Chapter Overview

The Kalachuris (कलचुरि), also called the Haihayas (हैहय), ruled Chhattisgarh from about 1000 CE until the Maratha conquest of 1741, longer than any other dynasty in the region. They began as a junior branch of the Kalachuris of Tripuri (near Jabalpur), set up their first capital at Tummana (Tuman), built Ratanpur (रतनपुर) into the capital of all Dakshin Kosala, and in the 14th century produced a second, junior line at Khalari and Raipur. Their 36 garhs are the popular explanation of the name Chhattisgarh. Their temples at Janjgir, Malhar and Shivrinarayan and their dated inscriptions are the backbone of the state’s medieval history.

What You’ll Learn

By the end of this chapter, you’ll be able to:

Trace the origin of the dynasty from Tripuri and list the key Ratanpur rulers in order, from Kalingaraja to Raghunath Singh
Explain how the Raipur (Lahuri) branch emerged and how the two branches divided the 36 garhs
Describe Kalachuri administration: officials named in inscriptions, and the garh–barhon–village system with its Diwan, Dau and Gaontia
Identify the main Kalachuri temples and inscriptions and convert Kalachuri-era dates to CE
Write a Mains answer on the dynasty’s political and cultural contribution to Chhattisgarh

Prerequisites

Regional Dynasties: Rajarshitulya, Nala, Sharabhpuriya, Pandu and Somvanshi: the Somvanshis are the power the Kalachuris replaced
Ancient Chhattisgarh: Dakshin Kosala and its early history
Early Medieval India: the Kalachuris of Tripuri and other regional powers of the period

Learning Path

Follow these topics in order:

graph TD
    A["1. Tripuri roots and Kalingaraja at Tummana"] --> B["2. Ratanpur rulers: Ratnadeva I to Ratnadeva II"]
    B --> C["3. Later Haihayas and the fall of Ratanpur, 1741"]
    C --> D["4. Raipur (Lahuri) branch: Khalari to Raipur"]
    D --> E["5. Officials, garhs and revenue"]
    E --> F["6. Temples, inscriptions and the Kalachuri era"]
    F --> G["Quick Revision"]

Topics in This Chapter

#	Topic	What it covers	Read time
1	Origin of the Kalachuris and the Ratanpur Branch	Tripuri roots, Kalingaraja, Ratnadeva I, Prithvideva I, Jajalladeva I, Ratnadeva II, later Haihayas, Maratha conquest	14 min
2	The Raipur Branch	Lahuri shakha, Lakshmideva and Singhana, Khalari and Raipur inscriptions, the Shivnath divide, Amar Singh	10 min
3	Administration and Revenue	King and officials, mandalas, garh–barhon–village, Diwan–Dau–Gaontia, land revenue, grants, coins	12 min
4	Art, Architecture and Inscriptions	Tuman, Ratanpur, Janjgir, Malhar, Shivrinarayan, Pali; Kalachuri era; key inscriptions; literature	12 min
—	Quick Revision	The whole chapter on one page	4 min

Where It Is Asked

Exam Focus

Prelims P-I (Chhattisgarh part): first capital (Tummana), founder of Ratanpur (Ratnadeva I), “lord of all Kosala” (Prithvideva I), Janjgir and Jajalladeva I, the last rulers of each branch, the Shivnath divide, garh officials, and temple-to-site matching. Expect Bhoramdeo and Sirpur as distractors in “Kalachuri temple” questions.
Mains P-III GS-I: the rise of the Kalachuris from feudatories to sovereigns, the garh system and its legacy, and the dynasty’s contribution to art and culture.
Interview: candidates from Bilaspur, Janjgir-Champa or Korba may be asked about Ratanpur, Malhar or Tuman as heritage sites in their own district.

Quick Reference

Fact	Detail
Also called	Haihayas / Haihayavanshis; a branch of the Kalachuris of Tripuri
Founder in Chhattisgarh	Kalingaraja, c. 1000 CE
First capital	Tummana (Tuman), Korba district
Founder of Ratanpur	Ratnadeva I
Sakala-Kosaladhipati	Prithvideva I; Amoda plates, 1079 CE
Founded Jajallapura (Janjgir)	Jajalladeva I; Ratanpur inscription, 1114 CE
Repulsed Anantavarman Chodaganga	Ratnadeva II
Raipur branch	Lahuri shakha; Khalvatika (Khalari) → Raipur; 14th century
36 garhs	18 north of the Shivnath (Ratanpur) + 18 south (Raipur), by tradition
Garh / barhon / village	Diwan / Dau / Gaontia
Kalachuri era	Begins 248–249 CE
End	Ratanpur: Raghunath Singh, taken by Bhaskar Pant in 1741; Raipur: Amar Singh, 1750s

Start Learning

Ready to begin? Start with the first topic:

→ Origin of the Kalachuris and the Ratanpur Branch