When a King wrote an encyclopedia

This could be called one of the earliest encyclopedias of Karnataka. It is a storehouse of information and it has scores of topics covering almost the whole range of  the then society.

Written in Sanskrit, it has details on all braches of ancient sciences ad arts, including religion, ethics, social service, manufacture of idols, diseases and their remedies, law, State crafts and its aspects such as war and peace, invasion, neutrality and alliance,  architecture, picture-drawing, painting, iconography and even pleasures of life.

If you think that these were all the topics that were touched in the book, think again for it also has comprehensive details on various forms of amusements and entertainments, arithmetic, decimal notations, preparation of calendars, astrology, omens, augury,

palmistry, training of horses and elephants along with the treatment of their diseases, mining, alchemy, gems and precious stones, marriage and child-rearing, cookery, liquor, beverages, music, conveyance and fragrance and scents.

What is more astonishing is that this work was not by an academician or a pandit but by one of the foremost Kings of the times-Someshwara, the third of the Western Chalukyas.

The Western Chalukyas ruled from Kalyan or today’s Basavakalyan and Someshwara (1126-1138) had succeeded his father Vishnuvardhana or Vikramaditya to the Chalukyan Kingdom.

Since his father had left behind a vast empire, Someshwara had adequate time to devote to compile “Manasollasa”, a book which gives us invaluable information about the life and times of people and society in those ages.

The Manasollasa or the Abhilasitartha Cintamani (the magical stone that fulfils desires) was composed in 1129 AD and it is  divided into 100 adhyayas (chapters) which are grouped into five vimsatis (twenties) and each chapter deals with a specific topic.

Some of the most interesting topics related to the means of acquiring a kingdom, methods of establishing it and royal enjoyment. It contains valuable information on health, education, Indian art, architecture, wrestling, cuisine, ornaments, sports, music and dance. There are more than 8000 slokas.

It is in poetic form with an occasional prose form.

Manasollasa is written in poetry form with occasional prose passages introduced in the middle. The first chapter or vimsathi- Rajyapraptikarana – describes how a kingdom should be obtained and the required qualifications for a king.  The second, Rajasya stirya karana vimsasti,  gives tips on how a king should maintain his position, different officers of the state and the qualifications they should have to adorn the post.

One part of the book deals with culinary preparations of the time and this must rank among the earliest culinary books in the world. The King here describes how the dishes ought to be prepared and how they should be served to royalty. We can take it that this was the procedure followed by the royal kitchen in Kalyan.

We can infer that cooking was done in wood stoves and dishes were boiled or fried. Spices were used liberally in the royal kitchen and fermentation of milk was already in vogue then. 
Let me take you to some of the recipes that he has mentioned. They are still followed with certain variations.
He starts the chapter on Annabhoga with rice. He describes the eight varieties or rice prevalent then and the techniques to clean and cook them.

Rice, he says, should be cleaned several times before being boiled in  water. The cooking of rice should be either in copper or earthen vessel. The water should be thrice the quantity of rice and it should be cooked over low fire. The vessel should be covered with a lid and when steam escapes, the lid should be removed and rice stirred.    
The main staple of South India being rice; he starts the chapter on Annabhoga with descriptions of eight varieties of rice, followed by descriptions of cleaning and cooking rice. He instructs that rice should be washed several times before boiling in excess water. This cleaned rice should be cooked in either a copper or earthenware vessel with three times the quantity of water over a slow fire. The pot should be covered with a lid or a piece of cloth. When steam comes out, the lid should be removed and the pot stirred.

If there is excess water, it should be filtered out. This method is still being used today.

He has his say on wheat too and says it should be washed, dried and then ground into soft flour. He also speaks of soups and pulses, sweet dishes and almost all varieties of food preparations in those days.

What makes this work stand out is the wealth of  information that it contains and the variety of topics that it deals with.

