top of page
Search

Vakatakas of Vidarbha: The Rise, Glory, and a Sudden Fall

Vakatakas of Vidarbha The Rise, Glory, and a Sudden Fall
Vakatakas of Vidarbha: The Rise, Glory, and a Sudden Fall

Nagardhan village in Vidarbha, Maharashtra, does not look like a royal capital at first glance. Yet beneath its soil, archaeologists have uncovered the remains of ancient fortifications, pottery and even a queen’s personal seal, all belonging to a nearly 1,700-year-old kingdom.


These finds have brought into focus the Vakataka dynasty, an obscure but pivotal ruling house that flourished from the mid-3rd to early 6th century CE. For decades, the Vakatakas were known mainly from inscriptions and genealogies.


Now, excavations at sites like Nagardhan and Mansar are literally unearthing their story. The dynasty’s history stretches from its rise in the Deccan heartland, through alliance with the legendary Gupta Empire and the patronage of masterpieces like the Ajanta Caves, to its mysterious downfall.


A clearer picture is emerging of how the Vakatakas shaped ancient Vidarbha, linking this region to the broader currents of Indian history.


Rise of the Vakatakas


The Vakataka dynasty emerged in central India around the mid-3rd century CE, in the wake of the Satavahana Empire’s decline.


From the outset, the Vakatakas established themselves as a major power in the Deccan. Their realm at its height stretched from the Narmada River in the north down to the Tungabhadra in the south, effectively bridging India’s northern and southern regions.

The early kings bore Sanskrit names and identified as orthodox Brahmins, performing elaborate Vedic sacrifices to legitimise their rule.


Little is recorded about the founder, King Vindhyashakti (c. 250–270 CE), beyond later inscriptions that laud him as “the banner of the Vakataka family,” a fighter of great battles.


It was Vindhyashakti’s son, Pravarasena I (r. c. 270–330 CE), who truly set the dynasty on the path to greatness. Pravarasena expanded Vakataka influence across a vast swathe of the Deccan, reportedly carrying his conquests from the Bundelkhand region in the north down into Vidarbha and adjoining areas of present-day Maharashtra.


He performed numerous horse-sacrifice rituals (Ashvamedhas) and other Vedic yajnas to proclaim his sovereignty. Pravarasena I was the only Vakataka ruler to assume the imperial title Samrāt (“universal emperor”), signalling ambitions beyond a regional kingdom.


By the end of his reign, the Vakatakas controlled a broad territory and stood as heirs to the Satavahanas’ legacy in peninsular India.


Pravarasena I’s death around 330 CE set the stage for a division of power among his successors. According to tradition, he had four sons, and upon his passing, the Vakataka realm fragmented into multiple domains. In practice, two main branches of the dynasty are historically attested after this point.


One branch established itself in the eastern part of the kingdom, based in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, while the other branch ruled the west from a separate capital. This fraternal split would shape the Vakatakas’ story for the next two centuries.


A Dynasty of Two Branches


After Pravarasena I, the Pravarapura–Nandivardhana branch of the family came to rule eastern Maharashtra (ancient Vidarbha). They initially governed from Nandivardhana (near modern Nagpur), a stronghold that became their capital.


The founder of this line was King Rudrasena I (r. c. 335–360 CE), Pravarasena’s grandson, who likely inherited the eastern territories.

His successors, Prithvisena I (r. c. 360–385) and Rudrasena II (c. 385–390), maintained the Vakataka domain in Vidarbha and forged alliances that would link their fortunes to India’s most powerful empire. In the late 4th century, the Gupta Emperor Chandragupta II arranged for his daughter, Princess Prabhavatigupta, to marry Rudrasena II.


This politically savvy marriage cemented an alliance between the northern Guptas and the Vakatakas. It proved timely: not long after the union, King Rudrasena II died unexpectedly young, leaving the Vakataka throne to his minor sons.


Prabhavatigupta, the Gupta princess, then assumed the reins as regent around 390 CE, an extraordinary example of a royal woman ruling in her own right during that era. She governed the Vakataka kingdom for about 20 years on behalf of her sons, effectively melding the Gupta-Vakataka interests.


