144-573: Eastern Chalukyas , also known as the Chalukyas of Vengi , were a dynasty that ruled parts of South India between the 7th and 12th centuries. They started out as governors of the Chalukyas of Badami in the Deccan region. Subsequently, they became a sovereign power, and ruled the Vengi region of present-day Andhra Pradesh until c. 1001 CE . They continued ruling the region as feudatories of
288-493: A centre of religious worship but a fostering ground for fine arts. Buddhism , which was dominant during the Satavahanas was in decline. Its monasteries were practically deserted. Due to their love of sacred relics in stupas, a few might have lingered on, Xuanzang noticed some twenty or more Buddhist monasteries in which more than three thousand monks lived. Jainism , unlike Buddhism, continued to enjoy some support from
432-643: A close connection to Kannada literature. A number of Telugu authors of the age also wrote in Kannada Nannaya-Bhatta's Bharata includes the Akkara , a metre considered unique to Kannada works. The same metre is also found in Yudhamalla's Bezwada inscription. Another inscription notes that Narayana-Bhatta, who assisted Nannaya-Bhatta in composing the Bharata , was a Kannada poet and was granted
576-587: A creeper or branch in Sanskrit. Pallava also means arrow or spruce in Tamil. The origins of the Pallavas have been debated by scholars. The available historical materials include three copper-plate grants of Sivaskandavarman in the first quarter of the 4th century CE, all issued from Kanchipuram but found in various parts of Andhra Pradesh , and another inscription of Simhavarman I half century earlier in
720-708: 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
864-619: A few other families such as the Kona Haihayas, Kalachuris, Kolanu Saronathas, Chagis , Parichedas , Kota Vamsas , Velanadus and Kondapadamatis, closely connected by marriage ties with the Eastern Chalukyas and families who were raised to high position for their loyal services. When the Vengi ruler was strong, the nobility paid allegiance and tribute to him, but when the weakness was apparent, they were ready to join hands with
1008-561: 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
1152-540: 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
1296-476: 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
1440-571: 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
1584-935: 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
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#17327729068211728-637: A period of unrest characterised by family feuds and weak rulers. Meanwhile, the Rashtrakutas of Malkhed ousted Western Chalukyas of Badami . The weak rulers of Vengi had to meet the challenge of the Rashtrakutas, who overran their kingdom more than once. There was no Eastern Chalukya ruler who could check them until Gunaga Vijayaditya III came to power in 848 AD. The then Rashtrakuta ruler Amoghavarsha treated him as his ally and after Amoghavarsha's death, Vijayaditya proclaimed independence. After
1872-543: 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
2016-492: A procession of the deity's idol from Chebrolu to Vijayawada and back. Some of the rulers, declared themselves as Parama Maheswaras (Emperors). The Buddhist religious centres eventually attained great celebrity as Siva pilgrim centres. Eastern Chalukya rulers like Vijayaditya II, Yuddhamalla I, Vijayaditya III and Bhima I took active interest in the construction of many temples. The temple establishments like dancers and musicians show that during this period, temples were not only
2160-461: A regional power by the end of the 6th century, defeating kings of Ceylon and mainland Tamilakkam. Narasimhavarman I and Paramesvaravarman I stand out for their achievements in both military and architectural spheres. Narasimhavarman II built the Shore Temple . The kings that came after Paramesvaravarman II belonged to the collateral line of Pallavas and were descendants of Bhimavarman,
2304-422: 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
2448-806: A temple to Kartikeya at Vijayawada . Bhima I constructed the famous Draksharama and Chalukya Bhimavaram ( Samalkot ) temples. Rajaraja Narendra erected three memorial shrines at Kalidindi (West Godavari). The Eastern Chalukyas, following the Pallava and Chalukya traditions, developed their own independent style of architecture, which is visible in the Pancharama shrines (especially the Draksharama temple) and Biccavolu temples. The Golingesvara temple at Biccavolu contains some richly carved out sculptures of deities like Ardhanarisvara , Shiva, Vishnu , Agni , Chamundi and Surya . Ambapuram cave temple
2592-471: A village by Rajaraja Narendra in 1053 for his contribution. Kannada poets, Adikavi Pampa and Nagavarma I , also hailed from families originally from Vengi. Due to the widely spread Shiva devotional practice in the kingdom, the Eastern Chalukyan kings undertook the construction of temples on a large scale. Vijayaditya II is credited with the construction of 108 temples. Yuddhamalla I erected
2736-590: Is Jain cave temple constructed by Eastern Chalukyas in the 7th century. During the 7th—8th century CE, a total of five Jain caves were constructed in Ambapuram and Adavinekkalam hills. Indo-Scythians Indo-Parthians References Sources South India South India , also known as Southern India or Peninsular India , is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing
