Telangana History Polavasa Royal dynasty (1080-1160A.D)

Four generations of kings ruled as the subordi¬nate/feudatory kings of Kalyani Chalukya between 1080 and 1160 A.D., with ‘Polavasa’ as their capi¬tal; They were called as the Polavasa royal dynasty and also as the Lengonda dynasty. There is a vil¬lage called Polas at 6 kins, distance to Jagityal of Karimnagar district. This was the Polavasa of Kalyani Chalukya period. Beside them, Kakatiyas in Warangal district were, also subordinate rulers of Kalyani Chalukyas. These two dynasties main¬tained friendship from the beginning. The Polavasa kingdom bordered river Godavari and extended from Polavasa to Narsampet. 12 inscriptions of their period were found to reconstruct their history. They nar¬rated the relations between these kings and the early kings of Kakatiyas Beta, Prolaraju-II and Rudradeva. An inscription of ll22 A.D. found in Govindapuram of Narsampet Taluq, Warangal district, narrates the family tree of Polavasa kings. According to this, the founder of Polavasa dynasty was Madhava varma or Madhava Chakravarti. Later king Durgaraja and some oth¬ers were ruled until 1080 A.D. But their details were unknown. After them, names of Medaraju-I, Jaggadeva-I, Medaraju-II, Gundaraju and Jaggaraju-II were mentioned.

Medaraju-1 (1080-1110 A.D.)

First inscription that mentioned his name was found in Banajipet of Narsampet taluq. In it, he was described as subordinate king of Mahamanda- leswara, Ugravadi, Medarasa, Paschima Chalukya, feudatory of Tribhuvana malla Vikramaditya-VI; and that he built the ‘Veerakamala Jain temple’. It also says that Medaraja belonged to the Venugontakula dynasty of Madhava Varma and a subordinate king. Another inscription of 1108 A.D., written on the pillar of Pulasteswara temple at Polavasa also mentioned Medaraja. It says that he had a title- ‘Lattaluru Puravaradheeswara’ and that he owned golden eagle flag. This reveals that he had relations with the Rashtrakuta dynasty. This also reveals that the Polavasa and Kakatiya dynas¬ties worked as army chiefs and officers under the Rashtrakutas; and Polavasas were gifted . Karimnagar region and Kakatiyas were gifted the Warangal region in exchange for their services. After the fall of Rashtrakuta kingdom, these two dynas¬ties had become subordinate rulers of Kalyani Chalukyas and continued as Mahamandaleswaras of their regions.

Jaggadeva-I (1110-1116 A.D.)

Jaggadeva ruled for a very short time. The town of ‘Jagityal’ was built after his name, according to experts. He had two sons called Medaraja and Gundaraja. They shared the Polavasa kingdom after the death of their father. Medaraja became the king of the main part with Polavasa as his capital and Gundaraja became the ruler of the second part with his capital at Mantrakuta (Manthena of today). Only one inscription of Jaggadeva’s period was found at Medapally of Narsampeta taluq. This inscription was issued in 1112 A.D. It says that Jaggadeva won victories in 21 battles.

Medaraja-II (1116-1159 AD)

Medaraja-II was the contemporary of Kakatiya Prolaraja-II. 6 inscriptions of his period were found. The inscription at Padmakshi temple at Hanumakonda (of 1117 A.D.) narrated the details of Medaraja. This was issued by ’Mylama’, wife of Pregada Betana, a minister under Prolaraja-II on the hills of Kadalalaya. She built a Jain arama called ‘kadalalaya Basadi’, donated lands and issued this inscription about them. Mahamandaleswara Medaraja of Madhava Varma dynasty also donated to this arama, according to he inscription. Another inscription of 1122 A.D., nar¬rates that Medaraja and Gundaraja brothers and their minister Nagaraja built temple/arama for ‘Parsvanatha Jina deva’ and made donations for the good of their dead father, Jaggadeva.

Medaraja-II and his younger brother Gundaraja declared independence and issued inscriptions at Polavasa, Medapally and Govindapuram without the names of their sover-eigns. So, the then Chalukya king gave the respon-sibility of suppressing the Pdlavasa rulers to Prolaraja-II. Prom then onwards, conflicts arose between these dynasties. On the orders of his sover¬eign Jagadekamalla-II of Chalukya dynasty, Prolaraja-II invaded the Polavasa kingdom, defeat-ed Medaraja and occupied Polavasa. His victories were narrated in the inscription issued by his son Rudradeva in 1163 A.D. the inscription of Vellanki Gangadhara minister of Rudradeva also described these victories; though it was broken into pieces, the two upper parts were kept in the Rajaraja Narendra library at Hanumakonda. The lower part of the inscription was found near the bus stand at Hanumakonda during routine diggings. It was preserved in the P.G. Centre at Hanumakonda. The above two inscriptions say that Chalukya Jagadeka malla himself went to battlefield to witness the said battles. This battle was fought in 1138 A.D. According to historians. Gundaraja died in it but Medaraja-II escaped.

