Battle Of Pullalur Manimangala And Vatapi

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BATTLE OF PULLALUR(618-619 BC)

The Battle of Pullalur was one of the part of Chalukya-Pallava Wars. The Battle was fought between the Chalukya king Pulakesin II and the Pallava king Mahendravarman I in the village of Pullalur (Pollilur) in the year 619 ACE. The Battle ended with Chalukya victory and confinement of the Pallava power to the vicinity of Kanchipuram
The main reason behind the Pallava and Chalukya wars was the Vishnukundin kingdom. The Vishnukundins were allies of the Pallavas of Kanchi.
The rapid expansion of the Chalukya Empire had resulted in the Chalukya annexation of the Vishnukundin kingdom. This embittered the Pallavas against them and a large number of battles were fought.
In about 617–18 ACE, Pulakesin II invaded and annexed Venginadu ( a region spread over the mandals of Godavari and Krishna districts of Andhrapradesh).

After his success against Venginadu, he proceeded towards south and confining the Pallavas to the area around Kanchi. The Pallava king Mahendravarman I met Pulakesin II at the village of Pullalur.
In 619 AD, Chalukyas annexed the Andhra territories of Pallavas and enter the core Tondainadu of the Pallavas. Pulakeshi defeats Mahendravarman I’s forces in Battle of Pullalur. But Pulakeshi did not enter further into the capital, because Kanchi is heavily fortified with moats, ramparts etc
Although Pulakesin attacked Kanchi but unable to penetrate the defences of the Pallava capital, he proceeded southwards and ravaged the northern and central parts of Tamil Nadu intruding as far as the Kaveri River.
Then, after accepting the submission of Chera, Chola and Pandya kings, Pulakesin II returned to Vatapi.

The Pallavas long wished to avenge the humiliation suffered at the hands of Pulakeshin II and over the next few years, strengthened their forces in preparation for a counter-attack.
In 630, Mahendravarman I was succeeded by his son Narasimhavarman I under whom the Pallava kingdom emerged as a powerful state. This prompted Pulakeshin II to lead a second expedition into the Pallava country.
Pulakeshin II first defeated the Banas, who were feudatories of the Pallavas, before advancing into the Pallava country.

Pulakesin proceeded to the town of Manimangala, identified with the present-day Manimangalam, about 20 miles from the Pallava capital Kanchi where he was stopped by a strong Pallava army.
Manimangala is the first ever victory for the Pallavas against the Chalukyas and also the first of four successive defeats suffered by Pulakesin II in 642 AD. Pulakesin II suffered a defeat and was forced to retreat pursued by the victorious Pallava forces

Narasimhavarman I met the Chalukyas and defeated them in three separate encounters in Pariyala, Suramana and Manimangala, all close to the Pallava capital Kanchi, forcing them to retreat. • The Pallavas, then, took the offensive and pursued the fleeing Chalukya forces deep into their territory.
In 642, a formidable Pallava force under Paranjothi was sent by Narasimhavarman I to capture Vatapi, the capital of the Chalukyas.
Pulakeshin II met the Pallavas on the outskirts of his capital and is presumed to have lost his life in the ensuing battle.
The Pallavas achieved a decisive victory over Pulakeshin II. The victorious Pallavas then took the capital.

Narasimhavarman I constructed a Mallikarjuna Temple at Vatapi to commemorate his victory.He also adopted the title “Vatapikondan” or “taker of Vatapi”.
He carved an inscription recording his victory on the walls of the Teggina-Irappa temple in Vatapi.
Paranjothi brought numerous items of war booty to the Pallava kingdom from Vatapai, including a famous icon of the god Ganesha (Ganapati) – known as Vatapi Ganpati, which he enshrined in his home-town.