2880-413: 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
3024-471: 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
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#17327729068213168-505: Is depicted as the son of Chola king Killi and the Naga princess Pilivalai, the daughter of king Valaivanan of Manipallavam . When the boy grew up the princess wanted to send her son to the Chola kingdom. So she entrusted the prince to a merchant who dealt in woolen blankets called Kambala Chetty when his ship stopped in the island of Manipallavam. During the voyage to the Chola kingdom, the ship
3312-460: 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 the region. The majority of the people in South India speak at least one of
3456-1045: 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
3600-518: Is largely dependent on seasonal monsoons and monsoon failure often leads to droughts forcing farmers into debt, selling livestock and sometimes into committing suicide. Pallavas The Pallava dynasty existed from 275 CE to 897 CE, ruling a significant portion of the Deccan , also known as Tondaimandalam . The Pallavas played a crucial role in shaping in particular southern Indian history and heritage. The dynasty rose to prominence after
3744-453: 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
3888-510: 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
4032-545: 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
4176-646: 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
4320-473: 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
4464-683: 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
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4608-531: The Addanki , Kandukur and Dharmavaram inscriptions of Pandaranga, Army Chief of Vijayaditya III , in the later half of the 9th century. However, literary compositions dating earlier than 11th century CE are not clearly known. Nannaya was the poet-laureate of Rajaraja Narendra in the middle of the 11th century. An erudite scholar, he was well-versed in the Vedas , Shastras and the ancient epics, and undertook
4752-509: 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
4896-690: The British Museum plates (Durga Prasad, 1988) belonging to Skandavarman I and written in Prakrit . Skandavarman appears to have been the first great ruler of the early Pallavas, though there are references to other early Pallavas who were probably predecessors of Skandavarman. Skandavarman extended his dominions from the Krishna in the north to the Pennar in the south and to the Bellary district in
5040-517: The Chalukyas of Vatapi to the north, and the Tamil kingdoms of Chola and Pandyas to their south. The Pallavas were finally defeated by the Chola ruler Aditya I in the 9th century CE. The Pallavas are most noted for their patronage of Hindu Vaishnava temple architecture, the finest example being the Shore Temple , a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Mamallapuram . Kancheepuram served as
5184-605: The Kalabhra invasion of the Tamil country. Towards the close of the 6th century, the Pallava Simhavishnu stuck a blow against the Kalabhras. The Pandyas followed suit. Thereafter the Tamil country was divided between the Pallavas in the north with Kanchipuram as their capital, and Pandyas in the south with Madurai as their capital. The royal custom of using a series of descriptive honorific titles, Birudas ,
5328-719: The Kalabhras and the confusion in the Tamil country was broken by the Pandya Kadungon and the Pallava Simhavishnu . Mahendravarman I extended the Pallava Kingdom and was one of the greatest sovereigns. Some of the most ornate monuments and temples in southern India, carved out of solid rock, were introduced under his rule. He also wrote the play Mattavilasa Prahasana . The Pallava kingdom began to gain both in territory and influence and were
5472-619: 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
5616-767: 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
5760-468: The Medieval Cholas until 1189 CE. Originally, the capital of the Eastern Chalukyas was located at Pishtapura (modern-day Pitapuram ). It was subsequently moved to Vengi (present-day Pedavegi , near Eluru ) and then to Rajamahendravaram (now Rajahmundry ). Throughout their history, the Eastern Chalukyas were the cause of many wars between the more powerful Cholas and Western Chalukyas over
5904-698: 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
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6048-724: 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
6192-711: The Māmallapuram Praśasti is as follows: According to historian S. Krishnaswami Aiyengar , the Pallavas were natives of Tondaimandalam and the name Pallava is identical with the word Tondaiyar. Chola Prince Ilandiraiyan is traditionally regarded as the founder of the Pallava dynasty. Ilandiraiyan is referred to in the literature of the Sangam period such as the Pathupattu . In the Sangam epic Manimekalai , he
6336-949: 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
