Part 5 - Gonka III (A.D 1181—1185)

Gonka’s accession took place in A.D. 1181. He was the son of Choda by Akkambika and his reign was the shortest of all the Yelanandu kings lasting for five years. He was a strong ruler and his reign was peaceful and uneventful but not disastrous as supposed by some writers under him the kingdom remained undiminished in extent and strength.

Extent of the kingdom: The small number of Gonka’s inscriptions and Manchana’s omission to mention him set on scholars to doubt Gonka’s existence and seek causes for the lack of inscriptions between A.D. 1181 to 1186. But Gonka’s inscriptions and those of later times of this and other dynasties prove beyond doubt Gonka’s rule and existence. Manchana’s omission may have been due to the brevity and event less nature of the reign.

Gonka’s earliest inscription is from Trandavole, the Vela-nandu capital. Another of the same year is from Moparru.The Rajahmundry record dated A.D. 1176 belongs to Gonka.and not to Prithvisvara as has been wrongly supposed. Gonka’s record dated A.D. 1180 at Rajahmundry is the first after he began independent rale. Another record of his with date lost is from Draksharama and mentions him as the lord of Shatsahasra. The Pithapnr pillar inscription says that Gonka destroyed all hostile chiefs. His inscriptions from Bapatla to Rajahmundry attest the extent of the kingdom.

Gonka’s political relations: In his and later records, Gonka is mentioned as Velanandu Gonka, Kulottunga Gonka Goka-raju, Choda Gonka maharaja and Manmagonka. Though a warrior of merit, his time was taken up in maintaining peace and order with in and without the kingdom.

Gonka and the Cholas

The Chola emperor was Kulottunga HI (1178-1216 A.D.) Gonka did not date his records in the emperor’s regnal years and so that exhibits no proof of his loyalty to Kulothunga.

Gonka and the Chalukyas and Kalachuris of Kalyani

Ahavamalla succeeded his brother Sankama in A.D. 1181 at Kalyani. He ruled with Sankama from A.D. 1179 and his latest date is his fourth regnal year A.D. 1183. Some of his titles were Kalachuryachakravarti, Kalachuryabhujabala chakravarti and Viranarayana. He was succeeded by his younger brother Smgamadeva entitled maharajadhiraja.

In A.D. 1185, Somesvara IV destroyer of the Kalachurya race restored the Chalukya power for a time. He assumed the usual Chalukyan prasasti. As Choda suffered a reverse in Kalachurya hands, Gonka III does not seem to have followed his policy of aggression towards the rulers of Kalyani, the Kalachuris and the Chalukyas.

Gonka and the Kakatiyas: The Kakatiya ruler at the time was Rudradeva. He seems to have invaded the Velanandu kingdom towards the close of Gonka’s reign and advanced as far as Draksharama where an inscription of his dated A.D. 1186 is found. It has been argued that Gonka III opposed Rudradeva and died, his son Prithvisvara fled to Pithapur and Rudradeva extended his kingdom into the present Godavari and Kistna districts.

But this argument cannot be accepted for want of sufficient data. Though Gonka is not heard of after A.D. 1186 there is no reason to suppose his failure in the battle and death-If Rudradeva was victorious and killed Gonka, he would have recorded with pride his achievement in the record dated A.D. 1186 at Draksharama. So it appears that Gonka met the Kakatiya invaders at Draksharama and checked their further progress by conquering them. Thus as in previous reigns, the Velanandu armies under Gonka III were victorious over the Kakatiyas.

Gonka and the Kondapadumatis

Friendly ralations between the Velanandus and the Kondapadumatis continued in this reign. Gonka’s mother Akkama was the sister of Buddha. His wife Jayambika, was a princess of the Kondapadumatis. The alliance must have strengthened Gonka as against his enemies.

Gonka and the Kotas

Gonka and Kota Keta II must have had friendly relations. The Kota records at Amravati and Velpur dated A.D. 1182 mention that Sabbambika, wife of Bhima II and mother of Keta, was the sister of Gouka II. There is no reason to suppose any deviation from the policy of alliance between the two powers in this reign.

Gonka and the Halhayas of Palnad

The Haihayas must have continued their subordination to Gonka III as they did to Choda II. The civil war in Palnad between Nalagama and his cousins lasted from A.D. 1176 to 1182. No doubt this war absorbed Gonka’s attention and affected the resources of his kingdom and encouraged Rudradeva of the Kakatiyas to invade Velanandu towards the close of Gonka Ill’s reign.

Gonka and the Kona Haikayas

The Konamandala was thoroughly subdued by Choda II. Hence it may be presumed that the relationship of suzerainty and subordination continued in Gonka’s reign on the part of the Velanandus and the Kona Haikayas respectively.

Gonka and other powers: Of the Ayya family, Pinnachodi had three sons—Pnthva, Jaya and Narayana who must have been in the service of Gonka III. Mallaya of the Chalukyas of Pithapur owed allegiance to Gonka III.