Part 1 - Gonka I (A.D. 1076-77—1106-7)

Gonka I was the third and most distinguished son of general Nannaraja and the founder of the Velanandu kingdom. He was the first to issue inscriptions and was variously known as Velanarabi Gonka, Kulottunga Choda Gonkaraja, Kulottunga Choda Gonkayya, Uttamachoda Velanandi Gonkayya and mahamandalesvara Gonkaraja in his inscriptions and simply as Gonka in the records of his successors. He must have possessed great capacities as an warrior and administrator and striking personality to have founded a kingdom and become its rural over-riding his two elder brothers Vedura and Ganda who had hereditary claims to the chiefdom of Vedura. His recognition of Chalukya Chola suzerainty is an asset to his tact and wisdom. Gonka I well extended and consolidated the Velanandu kingdom and passed it on to his son and successor Choda I after a rule of 32 years. His being spoken of as Vamsakarta in later inscriptions speaks for his importance. Tradition records that Gonka conquered the whole of Andhra country.

Extent and Extension of the Kingdom

To begin with by Gonka’s reign, the Velanandu territories included the Shaksahasravishaya and Gudravara mandah. In the records of his successors Gonka is said to have been a subordinate of Kulottunga Chola, son of Rajaraja who pleased with his services in his wars, conferred on him the lordship over Shatsahasravani. This must mean the recognition of Gonka I as the lord of Yelanandu territories overlooking the claims of his two elder brothers to the ancestral possessions and confirmation of the same by the suzerain, Chola emperor and no fresh conferment is implied in the statement in the records. Gonka’s records indicate the gradual expansion of the kingdom. His earliest record of A.D. 1076-77 and the 7th year of Vishnuvardhana maharaja is from Chebrole in the home province. He is mentioned as a samasta senadhipath in it and probably A.D. 1077 was the first year of his accession to power. Vishnnvardhana is Kulottunga I. Gonka’s next inscriptions is from Pedakallepalle dated in the 13th year (A.D. 1083) of Vishnuvardhana. His record from Srikakulam is dated A.D. 1100-01 and the 7th year of Rajaraja and the one from Bapatla bears the date A.D. 1106-7 and the 6th year of Tribhuvana Chakravarti. Another record of this data is from Appikatla. The Tripurantakam inscription of AD. 1018bearing no regional year mentions that Gonka was the chief supporter of the Chalukyan kingdom ruling over the thousand three hundred district and records his grant of Chetalapadu in Kammanadu on the banks of Gunderu (Gundlakamma). The location of the record implies the extension of the kingdom up to Tripurantakam (Kurnool district) and Gonkals grant of village on Gundlakamma speaks for his having subdued it by that date. The assumption of the title Trigatottarashatsahasravaninatha signifies Gonka’s acquisition of fresh territories naturally in the direction of Gundlakamma in Kammanadu and Triparantakam. By A D. 1107 Gonka I was the lord of the Andhra country. His record from Amaravati is dated A.D. 1108-9 and the last record is from Manugodu dated in the 37th year of Vishnuvardhana. Here Gonka definitely recognises Kulottunga’s suzerainty and rules his enlarged kingdom as his subordinate. This is corroborated by the Pithapur pillar which says that Gonka I ruled Andhramandali under the orders of Kulottunga Choda.

Gonka’s Political Relations

In transforming the Velanandu chieftaincy into a kingdom comprising the entire Andhra mandale Gonka whose personal valour is well attested by records and literature, must also have depended on an excellent army manned by generals of great capacity. Among them were his son Prince Chola, nephew Vedure II, Gother Panda, Prouonayaka. the governor of Dharamkota and numerous subordinate chiefs. Gonka, in this connection must have come into conflict with contemporary other rulers in south India.

Gonka I and the Eastern Chaltikyas

The occupants of the Chalukyas throne in this period were Vijayaditya VII (A.D 1060-1076), his son Saktivarman II (A.D. 1060-1061). Vijayaditya’s titles were Karavalabhairava, Kaliyudhishtara, Chalukya Bhima and Vishnuvardbana.After Kulottunga’s accession, Vijayaditya ruled Vengi as his viceroy.