6480-416: The Palnadu (Pallava Nadu) area of the western Guntur district . All the early documents are in Prakrit , and scholars find similarities in paleography and language with the Satavahanas and the Mauryas . Their early coins are said to be similar to those of Satavahanas. Two main theories regarding the origins of the Pallavas have emerged based on available historical data. The first theory suggests that
6624-459: The Pathupattu . In the Sangam epic Manimekalai , he is depicted as the son of Chola king Killi and the Naga princess Pilivalai, the daughter of king Valaivanan of Manipallavam . Another theory is propounded by historians R. Sathianathaier and D. C. Sircar , with endorsements by Hermann Kulke , Dietmar Rothermund and Burton Stein . Sircar points out that the family legends of the Pallavas speak of an ancestor descending from Ashwatthama ,
6768-403: 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
6912-418: 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 ,
7056-434: The Vengi region in eastern Deccan , after defeating the remnants of the Vishnukundina dynasty. He appointed his brother Kubja Vishnuvardhana the governor of this newly acquired territory in 624 A.D. Vishnuvardhana's viceroyalty subsequently developed into an independent kingdom, possibly after Pulakeshin died fighting the Pallavas in the Battle of Vatapi . Thus the Chalukyas were originally of Kannada stock. As per
7200-407: 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
7344-473: The kshatriyas ; but apart from the Pallava, Chola and Vijayanagar line of warriors which claimed chakravartin status, only few locality warrior families achieved the prestigious kin-linked organisation of northern warrior groups. The earliest documentation on the Pallavas is the three copper-plate grants, now referred to as the Mayidavolu (from Maidavolu village in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh ), Hirehadagali (from Hire Hadagali of Karnataka ) and
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#17327729068217488-411: The shastras . Burton distinguishes between the chakravatin model and the kshatriya model, and likens kshatriyas to locally based warriors with ritual status sufficiently high enough to share with Brahmins; and states that in south India the kshatriya model did not emerge. As per Burton, south India was aware of the Indo-Aryan varna organised society in which decisive secular authority was vested in
7632-400: 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
7776-420: 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
7920-435: The 2nd-7th century CE period contain the Pallava emblem, the maned lion, together with Kannada or Sanskrit inscription which showed that the Pallavas used Kannada too in their administration along with Prakrit, Sanskrit and Tamil. Overlaid on these theories is another hypothesis of Sathianathaier which claims that "Pallava" is a derivative of Pahlava (the Sanskrit term for Parthians). According to him, partial support for
8064-408: 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
8208-402: 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
8352-418: The Eastern Chalukyas had long and intimate contact, either friendly or hostile, with the Pallavas , the Rashtrakutas , the Cholas and the Chalukyas of Kalyani. The Eastern Chalukyan government was a monarchy based on the Hindu philosophy. The inscriptions refer to the traditional seven components of the state (Saptanga), and the eighteen Tirthas (Offices), such as: No information is available as to how
8496-426: 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
8640-504: 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,
8784-543: The Krishna River. Another theory posits that the Pallavas were descendants of Chola Prince Ilandiraiyan and had their roots in Tondaimandalam , the region around Kanchi. These theories provide different perspectives on the Pallavas' early history and territorial expansion, but the exact origins of the Pallava dynasty continue to be a subject of debate among historians. The proponents of the Andhra origin theory include S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar and K. A. Nilakanta Sastri . They believe that Pallavas were originally feudatories of
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#17327729068218928-483: 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
9072-558: 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
9216-553: The Pallava dynasty, a unique form of Grantha script , a descendant of Pallava script which is a type of Brahmic script , was used. Around the 6th century, it was exported eastwards and influenced the genesis of almost all Southeast Asian scripts. Pallavas were followers of Hinduism and made gifts of land to gods and Brahmins. In line with the prevalent customs, some of the rulers performed the Aswamedha and other Vedic sacrifices . They were, however, tolerant of other faiths. The Chinese monk Xuanzang who visited Kanchipuram during
9360-500: The Pallava style temples. The temple of Nalanda Gedige in Kandy , Sri Lanka is another. The famous Tondeswaram temple of Tenavarai and the ancient Koneswaram temple of Trincomalee were patronised and structurally developed by the Pallavas in the 7th century. The Pallava period beginning with Simhavishnu (575 CE – 900 CE) was a transitional stage in southern Indian society with monument building, foundation of devotional (bhakti) sects of Alvars and Nayanars ,
