The Alupa dynasty was an Indian dynasty that ruled from 200 to 1444 A.D. in Southern India.Ghosh 2003, p. 20-23 They were local feudatories at different times under major dynasties such as the Kadambas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas and later Vijaynagara.Nagarajaiah 2003, p. 40-45 The kingdom they ruled was known as Alvakheda Arusasira, and its territory spanned the coastal districts of the modern Indian state known as Karnataka, including Kasaragod district of present-day Kerala.Polai's 2003, p. 15-18 The Alupas played a significant role in the political, cultural, and religious history of coastal Karnataka.Nagarajaiah 2003, p. 43-45
Etymology The name of the dynasty is variously recorded in inscriptions as Alupa, Aluva, Alva, Aluka, and Alapa.Ghosh 2003, p. 24-26 The origin of Alupas prior to the Kadambas is unclear, as there is no epigraphical evidence. Ptolemy, the 2nd-century geographer, identifies the Alvakheda as Olokhoira, which is widely believed to be a corruption of the term Alva Kheda, 'the land of the Alvas.Ghosh 2003, p. 25-28
In the Tulu language, (Alup) means 'to rule', (Alupunu) means 'ruling', / / (Alupe) means 'ruler' (one who rules). According to B. A. Saletore, the name Alupa may be derived from its variant Aluka, which is an epithet of the divine serpent Shesha of Hindu epics.saletore 1936, p. 60-65 Fleet has suggested that the name Aluka could denote the Nāga Because it represent Jain Yakshini Padamavti the yakshini of Parshwanatha, who in early times were included in Chalukya dominions.saletore 1936, p. 63-66 Saletore further adds that the Naga or Jain origin of the Alupas is proved by two facts. The figure of a hooded serpent, which is found in an effaced Alupa stone inscription around Mangalore,saletore 1936, p. 65-68 Saletore dismisses the idea regarding the Dravidian origin of the name from the Tulu word Alunu, meaning 'to rule' or 'govern'.saletore 1936, p. 66-70
History The Alupas in their prime were an independent dynasty, centuries after reigning due to the dominance of Kadambas from Banavasi, they became feudatories to them. Later, they became the vassals of the Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, and Hoysalas with the change in the political scenario of Southern India. Their influence over coastal Karnataka lasted for about 1200 years.Ghosh 2003, p. 25-28Prasārānga 1972, p. 90-93 It has been pointed out that the Alupas do not appear to have adopted the law of matrilineal inheritance (Appekatt/Aliyasantana) system at any time during their existence as a royal family where the only instance in the long list of known Alupa rulers is the reign of nephew "Aliya" Kulasekhara Bankideva (son of Alupa princess Krishnayitayi and Hoysala Veera Ballala III) succeeding Soyideva - which is considered as only a challenge to those who had succeeded to the throne by the universal law of direct succession.Prasārānga 1972, p. 95-96 The last Alupa king to have ruled is Kulasekharadeva Alupendradeva, whose inscription dated 1444 CE has been found in Mudabidri Jain Basadi.The Quarterly Journal 2002, p. 22
Political history The history of the clan emerges from obscurity during the rise of Badami Chalukya in the Aihole and Mahakuta inscriptions, which claim the Alupas had accepted Chalukya overlordship and had become their feudatory. They ruled initially from Mangalore and at other times from Udyavara in Udupi and later from Barkur. Their first regular full-length inscription, the Vaddarase inscription in Kannada, is dated to the early 7th century. They maintained marital relations with their overlords over the centuries.Kamath (2001), p97