Gonka’s predecessors were loyal servants of the Chalukyas. Consequently Gonka’s loyalty was to the Chalukyachola emperor and his viceroys in Vengi. He bore the epithet Chalukyarajya bhavanamulasthembha on which is based the statement “This shows that title Chalukya rajya bhavana mulasthambha assumed by Gonka I when he had become more or less independent of in the Telugu country meant that he was a supporter of the Eastern Chalukya kingdom.” But there was no Chalukyan kindom to speak of in A.D. 1106-7 the date of the record giving Gonka’s title. So the epithet is only a happy reminiscence of the Velanandus with the Eastern Chalukyas in the past and perhaps Vengi continued to locally known as Chalukyarajya The epithet formed part of the Velanandu prasasti.

Gonka and the Cholas

The Chola emperor was Kulottunga (A.D. 1070-1118) who was prince Rajendra Chola prior to his assumption of royalty. The name Kulottunga itself is an asset to the greatness of Rajendra as an emperor. In records from the Telugu country he was popularly known as Vishnuvardhana and son of" Rajaraja. On the death of Vijayaditya Kulottunga entrusted

Vengi to his sons

Goaka’s relationship to Kulottunga and his viceroys in Vengi was loyal subordination. His first and last records dated the 7th and 37th year of Vishnuvardhana attest this. As seen already Gonka was given the rulership of shatsahasra and Andhramandala by Kulottunga I.

Gonka with his armies followed the Cholas in their campaigns, Virachoda appears to have been one of the greatest of the Chola viceroys in Vengi and his term was the most eventful and resulted in bringing about victories over the western Chalukyas and their feudatories. The Pithapur pillar Inscription says that Vengimandala prospered while Virachoda who resembled Indra and was a destroyer of enemies was ruling the kingdom. Vedura II, son of Ganda and nephew of Gonka I was a minister of Virachoda and assisted him with a troop of vassals in defeating in battle the Pandyan king. As reward for his services, Virachoda in the presence of assembled kings assigned him one half of his throne and the desa —sindhu Yugmantara— the doab country between the rivers Krishna and the Godavari.

Again during the viceroyalty of Vikrama Chola after A.D. 1093 during the first Kalingan campaign among the several vassal chiefs who joined the Chola side were prince choda, son of Gonka and Vedura II. In the course of the campaign Prince Choda, minister of Virachoda defeated Telugu Bhima, a vassal of the king of Kalinga and drove him to take refuge in Colair.Probably as reward for these services Kulottunga adopted Choda as his son, conferred on him the emblems of his own sons and gave him the Vengi mandate of 160000 villages.

“The campaign (first Kalingan war) seems to have been undertaken for the suppression of local revolts rather than for the conquest of fresh territory. Southern Kalinga was apparently the territory between the Godavari and Mahendra mountain and this territory was already pari of the Vengi province some years before the war of Vikrama Chola. Possibly the subordinate rulers whose territories were included in the viceroyalty of Vengi' conspired together and rose in-irebellion when the young prince Vikrama became viceroy. The result was unsuccessful and the entire province was restored to subjection. Kulottunga’s inscription at Srisailam s 1021 and several others at Draksharama and other places attest the successful restoration of authority.”

In bringing about the result, Velanandu Choda and Vedura besides Gonka assisted the Cholas and were rewarded in return with honours and territories.

Gonka and the Chalukyas of Kalyani

The founder of the Kalyani kingdom was Taila II (973-997). His kingdom comprised the entire Karnata with capital at Manyakheta and he is spoken of as the lord of Trilinga. His epithets were Meharajadhiraja, Paramaswara, Paramabhatta-raka. samasta bhuvanasraya, ^rimadahabamalladeva and bhujabalaviranarayana. His successor was Satyasraya Sattiga or Sattima (997-1008) who ruled Rettapadi. Among his titles were Akalanka-charita and Irivabedonga. His successor Vikramaditya V (1008-1013) completed the incorporation of Nolambavodi begun under Satyasraya. His titles were Tribhuvanamalla and Vallabhanarendradeva. His successor was Ayyana II (A.D. 1014). Jayasimha II entitled

Jagadekamalla succeeded him (A.D. 1018-1014). His son and suceesor was Somesvara I (A.D. 1044-1068) bearing the double biruda of Trailokyamalla-Ahavamalla. He made Kalyani his capital. His son and successor was Somesvara II entitled Bhuvanaikamalla (A.D. 1068-1076). He was deposed and was succeeded by his younger brother Vikramaditya VI. (A D. 1076-1128). He styled himself Tribhuvanamalla and super-ceded the saka era by the Chalukya vikrama era the first year of which was the first year of his reign in A.D. 1076-1077.He wanted to revive Chalukyan influence in Vengi and the Cholas were interested in continuing to hold and defend Vengi against him “Both (Vikramaditya and Virarajendra) were interested in Vengi affairs becau se with a friendly Vengi each could hope to terminate the bord er struggle on Tungabhadra in his own favour.”