The Jala Samadhi of a King

It was 1067 AD and south India was repeatedly seeing a conflict between the Chalukyas of Karnataka and the Cholas of Tamil Nadu.
The Chalukya Emperor Someshwara (1043-1069), the first, had repeatedly stood as a bulwark against the Cholas. Someshwara had not only managed to guard his territories of Karnataka well but he had victories against his other enemies. In 1051, he had invaded Malwa and overrun the Paramara kingdom and its capital Dhara.
 Someshwara had shifted the capital of the Kalyan Chalukyas from from Manyakheta (present day Malkhed ) to Kalyani (Kalpana or Basavakalyan in Bidar district).
He had developed Kalyan into a magnificent city. He had repeatedly taken on Rajendra Chola, his son Rajadhiraja Chola and his brother Veerarajendra.
Someshwara, unfortunately, is one of the most underrated emperors of Karnataka. The Tamil and Chola texts are uncharitable to him and the Kannada texts have not done full justice.
What is undeniable is that Someshwara was a warrior without any fear and this is borne out by the many times he faced the Cholas. Whether he lost or won is not the criteria. What matters is that he prevented the Cholas from subjugating the entire south India.
The Cholas were frustuated by the stand of Someshwara. They had tried to overrun the Chalukyas seven times but had failed.
The Chalukyas were not Someshwara’s only enemies. The Paramars of Dhara and the Chalukyas of Gujarat were also at war with him. In 1054, Someshwara had invaded Malwa again and killed the Paramara Emperor, Bhoja. The same year he had killed the Chola Emperor, Rajadhiraja at the battle of Koppara (Raichur).          
 Unfortunately, historians and even Chola texts of the period mistake Someshwara the first with his son the second Someshwara. Infact, one of the Chola texts goes on to belittle this Emperor and calls him names.
The reason is as follows. In 1059, Someshwara sent an invitation to the Chola Emperor, Rajendra Chola the second, for a battle at Kudala Sangama on River Krishna. Remember that parts of Raichur and Gulbarga district then were under the Cholas.

Someshwara, in his invitation, also specified the date and time of the battle. Instead of viewing this as an act of a brave emperor, the Tamil and Chola texts belittle this act. What I fail to understand is how this noble act could be seen in any other light. 

Someshwara had chosen Kudala Sangamam as the place of the battle. He wanted to take revenge for the earlier loss he had suffered at the hands of the cholas.

When the Cholas received the message, Virarajendra-the brother of  the ruling Chola Emperor- immediately set out for the battle and camped near Kandai for the Chalukyan army to arrive. The exact date set for the battle, according to Virarajendra’s inscription found at Manimangalam, was Monday, 10 September 1067 AD

The Chola army waited for more than a month but the  expected battle never took place. The Cholas wrongly believed that Someshwara had no stomach to face them. They then devastated the surrounding countryside, erected a pillar of victory on the banks of the Tungabhadra river and went back.

It was only later that the Cholas realised that Someshwara had committed suicide by drowning himself in the Tungabhadra. The Cholas tried to claim credit for this incident too, saying that Someshwara died because he could not face them. This is entirely false and there is no iota of  truth in this assertion.
By 1067, Someshwara had already realized that the Chalukyan torch would be further carried on not by his elder son Someshwara the second by his second son Vikramaditya. He had also realised that Vikramaditya was sufficiently intelligent to safeguard the Kannadigas. He wanted to make Vikramaditya the Emperor but the latter had turned it down, saying that Someshwara as an elder had a better claim.
Someshwara was astonished and pleased by the manner in which Vikramaditya conducted himself. It was in March 1067 that he decided to call on the Cholas for battle. Both Vikramaditya and Someshwara the second were away from the kingdom and the Chalukyas made all preparations for their regular war with the Cholas. 

A few days after Someshwara sent the invitation of war to the Cholas, he fell ill and no doctor in the kingdom could cure him. Days passed into weeks and weeks into months and there was no cure in sight. The ailment was finally diagnosed as malignant fever.

One of  Someshwara’s literary giants, Bilahana, has written a poignant account of the suicide. Bhilana was a poet and author. His  Sanskrit work Vikramanka Deva Charitam gives us an account of the suicide.

