Bappa Rawal
Bappa Rawal | |
---|---|
Mori Rajputs clan | |
Dynasty | Guhila dynasty |
Religion | Hinduism |
Bappa Rawal (c. 8th century) was a
Literary accounts
According to the 15th century text Ekalinga Mahatmya (also called Ekalinga Purana), Bappa was the ninth descendant of the Guhila dynasty's founder Guhadatta. The text credits him with establishing the
The Ekalinga Mahatmya and other bardic chronicles state that Bappa's father Nagaditya and all other male members of his family were killed in a battle with the
According to legends the rishi also encouraged Bappa to build renowned Eklingji Temple at Nagda, which has been family deity of rulers of Mewar ever since.[4]
Indologist David Gordon White notes that there is a similar legend involving the sage Gorakhnath and the Gorkha king Prithvi Narayan Shah. The 11th century writer Al-Biruni has also recorded a similar legend involving the alchemist Vyadi and the king Vikramaditya.[5]
Historicity
Period
The exact period of Bappa Rawal is not certain. According to the Ekalinga Mahatmya, Bappa Rawal established the Mewar Kingdom in 728 CE,
Identification
The word "Bappa" means "father", and Rawal is a royal title. Therefore, scholars such as
Bappa Rawal is mentioned in some inscriptions that provide genealogical lists of the Guhila dynasty, but other inscriptions containing such lists do not mention him. For example, he is mentioned in the 959 CE Unawas inscription and the 971 CE Ekling inscription. However, the 977 CE Atpur inscription and the 1083 CE Kadmal inscription do not mention him. Therefore, the historians have assumed that "Bappa Rawal" is an epithet for one of the Guhila rulers, and different scholars have tried to identify him with different Guhila kings.[7]
According to the Atpur and Kadmal inscriptions, the Guhila ruler Mahendra was succeeded by Kalabhoja. Several historians, such as
The Atpur inscription names Śila as the successor of Nāga, and predecessor of Aparājita. The 1460 CE Kumbhalgarh inscription names Bappa as the successor of Nāga, and predecessor of Aparājita.
Some other historians, such as
Military career
According to some legends, Bappa Rawal captured famous Chitrakuta (
Shyam Manohar Mishra of
After successful campaigns against Arabs, several conflicts occur in India most famously between
Gold coins
Multiple gold coins, bearing the Nagari legend "Shri Voppa" or "Shri Vopparaja" have been attributed to Bappa Rawal. However, the identification of Voppa or Vopparaja with Bappa Rawal is disputed. These coins have been alternatively attributed to the king Vappuka of Surasena dynasty, who is mentioned in a 955 CE (1012 VS) inscription from Bayana.[15]
One gold coin bears the legend "Shri Voppa", and features Shavite icons: a
One gold coin features a haloed Rama holding bow and arrow, with a bull to his left, and an elephant to his right. The other side of the coin features an enthroned ruler with attendants on his sides, with the legend "Shri Voppa" below.[18]
Another gold coin features the legend "Shri Vopparaja", with the images of a bull, a trident, a linga, and an attendant. The other side features a cow with a suckling calf.[18]
Monuments
- Shri Bappa Rawal Temple is dedicated to Bappa Rawal is in Mathatha, Rajasthan located close to the Eklingji temple, 24 kilometres north of Udaipur.[citation needed]
In popular culture
The 1925 Indian silent Mewadpati Bappa Rawal portrayed Rawal's life on screen.[19]
References
- ^ Ram Vallabh Somani. "History of Mewar: From earliest times to 1751 A.D." Jaipur: C. L. Ranka. p. 40.
- ^ a b c d David Gordon White 2012, p. 120.
- ^ a b c Ram Vallabh Somani 1976, p. 41.
- ISBN 81-291-0890-9.
- ^ David Gordon White 2012, p. 311.
- ^ Ram Vallabh Somani 1976, p. 43.
- ^ a b c Ram Vallabh Somani 1976, p. 42.
- ^ Ram Vallabh Somani 1976, p. 40-42.
- ^ N. P. Chakravarti 1987, p. 119.
- ^ Ram Vallabh Somani 1976, p. 39.
- ^ a b c R. C. Majumdar 1977, p. 298-299.
- ^ a b c Ram Vallabh Somani 1976, p. 45.
- ^ Khalid Yahya Blankinship 1994, p. 188.
- ^ Shyam Manohar Mishra 1977, p. 48.
- ^ The Journal of the Numismatic Society of India. Vol. 22–23. Numismatic Society of India. 1960. p. 279.
But this attribution presents some difficulties because Mewar, in those days, had altogether a different currency and the Guhila rulers of Mewar never adopted the device of cow suckling a calf on the reverse of their coins. Still more, they never issued gold coins because Mewar was not a very big empire during that period. Therefore, it is not plausible to identify Voppa or Vopparaja of these gold coins with Bappa Rawal of Mewar or any other ruler of the neighbouring region.
- ^ David Gordon White 2012, pp. 120–121.
- ^ David Gordon White 2012, p. 121.
- ^ a b Arthur L. Friedberg & Ira S. Friedberg 2017, p. 481.
- ^ Mahendra Mittal (1975). Bhāratīya Calacitra. Alankar Prakashan. p. 208.
Bibliography
- Arthur L. Friedberg; Ira S. Friedberg (2017). Gold Coins of the World (9th ed.). Coin & Currency Institute. ISBN 978-0-87184-009-7.
- ISBN 978-0-226-14934-9.
- Khalid Yahya Blankinship (1994). The End of the Jihad State: The Reign of Hisham Ibn 'Abd al-Malik and the Collapse of the Umayyads. SUNY Press. p. 188. ISBN 978-0-7914-1827-7.
- N. P. Chakravarti (1987) [1958]. "Appendix: Rajaprasasti Inscription of Udaipur (Continued from Vol. XXIX, Part V)". In N. Lakshminarayan Rao; D. C. Sircar (eds.). Epigraphia Indica. Vol. XXX. Archaeological Survey of India.
- Ram Vallabh Somani (1976). History of Mewar, from Earliest Times to 1751 A.D. Mateshwari. OCLC 2929852.
- R. C. Majumdar (1977). Ancient India. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 9788120804364.
- Shyam Manohar Mishra (1977). Yaśovarman of Kanauj. Abhinav. OCLC 557679616.
- OCLC 586049160.