Fighting on the side of the Cholas in defence of Vengi? Gonka and his subordinates came into conflict with Vikramaditya VI and his feudatories. In Professor Sastri’s words “since the accession of Kulottunga I to the Chola throne, Vikramaditya left no stone unturned to create trouble for Kulottunga in Vengi country. The feudatory princes of the land tended to divide themselves as a consequence into rival camps one party supporting Western Chalukya and the other Eastern Chalukya. For the best part of Kulottunga’s reign Vikramaditya’s effort to gain upper hand met only with indifferent success. The Velanandu chiefs of Tsandavole ranged themselves definitely on the side of the Chola power.”

It was during the second viceroyalty of Virachoda in Vengi that the clash between the Cholas and their feudatories and the Chalukyas and their feudatories took a serious turn. The Uchchangi pandyas of the Nolamba country (Bellary and Anantapur districts) were feudatories of Vikramaditya VI. They carried on hostilities with the Chalukya Cholas on behalf of Vikramaditya VI. In a record dated in c.v. cera 4 (A.D. 1080) the Nolamba Pandyas claim to have defeated Rajiga Chola. This gives the clue for the attack of and defeat of the Pandyas in a battle by Vedura II and his armies and secure rewards from Virachoda. The Pandyas referred to are no doubt the Uchchangi Pandyas. Tribhuvanamalla Pandya of Uchchangi ruled Nolamba province from A.D. 1092 to 1108.So in the absence of evidence to the contrary, the Pandya vanquished by Vedura may be identified with Tribhuvana. Thus, Gonka and his suzerains were victorious in dealings with the Chalukyas of Kalyani and their feudatories.

Gonka and the Eastern Gangas of Kalinga

King Vajrahasta V, son of Kamarnava by Vinayamahendri of the Vaidumba family in Andhra desa ascended the throne in A.D. 1038. He assumed the title of Trikalingadhipati thus indicating some control over the ancient Kalmga-Utkala, Kongada and Kalinga.® His other titles were Parama mahesvara, Paramabhattaraka and maharajadhiraja. He was succeeded by Rajaraja I?.in A.D. 1068 or 1071. He married Rajasundari, daughter of Kulottunga I. His son and successor^r was Anantavarman Chodaganga in A.D. 1076 or 1078. He styled himself Trikalingadhipati and had a long a reign of 72 years up to 1148 A.D. His capital was Kalinganagare.

Rajaraja I and Anantavarman roused the hostility of the Chodas and their subordinates, the Velanandu the Vengi, by evincing keen interest in the affairs of Venginadu after the death of Eastern Chalukya—Rajaraja I in A.D 1063. Anantavarman was for extending his sway into Vengi. The Chola viceroys, Gonka I and prince Choda not only defended Vengi against him but led a successful conquering expedition into Kalinga under Vikramachola’s viceroyalty about A.D. 1093 During the expedition, Choda I claims to have defeated Telugu Bhima of Kolanu and captured him when he took shelter in the Colair lake. “This chief of Kolanu, modern Ellore near the Colair lake was evidently in league with the ruler of Kalinga and Vikrama chola had to fight on two fronts simultaneously. The inscriptions of Paranteka Pandya like those of Vikrama Chola state that Telugu Bhima of Kulam was captured and that southern Kalmgam was subdued” Thus Choda’s victory over Bhima formed an important event in the Chola campaign of Kalinga and was claimed by the successors of the Choda I as their victory.

Gonka’s other Victories

During the Chola campaign of Kalinga, Gonka must have come into contact with the Kona Haihayas of the Godavari district who also were vassals of the Cholas. He would have met in the campaign Kota Bhima of Amravati who claims to have assisted the Chola in subduing the Kalinga country. By no stretch of imagination this Bhima could be identified with Kolanu Bhima who was an enemy of the Cholas, was captured and killed by Choda I. Pottapi Kama Deva of the Konidena branch of the Telugu Chodas was ruling at Tripurantakam about A D. 1106. In extending his kingdom Gonka would have come into conflict with them.