>Woodlot at 19:35, 13 February 2021

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{{Other uses|Ananta (disambiguation){{!}}Ananta}}
{{short description|Ruler of Kashmir}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Ananta<br/>اننتا دیوا
| succession =
| image =
| caption =Coins of Ananta (1028 - 1068 AD)
| reign = 1028 - 1068 AD
| coronation =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| spouse = Suryamati
| issue = Kalasha
| full name = Anantadeva
| dynasty =
| house = [[Lohara dynasty]]
| royal anthem =
| father = Sangrama<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K4SzQL1uds4C&q=king+ananta+Srilekha&pg=PA251|title=Recording the Progress of Indian History: Symposia Papers of the Indian History Congress, 1992-2010|first=Saiyid Zaheer Husain|last=Jafri|date=February 10, 2012|publisher=Primus Books|via=Google Books|isbn=9789380607283}}</ref>
| mother = Srilekha<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=We-_DwAAQBAJ&q=king+ananta+Srilekha&pg=PA64|title=Economy of Early Kashmir|first1=Dr M. Yaqoob|last1=Allie|first2=Nisar Ahmad|last2=Dar|date=August 5, 2019|publisher=Book Bazooka|via=Google Books|isbn=9789386895639}}</ref>
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| death_date = 1068 AD
| death_place = [[Kashmir]]
| buried =
| signature =
| religion = [[Hindu]]
}}
'''Ananta''' or '''King Ananta''', also known as '''Anantadeva''', was a king of [[Kashmir]] who reigned for 40 years from 1028 to 1068 CE. He belonged to the [[Lohara dynasty]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Bb-QBQAAQBAJ&q=ananta&pg=PA279|title=Kashur The Kashmiri Speaking People|first=Mohini Qasba|last=Raina|date=November 13, 2014|publisher=Partridge Publishing Singapore|via=Google Books|isbn=9781482899450}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dS7rAAAAMAAJ&q=ananta+king+kashmir|title=Trans-Himalayan Wall Paintings: 10th to 13th Century A.D.|first=Ajay Kumar|last=Singh|date=February 10, 1985|publisher=Agam Kala Prakashan|via=Google Books}}</ref>

==Coronation==
At a young age, Ananta succeeded his close relative — who possibly ruled the region for less than a month — on the throne of [[Kashmir]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Hutchison|first=Rose|title=Gazetteer of the Chamba State|publisher=Indus Publishing|year=1996|isbn=978-81-7387-041-5|pages=79}}</ref> According to the Kashmiri historian [[Kalhana]], Ananta's mother, Srilekha, attempted to kill the reigning king to rise to power herself.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/29638/1/10752610.pdf\page=38}}</ref> However, the Ekanga nobles and royal bodyguards interceded to crown Ananta instead. Srilekha became the regent for the young king.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://kashmirlife.net/kashmirs-fairer-lords-issue-44-vol-07-94412/|title=Kashmir's Fairer Lords|date=January 19, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/54195/9/09_chapter%25203.pdf|title=Social political economic and legal position status and role of women in society of early medival[sic?] period in north India 700 A.D. to 1200 A.D.|publisher=INFLIBNET Centre|date=27 September 2012|access-date=29 October 2020}}</ref>

==Administration ==
King Ananta's administration was well organized when his reign began, but his top officials were corrupt and quickly caused instability in the kingdom. He devoted significant effort to restoring the effectiveness of the existing administration but was unsuccessful, and his failure resulted in the division of the kingdom into many ''mandalas'' (modern: divisions). His wife, a wise queen, reformed state finances. This consolidated his power, and as a result, the government was strengthened jointly by the king and his wife. [[Historians]] of the 11th century recorded his administration as "always-divided". It is also recorded that his wife removed all dishonest officials and recruited new ones.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Bb-QBQAAQBAJ&q=king+ananta+Srilekha&pg=PA279|title=Kashur The Kashmiri Speaking People|first=Mohini Qasba|last=Raina|date=November 13, 2014|publisher=Partridge Publishing Singapore|via=Google Books|isbn=9781482899450}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Bamzai|first=P. N. K.|title=Culture and Political History of Kashmir|date=February 10, 1994|publisher=M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd.|isbn=8185880328|location=New Delhi|pages=155}}</ref>

It has been said that the king was an affectionate person and was known for appointing previous enemies to offices in the Aksapatal (modern: tax collection department).<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eEJ-sXBmBIkC&q=ananta+king&pg=PA167|title=History Of The Chamar Dynasty : (From 6Th Century A.D. To 12Th Century A.D.)|first=Raj|last=Kumar|date=February 10, 2008|publisher=Gyan Publishing House|via=Google Books|isbn=9788178356358}}</ref>

