Jainism under Cālukyas of Kalyāṇa

Summary

Dr Hampa Nagarajaiah’s article “Jainism under Cālukyas of Kalyāṇa” studies the political and cultural milieu of the early Western Cālukya dynasty (c. 973–1186 CE) and its relationship with Jainism. He notes that the imperial Cālukya period in Karnataka was marked by intense political and socio‑religious activity and that the long rule of this dynasty made a significant contribution to the Jain community. The Cālukya kings and queens inherited territory from the Rāṣṭrakūṭas and expanded their empire while supporting Jain institutions. Early monarchs were Jains and patronised the faith through temple building, commissioning inscriptions and granting lands. The article stresses that the dynasty’s ability to maintain political stability allowed Jainism to flourish across Karnataka. Nagarajaiah highlights the role of queens such as Attimabbe and noblewomen like Nāgalaṅkā, who generously endowed Jain temples and monasteries. He documents contemporary charters describing Cālukya soldiers and officials as Jains, suggesting a symbiotic relationship between the state and religious institutions. The ruler Tailapa II and his successors supported the religion through donations to monks and scholars, enabling Jain literature and philosophy to thrive. The paper devotes special attention to the Yāpanīya sect, a liberal Jain community active in areas under Cālukya control. The author explains how Yāpanīyas received royal patronage, enjoyed popularity among commoners and produced eminent teachers of philosophy, logic, grammar and literature. By the time of the later Cālukyas, Yāpanīyas had merged into the broader Digambara tradition but left a lasting mark on Jain theology and ethics. Nagarajaiah also examines the cultural achievements of Cālukya rule—the blossoming of Kannada literature, the construction of stone temples in Aihole and Pattadakal, and the spread of Jain scholasticism. He argues that the dynasty’s political power, combined with its religious tolerance, made Karnataka a centre of Jain literary and architectural excellence. Yet the author does not overlook decline: after the twelfth century the Cālukyas lost power to the Hoysaḷas and Seunas, and Jainism’s fortunes waned. Nevertheless, the legacy of Cālukya patronage is visible in inscriptions, temple ruins and literary works that testify to an era of religious pluralism and cultural florescence.