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| The Origin of the Pallavas: A Contested Topic |
The Origin of the Pallavas: A Contested Topic
The origins of the Pallavas, a prominent dynasty in South Indian history, have been a subject of scholarly debate for centuries. Various theories have been proposed, but none have been definitively proven.
One theory equates the Pallavas with the Parthians, a foreign dynasty that ruled parts of western India. Another suggests that they were a branch of the Vakatakas, a Brahmin royal dynasty from the Deccan. A third theory links the Pallavas to the descendants of a Chola prince and a Naga princess from the island of Manipallavam.
However, these theories lack sufficient historical evidence to be conclusive.
A more widely accepted view is that the Pallavas were indigenous to Tondaimandalam, the region they ruled. This theory is supported by the fact that their earliest inscriptions were written in Prakrit and Sanskrit, languages associated with the Satavahanas, who had conquered Tondaimandalam in the past. The Pallavas' early patronage of Brahmanism can also be attributed to their association with the Satavahanas.
It is also possible that the Pallavas were identical to the Pulindas, a tribal people mentioned in the inscriptions of Ashoka. After the Satavahanas' decline in the 3rd century AD, the Pallavas may have asserted their independence and established their own kingdom.