==Battles and events==
Ananta is believed to have won many victories over other kings during his reign, but evidence collected by historians does not yet confirm this.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6ei1AAAAIAAJ&q=ananta+king+kashmir|title=Introduction to the history and culture of the Dogras|first1=A. H.|last1=Bingley|first2=W. B.|last2=Cunningham|first3=A. B.|last3=Longden|first4=Sukh Dev Singh|last4=Charak|date=February 10, 1979|publisher=Ajaya|via=Google Books}}</ref> Tribhuvana was the commander-in-chief of his army, whose forces were largely recruited from [[Damara (feudal landlord)|damaras]]. The chief revolted against Ananta and started a war against him. However, the army did not follow Tribhuvana and supported the king instead. Ultimately, Tribhuvana admitted defeat and surrendered himself to the king. Records also contain accounts of Kashmir's conflict with [[Chamba State|Chamba]] during the reign of Salavahana (Salakara).<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Sharma|first=Mahesh|title=Western Himalayan Temple Records: State, Pilgrimage, Ritual and Legality in Chambā|publisher=BRILL|year=2009|isbn=9789004176935|location=Leiden|pages=33}}</ref> After Ananta killed the latter, the kingdom became his dependency. The Kingdom of Chamba was among nine neighboring kingdoms that were subordinated by Kashmir as a result of Ananta's campaigns.<ref name=":0" />

== Economy ==
Ananta's wife, Suryamati, had two brothers, but they were believed to be greedy and mercenary. They came to Kashmir where they earned the trust and confidence of the king, but they were always in need of money to support their lifestyles; for instance, they loved chewing [[betel]] leaves, which had to be brought from foreign countries at an extravagant cost. They were given charge of the state treasury and managed it poorly. After an interval of some years, the treasury was empty; Suryamati had to rebuild the state's finances by taking charge herself. Eventually, the two princes died and stability returned as evidenced by Ananta's resumed interest in annexing neighbouring territories.<ref name="auto1"/>

==Personal life ==
Ananta was married to Suryamati (or Subhata), the daughter of Kangra, who was king of Trigarta in the Kullu region.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iuURFTHTU0EC&q=ananta&pg=PT37|title=Kashmir: Its Aborigines and Their Exodus|first=Colonel Tej K.|last=Tikoo|publisher=Lancer Publishers LLC|via=Google Books|isbn=9781935501589}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RDFuAAAAMAAJ&q=ananta+king+kashmir|title=Kashmir in Conflict: India, Pakistan and the Unending War|first=Victoria|last=Schofield|date=December 31, 1996|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic|via=Google Books}}</ref> She was a [[Shaivism|Shaiva]] devotee and was known as a patron of many temples.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Singh|first=Mian Goverdhan|title=Wooden Temples of Himachal Pradesh|publisher=Indus Publishing|year=1999|isbn=81-7387-094-2|location=New Delhi|pages=122}}</ref> Their child was [[Sikandar Shah Miri]]. When her husband committed suicide, she followed him to the grave.

==Death==
Amanta had a son named Kalasha (or Kalsa) whom Queen Suryamati attempted to place on the throne in 1063. The king proved unwilling to accept this and their relationship suffered as a result, leading to a feud that continued for nearly twenty years. One account states that Suryamati eventually persuaded her husband to abdicate in favour of their son.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bamzai|first=P. N. K.|title=Culture and Political History of Kashmir, Volume 1|publisher=M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd.|year=1994|isbn=81-85880-32-8|location=New Delhi|pages=154–155}}</ref> In 1063, when Amanta was deposed, his son treated him badly and suggested his father leave the palace and seek shelter in Parnotsa (now [[Poonch (town)|Poonch]]). This shattered the family, leading to Amanta thrusting a dagger through his abdomen and ending his life in 1068 AD.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BzhuAAAAMAAJ&q=ananta|title=Jammu and Kashmir State: Kashmir region|first=Dr Bashir|last=Ahmad|date=February 10, 2003|publisher=State Gazetteers Unit, Government of Jammu and Kashmir|via=Google Books}}</ref> His wife performed ''[[Sati (practice)|sati]]'', immolating herself on her husband's funeral pyre.<ref name=":1" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:1068 deaths]]
[[Category:Rulers of Kashmir]]
[[Category:Dynasties of India]]
[[Category:Suicides in India]]

Ananta king - Revision history

>Woodlot at 19:35, 13 February 2021