The Rashtrakuta empire of Manyakheta was a notable Deccan empire that ruled most of modern-day south and central India from the eighth to the tenth centuries. Their regal capital was Manyakheta in the Kalaburagi district of Karnataka state, India. The Rashtrakuta society reflected the times' emerging religious, political, and cultural developments in many ways. In this article, we will discuss the Society and Culture of Rashtrakutas which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

Rashtrakuta Dynasty - Features

• The Rashtrakutas were originally known as the feudatories of Vatapi's Western Chalukyas. They ruled from Karnataka's Manyakheta.
• The Rashtrakuta Dynasty (r. 753-982 CE) was a royal Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the sixth and tenth centuries.
• Dantidurga established the Rashtrakuta dynasty after defeating the Chalukyas of Badami. Krishna I succeeded Dantidurga. In Ellora, he built the Kailasa temple.
• Rashtrakuta rulers were known for their religious tolerance.
• During the Rashtrakuta reign, Shiva and Vishnu worship was popular. Krishna I constructed the famous rock-cut Shiva temple at Ellora.
• Later rulers, such as Amoghavarsha, supported Jainism. He was also a devout follower of Kolhapur Mahalaxmi. Buddhism had declined, and Kanheri was its only significant centre.
• The Rashtrakuta rulers were generous patrons of education. During their reign, Kannada and Sanskrit literature advanced significantly.
• Rashtrakuta kings patronised the three gems of ancient Kannada literature – Pampa, Ranna, and Ponna.

Society of Rashtrakuta Dynasty

• The Rashtrakuta Empire's subjects looked up to their emperor or king as the ultimate authority who was expected to look after them and uphold current social justice, order, and peace.
• For day-to-day matters, however, there were guilds or co-operatives that would settle any disputes according to custom, and if the case could not be resolved, it was brought to the attention of a higher authority.
• These guilds generally followed the prevailing rules and regulations of a specific group or caste, deviating only in exceptional circumstances.
• Based on profession, the society was divided into various castes. The dominant castes had their own set of rules, regulations, and customs that they strictly adhered to. They also adhered to ancient orthodoxy.
• However, because the Rashtrakuta rulers were tolerant of all religions, society was generally accepting of people of different faiths.

Religion and Language

Religion

• The Rashtrakuta kings were avid supporters of literature and religion. Brahminism, Jainism, and Buddhism were the three major religions that flourished during this time period.
• The first verse of the Rashtrakuta copper plates honours both Siva and Vishnu. The Rashtrakuta seals either contained the Eagle or the Garuda.
• Later, the king became more inclined toward Jainism. Jainism appears to have been very popular.
• The Rashtrakuta rulers were known for their tolerance. The adherents of various religions were completely in agreement. The Rashtrakuta rulers built magnificent temples and bestowed endowments.

Language

• Kannada is one of the most important languages in modern India, and it was the Rashtrakutas who popularised it and made it a tool of daily communication.
• Despite the fact that the language had already been in use for a long time. They also supported Sanskrit, which was a language of the elite.
• Amoghavarsha I was instrumental in the creation of seminal works in both languages, and his Kavirajamarga was a watershed moment in Kannada poetry.
• His work in Sanskrit was widely praised and read in other Asian countries. Adikavi Pampa and Sri Ponna flourished in Kannada and are now regarded as iconic contributors to the language.

Development of Literature

• The Rashtrakuta's contribution to literature is both extensive and multifaceted. Kannada literature began during this time period. The earliest Kannada literature can be found only in the Rashtrakuta period.
• As mentioned in Kavirajamarga, notable Kannada prose writers included Amoghavarsa, Vimaladoya, Nagarjuna, Jayabandhu, Durvinita, and others. Among the poets most admired are Kavisara, Pandita, Chandra, and Lokapala.
• During this time, Asasa, the author of Vardhamanacharita, Guanvarma, the author of Neminathpurana, and Gunanandi lived.
• The Harivansa was written by Harisena, Amoghavarsa's spiritual preceptor. Krishna III was a philanthropic patron of literature. Many great Kannada poets flourished in his court, including Pampa-Ponna and Chavudraya.
• Chavudraya wrote Chavudrayapurana, while Pampa wrote Adipurana.
• However, the poet laureate at the time was Ponna, who wrote Santipurana and was awarded the title Ubhaya Kavichakravartin for it.
• Sanskrit literature flourished to a large extent as well. Sakatayana was a renowned Saskrit scholar and the author of Savdanusasana.
• The Rashtrakutas were avid readers of Sanskrit literature. The Rashtrakuta court was full of scholars. During Krishna III's reign, Halayudha composed the Kavirahasya and Trivikrama wrote Nalachampu.
• Under the patronage of the Rashtrakutas, Jain literature flourished. Many Jain scholars were patronized by Amoghavarsha I, who was a Jain.
• His teacher Jinasena wrote Parsvabhudaya, a verse biography of Parsva. Gunabhadra, another scholar, wrote the Adipurana, which tells the stories of various Jain saints. Amogavritti is a grammar work written by Sakatayana.

Socio-Economic Condition

Social Condition

• The Dharmasastras and the accounts of Arab writers help us to form a picture of the society and economic conditions at the time. There were several social groups.
• The Brahmans were the most powerful of the four castes. In practise, the Kshatriyas' privileges were equal to those of the Brahmanas. The Vaishyas' status had deteriorated significantly.
• The Sudras' position improved dramatically during this time period.
• The Bhakti movements led by Nayanrs and Alvars, which preached equality of man with man, helped to bridge the gap between the upper and lower castes. The untouchables had become ostracized from mainstream society.
• The joint family system was the norm. Widows and daughters were recognised as property heirs.
• The Sati system was not widely used in the Deccan. Child marriage had become widespread in society.

Economic Condition

• Agriculture continued to receive the government's attention in the economic sphere as before. However, much progress was made in mining and industry during this time period.
• The textile industry, which was the primary industry at the time, made significant progress. Cloth was produced in sufficient quantities to meet domestic demand while also leaving a large surplus for export.
• Muslins, hides, mats, indigo, incense, sandalwood and teakwood, and ivory were the most important exports.
• Gold, wine, copper, tin, lead, topaz, and other precious metals were among the items imported. Commercial transactions were conducted either through barter or through the exchange of gold and silver.
• However, the barter system was hazy. Guilds were formed to organise trades and industries. They used to regulate trade and industry as well as conduct banking transactions.
• Arab merchants, who have now become intermediaries in Indian overseas trade, must have handled foreign trade.

Conclusion

Contemporaneous literature and inscriptions show that Kannada was not only popular in modern Karnataka, but had spread further north into present-day southern Maharashtra and the northern Deccan by the 8th century. Kavirajamarga, a poetic work, refers to the entire region between the Kaveri and Godavari rivers as "Kannada country." The Rashtrakutas built a vast empire and established a glorious rule. Rashtrakuta's contribution to religion, art, and architecture is noteworthy.