Western Ganga was an important ruling dynasty of ancient Karnataka in India which lasted from about 350 to 1000 CE. They are known as ‘Western Gangas’ to distinguish them from the Eastern Gangas who in later centuries ruled over Kalinga. It is theorised that the Gangas may have taken advantage of the confusion caused by the invasion of southern India by the northern king Samudra Gupta prior to 350. The kings of this dynasty encouraged the fine arts due to which literature in Kannada and Sanskrit flourished. The defeat of the Western Gangas by Cholas around 1000 resulted in the end of the Ganga influence over the region.
About Western Ganga dynasty in brief
Western Ganga was an important ruling dynasty of ancient Karnataka in India which lasted from about 350 to 1000 CE. They are known as ‘Western Gangas’ to distinguish them from the Eastern Gangas who in later centuries ruled over Kalinga. It is theorised that the Gangas may have taken advantage of the confusion caused by the invasion of southern India by the northern king Samudra Gupta prior to 350. The Western Ganga kings showed benevolent tolerance to all faiths but are most famous for their patronage toward Jainism resulting in the construction of monuments in places such as Shravanabelagola and Kambadahalli. The kings of this dynasty encouraged the fine arts due to which literature in Kannada and Sanskrit flourished. Their move from the early capital Kolar may have been a strategic one with the intention of containing the growing Kadamba power. By 430 they had consolidated their eastern territories comprising modern Bangalore, Kolar and Tumkur districts and by 470 they had control over Kongu Nadu, Sendraka, Punnata and Pannata regions. The defeat of the Western Gangas by Cholas around 1000 resulted in the end of the Ganga influence over the region. The founding king of the dynasty was Konganivarma Madhava who made Kolar his capital around 350 and ruled for about twenty years. The area they controlled was called Gangavadi and included regions of the modern districts of Mysore, Hassan Chamarajanagar, TumKur, K polar, Mandya and Bangalore in Karnataka state.
These regions encompass an area of the southern Deccan where the three modern states merge geographically. Some mythical accounts point to a northern origin, while theories based on epigraphy suggest a southern origin. According to some records, the Western gangas were of the Kanvayana gotra and traced their lineage to the Ikshvakus of the solar dynasty. Some accounts suggest that in this struggle, King Durvinita was favoured by his younger brother, King Avinita. Considered the most successful of the kings, Durinita fought the Pallavas of Kanchi successfully in Taimam and Kongu regions prompting historians to suggest that he fought the most successfully in these battles. From the inscriptions it is known that it is well versed in the arts, well-law-law versed and supported his father, Vijaya Chalukya King Vijayaditya, and the choice of his son, King Vijadita, to be the successor to his father. The most successful Ganga king of this era was Durvinita, who was a well- versed versedVersed verser of the arts and well-known for his love of the Jain religion. In 529, King Durinita gained control over the modern Karnada region in modern Karnataka. He died in 529 and his son Avinita succeeded him.
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This page is based on the article Western Ganga dynasty published in Wikipedia (as of Dec. 04, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
