In the history of India, the role of the Rashtrakutas is a memorable and venerable one. They were playing a significant role in the Deccan for more than two hundred years. Dandivarman was the earliest of the Rashtrakutas.

The Rashtrakutas offered a wonderful rule due to their brilliance. The rule of Amoghavarsha was an unique one. The court of the Rashtrakutas itself was a remarkable one. It was equal to the rule of the Caliph Harun Al Rashid of Baghdad. The foreign Ambassadors, the vassals, civil and military officials, doctors, astrologers, educationists and artisans flocked the royal court. The kingship was a hereditary one and the law of primogeniture was in vogue. It was a period known for many military operations. The Princes assisted the rulers in the art of administration and wars. They even served as governors of states. The administration was a well knitted one. There were ministers to assist the rulers in various walks of life. The commander-in-chief and purohit were also playing their role.

The vassal states functioned independently. But its chief was forced to meet the superior authority at regular intervals. They were showing their alleginance to the higher supreme command. At times of war the vassals were assisted by the monarchs by army and weapons. They accompanied the superior power to the battle field. It was mostly feudal in character.

The directly administered areas were Rashtras, Vishaya and Bhuktis. The villages were at the bottom as the basis unit. The Rashtrapathi as head of the state was holding the responsibility of civil and military administration. He was to maintain law and order within the state. The villages were under the control of the village headman. The post of the village headman was a hereditary one. He was the revenue authority of that area. He collected the revenue and sent them to the royal treasury. The land revenue was collected from the gross produce, called bhogakara.

The Rashtrakutas maintained a well developed and disciplined army. Infantry and cavalry were the two wings. Almost all the ministers had to serve in the military capacity.

Economic Condition

The economic condition centred around the revenue offered by vassals and feudatories, from the land revenue which was fixed as Ľ of the total produce. The Brahmins tilled the soil and had no tax exemption. The temples also were not exempted from taxes. But minimum charges alone were collected from them. At times of natural calamities such as droughts and famines tax remissions were granted. The income from mines, forests, water tanks etc., were other sources of income of the state.

The currency and coinage system of the rashtrakutas was a well developed one. They issued silver and gold coins. There were fine varieties of coins.

Art and Architecture

The contributions of the Rashtrakutas to art and architecture stand testimony to the cultural progress of the peninsular India during that contemporary period. Krishna I was responsible for carrying the Kailasa temple at Ellora. The Lokeswara temple at Pattadakkal was the work of Krishna I. They exhibit the glory of the Rashtrakutas. The Kailasa temple at Ellora is a stupendous single work of architecture and sculpture. It is known for its spiritual attainment. The largest, simplest and finest specimen of architecture could be seen in the Hiranya Kasipu relief. The mocking smile of man lion is a terrible depiction. The unique shrine at Elephants is also attributed to the Rashtrakuta period. They were responsible for making the Hindu art to reach a high water mark. The art reached high perfection under the Rashtrakutas.

Literature

The Rashtrakuta rulers were eminent writers and patrons of men of letters. The period of Amoghavarsha was known for its high water mark in the field of literature. He was an eminent writer and wrote the work called Kaviraja Marga. Jinasena’s Adhipurana, Mahaviracharya’s Ganitha Sarasamagraha, Saktayana’s Amoghavriddhi are the renowned works of that age.

Religion

Most of the earlier rulers were either Saivites or Vaishnavites. But Amoghavarsha and Indra III were followers of Jainism. Anyhow they were all religious, tolerants. Their Contributions to temple architecture will attest their religious attitudes. They even showed cordial relationship with Muslims.