In fact, historians often refer to this period as a “Vakataka-Gupta age” due to the close cooperation between the two dynasties. Prabhavatigupta’s influence is evident in Vakataka inscriptions that list her Gupta lineage and in administrative seals that name her as the head of state.


One clay sealing unearthed at Nagardhan bears Prabhavatigupta’s name and titles, confirming that the queen acted as sovereign after her husband’s death. As archaeologist Shantanu Vaidya noted of this find, it “reveals that the queen was the head of the state post the death of King Rudrasena II,” validating textual records of her regency.


Under Prabhavatigupta’s guidance, the Vakataka realm remained stable until her son Pravarasena II came of age. Around 410 CE, Pravarasena II assumed full authority and ushered in a new chapter for the dynasty.


He is remembered for shifting the capital from the old Nandivardhana site to a brand new city named Pravarapura, which he founded in about the 5th century.


Archaeologists identify this Pravarapura with the ruins at Mansar in present-day Vidarbha, where excavations have uncovered a planned city complete with a royal palace and temples. Pravarasena II’s reign (early 5th century) appears to have been prosperous.


He issued numerous land grants to Brahmin scholars and even authored a renowned Prakrit text, the Setubandha epic, showcasing his literary flair. His successors, however, faced new challenges. The eastern Vakataka line continued through Narendrasena (r. c. 450–470) and his son Prithvisena II, but by the late 5th century, this branch met a grim fate.


Inscriptions suggest that King Prithvisena II was defeated in battle by a rival regional power (the Vishnukundin dynasty from Andhra) around 480 CE. Soon after, it appears the once-mighty eastern Vakataka kingdom was absorbed, either by that Andhra-based power or by their own western kinsmen, leaving little trace of the lineage beyond this point.


Meanwhile, the Vatsagulma branch of the Vakatakas had been ruling the western Deccan. Founded by Sarvasena, a younger son of Pravarasena I, this branch established its capital at Vatsagulma (modern Washim in Maharashtra) around the 4th century.


Sarvasena (r. c. 330–355) took on the title Dharmamaharaja (“King of Dharma”) and was celebrated as a patron of learning; later writers credit him with composing a Prakrit poem, Harivijaya, though that text is now lost.


The western Vakataka domain spanned what is now part of Maharashtra between the Ajanta region and the Godavari River. Successive kings like Vindhyasena (r. 355–400) and others maintained this realm, occasionally clashing with neighbours.


By the late 5th century, the Vatsagulma line was led by its most formidable king, Harishena (r. c. 475–500 CE). Under Harishena, the Vakataka empire reached its zenith.


He not only inherited the west but likely extended his control over the former eastern territories as well, effectively reuniting much of the Vakataka domain.

Contemporary records from Ajanta paint Harishena as a conqueror who subjugated regions like Malwa (central India), Kosala (Chhattisgarh), Kalinga (Odisha) and coastal Gujarat. While these claims may be boastful, they reflect a period of aggressive expansion.


Crucially, Harishena is remembered as the patron of great art and architecture, a legacy that still endures in vivid colour on the walls of Ajanta’s caves.


Art and Faith under Vakataka Rule


The Vakataka dynasty’s contributions to Indian art and culture are epitomised by the UNESCO-listed Ajanta Caves in present-day Maharashtra.


These magnificent Buddhist cave temples and monasteries, renowned for their intricate carvings and murals, owe their flourishing to Vakataka patronage.

In fact, inscriptions at Ajanta explicitly credit Harishena of the Vatsagulma branch as the king under whose auspices many caves were excavated and adorned. At least three major prayer halls and viharas (Caves 16, 17 and 19) were created during Harishena’s reign (c. 475–500 CE), featuring some of the finest early examples of Indian painting.


Scenes from the Buddha’s life depicted in these caves display a sophistication and artistry that scholars have called the peak of classical Indian art.


The Buddhist community prospered under Vakataka rule, even though the dynasty itself followed predominantly Hindu traditions.


An inscription at Ajanta even praises the dynasty’s founder, Vindhyashakti, as “the banner of the Vakataka family,” suggesting the pride the later rulers took in their lineage while supporting Buddhist endeavours.


In this way, the Vakatakas fostered a climate of religious pluralism: they were devout Hindus by lineage but patrons of Buddhism as well, bridging cultural worlds.


