Composition of army and system of warfare

The Vaikunthaperumal temple at Kanchipuram gives a glimpse into the composition of the army of this period. From these panels it is construed that the Pallava army comprises of infantry, cavalry and elephantry. They used various weapons in warfare like bow and arrow, swords, dagger and spears or javelins. Well caparisoned elephants and horses with horse-bits and saddle on horses and howdahs on elephants are used. Even some of the soldiers seem to have used protective head-gear attached with shield for neck portion during warfare. The system of attacking the enemy from tree tops (southern wall, lower row) (fig. 430) and from atop the fortification wall (eastern wall, lower row) (fig. 422) can also be seen in these panels. The injured persons in the army are carried by means of a litter.

The concept of expanding the territories of the kingdom by the performance of Asvamedha sacrifice is also in existence in this period. Sculptural evidence of the same is available in a panel (fig. 86) on the northern wall of the Vaikunthaperumal temple at Kanchipuram. The left most bottom corner of the panel shows a well decked and caparisoned horse standing before a pole, which by appearance conforms with the scriptural injunctions required for the sacrificial-yupa. Kneeling before the yupa is perhaps the crowned king in the act of performing the rituals and behind him stands two armed soldiers, probably of the Pallava army.