Explanation – Badami Chalukyas levied taxes called Herjunka, Kirukula, Bilkode, and Pannaya. Herjunka was a tax on loads levied by the Chalukya dynasty. The Chalukya dynasty ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. Pulakesi I established the Chalukya dynasty in 550. He took Vatapi (Badami in Bagalkot district, Karnataka) under his control and made it his capital. Historians refer to Pulakesi I and his descendants as the Chalukyas of Badami. It saw the evolution and proliferation of a new style of architecture known as Vesara, a combination of the South Indian and the North Indian building styles. Their coins had Nagari and Kannada legends. They minted coins with symbols of temples, lion or boar facing right, and the lotus. They initially followed Vedic Hinduism. Later, from the time of Vikramaditya I, the people took an inclination towards Shaivism, and sects like Pashupata, Kapalikas, and Kalamukhas emerged. They also patronised Jainism. Hiuen-Tsang mentioned the Chalukya army that had hundreds of elephants, which were intoxicated with liquor prior to the battle. Rashtrakuta inscriptions use the term Karnatabala to refer to their powerful armies.  The empire was divided into Maharashtrakas (provinces), then into smaller Rashtrakas (Mandala), Vishaya (district), Bhoga (group of ten villages). Groups of mahajanas (learned brahmins) looked after agraharas. Agraharas were the place of higher learning.

Source: Forum IAS