Ajay Kumar at 17:34, 28 August 2023

2023-08-28T17:34:23Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2016}}
{{Infobox country
|native_name =Gurjara of Lata
|conventional_long_name =
|common_name =Bharuch dynasty
|government_type = Monarchy
|year_start = c. 580 CE
|year_end =c. 738 CE
|p1 = Kalachuri dynasty
|s1=Rashtrakuta Empire
|capital = Nándípurí ([[Nandod]])<br />Bhrigukacchapa ([[Bharuch]])
|leader1 =
|common_languages = [[Prakrit]]
|religion = [[Saura (Hinduism)|Sun-worshipers]], [[Shaivism]]
| today = [[India]]
}}
{{History of Gujarat}}
The '''[[Gurjaras]] of Lata''', also known as '''Gurjaras of Nandipuri''' or '''[[Bharuch]] [[Gurjaras]]''', was a dynasty which ruled [[Lata (region)|Lata region]] (now [[South Gujarat]], India) as a feudatory of different dynasties from c. 580 CE to c. 738 CE.

==Sources of Information==
All the available information regarding the Bharuch Gurjaras comes from [[Indian copper plate inscriptions|copperplates]],<ref>The Indian Antiquary V. 109ff; The Indian Antiquary VII. 61ff.; Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (N. S.), I. 274ff.; The Indian Antiquary XIII. 81–91; Journal of Bombay Branch Royal Asiatic Society X. 19ff.; The Indian Antiquary XIII. 115–119. The Indian Antiquary XVII. and Epigraphica Indica II. 19ff.</ref> all obtained from South Gujarat. Like the grants of the contemporary [[Chalukya]]s all the genuine copperplates are dated in the Traikúṭaka era which begins in 249–50 CE. The Gurjara capital seems to have been Nāndīpurī or Nāndor, the modern [[Nandod]] near [[Bharuch]]. Two of their grants issue Nāndīpurītaḥ that is 'from Nāndīpurī’, a phrase which seems to show the place named was the capital since in other Gurjara grants the word ''vāsaka'' or camp occurs.<ref name="GBP">{{cite book|editor=James Macnabb Campbell|editor-link=James Macnabb Campbell|title=History of Gujarát|url=http://www.gutenberg.org/files/54652/54652-h/54652-h.htm|series=Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency|volume=I. Part I.|year=1896|publisher=The Government Central Press|pages=114–120|chapter=I.THE GURJJARAS (A. D. 580–808.)}}{{PD-notice}}</ref>

==Rule==
These copperplates limit the regular [[Gurjaras]] territory to the Bharuch district between the [[Mahi River|Mahi]] and the [[Narmada River|Narmada]] rivers, though at times their power extended north to [[Kheda district|Kheḍā]] and south to the [[Tapi River, India|Tāpti river]].<ref name="GBP"/>

Though the [[Gurjaras]] held a considerable territory in South Gujarat their plates seem to show they were not independent rulers. The general titles are either ''Samadhigata-panchamahāśabada'' 'He who has attained the five great titles,’ or ''Sāmanta'' Feudatory. In one instance Jayabhaṭa III who was probably a powerful ruler is called ''Sāmantādhipati'' Lord of Feudatories. It is hard to say to what suzerain these [[Bharuch]] [[Gurjaras]] acknowledged fealty. Latterly they seem to have accepted the [[Chalukya]]s on the south as their overlords. But during the greater part of their existence they may have been feudatory of the [[Maitraka]] dynasty.<ref name="GBP"/>

==History==
The origin of dynasty is not known. They probably originated from the neighboring dynasty, [[Gurjaras]] of Mandor or Bhinmal.<ref name=Virji>{{cite book|last=Virji|first=Krishnakumari Jethabhai|title=Ancient history of Saurashtra: being a study of the Maitrakas of Valabhi V to VIII centuries A. D.|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.57287|series=Indian History and Culture Series|year=1955|publisher=Konkan Institute of Arts and Sciences|pages=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.57287/page/n148 126]–129}}</ref>

===Early history===
A grant<ref>Epigraphica Indica II. 21.</ref> made by Nirihullaka, the chieftain of a forest tribe in the lower valley of the Narmada, shows that towards the end of the sixth century CE that region was occupied by forest tribes who acknowledged the supremacy of the [[Kalachuri dynasty]]; a fact which accounts for the use of the Chedi or Traikúṭaka era in South Gujarāt. Nirihullaka names with respect a king Śaṅkaraṇa, identified with Śaṅkaragaṇa (r. c. 575-600 CE) of [[Kalachuri dynasty]] and the Gurjara conquest must be subsequent to this date. Another grant,<ref>Epigraphica Indica II. 19.</ref> which is only a fragment and contains no king's name, but which on the ground of date ([[Samvat]] 346 = 594–5 CE) and style may be safely attributed to the Gurjara dynasty, shows that the Gurjaras were established in the country within a few years of Śaṅkaragaṇa's probable date.<ref name="GBP"/>

