Kachchhapaghata dynasty
Kachchhapaghatas | |||||||||||||
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c. 950 –c.1196 CE[1] | |||||||||||||
The Sasbahu Temple, Gwalior, built in 1096 CE by Kachchhapaghata dynasty ruler Mahipala (r. c. 1090–1105).
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Capital | |||||||||||||
Common languages | Sanskrit | ||||||||||||
Religion | Hinduism | ||||||||||||
Government | Monarchy | ||||||||||||
Historical era | Medieval India | ||||||||||||
• Established | c. 950 | ||||||||||||
• Disestablished | c.1196 CE[1] | ||||||||||||
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Today part of | India |
The Kachchhapaghatas (
History
The Sanskrit word Kachchhapa-ghata (कच्छपघात) literally means "tortoise killer".
A
The dynasty was divided into three branches, which ruled from
Downfall
According to bardic tradition, the last ruler of the dynasty was Tejaskarana (alias Dulha Rai or Dhola Rai), the hero of the romantic tale Dhola Maru. This account states that he left Gwalior in 1128 to marry the daughter of a neighbouring ruler, after leaving Paramal-dev (or Paramardi-dev) in-charge of the Gwalior fort. When he returned to Gwalior, Paramal refused to hand over the fort to him, and founded the Parihara dynasty which ruled Gwalior for 103 years. The Parihara ruler over Gwalior is also attested the 1150 inscription of Ramdeo and 1194 inscription of Lohanga-Deva.[1] However, other inscriptions suggest that the Kachchhapaghatas ruled the area at least until 1155 CE.[13] In addition, 1192 and 1194 inscriptions found at Gwalior show that the Kachchhapaghata ruler Ajayapala controlled Gwalior in the later years as well.[1] Thus, the bardic account is not completely reliable, and the Parihara chiefs probably ruled Gwalior as feudatories of the Kachchhapaghatas.[1]
Sulakshanapala, the last ruler of the dynasty, appears to have lost his kingdom to a
The Kachchhapaghatas are the ancestors of Kachhwaha of Amber.[15] Although the Kachwaha inscriptions claim a different origin for their dynasty i.e. from Kachhapa family which is likely the shortened form of Kachhapaghata itself.[16] Strong traditions of bardic accounts such as Dhola Maru suggest that the Kachwaha dynasty of Amber originated from the Tejaskarana, the last ruler of the Narwar branch of the Kachchhapaghata dynasty.[17]
Rulers
The following is a list of known Kachchhapaghata rulers, with estimate of their reigns:[18]
Simhapaniya (Sihoniya) and Gopadri (Gwalior) branch
- Lakshmana (r. c. 950–975)
- Vajradaman (r. c. 975–1000)
- Mangalaraja (r. c. 1000–1015)
- Kirtiraja (r. c. 1015–1035)
- Muladeva (r. c. 1035–1055)
- Devapala (r. c. 1055–1085)
- Padmapala (r. c. 1085–1090)
- Mahipala (r. c. 1090–1105)
- Ratnapala (r. c. 1105–1130)
- Ajayapala (r. c. 1192–1194)
- Sulakshanapala (r. c. 1196)
Dubkund (Dobha) branch
- Yuvaraja (r. c. 1000)
- Arjuna (r. c. 1015–1035)
- Abhimanyu (r. c. 1035–1045)
- Vijayapala (r. c. 1045–1070)
- Vikramasimha (r. c. 1070–1100)
Nalapura (Narwar) branch
- Gaganasimha (r. c. 1075–1090)
- Sharadasimha (r. c. 1090–1105)
- Virasimha (r. c. 1105–1125)
- Tejaskarana
Art and architecture
The dynasty patronized Shaivism and Vaishnavism, but were tolerant towards Buddhism and Jainism. Several temples were constructed during their reign in Kadwaha.[5][20]
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Matha (monastery), Kadwaha
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One of the lion figures from theArchaeological Museum, Gwalior
The Kachchhapaghatas of Gwalior are especially noted for their art and architecture.
Other temples constructed by the Gwalior branch include the ones located at:
- Kadwaha (Kadmbaguhā) in Ashok Nagar district
- Surawaya
- Mahua
- Terahi (Terambhi) in Shivpuri district
- Sihoniya (Simhapāniyā)
- Padhaoli
- Mitaoli in Morena district
- Kherata in Bhind district
References
- ^ a b c d Mysore Ramsharma 1970, p. 134.
- ISBN 0226742210.
- ISBN 978-0-14-196655-7.
- ^ Om Prakash Misra 2003, p. 15.
- ^ a b "Exploration Of Kadwaha, District Ashoknagar, Madhya Pradesh (2009–2010)". Bhopal: Archaeological Survey of India (Temple Survey Project). Archived from the original on 28 August 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
- ^ a b c Rahman Ali (2012). "Art of the Kachchhapaghātas in Central India: An assessment". Journal of History & Social Sciences. 3 (2).
- ISBN 978-90-04-09249-5.
- ^ Henry Miers Elliot (1869). Memoirs on the History, Folk-Lore, and Distribution of the Races of the North Western Provinces of India. Trübner & co. p. 158.
- ^ a b c Ahmed Ali 2005, p. 2.
- ^ Sailendra Nath Sen 1999, p. 311.
- ^ a b Kalyan Kumar Chakravarty 1984, p. 91.
- ^ P. C. Roy 1980, pp. 71–72.
- ^ a b Mysore Ramsharma 1970, p. 133.
- ISBN 978-81-7156-928-1.
- ISBN 978-90-04-09249-5.
- ^ V. S. Bhatnagar 1974, p. 4.
- ^ Kalyan Kumar Ganguli 1983, p. 196.
- ^ Michael D. Willis 1996, p. 14.
- ISBN 978-0226027838. Archivedfrom the original on 2 October 2016.
- .
- ^ P. C. Roy 1980, pp. 70–71.
Bibliography
- Ahmed Ali (2005). Kachchhapaghāta Art and Architecture. Jaipur: Publication Scheme. ISBN 9788181820143.
- Kalyan Kumar Chakravarty (1984). Gwalior Fort: art, culture, and history. Arnold-Heinemann. OCLC 223392675.
- Kalyan Kumar Ganguli (1983). Cultural History Of Rajasthan. Sundeep Prakashan. OCLC 461886025.
- Michael D. Willis (1996). "Architecture in Central India under the Kacchapaghata Rulers". South Asian Studies. 12 (1): 13–32. .
- Mysore Ramsharma (1970). "No. 23 - Two inscriptions of Ajayapaladeva". In S. S. Gai (ed.). Epigraphia Indica. Vol. XXXVIII Part I. Archaeological Survey of India.
- Om Prakash Misra (2003). Archaeological Excavations in Central India: Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Mittal Publications. ISBN 978-81-7099-874-7.
- P. C. Roy (1980). The Coinage of Northern India. Abhinav. ISBN 9788170171225.
- Sailendra Nath Sen (1999). Ancient Indian History and Civilization. New Age International. ISBN 9788122411980.
- V. S. Bhatnagar (1974). Life and Times of Sawai Jai Singh, 1688-1743. Impex India.
Further reading
- Harhiar Vitthal Trivedi (1991). Inscriptions of the Paramāras, Chandēllas, Kachchapaghātas, and two minor dynasties. Archaeological Survey of India.