Nandivarman II

Nandivarman II (718–796) was a Pallava monarch who reigned in southern India. Sen states Nandivarman reigned from 731 to 796 and built the Vaikuntha-Perumal Temple. From the Kasakkudi plates, it is learnt that Nandivarman II was a descendent of Bhimavarman, the younger brother of Pallava king Simhavishnu. Inscriptions beneath the panels at the Vaikuntha-Perumal Temple temple at Kanchipuram reveal that Nandivarman II hails from the country of Kambujadeśa, where his father, Hiranyavarma Maharaja of the Katavesa-kula, belonging to a collateral branch of the Pallavas, was ruling with Bhimapura as the capital. Of the four sons of Hiranyavarman: Srimalla, Ranamalla, Samkramalla and Pallavamalla, the twelve year old Pallavamalla accepted the offer to ascend the throne at Kanchipuram, where he was crowned King of the Pallavas under the name Nandivarman. While some historians state that he was said to be a prince of the collateral branch of the family which had been ruling in Simhapura, Champa. Dantidurga helped Nandivarman recover Kanchi by warring against the Chalukyas.