9504-412: The Pallavas away from Kanchi in the mid-4th century, in the reign of Vishnugopa , the tenth king of the Pallava line. The Pallavas re-captured Kanchi from the Kalabhras in the mid-6th century, possibly in the reign of Simhavishnu , the fourteenth king of the Pallava line, whom the Kasakudi plates state as "the lion of the earth". Thereafter the Pallavas held on to Kanchi until the 9th century, until
9648-408: The Pallavas could be divided into four separate families or dynasties; some of whose connections are known and some unknown. Aiyangar states We have a certain number of charters in Prakrit of which three are important ones. Then follows a dynasty which issued their charters in Sanskrit; following this came the family of the great Pallavas beginning with Simha Vishnu; this was followed by a dynasty of
9792-411: The Pallavas were Kurumbas and Kurubas their modern representatives. This is supported by Marathi historian R. C. Dhere who stated that Pallavas were originally pastoralists that belonged to Kuruba lineages. The territory of Pallavas was bordered by the Coromandel Coast along present Tamil Nadu and southern Andhra Pradesh. Out of the coins found here, the class of gold and silver coins belonging to
9936-502: The Pallavas were initially subordinate to the Satavahanas, a ruling dynasty in the Andhradesa region (north of the Penna River in modern-day Andhra Pradesh ). According to this theory, the Pallavas later expanded their influence southward, eventually establishing their power in Kanchi (modern-day Kanchipuram ). The second theory proposes that the Pallavas originated in Kanchi itself, where they initially rose to prominence. From there, they expanded their dominion northward, reaching as far as
10080-496: The Pallis were one of the communities who served often in Pallava armies. The similarity of the name ending "- varman " of Pallava rulers with that of Hindu kings during the Hindu/Buddhist era of Indonesia such as king Mulavarman of the Kutai Martadipura Kingdom , king Purnawarman of the Tarumanagara kingdom, king Adityawarman of the Malayapura kingdom, etc. has been commented upon by historians since discovery. There have been possible high relations and connections of
10224-418: The Prakrit charters beginning with "Bappa-deva" were the historical founders of the Pallava dominion in southern India. The Hirahadagalli Plates were found in Hirehadagali, Bellary district and is one of the earliest copper plates in Karnataka and belongs to the reign of early Pallava ruler Shivaskanda Varma. Pallava King Sivaskandavarman of Kanchi of the early Pallavas ruled from 275 to 300 CE, and issued
10368-652: The Satavahanas in the south-eastern part of their empire who became independent when the Satavahana power declined. They are seen to be "strangers to the Tamil country", unrelated to the ancient lines of Cheras, Pandyas and Cholas. Since Simhavarman's grant bears no regal titles, they believe that he might have been a subsidiary to the Andhra Ikshvakus who were in power in Andhradesa at that time. In
10512-811: 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
10656-520: 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
10800-803: The Timmapuram plates of Kubja Vishnuvardhana , the progenitor of the Eastern Chalukyas, they belonged to the Manavya Gotra and were Haritputras (sons of Hariti ) just like the Kadambas and Western Chalukyas. From the 11th century onward, the dynasty started claiming legendary lunar dynasty origins. According to this legend, the dynasty descended from the Moon , via Budha , Pururava , the Pandavas , Satanika and Udayana. 59 unnamed descendants of Udayana ruled at Ayodhya . Their descendant Vijayaditya
10944-572: The West. He performed the Aswamedha and other Vedic sacrifices and bore the title of "Supreme King of Kings devoted to dharma". The Hirahadagali copper plate (Bellary District) record in Prakrit is dated in the eighth year of Sivaskanda Varman to 283 CE and confirms the gift made by his father who is described merely as "Bappa-deva" (revered father) or Boppa. It will thus be clear that this dynasty of
11088-546: 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
11232-586: 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
11376-539: 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
11520-521: The brother of Simhavishnu. They called themselves as Kadavas , Kadavesa and Kaduvetti. Hiranyavarman, the father of Nandivarman Pallavamalla is said to have belonged to the Kadavakula in epigraphs. Nandivarman II himself is described as "one who was born to raise the prestige of the Kadava family". According to the available inscriptions of the Pallavas, historian S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar proposes
11664-570: The capital of the Pallava kingdom. The dynasty left behind magnificent sculptures and temples, and are recognized to have established the foundations of medieval southern Indian architecture, which some scholars believe the ancient Hindu treatise Manasara inspired. They developed the Pallava script , from which Grantha ultimately took form. This script eventually gave rise to several other Southeast Asian scripts such Khmer . The Chinese traveller Xuanzang visited Kanchipuram during Pallava rule and extolled their benign rule. The word Pallava means
