The Gurjara Pratihara dynasty was founded by Nagabhatta I in the region of Malwa in the 8th century AD. He belonged to a Rajput clan. Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty ruled much of Northern India from the mid-8th to the 11th century. The Pratiharas, derived their name from the Sanskrit meaning doorkeeper, are seen as a tribal group or a clan of the Gurjaras. The greatest ruler of the Pratihara dynasty was Mihir Bhoja (836–885 CE). He recovered Kannauj (Kanyakubja) by 836 A.D, and it remained the capital of the Pratiharas for almost a century. The Pallavas were a powerful ancient dynasty that ruled a huge part of Southern India, including present day Tamil Nadu, between the 6th and 9th centuries AD, with Kanchipuram as their capital. The Pallavas reached their zenith during the reign of Mahendravarman I (c. 600–630), a contemporary of Harsha and Pulakeshin II. Mahendravarman I He was a Pallava King who succeeded Simhavishnu and reigned for c. 600–630. He was a great patron of art and architecture and is known for introducing a new style to Dravidian architecture, which is sometimes referred to as “Mahendra style.” He built temples at Panamalai, Mandagapattu and Kanchipuram.