Pulakeshin

Pulakeshin II was a king of the Chalukya dynasty who reigned in the early 7th century CE, traditionally dated to around 609–642 CE. He established his capital at Vatapi (modern Badami) in present-day Karnataka and presided over an expanding Deccan empire, extending Chalukya influence across large parts of the western and central Deccan.

Under Pulakeshin II, the Chalukya realm reached its greatest geographical extent. His campaigns brought pressure on rival polities in the south, including the Pallavas of Kanchipuram, and asserted influence along the Konkan coast and into parts of present-day Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. The court poet Ravikirti, in the Aihole inscription, extols his victories and says he conquered many kings and repelled northern invaders, including a king from Kannauj.

Pulakeshin II’s rule ended after Pallava forces, led by Narasimhavarman I, attacked Vatapi and killed the king around 642 CE, resulting in a temporary Pallava occupation of the capital. Although this marked a difficult phase for the Chalukyas, the dynasty recovered in later decades, with successors who reasserted central power and regional influence.

Pulakeshin II is remembered as a defining 7th-century ruler who expanded and strengthened the Chalukya state and helped shape Deccan political patterns that influenced subsequent South Indian polities. His reign is also associated with a flowering of Chalukya architecture and culture at Badami and related sites, which contributed to later developments in South Indian temple building and art.