kingdom · South Asia

Kalachuris of Mahishmati

550 CE – 620 CE (approx.) · capital Mahishmati

A short-lived but wide-ruling dynasty of western India whose silver coins circulated across the Deccan and whose era lasted for centuries.

Origins

The Early Kalachuris rose in the mid-6th century in Malwa and the northern Deccan as the Gupta Empire and the Vakataka dynasty faded. Their kingdom centred on Mahishmati on the Narmada and stretched over Gujarat, Malwa, the Konkan and northern Maharashtra. They used the era of 248 later called the Kalachuri-Chedi era.

Rule and society

Three kings are known: Krishnaraja, whose silver coins circulated widely, his son Shankaragana and grandson Buddharaja. They were devotees of Shiva in the Pashupata tradition. Some historians attribute the great Shiva cave at Elephanta and early caves at Ellora to their patronage, though this is debated.

Decline and legacy

Around 600 to 610 Buddharaja was defeated by Mangalesha of the Chalukyas of Badami, and Pulakeshin II completed the conquest of the Kalachuri lands. Later dynasties, notably the Kalachuris of Tripuri, claimed descent from them.

Connections (1)

More states of South Asia →

Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Kalachuris of Mahishmati. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kalachuris-of-mahishmati
MLA
“Kalachuris of Mahishmati.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kalachuris-of-mahishmati. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Kalachuris of Mahishmati.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kalachuris-of-mahishmati.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Kalachuris of Mahishmati’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kalachuris-of-mahishmati (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