A still nearer approximation to the date of the Gurjara conquest is suggested by the change in the titles of Dharasena I of [[Maitraka]] dynasty, who in his grants of Saṃvat 252<ref>The Indian Antiquary VII. 68, VIII. 302, XIII. 160, and XV. 187.</ref> (571 CE) calls himself Mahārāja, while in his grants of 269 and 270<ref>The Indian Antiquary VI. 9, VII. 70.</ref> (588 and 589 CE), he adds the title of Mahāsāmanta, which points to subjection by some foreign power between 571 and 588 CE. It seems highly probable that this power was that of the Gurjaras of Bhīnmāl; and that their successes therefore took place between 580 and 588 CE or about 585 CE.<ref name="GBP"/>

===Dadda I===
The above-mentioned anonymous grant of the year 346 (CE 594–95) from [[Sankheda]] is ascribed with great probability to Dadda I. who is known from the two Kheḍā grants of his grandson Dadda II. (C. 620–650 CE)<ref>The Indian Antiquary XIII. 81–88.</ref> to have “uprooted the Nāga” who may be the same as the forest tribes ruled by Nirihullaka (possibly later represented by the Nāikdās of the Panchmahāls and the Talabdas or Locals of Bharuch).<ref name="GBP"/>

The northern limit of Dadda's kingdom seems to have been the [[Vindhya]], as the grant of 380 (CE 628–29) says that the lands lying around the feet of the Vindhya were for his pleasure. At the same time it appears that part at least of Northern Gujarāt was ruled by the Mahāsāmanta Dharasena of Maitraka dynasty, who in Val. 270 (589–90 CE) granted a village in the ''āhāra'' (province) of Kheṭaka (Kheḍā).<ref>The Indian Antiquary VII. 70.</ref> Dadda is always spoken of as the Sāmanta, which shows that while he lived his territory remained a part of the Gurjara kingdom of Bhīnmāl. Subsequently, North Gujarāt fell into the hands of the Mālava kings, to whom it belonged in [[Xuanzang|Hiuen Tsiang]]’s time (c. 640 CE). In Tsiang's accounts, Po-lu-ka-cha-po (Bharigukacchapa or Bhrigukaccha, i.e., [[Bharuch]]) is mentioned. Dadda I. is mentioned in the two Kheḍā grants of his grandson as a worshipper of the sun: the fragmentary grant of 346 (594–95 CE) which is attributed to him gives no historical details.<ref>{{cite book|title=History of Kanauj: To the Moslem Conquest|author=Rama Shankar Tripathi|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|year=1989|page=108|isbn=812080404X|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2Tnh2QjGhMQC&pg=PA108}}</ref><ref name="GBP"/><ref name="Mishra1977" />

===Jayabhata I===
Dadda I was succeeded by his son Jayabhaṭa I who is mentioned in the Kheḍā grants as a victorious and virtuous ruler, and appears from his title of ''Vītarāga'' the Passionless to have been a religious prince.<ref name="GBP"/>

===Dadda II===
Jayabhaṭa I. was succeeded by his son Dadda II who bore the title of ''Praśāntarāga'', the Passion-calmed. Dadda was the donor of the two Kheḍā grants of 380 (628–29 CE) and 385 (633–34 CE), and a part of a grant made by his brother Raṇagraha in the year 391 (639–40 CE) has been recorded.<ref>The Indian Antiquary XIII. 81–88, Epigraphica Indica II. 19.</ref> Both of the Kheḍā grants relate to the gift of the village of Sirīshapadraka (Sisodra) in the Akrúreśvara ([[Ankleshwar]]) ''[[vishaya]]'' to certain Brāhmans of [[Jambusar]] and Bharuch. In Raṇagraha's grant the name of the village is lost.<ref name="GBP"/>

