Part 14 - Bayyaraju (A.D. 1132-1157)

Bayyaraju’s relationship to his predecessor Suryaraja is not known. His earliest inscription is from Draksharama dated A.D. 1132 and C.v 57 registering gifts by his queen Kommidevi. His next inscription is from Draksharama dated A.D. 1157 mentioning gifts by his queen Lakshmi. Another recordof the year at Draksharama mentions Gantiya Bayyaraju, the younger brother of the king. An undated inscription at Draksharama mentions queen Kamma mahadevi and mahamandalesvara Biragatta muna Kandiya Bayyaraju, obviously identical with Gantiya Bayyaraju of the above record.

His Political Relations

Bayyaraju is mentioned as mahamandalesvara Biragottamuna Bayyaraju. His titles—sahasrajuna, digvijayaditya, a Rudra in destroying enemies—shows that he was a warrior. Bayyaraju’s contemporaries on the Ganga throne were Anantavarmana and his successor. There are no signs of Bayya’s allegiance to them.

Bayyaraju and the chalukyas of Kalyani

In the latter part of Surapa’s reign—after Kulottunga’s death in A.D. 1118 and the earlier part of Bayya’s reign the Virakuta Pallavas had to recognise chalukya sway under Vikramaditya VI and Somesvara III, along with other kingdoms in South Kalinga. Bayya’s first record of A.D. 1132 is dated C.V. 57. After that date, there appear no signs of Pallava loyalty to the Chalukyas which is in keeping with the fact that the Chola Suzerainty was restored in Vengi soon after by A.D. 1139.

Bayya and the Cholas

None of Bayya’s records are dated in the regnal years of the Chola emperors—Kulottunga II and Rajaraja II. Bayya’s titles show that he must have fought some battles. This must have been on behalf of the Cholas against the Chalukyas.

Choda I and Gonka II of the Velananda Chodas, Rajendra Choda I, Bhima II and Satya I of the Kona Haihayas, Beta II and Keta I of the Kotas, Chodaraja and his successors of the Kondapadumatis, Surapa and Banta of the Malayas, Kataya and Somaya of the Saronathas, Vishnuvardhana and his successors of the Chalukyas, Vijayaditya I of Srikurmam were contemporary with Bayyaraja. As all the records of Bayya are at Draksharama, he must have locally recognised the supremacy of the Velanandu chodas.