Coinage The Alupas, as a feudatory of the Western Chalukyas in coastal Karnataka, issued coins with Kannada and Nagari inscriptions on them. Coins with Kannada legends seem to have been minted in Mangalorem and those with Nagari legends at the Udupi mint. Kannada was their language of administration. The Pagodas and Fanams were the common coinage of all the Alupa kings. The obverse of the coins carried the royal emblem "Two Fishes" and the reverse had the legend "Sri Pandya Dhanamjaya" either in Nagari or old (Hale) Kannada.The Quarterly Journal 2002, p. 22-24
Origin Historian P. Gururaja Bhat states that the Alupa royal family were possibly of local origin who were followers of Jainism and are identified as Jain buntsNagarajaiah 2003, p. 50-55Bhatt 1969, p. 51-53 Whereas, B. A. Saletore mentions that the title Alupa (Alva) survives till this day in the Bunt community While Alva's were originally Jains,Nagarajaiah 2003, p. 54-55 Some sections later adopted Hinduism though title continues to be used.Nagarajaiah 2003, p. 55-56saletore 1936, p. 154 Alupa royal family recorded to have maintained matrimonial alliances with The Santara dynasty and are both adherents of Jainism.Nagarajaiah 2003, p. 60-65
The rule over Uttara Kannada region, with Banavasi as its capital was by the Chutu clan followed by the Shatavahana branch which governed for Siri, Siva, Pulumavi and Yajna Satakarnis, prior to the Kadambas. With the Kadambas rule from Banavasi, Karnataka saw developments in the field of art and culture.Bhatt 1969, p. 55-56Kamath (2001), p. 91-93 Land of Karnataka saw more and more epigraphs that recorded the activities of the past, mostly erected in the temple premises. The first clear mention of Alupas comes from the Halmidi inscription of 450 CE where their possible early ruler Pashupathi of Alapa (Alupa) gana is mentioned. Pashupathi was the contemporary of the Kadambas.Nagarajaiah 2003, p. 70-72 Hence for historical record, we can safely assume that the dynastic formation of Alupas took place around 5th century CE. Their royal emblem was the double fish and they claimed to belong to the Pandyavamsha and Soma Kula (lunar dynasty).Kamath (2001), p94
Inscriptional evidence from the Tulu region suggests that the Alupas were originally patrons of Jainism, as numerous inscriptions across the region record grants and activities related to the faith. Notably, an inscription at Moodabidri records that King Kulashekhara Alupendra ruled the Tulu region while seated on a throne within a local Jain basadi.
Alvakheda
The term Alvakheda could be seen in several of ancient inscriptions of the Alupas. The region of Alvakheda encompassed the modern Tulunadu, northern and central part of Udupi district and part of Uttara Kannada up to Ankola on the coastal north and Banavasi on the interior west of Uttara Kannada District. Also, the region of Humcha in the Shimoga district, and the land of Kasaragod in present-day Kerala up to the Payasvini river was the boundary in the south.Ghosh 2003, p. 28-30 The term Alvakheda is not seen in the inscriptions during the Vijayanagara period, when the region of Barakuru and Mangalore were two separate provinces under the administration of Governors who started controlling the territory without interfering in the autonomy of the Alupas.Saltore 1936, p. 78-80
Tulunadu The region stretches from Mangalore in the south all the way to swarna river in the north. On the west is the Arabian sea and on the east is the Western Ghats that fences the land like a fort that formed a heaven for the ruler. More than it, number of rivers that crisscrossed near Mangalore, Udyavara made this land fertile. The western ghats, the thick forests and the towns along the shoreline of Arabian sea established several sea ports for trade with the Romans and Arabs. Trade routes from with the Romans were well established as early as the 2nd century CE and with the Arabs around 7th century CE. The Netravati in Mangalore and Seethanadi in Barkur are the main rivers that run in the capital cities of Alupas. Other rivers such as Suvarnanadi, Shambhavi in Karkala and Mulki, Gurupura river, Pavanje, Nandini and numerous streams all running from east to west. The region of Puttur, Sullia, Belthangady and Puttur, Karkala are the Malnad region and supported as an agricultural backbone of the kingdom and the region of Mangalore, Udupi and Kundapur are the coastal regions that supported more of marine activities though agriculture is the other occupation.Nagarajaiah 2003, p. 73-74Ghosh 2003, p. 36-38
