Which dynasty in South India was famous for the construction of chariot temples?

 Many of them are aware of the SUN konark temple in ODISSA that is a famous Chariot temple as well as a temple for calculating the time.

But in South there is temple called AIRAVATESHWARA temple in DARASURAM near Kumbakonam, built by the great Cholas .This temple is known for its stunning architecture and is one of the UNESCO world heritage sites in INDIA.This famous temple stands as a architectural marvel among the great CHOLA living temples in TAMIL NADU.

Yes,this temple which was built by the chola dynasty is a Chariot temple and a temple for time.Built by Raja Raja Chola in 12th century.

A wheel which can be used for calculating time.

Legend of the temple:

Here ,Lord shiva is worshipped by Airavata , the white elephant of the King of the Devars, Deva Indra.The King of Death, Yama also worshipped Lord Shiva here.

The Airavatesvara Shiva temple has a water tank. This tank has a connected channel that brings in Cauveri River water where devotees gather annually to take a dip. The mythology narrates how Airavata, or Indra's white elephant wich was cursed by Sage Durvasa(a sage whose power increases as he bestows curses)was restored with clean, white skin after he took a dip in this tank. This legend is carved in stone in the inner shrine, and this Indra's elephant gives this temple its name.

This temple is built in the shape of a chariot having wheels(these wheels act as a clock) and there are 24 spokes on these wheels denoting 24 hours in a day and using the science behind this wheels one can find the time of the day.

Yaali -A mystic animal that is portrayed in many South Indian temples

Not only that this temples has many sculptures telling about the stories of ancient times .This temple is known for the 3D sculptures which gives a different perspective for viewers.

See in this above scuplture, you can see both bull and a elephant having same head but the prespective to all.

A women having one head but three differnt body postures.

Though this temple is small than the other Chola temples,this temple has more scuptures of intricate designs.The Vijayanagara empire and the Pandyas are known for the building up of musical pillars but the cholas have designed musical steps.

I think everyone who tours Tamil Nadu should surely visit this temple .

Which ancient dynasty of India had the longest period of rule?

 

• The Alupa also known as Alva as an ancient ruling dynasty of India
• From circa 2nd century C.E to 15th century C.E.
• They ruled over coastal Karnataka lasted for about 1200 years.

• Common languages: Sanskrit, Tulu and Kannada.
• Religion: Hinduism and Jainism..
• Government : Monarchy

• Later they became the vassals of the Chalukyas Dynasty , Rashtrakuta Dynasty and Hoysalas Empire with the change in political scenario of Southern India.
• ·The Alvas or Alupas were a minor dynasty in Western Karnataka but the longest reigning dynasty of Tulu Nadu that ruled without interuption for almost 1000 - 1200 years over the small territory of coastal Karnataka.
• The Alupas were one of the three dynasties that issued gold coins as early as 8th century CE. The gold that used to mint coins came from trade with the Romans, Arabs and from the adjacent kingdom of Gangas. No other ancient dynasties of the south have issued that many varieties of gold coins as Alupas and Gangas did.

They built some temples in their area of rule

1. Sri Rajarajeshwari Temple, Polal

2. Sri Manjunatheshwara Temple, Kadri

3. Sri Mahishamardini Temple, Neelavara

4. Sri Panchalingeshwara Temple, Vittla

5. Sri Anantheshwara Temple, Udupi

Reference

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alupa_dynasty

What was the reason for the downfall of the Kuru dynasty after Yudhishthira?

 Kuru kingdom flourished during the time of Parikshit and his son Janamejaya.

After a few generations, their power was shattered by the Invasion of the Shalva tribe

The Kuru realm survived under Pariksit’s descendant, Janamejaya Pariksita, Janamejaya’s sons, his grandson Augrasainya, and probably beyond this. A closer reading of the texts yields more results for this still very hazy picture of Vedic history: the Kurus were overcome by the (probably non-Vedic) Salvas who “dispersed the Kurus from Kuruksetra” (JB 2.206, SSS 15.16.11 12,149) — a fact completely overlooked by the historians of old India.

• Page 21, Early Sanskritization: Origin and Development of the Kuru state.

