Part 3 - Beddana and Bhima (A.D. 1115-1127)

Beddana and Bhima, the sons of Tammubangi by Badambika, succeeded their uncle on the Telugu pallava throne at Guntur. Their accession showslthat Keta had no sons or they predecessed him. Beddana and Bhima ruled jointly for a period of twelve years after which Bhima began his independant rule. They began their reign by acknowledging Chola suzerainty and towards its close, accepted Chalukya yoke.

Extent of the kingdom

The records of the period by their location and contents show the extent of the kingdom. The earliest record is dated A.D. 1115 and 5th year of Sarvalokasraya Sri Vishnuvardhanachakravarti Parantakadeva. Parantaka is emperor Kulottunga and the 5th yeat is probably a mistake for the 45th year which corresponds to A.D. 1115. The record says that while Rajasarvajna was ruling the kingdom at Jananathapura in happiness, his subordinate mahamandalika Beddana ruled the villages near Bezvada and the kingdom, while his younger brother Bangena Bhima ruled the entire Telugubhumi while all kings served him at his command. Rajasarvajna refers to Vikramachola, the viceroy of Vengi at the time with his capital at Jananathapura Bezwada. The next record of the reign is dated A D. 1127 and the 16th year of Perumandideva entitled Samastabhuvanasrayavamsa, chalukyabharana and Sritribhuvanachakravarti. It refers to the conferment of Naddikam on Bhima. Obviously Perumandideva is Vikramaditya VI of the Chalukyas of Kalyani. Probably the joint rule of Beddana and Bhima ended in A.D. 1127 as rione of Beddana’s records are foupd after that year.

Their Political Relations

Beddana and Bhima, also known as Tammubhima and Bangena Bhima bore long prasastis. Beddana was the first ruler «of Guntur Pallavas. to bear a prasasti. It begins with Sakalaparamavamsodhbhava and has the epithets bharadvajagotra, Khatvangadhvaja, rishabhalanchana, Kanchipuravare, Pallavakulatilakapadambajasevita, annuvakamakula..., Nodivadisahssarjuna, samgramarama, chalukyanankakara..., paramandalachurakara, pati...jammndaina, some of which show that he was a warrior of merit. Some of the titles in the prasasti of mahamandalika Bhima were Vengi desaichalukyanankpkara, paramandalachurakara and Kurumarajamundaina. In extending their kingdom, Beddana and Bhima came into conflict with some petty chieftains, and hill tribes and won victories over them.

Beddana and Bhima and the Cholas

The Chola emperors in this period were Kulottunga I and Vikramachola. Beddana and Bhima acknowledged the suzerainty of the cholas which is clear from their record dated A.D. 1115 and the 45th year of Kulottunga. But there are no signs of their allegiance to Vikramacnola for perhaps on the death of Kulottunga, they had to acknowledge Chalukya supremacy. Their title Vengicbalukyanamkakara supports their subordination to the Cholas and the Chalukya—Cholas. A later record of Bhima from Yenamalakaduru dated AD. 1132 mentions that Boddanayaka got Bezvada from Sritripurantaka, the lord of Vengi and of Chodavamsa, Here Sritripurantaka is a mistake for Sriparantaka ie Kulottunga I. Thus the kingdom originally conferred on Keta by Rajamahandra, was confirmed by emperor Kulottunga on Beddana on the succession of the latter to his father's kingdom. Probably while confirming Beddanna's right to the throne the and subordination to the Cholas—Kulottunga conferred on him fresh tracts of land, for Beddana’s Bezvada record says that he ruled the villages neare Bezvada and the kingdom while his brother ruled the whole of Telugu land. The Chola supremacy in the Telugu land was effective in this period, which is clear from the fact that Boddana’s records mention that Parantaka ie Kulottunga I was the lord of Vengi and Rajasarvajna ie Vikramachola was ruling the kingdom from Janathapura and Beddana was a feudatory of Rajasarvojna. Undoubtedly under the immediate paternal care of the Cholas Beddana and Bhima must have found it easier to extend their kingdom and protect it from their enemies. For they must have counted on Chola support in their wars, though it is an exaggeration that they ruled the whole of the Telugu country and all kings obeyed their behests.

Beddana and Bhima and the Chalukyas of Kalyani

In this period, the kingdom of the Chalukyas was under Vikramaditya, its greatest ruler. Fight for supremacy over Vengi between the Chalukyas and the Cholas began early in the 11th century A.D. and since then Vengi was the scene of many a battle between the two powers, victory often changing hands. By about A.D. 1040—the epithet lord of Vengi forms a part of the prasasti attached to the Yuvarujapada of the Chalukyas in the reign of Somesvara I. Death of Kulottunga departure of Vikramachola from Vengi gave Vikramaditya ie Perumandideva of the Telugu pallava records, the long felt opportunity to accelerate the spread of his power in Vengi. By about A.D. 1120, the Chalukya power was widespread and effective in Vengi attested by several records of local dynasties, all over the land dated in C.V. era or the regnal years of the emperors. Obviously, the Pallavas of Guntur were no exception. They accepted Chalukya supremacy after the death of Kulottunga and prior to A.D. 1127 in which year a record of theirs is dated in the 46th Year of Vikramaditya and refers to the conferment of raddikam on Boddhna. This record and that of A.D. 1132 also mentioning the requirement of raddikam of Bezvada by Boddana from the king of Karnataka ie Vikramaditya VI show that Vikramaditya just confirmed the grants made by Kulottunga.

Boddana and Bhima and other kings

Choda I of the Velanandus, Rajaparendu I of the Kona Haihayas, Beta I, Vikrama I, Rajaraja I and Beta II of the Falnad Haihayas, Dora I of the Chagis, Manda I, Buddhavarman II, Ganda and Manda II of the Kondapadumatis, Bhima I of the Kotas, Durga of the Natavadis Vijayaditya II and Vishnuvardhana of the Pithapur Chalukyas, Gonka I of Vengi chalukyas, Nandivarma of the Pallavas of Nellore, Kannara, Betta and Vimaladitya of the Telugu Cholas were some of the contemporaries of Beddana and Bhima. We have no evidence whether Beddana and Bhima came into conflict with any of these rulers. The Titles paramandalachurakara i.e. raiders of the provinces of the enemies and gurumarajamandu ie Varna to gurumara, suggest some of their conquests. But the enemies are not specified and gurumara probably refers to some hill tribes who must have raided their kingdom often and were checked. Similarly the kings subservient to Bhima are not mentioned.