11808-590: The charter in 283 CE in the eighth year of his reign. As per the Hirahadagalli Plates of 283 CE, Pallava King Sivaskandavarman granted an immunity viz the garden of Chillarekakodumka, which was formerly given by Lord Bappa to the Brahmins, freeholders of Chillarekakodumka and inhabitants of Apitti. Chillarekakodumka has been identified by some as ancient village Chillarige in Bellary, Karnataka. In
11952-582: The control of the strategically important Vengi country. The five centuries of the Eastern Chalukya rule of Vengi saw not only the consolidation of this region into a unified whole, but also saw the efflorescence of Telugu culture, literature, poetry and art during the later half of their rule. They had marital relationship with Cholas. The Chalukyas of Vengi branched off from the Chalukyas of Badami . The Badami ruler Pulakeshin II (610–642 CE) conquered
12096-402: 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
12240-631: The decline of the Rashtrakuta power, the Kakatiyas who were former vassals of the Western Chalukyas , assumed sovereignty by suppressing other Chalukya subordinates in the Telangana region. In its early life, the Eastern Chalukya court was essentially a republic of Badami , and as generations passed, local factors gained in strength and the Vengi monarchy developed features of its own. External influences still continued to be present as
12384-523: 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
12528-564: The downfall of the Satavahana Empire , whom they had formerly served as feudatories . The Pallavas became a major southern Indian power during the reign of Mahendravarman I (600–630 CE) and Narasimhavarman I (630–668 CE), and dominated the southern Telugu region and the northern parts of the Tamil region for about 600 years, until the end of the 9th century. Throughout their reign, they remained in constant conflict with both
12672-907: 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
12816-731: 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
12960-561: The enemies against the royal house. The population in the Vengi country was heterogeneous in character. Xuanzang , who travelled in the Andhra country after the establishment of the Eastern Chalukya kingdom, noted that the people were of a violent character, were of a dark complexion and were fond of arts. The society was based on hereditary caste system . Even the Buddhists and Jains who originally disregarded caste, adopted it. Besides
13104-752: The famous Jain centres of the period. Early Telugu literature was at its zenith during this period. Vipparla Inscription of Jayasimha I and the Lakshmipuram inscription of the Mangi yuvaraja were the earliest Telugu inscriptions of Eastern chalukyas found in 7 century AD. The copper plate grants of the early Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi are written in Sanskrit, but a few charters like the Aladankaram plates are written partly in Sanskrit and partly in Telugu Telugu poetry makes its early appearance in
13248-456: The flowering of rural Brahmanical institutions of Sanskrit learning, and the establishment of chakravartin model of kingship over a territory of diverse people; which ended the pre-Pallavan era of territorially segmented people, each with their culture, under a tribal chieftain. While a system of ranked relationship among groups existed in the classical period , the Pallava period extolled ranked relationships based on ritual purity as enjoined by
13392-417: The following half-century, the Pallavas became independent and expanded up to Kanchi. S. Krishnaswami Aiyengar also speculates that the Pallavas were natives of Tondaimandalam and the name Pallava is identical with the word Tondaiyar. Chola Prince Ilandiraiyan is traditionally regarded as the founder of the Pallava dynasty. Ilandiraiyan is referred to in the literature of the Sangam period such as
13536-496: 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
13680-430: The four traditional castes, minor communities like Boyas and Savaras (Tribal groups) also existed. The Brahmins were held in high esteem in the society. They were proficient in Vedas and Shastras and were given gifts of land and money. They held lucrative posts such as councillors, ministers and members of civil service. They even entered the army and some of them rose to positions of high command. The Kshatriyas were
13824-444: The government. The Shudras constituted the bulk of the population and there were several sub-castes among them. The army furnished a career for most of them and some of them acquired the status of Samanta Raju and Mandalika. Hinduism was the prominent religion of the Eastern Chalukya kingdom, with Shaivism being more popular than Vaishnavism . The Mahasena temple at Chebrolu became famous for its annual Jatra , which involved
13968-434: 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
14112-669: The inscription of the Pallava king, Mahendravarman I and his successors. Among the accomplishments of the Pallava architecture are the rock-cut temples at Mamallapuram . There are excavated pillared halls and monolithic shrines known as Rathas in Mahabalipuram. Early temples were mostly dedicated to Shiva . The Kailasanatha temple in Kanchipuram and the Shore Temple built by Narasimhavarman II , rock cut temple in Mahendravadi by Mahendravarman are fine examples of