The Puranas mention about furthur calamities like a flood that destroyed Hastinapura

His son will be Sahasranika whose son will be Asvamedhaja; his son will be Asima-Krsna, whose son will be Nemicakra. When Hastinapura will be washed away by the floods of the river (Ganga), he will settle down at Kausambi (Kosam, near Allahabad). He will have Citraratha as his son, of whom a son Kaviratha will be born.

• Chapter 22, 9th Skandha, Srimad Bhagavatam.

Chandogya Upanishad describes furthur destruction that befell the Kurus

At a time when the Kuru country had been devastated by hail (alternatively locust or thunderstorms), Usasti Cakrayana, with his young wife Atiki, lived in a deplorable condition in the village of the wealthy landowners.

• Chandogya Upanishad 1.10.1

The Bharata royal family was gone by the time of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad as sage Bhujya asks what happened to the Kurus and Yajnavalkya replied that they went to heaven

When we asked him about the limits of the world, we said to him, “Where were the descendants of Pariksit?” And I ask you, Yajnavalkya, where were the descendants of Pariksit? (Tell me) where were the descendants of Pariksit?’

Yajnavalkya said, ‘The Gandharva evidently told you that they went where the performers of the horse sacrifice go.’

• Section 3, chapter 3, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad of Shukla Yajurveda.

The Kuru kingdom existed in a weakened state even during the time of Buddha. However political power shifted first to Panchalas, then to Kosala and finally to Magadha. Whatever royal family remained there were probably uprooted by Mahapadma Nanda.

The Kurus still existed in Mauryan period, but as a minor republic (corporations or Sangha)

The corporations of the Licchivika, Vrjika, Mallaka, Madraka, Kukura, Kuru, Pancala, and others live by the title of "Raja".

• 11.1.5, Arthashastra.

How many different Chalukya dynasties were there?

 There was the one original Chalukya dynasty

1. Chalukyas of Badami (Vatapi), Karnataka (543 -753)

There are at least 4 Chalukya collateral lines of this parent:

1. Chalukyas of Vengi, Andhra (624–1189) - Eastern Chalukyas
2. Chalukyas of Lata (लाट), Gujarat (620–1070)
3. Chalukayas of Kalyani, Karnataka (973–1189) - Western Chalukyas
4. Chalukyas of Vemulvada, Telangana (650–968)

Not related to these, but sharing the same mythical origin are

1. Chaulukyas of Patan, Gujarat (960–1243) - Solankis

But again related to the Western Chalukayas are

1. Senas of Nabadwip, Bengal (1070–1230)
2. Karnata dynasty of Mithila and Nepal (1094- 1326) List of Kings of Mithila

From their capital along the banks of the 200-mile long tributary of Krishna river called Malaprabha (above), Chalukyas rose as rulers when their overlords, the Kadambas, lost power. They rose to become one of the most illustrious dynasties of medieval India that not only governed a good chunk of India but also patronized art, literature and religious thought.

How do we know all the Chalukya families are related? Their own inscriptions say so. Their seals all have the traditional varaha emblem (0r the boar incarnation of Vishnu) below. Their common gotra Haritiputras of Manavyasagotra is mentioned many times. Their mythical origin from Chuluka or handful of Brahma, and so on, is shared by most of them.

A few of their achievements are:

1. One of the greatest rulers of Dakshinapatha or the area South of Narmada. They (Pulakeshi II) halted Harsha’s aggression to the South. Chinese XuanZang makes abundant mention of them in his travels.
2. Interestingly, they were an important part of the coalition that checked both Arab aggression into Gujarat in the 8th century and later Ghaznis also into Gujarat in the 11th century
3. Landing of Parsis (Zoroastrians) into Sanjan, Gujarat happened most likely in 7-8th century when Chalukyas were ruling Navsari, etc according to this text Full text of "Parsis of ancient India"
4. The mathematician Bhaskara was born and flourished in the reign of the Western Chalukyas
5. Mitakshara - the Hindu civil law for much of India - was codified in their rule
6. Their reigns saw the development of Kannada and, later, Telugu languages while they continued to patronize Sanskrit, and even Prakrit.
7. Basava - who sought for the complete abolition of castes in India - was born towards the end of Western Chalukyas, indicating religious ferment in their rule
8. Their early reign saw experimentation with Indian styles of architecture like below from Pattadkal: both the Nagara and Dravida style side-by-side