Dakshinapatha

A History of South India till 650 AD

The history of South India before the rise of Guptas and Vakatakas excepting the Satavahana interlude is sketchy at best and is as good as non-existent before that. This book is an attempt to address some of the gaps - the focus of the book is to give a structured history of Ancient South India - which we can mark as ending with the start of Chalukya-Pallava Wars which started in 617 AD and ended up in a deadlock by 657 AD. From the start of kingdom formation in the Deccan, the book gives a historic narrative of the main kingdoms in South India. The book follows the traditional Puranic scheme of 450 year Satavahana Rule with the realization that the Puranic regnal lists don't assume the kingdoms are independent for their complete duration. This will help bring some clarity to the timelines of Satavahanas, Ikshvakus, Chutu Nagas and Pallavas. Covering the major kingdoms of the era - Satavahanas, Mahakshatrapas, Ikshvakus, Chutu Nagas, Pallavas, Vakatakas, Kadambas, Vishnukundinas and others, the book tries to put a logical comma to end the narration around 650-700 AD.