kingdom · South Asia
Western Ganga dynasty
Origins
The Western Gangas established themselves in the 4th century in Gangavadi, the southern Karnataka plateau, as the Pallava dynasty's power waned. Their early capital was Kolar, later moved to Talakad on the Kaveri. Tradition says the Jain teacher Simhanandi helped found the dynasty.
Rule and society
Durvinita, an early king, was a scholar who translated works into Sanskrit. The Gangas often served as allies or feudatories of larger neighbours, the Chalukyas of Badami and the Rashtrakuta dynasty, and Butuga II fought for the Rashtrakutas against the Cholas. Their land grants supported Jain monasteries and Hindu temples. Around 983 Chavundaraya, minister of Rachamalla IV, commissioned the 17-metre statue of Bahubali at Shravanabelagola, and Kannada literature flourished.
Decline and legacy
After the fall of the Rashtrakutas the Gangas lost their protector. Rajaraja I of the Chola Empire captured Talakad around 1000, ending Ganga rule; Gangavadi later passed to the Hoysala Empire.
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (4)
- Western Ganga dynasty was a vassal of Chalukyas of Badami600 CE – 753 CE
- Nolamba dynasty was a vassal of Western Ganga dynasty750 CE – 950 CE
- Western Ganga dynasty was a vassal of Rashtrakuta dynasty770 CE – 973 CE
- Western Ganga dynasty was conquered by Chola Empire1000 CE – 1004 CE
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Western Ganga dynasty. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/western-ganga-dynasty
- MLA
- “Western Ganga dynasty.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/western-ganga-dynasty. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Western Ganga dynasty.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/western-ganga-dynasty.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Western Ganga dynasty’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/western-ganga-dynasty (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