INDIAN HISTORY THROUGH MAP- PART-V

(1) Valabhi / Valabhipura

• Vallabhi (modern Vala) is an ancient city located in Saurashtra peninsula near Bhavnagar. It was the capital of the ancient Maitraka dynasty.The Maitrakas came under the rule of Harsha in the mid-seventh century, but retained local autonomy, and regained their independence after Harsha's death. 
• Vallabhi was a noted center of the Jains. It was here in 466 AD that the Vallabhi council of the Jains produced in writing the religious canon (Jain Agams) under the leadership of the all Jain Acharya Shraman Devardhigani along with other 500 Jain Acharyas. The idols of each of them is present in the basement of the Jain temple here.
• However when the Chinese traveller Xuanzang visited Vallabhi during the second quarter of 7th century, he found its ruler to be a Buddhist follower. When Itsing, another Chinese traveller visited Vallabhi in the last quarter of 7th century, he found the city as a great center of learning Jainism including Buddhism.
• Gunamati and Sthiramati are stated to be two famous Buddhist scholars of Vallabhi at the middle of seventh century.
• Vallabhi was noted for its catholicity and the students from all over the country, including the Brahmana boys, visited it to have higher education in secular and religious subjects. 
• Gajni or Gayni is one of the ancient names of port of Vallabhi (Cambay).

(2) Vaishali (See Basukunda in Part-B)

(3) Vasudevanallur

• In sounth India, the earliest iron objects appear in the overlap between neolithic and megalithic phases.Megaliths are widely distributed in South India. In Tamil Nadu, the sites include Vasudevanallur,Achchnallur,Amritmangalam,Kunnattur,Sanur,Tenkasi,Korkoi,Kayal,Kalugumalai,Perumalmalai,Pudukkotai, Tirukkampuliyar and Odugattur.
• Vasudevanallur Fort played role during Anglo-French-Mysire struggle.

(4) Vellore

• The recorded history of Vellore dates back to the ninth century, as seen from a Chola inscriptions in the Annamalaiyar Temple in Tiruvannamalai.Further inscriptions made before ninth century indicate the rule of Pallava kings, whose capital was Kanchipuram.
• After the rule of Cholas, it came under the Rashtrakutas, the later Cholas and Vijayanagar kings. 



Jalagandeeswarar Temple

• The Vellore Fort was built during the time of Chinna Bomma Nayak, a subordinate of Vijayanagar kings during the third quarter of the 16th century.The Fort's ownership passed from Vijayanagara Kings, to the Bijapur Sultans, to Marathas, to the Carnatic Nawabs and finally to the British.The fort was constructed in granite. The fort houses a Temple, a Mosque and a Church, the renowned Vellore Christian Hospital, and many other buildings that are now used as public offices. The Jalagandeeswarar Temple, dedicated to Jalagandeeswar,Shiva.
• During the 17th century, Vellore came under the dominion of the Nawab of the Carnatic.

(5) Vatapi (Same as Badami in Part B)
(6) Vengi

• After the Mauryan Empire collapsed in 185 BC, the region was dominated by the Satavahanas, who were succeeded in Vengi by the Andhra Ikshvakus. Around 300, the Andhra Ikshvakus were replaced by the Salankayanas, who were vassals of the Pallavas. In the late 5th century, the Salankayanas were annexed by the Vishnukundinas.
• King Pulakesin II of the Chalukya conquered Vengi from the Vishnukundinas in the early 7th century and installed his brother Kubja Vishnuvardhana as the viceroy. He eventually established the Eastern Chalukya dynasty. The Eastern Chalukyas were first conquered by the Cholas under Raja Raja Chola I (985-1014). During the reign of the Kulothunga Chola I the Vengi kingdom got absorbed into the Chola empire.It later became part of Vijayanagar Empire.
• Eastern Chalukyas patronised Telugu. Since the time of the Eastern Chalukya Gunaga Vijayaditya, inscriptions show Telugu prose and poetry, culminating in the production of literary works. Later on, in the 11th century under the patronage of the then Vengi king, Rajaraja Narendra, the great epic, Mahabharata was translated partly by his court poet, Nannaya.

(7) Vengurla

• Vengurla, being a safe and natural port, commercial centre was initially established during 1665 by Dutch traders and subsequently by British rulers.

(8) Vidisha

• Vidisha is exceptionally rich in ancient monuments and historic places. A short distance to the north of the present town are the remains of the ancient town, known as Besnagar. Not far from Besnagar are the Udayagiri Caves with sculptures and inscriptions dating to the time of the Gupta Empire.
• Heliodorus pillar(Khamba Baba) is a monolithic free-standing column, the pillar bears an inscription which states that it was Garuda Pillar, raised in 140 BC in honour of Vasudeva by Heliodorous, a resident of Taxila, who had been sent to the court of Bhagabhadra as an envoy of Indo-Greek monarch. This inscription is a valuable historical record, revealing both the relations that existed between the region and the Greek kingdoms of the Punjab, and the fact that the Greek ambassador had become a follower of Hindu god Vishnu. 
  
• Bijamaṇḍal: Near the eastern edge of the old town are the remains of a large temple of the late Paramara period known as the Bijamaṇḍal. The building was started in the second half of the 11th century.On top of the plinth is a small mosque(of late 14th century) made using pillars; one pillar has an inscription of king Naravarman (1094-1134). It is a devotional inscription recording his reverence to Camuṇḍa.
• Lohangi Pir: One of the most striking features of Vidisa is the prominent rock known as Lohangi Pir. With sheer cliffs on all sides, it towers over the town. The rock takes it name from a saint locally known as Lohaṅgī Pīr.
• Sanchi:Just south of Vidisha is the ancient Buddhist complex of Sanchi. It flourished from the Maurya period until the end of Rajput rule. It was sometimes termed Vedisagiri, because of its closeness to Vidisha.

(9) Vijayanagara (See Hampi in Part-H)

(10) Vikramashila (See Antichak in Part-A)

(11) Vilaspur (same as Bilaspur)

(12) Vilinam / Vizhinjam

• Vizhinjam is a locality of Thiruvananthapuram city in Kerala.850 AD – 1400 AD, the region was the scene of many battles between the Kulasekhara dynasty and the Later Cholas, and Vizhinjam, the then capital, was sacked by the Cholas.Vizhinjam had maritime trade with the Red Sea Coast during the early Christian Era (Roman period)
• Rajarajan began his career by the conquest of the Chera country. He defeated Chera King Bhaskara Ravivarman, whose fleet he destroyed in the port of Kandalur. He also seized Pandya Amara Bhujanga and captured the port of Vilinam.