The Chalukya dynasty was an Indian royal dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related, but individual dynasties. The earliest dynasty, known as the "Badami Chalukyas", ruled from their capital Vatapi (modern Badami) from the middle of the 6th century. The Badami Chalukyas began to assert their independence at the decline of the Kadamba kingdom of Banavasi and rapidly rose to prominence during the reign of Pulakesi II. After the death of Pulakesi II, the Eastern Chalukyas became an independent kingdom in the eastern Deccan. They ruled from their capital Vengi until about the 11th century. In the western Deccan, the rise of the Rashtrakutas in the middle of 8th century eclipsed the Chalukyas of Badami before being revived by their descendants, the Western Chalukyas, in late 10th century. These Western Chalukyas ruled from Kalyani (modern Basavakalyan) till the end of the 12th century. The rule of the Chalukyas marks an important milestone in the history of South India and a golden age in the history of Karnataka.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalukya_dynasty

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1789:

French Revolution: The National Constituent Assembly was formed from the National Assembly, and began to function as a governing body and a drafter for a new constitution. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Constituent_Assembly

1868:

The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, including the Citizenship Clause, the Equal Protection Clause and the Privileges or Immunities Clause among others, was ratified by the minimum required twenty-eight U.S. states. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

1900:

Queen Victoria gave her Royal Assent to an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, ratifying the Constitution of Australia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Australia

1944:

World War II: The Allies began their invasion of Sicily, a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Sicily

1962:

In a seminal moment for pop art, Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans exhibition opened at the Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campbell%27s_Soup_Cans

1999:

Six days of student protests began after Iranian police attacked a University of Tehran dormitory following a peaceful student demonstration against the closure of the reformist newspaper Salam. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_student_protests%2C_July_1999

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

coagulate (v): To congeal; to convert from a liquid to a semisolid mass http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/coagulate

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

As a child I was taught that to tell the truth was often painful. As an adult I have learned that not to tell the truth is more painful, and that the fear of telling the truth — whatever the truth may be — that fear is the most painful sensation of a moral life. --June Jordan http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/June_Jordan