Coin45bazzar at 21:02, 4 April 2026

2026-04-04T21:02:02Z

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{{Short description|618 battle between the Chalukyas and Pushyabhutis}}
{{use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict =
| width =
| partof =
| image = Depiction of the Battle of Narmada.jpg
| image_size = 300px
| alt =
| caption = Modern painting depicting the Battle of Narmada in Bengaluru
| date = Sometime between October 618 and February 619
| place = [[Narmada River|Narmada]]
| coordinates = 
| map_type =
| map_relief =
| map_size =
| map_marksize =
| map_caption =
| map_label =
| territory = Pulakeshin claimed the northernmost part of Deccan till the river Narmada
| result = [[Chalukya dynasty|Chalukyan]] victory
| status =
| combatants_header =
| combatant1 = [[Chalukya dynasty]]
| combatant2 = [[Pushyabhuti dynasty]]
| combatant3 =
| commander1 = [[Pulakeshin II]]
| commander2 = [[Harshavardhana]]
| commander3 =
| units1 =
| units2 =
| units3 =
| strength1 = Unknown
| strength2 = Unknown
| strength3 =
| casualties1 =
| casualties2 =
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| notes =
| campaignbox =
}}

The '''Battle of Narmada''' ({{langx|kn|ನರ್ಮದೆ ಕದನ}}) was fought between king [[Pulakeshin II]] of [[Chalukya dynasty]] and king [[Harshavardhana]] of [[Pushyabhuti dynasty]] on the banks of the river [[Narmada]], [[India]] in the winter of 618–19. The battle resulted in the great victory of Pulakeshin II and the retreat of Harsha and his forces.

== Battle ==
The [[Aihole]] inscription of Pulakeshin highlights the ''Harsha'' (mirth) of Harsha melted away by fear, as his elephants fell in the battle.{{sfn|Durga Prasad Dikshit|1980|p=80}} The only other inscription from his reign that mentions this battle is the Bijapur-Mumbai inscription. {{sfn|P. S. Sohoni|S. L. Bapat|2017|p=209}}

The [[Rashtrakuta]]s, who ultimately overthrew the Chalukyas several years after Pulakeshin's death, also highlights that they defeated the dynasty that claimed victory over Harshavardhana, thus indirectly confirming Pulakeshin's achievement.{{sfn|Durga Prasad Dikshit|1980|p=80}}

The Aihole inscription poetically states that Pulakeshin's elephants had to avoid the neighborhood of the [[Vindhyas|Vindhya mountains]] beside the Narmada River, because they "by their bulk, rivaled the mountains".{{sfn|Upinder Singh|2008|p=555}} Historian K. A. Nilakanta Sastri interprets to mean that Pulakeshin "did not send his elephant forces into the difficult Vindhya terrain", and guarded the passes with infantry.{{sfn|K. A. Nilakanta Sastri|1960|p=214}} According to Shreenand L. Bapat and Pradeep S. Sohoni, the inscription suggests that Pulakeshin's army subsequently tried to cross the [[Vindhyas]], in a bid to invade Harsha's kingdom, but was unsuccessful, which may explain why only two inscriptions from Pulakeshin's reign mention his conflict with Harsha. {{sfn|P. S. Sohoni|S. L. Bapat|2017|p=209}}

== Aftermath ==
The title of Paramesvara, i.e., ‘the great lord or the lord of lords’, was adopted by Pulakesin II after defeating Harshavardhana of the North. The Rashtrakuta records also narrate that they defeated the army of Vallabha, or the Karnata Bala, which was renowned for its victories over the Pallavas, Pandyas, Cholas, Harshavardhana(Pushyabhuti) and Vajrata, thus indirectly confirming the claim of the Chalukyan inscriptions defeating Harsha{{sfn|Durga Prasad Dikshit|1980|p=98}}

== In popular culture ==
Several [[Kannada people|Kannadiga]] communities celebrate this victory as a great event of overthrowing the suzerainty of the North. Current Chief Minister of Karnataka [[Siddaramaiah]] has also mentioned it to be a powerful victory and deriding for the ‘northern imports’ are among attempts to brand himself as a strong southern satrap, following the 7th-century Chalukya king Pulakeshin.<ref>{{cite news |title=Siddaramaiah wants to follow an ancient king & halt Modi juggernaut from reaching the south |url=https://theprint.in/opinion/siddaramaiah-wants-to-follow-ancient-king-halt-modi-juggernaut-from-reaching-the-south/56881/}}</ref> Kannada actor [[Dhananjaya (actor)|Dhananjaya]] also said he is not interested in statues but people should read about Pulikeshi II and king Pulakeshin II is one of the inspirations for him and for the Kannadiga community<ref>{{cite news |title=Actor Dhananjaya said he is not interested in statues but people should read about Pulikeshi II |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/seeing-beyond-shivaji-activists-push-for-pulikeshi-ii-1055994.html}}</ref>

[[File:Pulakeshin painting bengaluru.jpg|thumb|Painting of Pulakeshin in Karnataka capital [[Bengaluru]]]]
[[File:Pulakeshin statue, badami.png|thumb|Statue of Pulakeshin in Badami (former Chalukyan capital)]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===
* {{cite book |author=Durga Prasad Dikshit |title=Political History of the Chālukyas of Badami |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lEB11tKmCgcC&pg=PA152 |year=1980 |publisher=Abhinav |oclc=8313041 }}
* {{cite book |author=K. A. Nilakanta Sastri |author-link=K. A. Nilakanta Sastri |chapter=The Chaḷukyās of Bādāmi |editor=Ghulam Yazdani |title=The Early History of the Deccan |volume=I-VI |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K1ZDAAAAYAAJ |year=1960 |publisher=Oxford University Press |oclc=174404606 }}
* {{cite journal |author1=Shreenand L. Bapat |author2=Pradeep S. Sohoni |title=The Bijapur-Mumbai copperplate grant of Călukya ruler Pulakeśin II, dated April 04, 619 CE, mentioning his triumph over emperor Harṣavardhana |editor1=S. S. Bahulkar |editor2=Shilpa Sumant |journal=Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute |volume=XCIII |year=2017 |pages=205–209 |url=https://www.academia.edu/34011338 |ref={{harvid|P. S. Sohoni|S. L. Bapat|2017}} }}
* {{cite book |author=Upinder Singh |author-link=Upinder Singh |title=A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GW5Gx0HSXKUC&pg=PA554 |year=2008 |publisher=Pearson Education India |isbn=978-81-317-1677-9 }}

[[Category:7th century in India]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Chalukya dynasty]]
[[Category:Pushyabhuti dynasty]]
[[Category:619]]
[[Category:610s conflicts]]

Battle of Narmada - Revision history

Coin45bazzar at 21:02, 4 April 2026