The interdynastic rivalry and seasonal raids into…

The interdynastic rivalry and seasonal raids into each other's territory notwithstanding, the rulers in the Deccan and South India patronize all three religions—Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

The religions vie with each other for royal favor, expressed in land grants but more importantly in the creation of monumental temples, which remain architectural wonders.

The cave temples of Elephanta Island (near Bombay, or Mumbai in Marathi), Ajanta, and Ellora (in Maharashtra), and structural temples of Kanchipuram (in Tamil Nadu) are enduring legacies of otherwise warring regional rulers.

By the mid-seventh century, Buddhism and Jainism had begun to decline as sectarian Hindu devotional cults of Shiva and Vishnu vigorously compete for popular support.