The book says Someshwara was suffering untold miseries and that his body felt as hot as coal. There was no respite from the raging fever and even the sandal paste applied on his body and medicated oil was of no avail.

Someshwara then decided to end his life instead of waiting for Death. He thought that the best option was to die in the Tungabhadra.

He then decide to enter Jala Samadhi at Kuravatti, a small village. Accompanied by his wives, children, ministers, army and others he reached Kuravetti, now in Bellary district. By then news of the Emperors; decision had spread far and wide and thousands of people assembled at the spot.

On the morning of the Jala Samadhi, Someshara took bath, performed his morning rituals, including pooja and seated in the royal palanquin, made his way to the river side.

He removed his royal robes and wore only the barest minimum to cover his modesty. The Brahmins, who had assembled n large numbers, began chanting mantas and wrapped Shalya or clothe around his stomach.

Several ministers and relatives of Someshwara then gently escorted the Emperor into the waters of the Tungabhadra. Someshwara waved them aside and  stood in the waters distributing wealth to the poor and needy, scholars and also to the Brahmins.

After some time, Someshwara bid adieu to the people and his Queens. He then began going deeper and deeper into the Tungabhadra. With each step he took towards death, the eyes of the onlookers filled with tears.

 All the while, Someshwara was praying to God. He began moving into the deeper waters. When water reached the neck of Someshwara,  he stopped and turned back to look at his Queens and subjects.

He then began the ritual of Surya Namaskara-prayer to the Sun. He then closed his eyes and began praying for Moksha. For one last time, he opened his eyes and looked on the thousands of people who stood watching him aghast. He folded his hands towards them and slowly walked into the deeper waters.

The flowing waters of the Tungabhadra soon covered him and he was lost forever. The news soon reached his second son Vikramaditya who reacted with pain and anguish. By the way, Someshwara the second was crowned the Chalukya Emperor.

As far as the Cholas were concerned, they knew nothing of what  had happened. They erroneously assumed that Someshwara was scared to wage war and claimed victory in a war that never occurred, installed a pillar of victory, destroyed the countryside and left.

When the news of Someshwara’s suicide reached the Cholas, they were uncharitable to the Chalukya even in death. They said it was due to them that Someshwara had died. This is a fallacy as the above accounts prove that Someshwara was not a coward by a brave person who stood as a bulwark against Chola expansion. It is perhaps the frustration of not being able to conquer the entire south that made Cholas and Tamils uncharitable towards Someshwara and the Chalukyas.

(I have based this article after going through Chalukyan accounts, inscriptions and texts. I have also referred to the work of Bhilana and even some Chola records.)

The Chola who lost his life in Raichur

Koppara in Raichur district is a well-known pilgrim centre. It has the famous temple of Lakshmi Narasimha which is situated on the banks of the Krishna.

Several centuries ago, Koppara, now in Devadurg taluk, was the place where a mammoth ceremony was organised by a Vijayanagar king to honor  Madhwa saints performing chaturmasa. It was at this place that a young Lakshminarayana, who gave a beautiful discourse on Nyaya Sudha, was given the title Sripadaraja Theertha.

This incident occurred sometime in the late 1400s or early 1500s. However, there is an other significant event that changed the course of history of south India. This event happened almost a thousand years ago.

Koppara was scene of a massive battle between the rampaging Cholas and the Chalukyas. The Cholas were a Tamil based dynasty, while the Chalukyas were Kannadigas. They were at war with each other for more than one hundred years.

Bitter rivals in south India, the two were at each other’s throat right from 992 AD when Cholas fought the Chalukyas at Rattepidi and defeated the Chalukyan commander Satyashraya.

The enmity between the two dynasties continued till 1120 when the last battle was fought in 1120 when the Chalukyan King Vikramaditya, the sixth, took on Vikrama Chola. The continous conflict weakened both the powers and led to the birth of the Hoysala Kingdom of Dwarasamudra.