Within their home territory of Vidarbha, the Vakataka rulers predominantly adhered to Vedic and Shaivite (Lord Shiva worship) traditions. Most kings took lofty Hindu titles such as Paramamaheshvara (“Supreme devotee of Maheshvara,” an epithet for Shiva).


They performed grand Vedic sacrifices and gave liberal donations to Brahmin priests, as evidenced by the numerous copper-plate charters recording land grants from Vakataka royals. Yet the religious landscape of their kingdom was diverse.


Queen Prabhavatigupta, for instance, was a Vaishnavite (devotee of Vishnu) by birth. Inscriptions issued under her authority invoke Lord Vishnu and recount her Gupta ancestry in reverent terms. This mix of faiths is further illustrated by archaeological finds.


At Nagardhan (Nandivardhan), excavators discovered a small terracotta idol of Ganesha, the elephant-headed Hindu deity, likely used for private household worship.


And at the Mansar site (Pravarapura), researchers uncovered the base of a brick temple containing a Shivalinga (phallic emblem of Shiva) and a fire altar, indicating that the Vakataka capital had a state temple dedicated to Shiva.


Just adjacent, the remains of a unique star-shaped shrine were found, hinting at architectural experimentation in sacred structures.


The coexistence of Buddhist monasteries and Hindu temples under Vakataka patronage suggests a relatively harmonious blend of religious influences during their era.


The Vakatakas were not only patrons of religion and art but also of literature and learning. Several rulers distinguished themselves as scholars or poets. King Pravarasena II, for example, is traditionally credited as the author of Setubandha, a Prakrit epic poem that gained renown in its time.


Likewise, the founder of the western branch, Sarvasena, was praised for composing verses of a work called Harivijaya and contributing to the corpus of Prakrit literature. In the Sanskrit literary sphere, the Vakataka court developed a refined style of writing known as the Vaidarbhi riti (the “Vidarbha style”).


This elegant style of Sanskrit prose and poetry was later extolled by luminaries like Kālidāsa and Daṇḍin, indicating the cultural influence of the Vakataka kingdom far beyond its political borders. In effect, under the Vakatakas, the Vidarbha region became a conduit for the spread of northern Indian intellectual and artistic traditions into the Deccan.


What did everyday life under the Vakatakas look like? Ongoing archaeological work is providing glimpses.


At the Mansar city site, aside from grand palaces and temples, excavators have found humble artefacts: terracotta figurines of dancers and common folk, children’s toys and even a gaming board for what appears to be an ancient game. Such discoveries paint a picture of a thriving settlement with a rich domestic life.


The presence of trade goods like beads of semi-precious stones, ceramics, glass ear ornaments and coins suggests active commerce and a degree of cosmopolitan living in Vakataka cities.

Taken together, the artistic, religious and material evidence reveals a dynasty that cultivated a flourishing cultural milieu in Vidarbha, one that was in dialogue with both the Sanskritic north and the Dravidian south of India.


Decline, Fall and Rediscovery


By the final years of the 5th century, cracks were appearing in the Vakataka edifice. After King Harishena’s death (circa 500 CE), the dynasty seemingly unravelled with startling speed. Later legends and literary accounts offer one explanation for the collapse.


The 7th-century Sanskrit tale Dashakumaracharita describes the last Vakataka king (often presumed to be Harishena’s son) as a pleasure-seeking ruler who neglected governance and “indulged in all sorts of vices,” thereby allowing his kingdom to fall into disarray.

Taking advantage of this chaos, a neighbouring ruler, identified as the king of Ashmaka (a region south of Vidarbha), allegedly conspired to bring the Vakataka realm down from within.


According to the story, the Ashmaka king’s agent sowed discord in the Vakataka court and even thinned its armies. Finally, an opportunistic invasion was launched: forces of a southern dynasty (the Kadambas of Karnataka, in one version) marched onto Vakataka territory.


In the ensuing battle on the banks of the Wardha River, the last Vakataka king was betrayed by some of his own feudal lords and was killed in combat. With his death, around the beginning of the 6th century, the Vakataka line came to a bloody end.


Historical evidence broadly corroborates a violent end for the dynasty around this time. A set of copper-plate inscriptions from the Kadamba kingdom, dated to 519 CE, claims that the Kadamba ruler Ravivarma had extended his authority as far north as the Narmada river, suggesting he had conquered the intervening Vakataka domain by the early 500s.