Dadda II’s own grants describe him as having attained the five great titles, and praise him in general terms: and both he and his brother Raṇagraha sign their grants as devout worshipers of the sun. Dadda II heads the genealogy in the later grant of 456 (704–5 CE),<ref>The Indian Antiquary XIII. 70.</ref> which states that he protected "the lord of Valabhi [Dhruvasena II] who had been defeated by the great lord the illustrious Harshadeva." The event referred to must have been some expedition of [[Harsha]] of [[Kanauj]] ([[Vardhana dynasty]]) (607–648 CE), perhaps the campaign in which Harsha was defeated on the Narmada by [[Pulakeshin II]] of [[Chalukya dynasty]] (which took place before 634 CE). The protection given to the Valabhi king is perhaps referred to in the Kheḍā grants in the mention of "strangers and suppliants and people in distress." If this is the case the defeat of Valabhi took place before 628–29 CE, the date of the earlier of the Kheḍā grants. On the other hand, the phrase quoted is by no means decisive, and the fact that in Hiuen Tsiang's time Dhruvasena II of Valabhi was son-in-law of Harsha's son, makes it unlikely that Harsha should have been at war with him. It follows that the expedition referred to may have taken place in the reign of Dharasena IV who may have been the son of Dhruvasena by another wife than Harsha's granddaughter.<ref name="GBP"/><ref>{{cite book|title=A comprehensive history of ancient India|author=Pran Nath Chopra|publisher=Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd|year=2003|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gE7udqBkACwC&pg=PA178|page=178|isbn=8120725034}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Ancient Indian History and Civilization|author=Sailendra Nath Sen|publisher=New Age International|year=1999|id=9788122411980|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wk4_ICH_g1EC&q=dhruvasena+II&pg=PA250|page=250|isbn=8122411983}}</ref><ref name="Mishra1977" /><ref name="rcm" />

To Dadda II's reign belongs Hiuen Tsiang's notice of the kingdom of Bharuch (C. 640 CE). He says "all their profit is from the sea" and describes the country as salt and barren, which is still true of large tracts in the west and twelve hundred years ago was probably the condition of a much larger area than at present. Hiuen Tsiang does not say that Broach was subject to any other kingdom, but it is clear from the fact that Dadda bore the five great titles that he was a mere feudatory. At this period the valuable port of Bharuch, from which all their profit was made, was a prize fought for by all the neighbouring powers. With the surrounding country of Lāṭa, Bharuch submitted to Pulakeśin II. (610–640 CE),<ref>The Indian Antiquary VIII. 237.</ref> it may afterwards have fallen to the Mālawa kings, to whom in Hiuen Tsiang's time (640 CE) both Kheḍā (K’i.e.-ch’a) and Ánandapura ([[Vadnagar]]) belonged; later it was subject to Valabhi, as Dharasena IV made a grant at Bharuch in VS 330 (649–50 CE).<ref>The Indian Antiquary XV. 335.</ref><ref name="GBP"/>

The knowledge of the later Gurjaras is derived exclusively from two grants of Jayabhaṭa III dated respectively 456 (704–5 CE) and 486 (734–5 CE).<ref>The Indian Antiquary V. 109, XIII. 70.</ref> The later of these two grants is imperfect, only the last plate having been preserved. The earlier grant of 456 (704–5 CE) shows that during the half century following the reign of Dadda II the dynasty had ceased to call themselves Gurjaras, and had adopted a Purāṇic pedigree traced from [[Karna]] of ''[[Mahabharata]]''. It also shows that from Dadda III onward the family were [[Shaiva|Śaiva]]s instead of sun-worshipers.<ref name="GBP"/>

===Jayabhata II===
The successor of Dadda II was his son Jayabhaṭa II who is described as a warlike prince, but of whom no historical details are recorded.<ref name="GBP"/>

===Dadda III===
Jayabhaṭa's son, Dadda III ''Bāhusahāya'' is described as waging wars with the great kings of the east and of the west (probably Mālava and Valabhi). He had received title of ''Bāhusahāya'' to for showing valour of his arms in fights with suzerain of east and west. He was Śaiva. Like his predecessors, Dadda III was not an independent ruler. He could claim only the five great titles, though no hint is given who was his suzerain. His immediate superior may have been Jayasimhavarma, who received the province of Lāṭa from his brother [[Vikramaditya I]] of [[Chalukya]] dynasty.<ref>Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Bombay Branch. XVI. 1ff.</ref><ref name="GBP"/><ref>{{cite book|title=Religious beliefs and practices of North India during the early medieval period|author=Vibhuti Bhushan Mishra|publisher=BRILL|year=1973|page=148|isbn=9004036105|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LB1qhsw10IwC&pg=PA148}}</ref> During his rule Jayasimhavarma had defeated Vajjada between Mahi and Narmada rivers. Vajjada may be another name of Dadda III or another king of that name had invaded his state and was defeated by Jayasimhavarma.<ref name="Mishra1977" /><ref name="rcm" />

