The book presents a comprehensive and critical study of the Early Chalukyan administration, nature of state and sovereignty of kings and social life and shows primarily how they developed the political traditions of their predecessors, the Kadambas, covering a period of study from the middle of the sixth century CE to the last quarter of the eighth century CE. The area covered by it is the territory in southern India which extended from Gujarat in the north to Banavasi in the south, and the coastal region in the west to the eastern frontier of the Pallava dominions in the east, with the off-shoots of their dynasty in Vengi and Gujarat.

A comprehensive and critical study of the Early Chalukyan administration here is made on the basis of original sources, published and unpublished epigraphical records from Lata, Andhra, Satara, Pune, Konkana and Vidarbha, foreign writings like that of Tabari and Hiuen-Tsang, Indian literary works on administration and polity, and works of modern scholars-foreign and Indian, relating to the original sources, and also the various aspects of the history of the Chalukyas.

Apart from a sectional treatment of the Chalukyas in Indian history volumes, such an attempt to describe the administration and social life in minute details has not been made so far. I hope this volume will fill the gap to a large extent.

About the Author

Dr C.V. Rangaswami (b. 1926) had his higher education from Mysore University and Karnatak University. He served in Yuvaraja College of Mysore, affiliated college of Karnatak University and Karnatak University, Dharwad from 1947 to 1986 as a Lecturer in History and Archaeology and later retired as a Reader. He did his Ph.D. thesis under the guidance of Dr P.B. Desai, an authority in History. In a span of 39 years (1947-86), he has published many textbooks for degree courses and more than 50 articles. His major research work with U.G.C. and ICHR are projects on ‘Revenue Settlement Reports as a Source to the History of Twin Cities of Hubli-Dharwad’ & ‘Sri Lalitambika in Literature, Art and Thought’. Other major research work is on ‘Sri  Pitambara  Devi  (Devi Bagalamukhi) in Socio-cultural Field’ was submitted to the ICHR, New Delhi. He has written a short book on ‘Siddha Parvatavasini Devi Bagalamukhi (Pitambara Mai)’ and edited ‘Bagalamba Sataka’ of Cidananda Avadhutaru Rajayogi, an ardent worshiper and saint at Sindhanur near Raichur district, Karnataka. At the age of 88, the author is still active in writing books and articles.