In the power vacuum left by the Vakatakas’ downfall, new dynasties arose to dominate the Deccan. Within a few decades, the early Chalukya dynasty emerged as the pre-eminent force in the region, establishing its capital at Badami and ushering in a new era of rule. The Vakatakas, so influential in their time, largely faded from the political map of India.


In the absence of surviving monuments (the dynasty built in brick and wood, materials that do not last like stone) and without any known coinage to their name, the memory of the Vakatakas endured primarily in inscriptions and in the Buddhist art they patronised.


For centuries, the Vakataka dynasty received relatively scant attention outside academic circles, often overshadowed by their more famous contemporaries, the Guptas, or by later dynasties.


But recent archaeological efforts in the Vidarbha region are changing that, bringing the Vakatakas’ story back into the spotlight. Nagardhan, identified as ancient Nandivardhana, and the Mansar site (ancient Pravarapura) have been at the centre of these excavations. At Nagardhan, teams from the Maharashtra state archaeology department and Pune’s Deccan College have spent years carefully digging through mounds of settlement debris.


Their work gained wide notice in 2015–18 when they uncovered clear signs of a prosperous urban centre. “Some of the artefacts, including ceramics and ear studs made of glass, were the typical items used during this period,” observed Dr Shrikant Ganvir, co-director of the excavation, explaining how everyday objects helped date the site.


Archaeologists soon hit pay dirt: beneath stratified layers of soil, they found the foundations of defensive walls and a treasury of artefacts linking the site to the Vakatakas. One discovery in particular made headlines.


A clay sealing stamped with the name and title of Queen Prabhavatigupta. This was tangible proof tying Nagardhan to the 4th-century regent of the Vakatakas. “The excavations confirm the presence of a capital of the Vakataka dynasty here,” said archaeologist Shantanu Vaidya, who noted that the queen’s seal firmly establishes Nagardhan as the power centre post Rudrasena II’s demise. Indeed, state archaeologists officially declared the site as the ancient capital of the Vakatakas once these findings emerged.


Some 35 km to the east, the rural village of Mansar hides the remains of Pravarapura, the city built by Pravarasena II. Excavations at Mansar, led in the late 1990s by the Archaeological Survey of India with international collaborators, have unveiled a well-planned urban complex befitting a royal capital.


The dig revealed a multi-tiered palace structure, complete with courtyards and possibly multiple storeys, as well as temples and ritual platforms, exactly as described in Vakataka inscriptions. Artefacts ranging from limestone sculptures of Hindu deities to coins and inscriptions have been catalogued, each adding a piece to the historical puzzle. The scope of the discovery has astounded scholars.


As Groningen University historian Hans Bakker put it, the finds at Mansar were “astounding and revolutionised everything we knew of the Vakataka kingdom.” The ongoing research at these sites is effectively rewriting the history of Vidarbha in the early centuries CE, transitioning it from a shadowy chapter to a well-defined narrative grounded in material evidence.


The rediscovery of the Vakataka capitals has also been a point of regional pride. For the people of modern-day Vidarbha, these excavations affirm that their land was once a significant cradle of Indian civilisation, not merely a far-flung hinterland. “It is already clear that Vidarbha was a political and cultural hub in ancient India, not a remote backwater,” notes one account, highlighting how findings at Nagardhan and Mansar have given tangible form to what was previously known only through texts.


Every new trench dug at these sites yields coins, ceramics, idols or inscriptions that bring the Vakataka era to life.

The legacy of the Vakatakas, their administrative innovations, their artistic patronage, and their role as a bridge between North and South India is now being appreciated in full. And as researchers continue to piece together the dynasty’s story, the once-forgotten Vakataka rulers of Vidarbha have taken their rightful place as a key chapter in India’s rich historical record.


References




About the Author

The NewsDirt is a trusted source for authentic, ground-level journalism, highlighting the daily struggles, public issues, history, and local stories from Vidarbha’s cities, towns, and villages. Committed to amplifying voices often ignored by mainstream media, we bring you reliable, factual, and impactful reporting from Vidarbha’s grassroots.

bottom of page