14256-475: The later Satavahanas with a partial northern lineage, Sathianathaier sees them as natives of Tondaimandalam (the core region of Aruvanadu). He argues that they could well have adopted northern Indian practices under the Mauryan Asoka 's rule. He relates the name "Pallava" to Pulindas , whose heritage is borne by names such as "Pulinadu" and "Puliyurkottam" in the region. According to Sir H. A. Stuart
14400-482: The legendary warrior of Mahabharata , and his union with a Naga princess. According to Ptolemy , the Aruvanadu region between the northern and southern Penner rivers ( Penna and Ponnaiyar ) was ruled by a king Basaronaga around 140 CE. By marrying into this Naga family, the Pallavas would have acquired control of the region near Kanchi. While Sircar allows that Pallavas might have been provincial rulers under
14544-412: 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
14688-467: 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
14832-515: 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
14976-491: 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,
15120-469: The people. This is evident from the several deserted images in ruined villages all over Andhra . The inscriptions also record the construction of Jain temples and grants of land for their support from the monarchs and the people. The rulers like Kubja Vishnuvardhana, Vishnuvardhana III and Amma II patronised Jainism. Vimaladitya even became a declared follower of the doctrine of Mahavira . Vijayawada , Jenupadu, Penugonda (West Godavari) and Munugodu were
15264-475: 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
15408-460: The practice came into vogue of inscribing a part of the record in Sanskrit and the rest in Tamil. Almost all the copper plate records, viz., Kasakudi, Tandantottam, Pattattalmangalm, Udayendiram and Velurpalaiyam are composed both in Sanskrit and Tamil. Many Pallava royal inscriptions were in Sanskrit or Prakrit, considered the official languages. Similarly, inscriptions found in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka State are in Sanskrit and Prakrit. Sanskrit
15552-747: 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
15696-408: 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
15840-467: 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
15984-848: 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
16128-594: The reign of Simhavarman II , who ascended the throne in 436, the territories lost to the Vishnukundins in the north up to the mouth of the Krishna were recovered. The early Pallava history from this period onwards is furnished by a dozen or so copper-plate grants in Sanskrit . They are all dated in the regnal years of the kings. The following chronology was composed from these charters by Nilakanta Sastri in his A History of South India : The incursion of
16272-586: The reign of Narasimhavarman I reported that there were 100 Buddhist monasteries, and 80 Hindu temples in Kanchipuram. The semi-legendary founder of Zen Buddhism , Bodhidharma , is in an Indian tradition regarded to be the third son of a Pallava king. The Pallavas were instrumental in the transition from rock-cut architecture to stone temples. The earliest examples of Pallava constructions are rock-cut temples dating from 610 to 690 and structural temples between 690 and 900. A number of rock-cut cave temples bear
16416-416: The reign of their last king, Vijaya-Nripatungavarman . The Pallavas were in conflict with major kingdoms at various periods of time. A contest for political supremacy existed between the early Pallavas and the Kadambas . Numerous Kadamba inscriptions provide details of Pallava-Kadamba hostilities. During the reign of Vishnugopavarman II (approx. 500–525), political convulsion engulfed the Pallavas due to
16560-486: The ruling class. Their love of intrigue and fighting was responsible for civil war for two centuries. The Komatis ( Vaishyas ) were a flourishing trading community. Their organisation into a powerful guild (Nakaram) which had its headquarters in Penugonda ( West Godavari ) and branches in seventeen other centres had its beginnings in this period. It seems there used to be a minister for communal affairs (Samaya Mantri) in
16704-515: 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
16848-642: 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)
16992-596: 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
17136-483: 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
17280-573: 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 the west and the Indian Ocean in the south. The geography of the region
17424-529: The theory can be derived from a crown shaped like an elephant's scalp depicted on some sculptures, which seems to resemble the crown of Demetrius I . The Pallavas captured Kanchi from the Cholas as recorded in the Velurpalaiyam Plates, around the reign of the fifth king of the Pallava line Kumaravishnu I. Thereafter Kanchi figures in inscriptions as the capital of the Pallavas. The Cholas drove
17568-432: 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
