MichaleFlint91 at 13:04, 27 February 2026

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{{Short description|642 battle}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Battle of Vatapi
| partof = Chalukya–Pallava Wars
| image = The defeat of Pulikesin II, the Chalukhya, byMahamalla Pallava at Badami.jpg
| caption = Image depicting the Battle of Vatapi ([[Badami]])
| date = 642
| place = [[Vatapi]]
| result = Pallava victory
| combatant1 = [[Chalukya Empire]]
| combatant2 = [[Pallavas|Pallava kingdom]]
| commander1 = [[Pulakeshin II]]{{KIA}}
| commander2 = [[Narasimhavarman I]]<br>[[Paranjothi]]<br>[[Manavanna of Anuradhapura|Manavarman]]
| strength1 = Unknown
| strength2 = Unknown
| casualties1 =
| casualties2 =
}}
The '''Battle of Vatapi''' was a decisive engagement which took place between the [[Pallavas]] and [[Chalukyas]] near the Chalukya capital of [[Vatapi]] (present day [[Badami]]) in 642. The battle resulted in the defeat of the Chalukya king [[Pulakeshin II]] in 642 CE and the commencement of Pallava occupation of Vatapi lasted until 654.

== Causes ==
{{See also|Battle of Pullalur}}
In about 630, Pulakeshin II invaded the Pallava kingdom defeating the king [[Mahendravarman I]] and proceeded as far south as the [[Cauvery River]] on the northern frontier of the [[Chola Nadu|Chola country]].<ref name="dikshitp94">[[#Dikshit|Dikshit]], p 94</ref> The Pallavas long wished to avenge the humiliation suffered at the hands of Pulakeshin II and over the next few years, strengthened their forces in preparation for a counter-attack.<ref name="dikshitp94" />

In 630, Mahendravarman I was succeeded by his son [[Narasimhavarman I]] under whom the Pallava kingdom emerged as a powerful state. This prompted Pulakeshin II to lead a second expedition into the Pallava country.<ref name="dikshitp96">[[#Dikshit|Dikshit]], p 96</ref> According to [[K. A. Nilakanta Sastri]], Pulakeshin II first defeated the [[Bana kingdom|Banas]], who were feudatories of the Pallavas, before advancing into the Pallava country.<ref name="dikshitp96" /> Narasimhavarman I met the Chalukyas and defeated them in three separate encounters in Pariyala, Suramana and Manimangala, all close to the Pallava capital Kanchi, forcing them to retreat.<ref name="dikshitp96" /><ref name="herasp35">[[#Heras|Heras]], p 35</ref> The Pallavas, then, took the offensive and pursued the fleeing Chalukya forces deep into their territory.<ref name="dikshitp96" /><ref name="herasp35" /><ref name="dikshit">[[#Dikshit|Dikshit]], p 98-99</ref>

== Events ==

In 642, a formidable Pallava force under [[Paranjothi]] was sent by [[Narasimhavarman I]] to capture Vatapi, the capital of the Chalukyas.<ref name="dikshit" /><ref name="herasp38">[[#Heras|Heras]], p 38</ref> Pulakeshin II met the Pallavas on the outskirts of his capital and is presumed to have lost his life in the ensuing battle.<ref name="dikshit" /> The Pallavas achieved a decisive victory over Pulakeshin II. The victorious Pallavas then took the capital and ruled it for 12 years (642-654).<ref name="dikshit" />

The Kuram plates of [[Paramesvaravarman I]] describe the battle thus

{{quote|Narasimhavarman... who wrote the syllables of (the word) ''vijaya'', as on a plate, on Pulikesin's back, which was caused to be visible in the battles of Pariyala, Manmangala, Suramara, etc., and who destroyed Vatapi, just as the pitcher born (Agastya) (destroyed the demon) Vatapi<ref name="herasp34">[[#Heras|Heras]], p 34</ref>}}

The Udayachandramangalam plates state

{{quote|Narasimhavarman, the equal of Agastya, the crushed of Vatapi, who frequently conquered Vallabharaja at Periyar-Bhumanimangala, Shuramara and other places<ref name="herasp35" />}}

According to the [[Velurpalaiyam plates]]

{{quote|Narasimhavarman I famous like Upendra (Vishnu) who defeating the host of his enemies took from them the pillar of victory standing in the centre of Vatapi<ref name="herasp35" />}}

== Aftermath ==

Narasimhavarman I constructed a Mallikarjuna Temple at Vatapi to commemorate his victory.<ref name="dikshit" /> He also adopted the title "Vatapi-kondan" or "taker of Vatapi".<ref name="dikshit" /><ref name="herasp39">[[#Heras|Heras]], p 39</ref> He carved an inscription recording his victory on the walls of the Teggina-Irappa temple in Vatapi.<ref name="herasp38">[[#Heras|Heras]], p 38</ref> [[Paranjothi]] brought numerous items of war booty to the Pallava kingdom from Vatapai, including a famous icon of the god [[Ganesha]] (Ganapati) - known as [[Uthrapathiswaraswamy Temple|Vatapi Ganapati]], which he enshrined in his home-town.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vatapi Ganapati |url=http://templenet.com/Tamilnadu/vatapi.html |access-date=2025-07-15 |website=templenet.com}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
The Battle of Vatapi is the final climactic battle in the [[Tamil language|Tamil]] [[historical fiction]] novel ''[[Sivagamiyin Sapatham]]'' by [[Kalki Krishnamurthy]], where the Chalukyan King [[Pulakeshin II]] is defeated and killed by the Pallava Army general Pranjothi as a revenge for the defeat of [[Mahendravarman I]] in the [[Battle of Pullalur]] and also to avenge Sivagami's vow.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kalki |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ciYaAQAAIAAJ&q=sivagamiyin+sabatham |title=Sivakamiyin Sabadam |date=2008 |publisher=Sahitya Akademi |isbn=978-81-260-2580-0 |language=en}}</ref>
==See also==
*[[Pallava–Chalukya Conflict]]

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== Bibliography ==

* {{cite book|title=Political History of the Chalukyas of Badami|first=D. P.|last=Dikshit|publisher=Abhinav Publications|year=1980|ref=Dikshit}}
* {{cite book|title=Studies in Pallava History|first=H.|last=Heras|publisher=B. G. Paul and Co|place=Madras|year=1933|ref=Heras}}

{{coord missing|Karnataka}}

[[Category:7th century in India]]
[[Category:642]]
[[Category:Medieval Karnataka]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Pallava dynasty]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Chalukya dynasty]]

Battle of Vatapi - Revision history

MichaleFlint91 at 13:04, 27 February 2026