Prolaraja-II occupied the kingdom of Gundaraja and capital the Mantrakuta. But the Polavasa dynasty did not came under his control. It seems that Medaraja regained his kingdom and ruled. The Hanumakonda inscription mentioned that battle. According to _it, Dommaraja, Myligideva and Medaraja-II joined hands and went to battle with Kakatiya Rudradeva. Dommaraja of Nagunur, Medaraja-II of Polavasa and his son Jaggadeva-II participated in the battle, in which Jaggadeva died and Medaraja was defeated. Medaraja was advised to give his daughter to kakatiya Rudradeva in mar¬riage and to make peace with him, but he refused both. So, Rudradeva chased away Medaraja into forests, burnt the Polavasa town and occupied the kingdom. He built the ‘Prasanna Kesava temple’ at Prasannakonda of Hanumakonda with the money brought from the Polavasa kingdom. Later the Polavasa region merged into the Kakatiya kingdom. In 1160, both the dynasty of Polavasa and their kingdom declined.

Gundaraja (1116-1138 A.D.) .

Gundaraja, younger brother of Medaraja-II ruled the east Polavasa kingdom with Mantrakuta as his capital between 1116 and 1138 A.D. He was the subordinate ruler of Bhulokamalla of Chalukya dynasty. An inscription of his period says that he ruled the Mulugu and Narasannapeta regions of Warangal district independently. The Palampet inscription of 1213 A.D. narrated that Kama, son of Katama, who was sent by Prolaraja-II brought his armies to the kingdom of Gundaraja, defeated him and killed him. After Gundaraja’s death his kingdom merged into the Kakatiya kingdom.
Polavasa rulers built a number of Jain temples and Siva temples. They chiefly built ‘Trikuta’ tem¬ples. A temple built at Nandi maidan of Sultanabad taluq by Medaraja is still standing. Though many temples built in their capitals were destroyed, some like Pulasthewara and Venugopala temples are still standing in good condition.

Bit Bank

★ Where is the village called Polas? 6 k.m. away from Jagityala in karimnagar district
★ The village Polas will be called as: – Polavasa
★ As feudatory kings of Kalyani Chalukyas Polavasa dynasty people ruled the country for how many years?” From 1080 AD. to 1160 A.D.
★ Another name for Polavasa dynasty: – Lengonda dynasty
★ Polavasa kingdom extended from which place to which place: – Polavasa (adjoining to river Godavari) to Narsampeta
★ How many inscriptions are available to know the history of Polavasa dynasty? about 12 inscriptions
★ The inscription which informs about Polavasa dynasty kings was found at which place in 1122 A.D. – Govindapuram (Narsampeta taluq, Warangal dist.)
★ Who is primogenitor of Polavasa dynasty? – Madhava Chakravarti (or) Madhava Varma
★ The first inscription which informs about Meda raju I, found at: – Banqjipeta, Narsampet taluq
★ The inscription, which carved on the pillar of Pulasteswara temple in Polavasa, in the year 1108, mentioned the name of: – Meda Kshamapaiti
★ The title of Meda Kshamapati: ‘ – Lattaluru Pur^varadhiswara
★ The ruling period of Jaggadeva I:-1110-1116 A.D.
★ The inscription which belongs to the period of Jaggadeva found at the place of: – Medapally (Narsampeta taluq)
★ According to the inscription, Jaggadeva became victorious in how many wars? –21
★ The city constructed named after Jaggadeva: – Jagityala
★ The sons of Jaggadeva: – Meda raju- II, Gunda raju
★ Hie ruling period of Meda raju-II: –1116-1159 A.D.
★ Meda raju II was a contemporary of: – Kakatiya prola raju-II
★ The person who caused to inscribe the inscription found at Padmakshi temple in Hanumakonda: – Mylama (wife of Pregada Beta, who is a minister in the court of Prola raju -II)
★ The inscription which informs about the donations made by Meda raju and Gunda raju to Parsvanatha Jaina deva constructed by their minister Nagaraju, with the wish that the bene-fit of the virtuous deed have to be reached to . their father Jaggadeva: – The inscription of 1122 A.D. (Govindapuram, Narsampet taluq)
★ Meda raju and his younger brother Gunda -raju proclaimed independence themself and caused to inscribe inscriptions without the names of Chalukya emperors. Where these inscriptions are available? – Polavasa, Medapally and Govindapuram
★ With whose orders Jagadekamalla waged war against Polavasa and occupied Polavasa after defeating Meda raju? – Prola rqju-II
★ The inscription of 1163 A.D. informs us about the victories of Prolaraju -II against Polavasa kings. Who caused to inscribe this inscription? –Rudradeva
★ Who constructed the Prasanna Kesav temple of Prasanna hill in Hanumakonda? ” Rudradeva
★ Who divided the Polavasa kingdom into two parts and ruled? – Meda raju and Gunda raju
★ Who ruled the main kingdom after the division of Polavasa? – Meda rtyu
★ The capital of Meda raju: –Polavasa
★ The capital of Gunda raju: – Mantrakutam
★ Present name of Mantrakutam: Manthena
★ The ruling period of Gunda raju: (1116-1138 AD).
★ Gunda raju was a feudatory king of: – Bhoolokamalla
★ The inscription of 1213 A.D., says that Kama waged war against Gunda raju with the forces of Prola raju and defeated Gunda raju. What is that inscription? – Palampeta
★ Who drove away Medaraju into forests and burnt the Polavasa kingdom?  Rudra deva.
★ Polavasa kingdom along with Polavasa dynasty, came to an end in which year? • 1160 AD.

