Land and Forms of Labour in North Tamil Nadu: c. Fourth–Ninth Centuries CE

This paper is primarily confined to the geographical limits of northern Tamil Nadu during the reign of the Pallavas. The rulers of this house were responsible for establishing the first known state in this region in or shortly before the early fourth century CE. Pallavan rulers, of course, were not the only ones who had been successful in establishing a state. More or less at the same time Mayūraśarman had founded the Kadaṃba kingdom with its capital in Vaijayantī (Banavāsi). The Kadambas held sway over parts of central and north-west Karnataka. Nearer to the domain of the Pallavas, the western Gaṅga rule began under Koṅgunivarman in the early decades of the fourth century CE. The headquarters of this state was located at Kuvalālapura (Kolar) in south-eastern Karnataka.