The Rastrakutas were a dynasty which ruled the southern and the central parts or the deccan India during the 8th - 10th century.The emergence of the Rashtrakutas heralded a new era in the history of South India. The idiomof a Pan-Indian empire had moved to south. South Indian kingdoms had hitherto ruled areasonly south of the Narmada. It was the Rashtrakutas who first forged north to the Gangetic plains and successfully contested their might aginst the Palas of Bengal and the Prathiharas of Gujarat. Their period brought about great contributions from Jaina mathematicians and scholars, particulary in Kannada language. Architecture reached a pinnacle in dravidianstyle, finest examples of which are seen in Ellora and Elephanta in Maharashtra. They also built

Origin

The Rashtrakutas were feudatories to the Chalukyas and came into prominence under Dantidurga around 753 CE.Their oldest inscription is found in Satara district of Maharashtra beloning to 6th century.In it Rashtrakuta king Avidheya has donated a village to learned brahmins. The inscription is in sanskrit written in Bhrami script. This has confirmed their origin at above placeCholas

• Kalabhras

• Pallava

• Chalukya
• Rashtrakuta