Mystical Marvel of Kakatiyas

• Raahappa’s ruling period might be in between 734 and 757 AD, and he would have been ruling the region forming parts of present day Warangal and Khammam districts, a buffer zone between the territories of Badami Chalukyas and Vengi Chalukyas.
• As he was a powerful ruler, Vengi Chalukyas supported him, to stop the invasion by Rashtrakuta King Krishna I after dethroning the Badami Chalukya ruler Kirithivarma.
• Raahappa, the said ‘Chalukyan hero of Deccan’ might have been a powerful administrator and was successful to bring all-round development in his kingdom.
• The site, where Raamappa (Ramalingeswara) temple was constructed by Rudra Senani is not an ideal site because it is a low-lying area. There must have been some strong reason in choosing such a place and not an elevated place. It is within a kilometer range over looking an existing large water body (adjacent Atukur village meaning a joint between two hillocks), presently called Ramappa lake, a misnormer again.
• There is no prior historical evidence available to say that the temple Chief sculptor was Raamappa. It should be noted that nowhere a temple has been named after the sculptor.
• Till date, no research has been done to find out the root for tagging the temple with the name ‘Raamappa’.

After the Badami Chalukyan prince Vikramaditya II, Kirthi Varman II (744/5-755 AD) came to power. His power was steadily undermined by the activity of Rashtrakuta prince Dantidurga who was in possession of Ellora in 742 AD. But the scene of Dantidurga’s early activities lay on the banks of Mahi, Narmada and Mahanandi.

He subdued the Gurjaras of Malwa, the rulers of Kosala and Kalinga and Telugu Chodas of Srisailam area. In continuation of his expeditions, he went down to Kanchi. After demonstrating his force, entered into an alliance with Nandi Varman to whom he gave his daughter Reva in marriage. By depriving Kirthi Varman of his outlying provinces, he strengthened his political position.

This might be the critical time to nominate Raahappa of western Ganga dynasty family as the feudatory to protect the mid-eastern area of his kingdom from the possible attacks of the powerful Vengi Chalukyas from the east.

Contemporary Vengi rulers to Kirithi Varman II were Vishnuvardhana III (718-752 AD) and Vijayaditya I (753-770 AD). It is also possible for appointing Raahappa when crown prince Vikramaditya II (733/4-744/5 AD) attacked Kanchi assisted by Ereyappa. By the co-incidence of time and political situation, it can be assumed that Raahappa is the brother of Ereyappa.

Dantidurga delivered the final assault on Kirthivarman II some time in 752 or 753 AD and proclaimed himself the sovereign power in Deccan. Kirthi Varman II continued to rule in an obscure way in the southern part upto 757 AD. The later inscriptions say, ‘In his reign the raajyasri of the Chalukyas disappeared from the face of the earth’. He was the last ruler of Badami Chalukyas.

Even though Dantidurga was a powerful king, prior to 750 AD, he was defeated by Raahappa, who took away the titles, Rajadhiraja and Parameshwara; and perhaps this defeat might have pressed him to bring Vidhyaditya Yuddamalla (750-755 AD) (latter called as the founder of Vemulawada Chalukyas) from Gujarat, who assisted Dantidurga in capture of Chittor and Sapadalaksa country and ruled there as governor for a short period.

Their relations could have been friendly and cordial as equal partners in their victories. Yuddamalla was assigned to rule some area forming part of present Karimnagar and Nizamabad Districts with Podana (Bodhan) as capital. This area might have been the border to the area under the control of Raahappa.

After the death of Dantidurga, Chalukyas under the leadership of Raahappa made serious efforts to dethrone Rashtrakuta dynasty. Rashtrakuta Krishna I fought against them for eight years and established full authority over this kingdom. This is stated in Pimpri plates of 775 AD. Finally, Krishna I succeeded in defeating Raahappa. It is suspected that early attacks by Rashtrakutas on Chalukyas of Vengi were intended to teach a lesson to them for their support to Raahappa.

Till date, reasons for establishing a kingdom by Vinayaditya Yuddamalla synchronising the establishment of Rashtrakuta kingdom were not explored. No effort is made by any historian to expose the Raahappa factor.

EXTRAPOLATIONS

• As Raahappa was a popular feudatory at the end of the Badami Chalukya period (500-755 AD), there is every possibility of constructing a temple to match the temples of Badami Chalukyas in Karnataka region under their rule.
• Kandugula village of Kanna Vishaya mentioned in the copper plates of Vikramaditya I (642 to 680 AD) is at a distance of 70 km from the Palampet, the site of present Palampet temple. The difference between the time of the rule Vikaramaditya I and Raahappa is less than a century. So, Raahappa might be the feudatory of Badami Chalukyas and ruled the Kanna Vishaya. It is a fact that the history did not cover Karimnagar and Warangal Districts in particular and Telangana in general during the rule of Badami Chalukyas.
• At the present day temple complex site, there might be a temple constructed by Raahappa, which was popular among the general public as Raahappa temple.
• By the time Rudra Senani constructed Ramalingesewara temple, there might be in existence a dilapidated temple five centuries old, known as Raahappa temple. It is common in those days to construct temples with architectural styles in vogue at that time in the premises of old dilapidated temples.
• Kakatiya Ganapati Deva (1199-1269 AD) was ruling at the time of construction of temple in question. Ganapati Deva was a staunch supporter of a Saivism sect belonging to Golaki Matha. It is also important to notice that there was bitter persecution of the Jains as their temples were totally destroyed at that time. The construction of Raamalingeswara temple by Rudra Senani was probably a Jain temple in dilapidated condition of that time. There is an ample reason to believe that it was a Jain temple. The Western Ganga rulers were the strong supporters of the Jainism. They constructed Jain monuments at Sravan Belogola, Kambadahalli.
• Taking into consideration the importance of the site and its existing, Raahappa temple in ruins, honouring the popular sentiments of the people, Rudra Senani might have constructed a magnificent Raamalingeshwara temple naming it in his name as Rudreswaralaya.
• Politically, the Gangas were the feudatories and close allies who also had the matrimonial alliances with the Chalukyans. Inscriptions attest this fact. They conducted joint campaigns against their arch rival, the Pallavas of Kanchi.
• The Western Gangas continued to offer stiff resistance to the Rashtrakutas for about a century even after the Rahappa episode.

CONCULSIONS

• Even though Rudra Senani constructed in his name Rudreswaralaya, eight centuries back; till date, it is popularly called as Raamappa temple, ignoring the builder’s name, Rudra Senani.
• It seems that the ‘Raahappa’ word transformed to ‘Raamappa’ over a period and carried over by the public for more than 14 centuries.
• It can be concluded that the word Raamappa is neither the ruler’s name nor the main sculptor’s name. It only reflects the transformed name of Raahappa, the popular feudatory of Badami Chalukyas during eight century AD. Therefore, it is Raahappa Temple, true to say.

By: Avala Buchi Reddy, Architect Former Chairman, The Indian Institute of Architects, AP Chapter