Ranaraga

Ranaraga (IAST: Raṇarāga) was an early 6th century ruler of the Chalukya dynasty of Vatapi (modern Badami) in present-day India. A vassal ruler, he was the father of the dynasty's first sovereign ruler, Pulakeshin I.

Ranaraga
Chalukya king
Reignc. 520 – c. 540
PredecessorJayasimha
SuccessorPulakeshin I
DynastyChalukyas of Vatapi
FatherJayasimha
Chalukya dynasties
Vatapi / Badami Chalukyas
Jayasimhac. 500-520
Ranaraga c. 520-540
Pulakeshin I 540–566
Kirttivarman I 566–597
Mangalesha 597–609
Pulakeshin II 609–642
Adityavarman c. 643-645
Abhinavaditya c. 645-646
Chandraditya c. 646-649
Vijaya-Bhattarika (regent) c. 650-655
Vikramaditya I 655–680
Vinayaditya 680–696
Vijayaditya 696–733
Vikramaditya II 733–746
Kirtivarman II 746–753
Vengi / Eastern Chalukyas
Kubja Vishnuvardhana 624–641
Jayasimha I 641–673
Indra Bhattaraka 673
Vishnu Vardhana II 673–682
Mangi Yuvaraja 682–706
Jayasimha II 706–718
Kokkili 719
Vishnuvardhana III 719–755
Vijayaditya I (Eastern Chalukya) 755–772
Vishnuvardhana IV 772–808
Vijayaditya II 808–847
Kali Vishnuvardhana V 847–849
Vijayaditya III 849–892
Chalukya Bhima I 892–921
Vijayaditya IV 921
Amma I 921–927
Beta Vijayaditya V 927
Tala I 927
Vikramaditya II 927–928
Bhima II 928
Yuddhamalla II 928–935
Chalukya Bhima II 935–947
Amma II 947–970
Tala I 970
Danarnava 970–973
Jata Choda Bhima 973–999
Shaktivarman I 1000–1011
Vimaladitya 1011–1018
Rajaraja Narendra 1019–1061
Vijayaditya VII 1061-1075
Kalyani / Western Chalukyas
Tailapa II 957–997
Satyashraya 997–1008
Vikramaditya V 1008–1015
Jayasimha II 1015–1042
Someshvara I 1042–1068
Someshvara II 1068–1076
Vikramaditya VI 1076–1126
Someshvara III 1126–1138
Jagadhekamalla II 1138–1151
Tailapa III 1151–1164
Jagadhekamalla III 1163–1183
Someshvara IV 1184–1200

Reign

A 543 CE (Shaka 465) inscription dated to the reign of Ranaraga's son Pulakeshin I has been discovered at Badami. Assuming a reign of around 20 years for Ranaraga, historian Durga Prasad Dikshit dates Jayasimha's reign to c. 520-540 CE.[1]

Ranaraga succeeded his father Jayasimha, who was also a vassal ruler, possibly that of the Kadambas or the early Rashtrakutas of Manapura (not to be confused with the later imperial Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta). Jayasimha seems to have carved out a principality around modern Bijapur after the decline of his overlords, and Ranaraga appears to have spent his reign stabilizing the Chalukya power in the area.[2]

Like his father, Ranaraga finds a mention in the Aihole and Mahakuta inscriptions of the Vatapi Chalukyas. The Mahakuta inscription states that "his fondness for war elicited the affection of his own people and caused vexation of mind to his enemies."[3] The dynasty's inscriptions do not credit Ranaraga with any military achievements. According to the Yevor inscription of the later Kalyani Chalukyas, who claimed descent from the Vatapi Chalukyas, Jayasimha was a brave ruler, and bore a "stately and gigantic personality". The Kalyani Chalukya court poet Ranna calls him Raṇarāga-siṃha.[4]

References
  1. Durga Prasad Dikshit 1980, p. 29.
  2. Durga Prasad Dikshit 1980, pp. 27–30.
  3. K. V. Ramesh 1984, p. 29.
  4. Durga Prasad Dikshit 1980, p. 30.

Bibliography
  • Durga Prasad Dikshit (1980). Political History of the Chālukyas of Badami. Abhinav. OCLC 8313041.
  • K. V. Ramesh (1984). Chalukyas of Vātāpi. Agam Kala. OCLC 567370037.
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