DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9541#0411
Chap. I.
INTRODUCTORY.
387
Beyond this, they seem to have heen closely allied with the
BaUabhi dynasty of Gujerat, and afterwards to lie the parent steins
from which the Hoisala Bellalas of Dwarasamudra took their rise.
Their affiliations and descents are more easily traced than their
origin. Jaya Shiga, the founder of the Kalyan dj-nasty (a.d. 500 ?),
claims to be of the Solar race of Rajputs, and descended from kings
reigning in Ayodhya 1000 years (fifty-nine generations) before his
time. This, however, seems as likely to be a reminiscence of the
origin of their religion as of their race; for, though we are not yet
in a position to prove it, it seems likely that, the Chalukyas were
originally Jains. At all events, it seems clear that the extension of
the Jaina religion is nearly conterminous with that of Chalukyan
sway, and the time at which the religion spread over India was also
coincident with their rise and fall.
It would, of course, be too much to assert that the Chalukyas
were either the revivors of the Jaina faith or even its principal
propagators; but, during the early part of their history, this form
of faith is inextricably mixed up with the more orthodox religions
as practised by them, and prevails to the present day, in the countries
where they ruled. The style of architecture which they invented
when Jains was, it is true, practised afterwards by them both as
Vaishnavas and Saivas; but it seems to have bad its origin in the
earlier form of faith.
Like all dynasties of Central and Northern India, the Chalukyas
suffered eclipse in the dark ages that intervened between a.d. 750 and
'.150;1 and the difficulty is to know whether we have any temples in
their style before that period. Those at Aiwulli and Purudkul de-
scribed above (Woodcuts Nos. 121 and 189), belong to their age, and
may have been erected by early kings of this race; but they do not
belong to their style. Their sikras, or towers, either show the cur-
vilinear outline of the northern style, or the storeyed pyramids of
the Dravidians. It is as if this intrusive race adopted hesitatingly
the styles of earlier inhabitants of the country, but that it was not
till they had consolidated their power, and developed peculiar in-
stitutions of their own, that they expressed them in the style to
which their name has been affixed.
It is more than probable that the materials exist for settling
these and all other questions connected with this style; but, un-
fortunately, if it is so, they exist in the Nizam's territory, and that
is terra incoyniia to us in so far as architecture is concerned. No
one has yet passed through it who had any knowledge of the art, or
was even aware that any interest attached to the forms or age of the
buildings. It thus happens that, but for a few stray photographs, it
1 'Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society,' vol. iv. ]>. 10, el seqq.
2 c 2
INTRODUCTORY.
387
Beyond this, they seem to have heen closely allied with the
BaUabhi dynasty of Gujerat, and afterwards to lie the parent steins
from which the Hoisala Bellalas of Dwarasamudra took their rise.
Their affiliations and descents are more easily traced than their
origin. Jaya Shiga, the founder of the Kalyan dj-nasty (a.d. 500 ?),
claims to be of the Solar race of Rajputs, and descended from kings
reigning in Ayodhya 1000 years (fifty-nine generations) before his
time. This, however, seems as likely to be a reminiscence of the
origin of their religion as of their race; for, though we are not yet
in a position to prove it, it seems likely that, the Chalukyas were
originally Jains. At all events, it seems clear that the extension of
the Jaina religion is nearly conterminous with that of Chalukyan
sway, and the time at which the religion spread over India was also
coincident with their rise and fall.
It would, of course, be too much to assert that the Chalukyas
were either the revivors of the Jaina faith or even its principal
propagators; but, during the early part of their history, this form
of faith is inextricably mixed up with the more orthodox religions
as practised by them, and prevails to the present day, in the countries
where they ruled. The style of architecture which they invented
when Jains was, it is true, practised afterwards by them both as
Vaishnavas and Saivas; but it seems to have bad its origin in the
earlier form of faith.
Like all dynasties of Central and Northern India, the Chalukyas
suffered eclipse in the dark ages that intervened between a.d. 750 and
'.150;1 and the difficulty is to know whether we have any temples in
their style before that period. Those at Aiwulli and Purudkul de-
scribed above (Woodcuts Nos. 121 and 189), belong to their age, and
may have been erected by early kings of this race; but they do not
belong to their style. Their sikras, or towers, either show the cur-
vilinear outline of the northern style, or the storeyed pyramids of
the Dravidians. It is as if this intrusive race adopted hesitatingly
the styles of earlier inhabitants of the country, but that it was not
till they had consolidated their power, and developed peculiar in-
stitutions of their own, that they expressed them in the style to
which their name has been affixed.
It is more than probable that the materials exist for settling
these and all other questions connected with this style; but, un-
fortunately, if it is so, they exist in the Nizam's territory, and that
is terra incoyniia to us in so far as architecture is concerned. No
one has yet passed through it who had any knowledge of the art, or
was even aware that any interest attached to the forms or age of the
buildings. It thus happens that, but for a few stray photographs, it
1 'Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society,' vol. iv. ]>. 10, el seqq.
2 c 2