests that these chiefs were either junior members or powerful branches of the wider Panara Ratta lineage.
Vimalachandrapanditabhattaraka – The Intellectual Bridge
The inscription also refers to the Jain pontiff Vimalachandrapanditabhattaraka.
- He was the religious custodian of the Soma-Jinalaya.
- The gift intended for the Shaiva temple of Ramesavaradeva was entrusted to him, indicating a remarkable level of inter-religious trust.
This suggests that Jain monastic leaders frequently acted as financial trustees and administrators for religious endowments belonging to multiple communities.
Territorial Landscape
- Vendikola – Identified with modern Vendikole in Medak district, which served as a major religious and administrative hub in the early 11th century.
- Polparela-tirtha – A sacred water source or pilgrimage site. The focus on such locations indicates that the Panara Rattas invested heavily in developing water-based sacred landscapes, similar to the earlier tank constructions associated with Sankaraganda I at Velpugonda hill.
An inscription in Kannada dated to Saka 954 (A.D. 1032) belongs to the reign of the Western Chalukya king Jagadekamalla (Jayasimha II).
The record refers to an endowment issued by the royal officer maneverggade Nannapaya.
Nannapaya granted the village Gadicheruvu, which was part of the administrative division known as Anemargge-70.
The revenue from this grant was dedicated for ritual offerings and worship to the deity Nanni-Narayana.
This inscription illustrates how royal officials of the Western Chalukya administration continued the established system of land endowments and religious patronage that had earlier been practiced by the regional Ratta chiefs.
The period between 1048 and 1065 CE marks the authority of Sankaragandarasa III, one of the most prominent figures of the Panara Ratta lineage during the height of the Western Chalukya Empire.
During this period he administered the region of Kandur, while the important territorial division of Kollipake-7000 was governed by the imperial feudatory Mahasamanta Melarasa (Amilarasa).
This arrangement reflects a broader imperial administrative structure in which regional chiefs cooperated with Chalukya-appointed governors to maintain stability in Telangana.
1049 CE Ramajipalli Inscription
The 1049 CE inscription from Ramajipalli provides a defining historical snapshot of Sankaraganda III as a powerful military chief operating within the expanding Western Chalukya political sphere.
The Military Context – Camping at Kondur
- The inscription states that Sankaraganda III was “camping at Kondur”.
- This strongly suggests he was participating in a military expedition or royal tour (Bijayam) conducted on behalf of the Western Chalukya emperor Somesvara I (Trailokyamalla).
- Kondur — probably located in the Kodangal–Jatprole region — was a strategic frontier location.
- This detail shows that the title "Kollipakeya Gova" (Protector of Kollipaka) carried responsibilities extending well beyond the family’s traditional administrative base.
The Sacred Occasion – Kanya-Samkranti
The donation described in the inscription was made on the occasion of Kanya-Samkranti, the moment when the Sun enters the zodiac sign of Virgo.
- In medieval Hindu and Jain traditions, Samkranti days were considered spiritually powerful moments.
- Acts of charity performed on these dates were believed to produce enhanced religious merit (punya).
Religious Patronage – Mahesvara Deva
While the Panara Rattas are famous for their patronage of Jain institutions, this inscription shows Sankaraganda III supporting a Shaivite temple dedicated to Mahesvara Deva.
- Grant Size: 12 mattars of land.
-
Purpose:
- Daily worship
- Nivedya (ritual food offerings)
- Annadana (feeding ascetics and Brahmanas)
This illustrates the Panara Ratta policy of multi-religious patronage, ensuring support from both Jain and Shaivite communities across the territories they governed.
The 1067 CE inscription from Kolanupaka is one of the most important legal and genealogical records connected with the Panara Ratta lineage.
It demonstrates that even nearly a century later, the Western Chalukya imperial administration continued to recognize the legal authority of land grants originally issued by the Ratta patriarchs.
Legal Restoration – The Lost Copper Plates
The inscription records a formal restoration of land rights originally granted by Sankaraganda II during the Rashtrakuta period.
- The original grants were issued through Tamra-sasanas (Copper-Plate Charters).
- The lands involved were located at Juvvikumte and Nidungaluru.
- After the fall of the Rashtrakuta empire, these lands were illegally alienated from the Jain monasteries that had originally received them.
In 1067 CE, during the auspicious moment of a solar eclipse, the Chalukya queen Mahadevi ordered that the lands be officially restored.
The beneficiaries were the Jain monasteries known as the Revandi Basadi and Nerila Basadi.
This ruling shows that the original Ratta copper-plate grants were still treated as the ultimate legal authority for land ownership in the region.
Sankaraganda II – Builder of Jain Basadis
The inscription also credits the earlier Ratta patriarch Sankaraganda II with constructing important Jain institutions.
- Revandi Basadi – probably located near modern Raigiri / Bhuvanagiri region.
- Nerila Basadi – likely corresponding to modern Neerella or Nellutla.
These additions expand the known network of Jain institutions founded by the Ratta chiefs, forming a religious corridor stretching from Kolanupaka to Bhuvanagiri.
This network complemented other major Jain establishments such as the Jayadhira Jinalaya.
The New Power Structure (1067 CE)
Although the inscription honors the earlier Ratta rulers, it also reveals a new administrative hierarchy governing the region.
- Mahasamanta Melarasa – the governor of Kollipake-7000. He was likely a loyal Chalukya official who assumed responsibilities once held by the Panara Rattas.
- Kesimayya – serving as a Mahasandhivigrahi (minister of war and peace). He personally ensured the legal restoration of the Jain lands.
- Rebbi-setti – representing the merchant guild known as the Vira-Banajugas. Their involvement indicates that the Jain basadis played a crucial role in regional commerce and trade networks.
Kumara Somesvara exercised authority over Kolipaka-7000 including Gajwel. Dandanayaka Kalimayya served as local military officer.
- 1065 CE: Asagarasa – Mulugu, Gazvel Taluk, Medak, titled Kollipakeyagova
- 1074 CE: Asagarasa – Kolanupaka, titled Lattalurpuravaresvara, Rattaradheya, Kollipakeya Gova
- Infrastructure: Arasara Kaluva (canal) cleared of all impediments for a Brahmana named Suraya on the occasion of Uttarayana-Samkranti
- Sangamarasa (Sangamaraja) – likely brother or son of Asagarasa; managed Kolanupaka while Asagarasa oversaw works in Gajwel, reflecting a family-based administrative network
The inscription records Sankaragandarasa IV at the height of his urban authority, acting as military governor and supreme regulator of the Kollipaka economy.
1. Titles: Rashtrakuta "Brand"
- Lattalurpuravaresvara – "Lord of Lattalur, the best of cities" (ancestral home of the Rashtrakutas, modern Latur)
- Ratta Martanda – "The Sun of the Rattas"
- Kollipakeya Gova – "Protector/Guardian of Kollipaka," primary seat of power
2. Urban Economics: Shop Tax
- Mandate: Merchant guilds pay one Gadyana (gold coin) per shop per year
- Beneficiaries: Perggada Kavanayya and Karanams (local administrative staff)
- Insight: City trade revenue directly funded officials, forming a self-funding bureaucracy
3. Date: 1077 CE and the New Era
- Saka 999 Pingala, symbolic: one year after Vikramaditya VI’s ascension (1076 CE)
- Significance: Stabilization after civil war and Choda invasion of Kollipaka
- Action: Reorganized city finances to ensure Karanams and local government were functional
Comments
Post a Comment