Introduction

The Kadambas (345–525 AD) were an ancient royal dynasty of Karnataka, India
They ruled northern Karnataka and the Konkan from Banavasi in present-day Uttara Kannada district.
At the peak of their power under King Kakushtavarma, they ruled large parts of modern Karnataka state.
The Kadambas were the first indigenous dynasty to use Kannada, the language of the soil, at an administrative level.
In the history of Karnataka, this era serves as a broad based historical starting point in the study of the development of region as an enduring geo-political entity and Kannada as an important regional language.
The dynasty was founded by Mayurasharma in 345 AD.
King Mayurasharma defeated the armies of the Pallavas of Kanchi possibly with help of some native tribes.
The Kadamba fame reached its peak during the rule of Kakusthavarma, a notable ruler with whom even the kings of Gupta Dynasty of northern India cultivated marital alliances.
Tiring of the endless battles and bloodshed, one of the later descendants, King Shivakoti adopted Jainism.
The Kadambas were contemporaries of the Western Ganga Dynasty and together they formed the earliest native kingdoms to rule the land with absolute autonomy.
The dynasty later continued to rule as a feudatory of larger Kannada empires, the Chalukya and the Rashtrakuta empires, for over five hundred years during which time they branched into minor dynasties known as the Kadambas of Goa, Kadambas of Halasi and Kadambas of Hangal.
During the pre-Kadamba era the ruling families that controlled the Karnataka region, the Mauryas, and the Satavahanas were not natives of the region and the nucleus of power resided outside present-day Karnataka.

Their legacy was so impressive that even the Vijayanagara rulers who fought the Deccan sultanates hired descendants of the Kadambas to manage their Goan military naval fleet

Capital

Banavasi

Languages

Sanskrit, Kannada

Government

Monarchy

Administration

The Kadamba kings called themselves Dharmamaharajas like the Satavahana kings
1> The prime minister - Pradhana
2> Steward - Manevergade
3> secretary of council - Tantrapala /Sabhakarya Sachiva
4> scholarly elders - Vidyavriddhas
5> physician - Deshamatya
6> chief secretary - Sarvakaryakarta
7> chief justice - Dharmadhyaksha
8> Bhojaka and Ayukta

The army consisted of officers like
Jagadala
Dandanayaka
Senapathi.

King Kakusthavarma had appointed his son Krishna as viceroy of Thriparvataha region
The kingdom divided into Mandalas (provinces) or Desha
Mandala had been Vishayas (districts).
1/6 of revenue was paid as taxes

Religion

The Kadambas followed Vedic Hinduism
The founder, Mayurasharma had been a Brahmin by birth but later his successors changed their surname to Varma to indicate their Kshatriya status
Their Talagunda inscription starts with an invocation of Lord Shiva while the Halmidi and Banavasi inscriptions start with an invocation of Lord Vishnu
They built the Madhukesvara temple, considered their family deity. Many records like the Kudalur, Sirsi records speak of grants made by them to scholarly Brahmins as well as to Buddhist viharas.
The Kadambas also patronized Jainism and built numerous Jain temples scattered around Banavasi, Belgaum, Mangalore and Goa
Adikavi Pampa highly spoke of that kingdom in his writings, as indicated by his famous quotes on Banavasi: Aaramkushamittodam nenevudenna manam banavasi deshamam (I shall cherish the sweet memories of Banavasi even when tortured), Maridumbiyagi mEN Kogileyagi puttuvudu nandanadol Banavasi deshadol (As a bee or as nightingale should one born here in this beautiful country of Banavasi)

Architecture

The Kadamba style has distinguishing characteristics, including a few things in common with the Chalukyan and the Pallava styles
They drew from the architectural tradition of the Satavahanas. Shikara, called Kadamba Shikara, constitutes the most prominent feature of their architecture
The Shikara has a pyramid shape and rises in steps, without any decoration, with a Stupika or Kalasha at the top
That style of Shikara had been used several centuries later in the Doddagaddavalli Hoysala temple and the Mahakuta temples in Hampi.
The Madhukeshwara (Lord Shiva) temple built by them still exists in Banavasi. Built in tenth century and renovated many times, the temple represents the pinnacle of their art. The stone cut with wonderful carvings attracts many who appreciate magnificent art to the temple.