17712-657: 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
17856-582: The translation of the Mahabharata into Telugu. Narayana Bhatta who was proficient in eight languages assisted him in his endeavour. Though incomplete, his work is acclaimed as a masterpiece of Telugu literature. Kubja Vishnuvardhana, the founder of the Eastern Chalukya dynasty, was the brother of the Chalukya king, Pulakeshin II . The Chalukyas therefore governed both the Karnataka and Andhra countries and patronised Telugu as well. This very likely led to
18000-461: 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
18144-536: 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
18288-589: The usurper Nandi Varman, another great Pallava. We are overlooking for the present the dynasty of the Ganga-Pallavas postulated by the Epigraphists. The earliest of these Pallava charters is the one known as the Mayidavolu 1 (Guntur district) copper-plates. Based on a combination of dynastic plates and grants from the period, Aiyangar proposed their rule thus: The genealogy of Pallavas mentioned in
18432-429: The village granted. The Manneyas are also occasionally referred in inscriptions. They held assignments of land or revenue in different villages. Fratricidal wars and foreign invasions frequently disturbed the land. The territory was parcelled out into many small principalities (estates) held by the nobility consisting of collateral branches of the ruling house such as those of Elamanchili, Pithapuram and Mudigonda, and
18576-402: The work of administration was carried out. The Vishaya and Kottam were the administrative subdivisions known from records. The Karmarashtra and the Boya-Kottams are examples of these. The royal edicts (recording gifts of lands or villages) are addressed to all Naiyogi Kavallabhas , a general term containing no indication of their duties, as well as to the Grameyakas , the residents of
18720-403: 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
18864-402: Was called Ekamalla "the sole warrior or wrestler". Pallava kings, presumably exalted ones, were known by the title Mahamalla ("great wrestler"). Pallava inscriptions have been found in Tamil , Prakrit and Sanskrit . Tamil was main language used by the Pallavas in their inscriptions although a few records continued to be in Sanskrit. At the time of the time of Paramesvaravarman I ,
19008-427: 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
19152-428: 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
19296-447: 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
19440-419: 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
19584-431: 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
19728-741: 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
19872-485: Was killed in a battle with Trilochana Pallava , during an expedition in Dakshinapatha (Deccan). His pregnant widow was given shelter by Vishnubhatta Somayaji of Mudivemu (modern Jammalamadugu ). She named her son Vishnuvardhana after her benefactor. When the boy grew up, he became the ruler of Dakshinapatha by the grace of the goddess Nanda Bhagavati. Between 641 AD and 705 AD some kings, except Jayasimha I and Mangi Yuvaraja, ruled for very short durations. Then followed
20016-442: Was known as "Tondaman." Pallava royal lineages were influential in the old kingdom of Kedah of the Malay Peninsula under Rudravarman I, Champa under Bhadravarman I and the Kingdom of the Funan in Cambodia. Some historians have claimed the present Palli Vanniyar caste are descendants of the Pallavas who ruled the Andhra and Tamil countries between the 6th and 9th centuries. Tamil scholar M. Srinivasa Iyengar claimed claimed
20160-450: Was particularly prevalent among the Pallavas. The Birudas of Mahendravarman I are in Sanskrit, Tamil and Telugu. The Telugu Birudas show Mahendravarman's involvement with the Andhra region continued to be strong at the time he was creating his cave-temples in the Tamil region. The suffix "Malla" was used by the Pallava rulers. Mahendravarman I used the Biruda, Shatrumalla , "a warrior who overthrows his enemies", and his grandson Paramesvara I
20304-411: 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
20448-545: 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,
20592-517: Was widely used by Simhavishnu and Narasimhavarman II in literature. The phenomenon of using Prakrit as official languages in which rulers left their inscriptions and epigraphies continued till the 6th century. It would have been in the interest of the ruling elite to protect their privileges by perpetuating their hegemony of Prakrit in order to exclude the common people from sharing power (Mahadevan 1995a: 173–188). The Pallavas in their Tamil country used Tamil and Sanskrit in their inscriptions. Under
20736-476: Was wrecked due to rough weather and the boy was lost. He was later found washed ashore with a Tondai twig (creeper) around his leg. So he came to be called Tondaiman Ilam Tiraiyan meaning the young one of the seas or waves . When he grew up the northern part of the Chola kingdom was entrusted to him and the area he governed came to be called Tondaimandalam after him.He was a poet himself and four of his songs are extant even today. He ruled from Tondaimandalam and
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