Coming back to Koppara, the Cholas were initially routed in the battle that took place near the Krishna river in 1054 AD. The Chola Emperor, Rajadhiraja, was killed in battle by Someshwara the first, the Chalukya King.  

Rajadhiraja, also known as Kopparakesarivarman Rajadhiraja Chola I had succeeded his father, Rajendra Chola, in 1018. Rajendra Chola is considered to be among the greatest kings of India and Rajadhiraja was an able and capable son.

Rajadhiraja had helped his father overcome the Chalukyas.Yet, the Chalukya power had not diminished. The Chalukyas of Kalyan (Basavakalyan) had overthrown the Rastrakutas in 973 and  Someshwara I (1043-1068) had succeeded in resisting the efforts of the Cholas to subdue Karnataka.

He had also built a new capital called Kalyana (modern Basava Kalyana in Bidar district).

A born fighter, Rajadhiraja was apprehensive about the growing power of the Chalukyas. He decided to subdue the Chalukyas and  he went to war against the Chalukyas. He defeated the Western Chalukya forces in  the battle at Dannada on the banks of Krishna and set fire to their fort.

He followed up this victory with a number of raids into the Chalukya country. In one such raid, the Cholas captured several generals and feudatories of Chalukya and demolished the Chalukya palace at Kampali. The victorious Chola forces crossed the Krishna river and erected a victory pillar at a place called Yetagiri.

After more fighting, the capital of Chalukya was sacked and the Cholas built a pillar of victory in Kolhapur, which is now in Maharashtra.

Rajadhiraja entered the capital and coronated himself as  Vijayarajendra. The Chalukya Emperor, Somesvara I, fled towards Rodda and Kadambalige.

In 1054, Rajadhiraja once again decided to take on the Chalukyas. He personally led the Chola army and the two met at Koppara. Rajadhiraja (54) was atop an elephant and he was guiding his soldiers when he was killed by an arrow.

The Chalukyas had decided to concentrate their strength on the commander of the Cholas. Since, Rajadhiraja personally led the attack, Someshwara had asked his troops to concentrate on him. This tactic paid rich dividends as they managed to first mortally injure the Chola Emperor and then kill him. 

When the Chola army saw their king dead, they fled in panic. On their part, the Chalukyas rejoiced in their victory but this was short lived as Rajadhiraja’s younger brother, Rajendra Chola, who was holding himself back as a reserve, suddenly fell on the Chalukyas.

But this action was a little to late and Rajadhiaraja had died on the elephant. To this day, he is known as Yanai-mel-thunjina Devar-the Emperor who died on an elephant.

The Cholas, however, succeeded in defeating the Chalukyas but they had paid a heavy price. Much of their army had been routed and their Emperor slain. Rajendra crowned himself in Koppara s the next Chola Emperor and egged on his soldiers to fight.

He too was initially injured in the battle but he came back to the battlefield, inspiring the Cholas and demoralizing the Chalukyas.

(The Chola accounts say the battle saw the death of several Chalukya stalwarts such as  Jayasimha, the crown prince and two other prominent royals- Pulikesi and Dasapanman. However, this is false as Jayasimha did not die. After Vikramaditya took over as the Emperor, he made Jayasimha the Governor of Banavasi. Jayasimha continued to live decades after the Chola accounts killed him.)

Someshwara then shifted his capital from Kalyan to Manyakheta or Malkhed and developed into one of the finest cities of the times.

The Chola or rather Tamil texts speak much about the victory of the Cholas in the battle of Koppara but the Chalukyan accounts are silent. They, however, say that Rajadhiraja was killed in the battle.

The battle marks a turning point in the Chola-Chalukya relations. Try as they might, the Cholas could not subjugate the Chakulyas. While the Cholas managed to retain Tamil Nadu, the Chalukyas continue to hold sway over Karnataka, thanks to Someshwara.

Koppara is 47 kms from Raichur and 14 kms from Deodurg. It is 397 kms from Bangalore.