KJIMarquis at 17:14, 11 March 2026

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{{Short description|King of Kashmir from 855 to 883}}{{Infobox royalty
| title =
| name = Avantivarman
| image = King Avantivarman and his Queen.png
| caption = King Avantivarman and his Queen
| succession = [[List of monarchs of Kashmir|King of Kashmir]]
| reign = 855 – 11 June 883<ref name="ASI">{{Cite web|url=http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_tktd_jk_avantipur.asp|title=Avantiswami Temple, Avantipur|work=[[Archeological Survey of India]]|accessdate=20 April 2016}}</ref>
| predecessor = Utpalapida
| successor = [[Sankaravarman]]
| house = [[Utpala dynasty|Utpala]]
| birth_date =
| father = Sukhavarman
| mother =
| issue = [[Sankaravarman]]
| spouse =
| module = {{Infobox person
| child=yes
| relatives = Utpala <br /><small>(paternal grandfather)</small>
}}
| death_date = 11 June 883<ref name="n439">{{cite web | title=The Hindu Sahis of Afghanistan and the Punjab | last = Mishra | first = Yogendra | url=https://ia800604.us.archive.org/14/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.99741/2015.99741.The-Hindu-Sahis-Of-Afghanistan-And-The-Punjab_text.pdf | access-date=23 October 2025 | page = 30}}</ref>
| death_place =
| burial_place =
| religion = [[Shaivism]]
| regnal name =
}}

'''Avantivarman''' (died 11 June 883) was the founder of the [[Utpala dynasty]] and [[List of monarchs of Kashmir|King of Kashmir]] from 855 to 883. He built the [[Avantiswami Temple]] in [[Awantipora]], [[Pulwama district|Pulwama]].

==Reign==
Avantivarman was the grandson of Utpala, one of the five brothers who had taken control of the [[Karkota dynasty|Karkota]] throne. Raised by Utpala's minister Sura, Anantivarman ascended the throne of [[Kashmir]] in 855, establishing the [[Utpala dynasty]] and ending the rule of the Karkotas. Avantivarman appointed Suyya, an engineer and architect as his prime minister.<ref name="Sen">{{cite book|title=Ancient Indian History and Civilization|first=Sailendra Nath|last=Sen|publisher=New Age International|year=1999|page=295|isbn=978-8122-411-98-0}}</ref> The country had been badly affected due to civil wars over the prior forty years. Avantivarman's reign restored the economy. Suyya carried out desilting of the [[Jhelum River]] and diverted its course.<ref name="Suyya">{{cite book|title=Kashur The Kashmiri Speaking People: Analytical Perspective|first=Mohini Qasba|last=Raina|publisher=Partridge Publishing Singapore|year=2013|isbn=978-1482-899-47-4|page=9}}</ref>

During his reign, in 880, the town of Suyyapur (modern-day [[Sopore]]) in [[Baramulla district]] of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]] was founded by Suyya.<ref name=":0" />

Notable poets, Ranakar and Ananvardhana, were part of his court. During this time, the price of paddy declined from 36 to 20 dinars. Suyya is said to have drained a large chunk of wasteland as prime minister. [[Sopore|Suyyapur]] or Sopore township in Baramulla district was named for him.

While Suyya was working in Sopore, no one came to bathe in the water. The king ordered that a part of his treasury be thrown into the water, leading a large number of people into the river to get as many coins as they could. Suyya continued and cleared the river of silt.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Marc Aurel Stein |url=http://archive.org/details/RajataranginiVol1 |title=Kalhana's Rajatarangini Vol 1 |date=1900}}</ref>

==Art and architecture==
Avantivarman was a patron of the arts. The most notable scholar of his time was Anandhavardana, the author of ''Dhvanyaloka''. He founded the cities of [[Awantipora|Avantipur]] and [[Sopore|Suyapur]].<ref name="Suyya" /> He built many [[Hindu temples]] dedicated to [[Vishnu]] and [[Shiva]] as well as [[Buddhist monastery|Buddhist monasteries]].<ref name="Culture">{{cite book|title=Cultural heritage of Jammu and Kashmir|page=88|first=K|last=Warikoo|publisher=Pentagon Press|year=2009|isbn=978-8182-743-76-2}}</ref> Notable among the temples were the temples of [[Awanti Swami temple|Avantiswara and Avantiswami]] dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu respectively in Avantipur.<ref name="Culture" />

==Death and succession==
Avantivarman died in 883 and his death was followed by another civil war among his descendants. The throne was finally captured by [[Sankaravarman]] in 885, who ruled until 902.<ref name="Sen"/>

== Coinage ==
{{gallery
|Avantivarmans_coin_1.png
|Avantivarman_coin_2.png
|title=Coinage of king Avantivarman}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Avantivarman}}
[[Category:Hindu monarchs]]
[[Category:Utpala dynasty]]
[[Category:Kings of Kashmir]]

Avantivarman of Kashmir - Revision history

KJIMarquis at 17:14, 11 March 2026