Objective Bits

1 The ruling period of Polavasa dynasty:
1. 1080 – 1160 A.D. 2. 1100 -1180 A.D.
3. 1050-1140A.D. 4. 1150- 1200A.D.
Ans. 1

2. How many inscriptions are available to know the history of Polavasa dynasty?
1. 10 2. 12 3. 14 4. 16
Ans. 2

3. The inscription which informs about Polavasa kings belongs to which year?
1. 1120A.D. . • 2. 1121A.D.
3. 1122A.D. 4. 1123A.D.
Ans. 3

4. Who will be called as primogenitor of Polavasa family?
1. Madhava Varma 2. Durga raju
3. Meda raju 4. Gunda raju
Ans. 1

5. With whose name Jagityala city was con* structed?
1. Meda raju 2. Gimda raju
3. Jaggadeva 4. Madhava Varma
Ans. 3

6. The first inscription informing about Meda raju-I available at:
1. Banajipeta, Narsampeta Taluq
2. Medapally, Narsampeta Taluq
3. Govindapuram, Narsampeta Taluq
4. Padmakshi temple, Hanumakonda
Ans. 1

7. The reign of Jaggadeva-I:
1. 1080 -1110 A.D. 2. 1110 -1116 A.D.
3. 1116 – 1125 A.D. 4. 1125 – 1151 A.D.
Ans. 2

8. The village Polavasa situated in which dis-trict
1. Karimnagar 2. Warangal
3. Nalgonda 4. Adilabad
Ans. 1

9. When Polavasa kingdom came to an end?
1. 1157 A.D. 2.1158A.D.
3. 1159A.D. 4. 1160A.D.
Ans. 4

10. Who are the sons of Jaggadeva-I?
1. Meda raju 2. Gunda raju
3. 1 & 2 4. Gangadhara
Ans. 3

11 The inscription belongs to the period of Jaggadeva found at Medapally. That inscription belongs to which year?
1.1112A.D. 2. 1114A.D.
3.1116A.D. 4.1118A.D.
Ans. 1

12. How many inscriptions are available to know the history of Meda raju-H?
1.4 2.5
3.6 4. 7
Ans. 3

13. Who occupied Polavasa after defeating Meda raju?
1. Prola raju-II 2. Rudra deva
3. Bijjala 4. Pandu raju
Ans. 1

14 When did Gunda raju, ‘younger brother of Meda raju H ruled Polavasa kingdom with Mantrakuta as the capital?
1. 1110-1125 A.D.
2. 1116-1138A.D.
3. 1125-1138A.D.
4. 1138 -1160 A.D.
Ans. 2

15. When did Polavasa dynasty came to an end?
1. 1140A.D. 2. 1150A.D.
3. 1155A.D. 4. 1160A.D.
Ans. 4