===Jayabhata III===
The son and successor of Dadda III was Jayabhaṭa III whose two grants of 456 (704–5 CE) and 486 (734–5 CE)<ref>The Indian Antiquary V. 109, XIII. 70. The earlier grant was made from Káyávatára (Karwan/[[Kayavarohan]]): the later one is mutilated.</ref> must belong respectively to the beginning and the end of his reign. He attained the five great titles, and was therefore a feudatory, probably of the Chālukyas: but his title of ''Mahāsāmantādhipati'' implies that he was a chief of importance. He is praised in vague terms, but the only historical event mentioned in his grants is a defeat of a Maitraka ruler of Valabhi, noted in the grant of 486 (734–5 CE). The Maitraka king referred to must be Śīlāditya IV (691 CE).<ref name="GBP" />

=== Ahirole ===
Jayabhata III was succeeded by Ahirole. He ruled till c. 720 CE.<ref name="Mishra1977" />

===Jayabhata IV===
Ahirole's son Jayabhata IV's copperplate states that he defeated the Arabs fighting for the [[Umayyad Caliphate]] at [[Valabhi]], the capital of his probable overlords, the Maitrakas, in the year 735-36 CE. He assumed title of ''Mahasamanradhipati''. He must be feudatory of Maitraka ruler Shiladitya IV or Shiladitya V as he had helped his suzerain Maitrakas in battle. Majumdar had suggested that he may have helped as a feudatory of Chalukyas.<ref name="rcm">{{cite book|last=Majumdar|first=R. C|title=The History and Culture of the Indian People : The Classical Age|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.532401|volume=III|year=1997|publisher=Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan|pages=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.532401/page/n210 150], 152, 156–57, 410}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=The End of the Jihad state : the reiign of Ibn ' Abd Al-Malik and the collapse of the Umayyads|last=Yahya.|first=Blankinship, Khalid|publisher=State University of New York Press|year=1994|isbn=9780791418277|pages=187|oclc=803065717}}</ref><ref name="Mishra1977">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kZWgj-YMdVEC|title=Yaśovarman of Kanauj: A Study of Political History, Social, and Cultural Life of Northern India During the Reign of Yaśovarman|publisher=Abhinav Publications|year=1977|pages=49–50, 54|id=GGKEY:W57FPC50S5N|author=Shyam Manohar Mishra}}</ref> Bharuch may have finally destroyed by the Arabs and the Gurjara principality overtaken by them. The Arab were severely defeated and repulsed by Chalukya governor [[Avanijanashraya Pulakeshin]] in 738-39 at [[Navsari]]. He may have annexed the Gurjara kingdom to the Chalukya territory after evicting the Arabs.<ref>{{cite book |author=Durga Prasad Dikshit |title=Political History of the Chālukyas of Badami |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lEB11tKmCgcC&pg=PA152 |year=1980 |publisher=Abhinav |oclc=8313041 |page=167 }}</ref> Alternatively, the state may have been absorbed under [[Dantidurga]] of [[Rashtrakuta dynasty]].<ref name="GBP" /><ref name="rcm" />

==Religion==
The rulers till Dadda III were worshipers of [[Surya]] (sun) but after Dadda III they are identified as [[Shaiva]].<ref name="GBP"/> Jayabhata I and Dadda II, are given the epithets 'Vitarāga' and 'Prasāntarāga’ in their grants—words which indicate that they may have patronized [[Jainism]] though they themselves were not converts.<ref name="rcm"/>

==List of Rulers==
* Dadda I. c. 585–605 CE
* Jayabhaṭa I. Vītarāga, c. 605–620 CE
* Dadda II. Praśāntarāga, c. 620–650 CE
* Jayabhaṭa II. c. 650–675 CE
* Dadda III. Bāhusahāya, c. 675–690 CE
* Jayabhaṭa III. c. 690–710 CE
* Ahirole c. 710–720 CE
* Jayabhaṭa IV c. 720–737 CE

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

[[Category:History of Gujarat]]
[[Category:Pratihara empire]]
[[Category:Suryavansha]]
[[Category:Dynasties of India]]
[[Category:Hindu dynasties]]
[[Category:580s establishments]]
[[Category:730s disestablishments]]

Gurjaras of Lata - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 17:34, 28 August 2023