An Old Malayalam inscription (Ramanthali inscriptions), dated to 1075 CE, mentioning king Kunda Alupa, can be found at Ezhimala (the former headquarters of Mushika dynasty) near Cannanore, Kerala.Nagarajaiah 2003, p. 73-75
Epigraphs
The earliest known copper plate inscription in Kannada language is attributed to Aluvarasa II, called the Belamannu plates and is dated the early 8th century, according to Dr. Gururaj Bhat. This full-length Kannada copper plates in Old Kannada or Halegannada (Kannada: ಹಳೆಗನ್ನಡ) script (early 8th century CE) belongs to the Alupa King Aluvarasa II from Belmannu, Karkala Taluk, Udupi District, and displays the double crested fish, the royal emblem of Alupa kings. The records also refers to the king with the title Alupendra.Nagarajaiah 2003, p. 75-76
The first known epigraph that talks about the possession of Banavasi Mandala (Banavasi kingdom of Uttara Kannada District) by the Alupas, belongs to the reign of Western Chalukya king Vinayaditya.Journal of the Institute of Indian Studies, 1978 May Vol#1 Te epigraph comes from Jambani of Sagar Taluk, discovered by Dr Gururaj Bhat, mentions about Chitravahana Alupendra in possession of Kadamba mandala. This is, in fact, the first stone epigraph that points the ruler as a subordinate to Western Chalukya King (8th century CE). An Old Malayalam inscription (Ramanthali inscriptions), dated to 1075 CE, mentioning king Kunda Alupa, the ruler of Alupa dynasty of Mangalore, can be found at Ezhimala (the former headquarters of Mushika dynasty) near Cannanore, in the North Malabar region of Kerala.Narayanan, M. G. S. Perumāḷs of Kerala. Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 483. It is one of the oldest inscriptions available about Alupa dynasty.
The inscription at Talangere Kasaragod sheds light on the Alupa ruler Jayasimha and his sister Mochabbarasi.
The oldest Tulu inscription discovered to date in the region is located at Pelattur, the one from the Kulashekhara temple in Mangaluru dated to 1159 A.D. Discovered by Prof.A. Murugeshi, it provides valuable information about the Alupa dynasty and is significant for the study of the Tulu language and culture. The inscription showcases the use of pure Tulu words and demonstrates the existence and sophistication of the Tulu language and script in ancient times.
List of rulers The medieval and later Alupa used the imperial titles of Pandya-Maharajadhiraja, Paramabhattaraka and Pandya-Chakravarti. The two reigning queens, Ballamahadevi and Chikkayi-Tayi, were also titled Pandya-Chakravarti. Ruler's name Year of reign Relation Pashupathi 450 CE To be known 500 – 7th century CE Aluvarasa I Early 7th century Father-in-law of Pulakeshin II Gunasagara 660–630 CE Chitravahana 663–730 CE Husband of Chalukya princess Kumkuma Mahadevi and brother-in-law of Chalukya Vijayaditya Aluvarasa II Incurred the wrath of the Chalukyas Chitravahana II Ranasagara Pritvisagara Marama Vimaladitya Alva Rananjaya Dattalupa Kundavarma 960–980 CE Jayasimha 980–1010 CE Bankideva Alupendra Pattiyodeya Pandya Pattiyodeya 1080–1110 CE Kavi Alupendra CE Pattiyodeya Kulashekara Alupendra 1160–1220 CE Kundana 1220–1230 CE Vallabhadeva Duttalupa Virapandya 1250–1275 CE Queen Ballamahadevi 1275–1292 CE Co-ruler of her son Nagadevarasa Nagadevarasa Bankideva II Soyideva Queen Chikkayi-Tayi1333–1348 CECo-ruler of her son Kulashekara and vassal of her husband the Hoysala king Veera Ballala III Kulashekara II 1335–1346 CE Son and co-ruler of the Alupa princess Chikkayi-Tayi Bankideva III Kulashekara III 1355–1390 CE Virapandya II
Art and architecture