Aulikara Dynasty

The Second Aulikara dynasty (Late Brahmi script: ''Au-li-ka-rā'') was a royal dynasty that ruled over the Malwa plateau, and at its peak under Yashodharman Vishnuvardhana controlled a vast area, consisting of almost all of Northern India and parts of Deccan plateau.Agarwal, Ashvini (1989). ''Rise and Fall of the Imperial Guptas'', Delhi:Motilal Banarsidass, , pp.250-6 It was the second royal house of the Aulikara clan.

Origins

The dynasty belonged to the ancient clan of the Aulikaras, and was the second royal house belonging to this clan.

Territory

The second Aulikara dynasty initially controlled the Malwa plateau, but at its peak under Yashodharman Vishnuvardhana controlled a vast area, consisting of almost all of Northern India and northern parts of the Deccan plateau.

History

Unlike the first Aulikara royal house, this royal house was never a Gupta feudatory. The Rīsthal inscription mentions Drumavardhana as the founder of this house. He assumed the title ''Senapati'' and was succeeded by his son Jayavardhana, who commanded a formidable army. He was succeeded by his son Ajitavardhana. According to the Risthal inscription, he was constantly engaged in performing Soma sacrifices. Ajitavardhana was succeeded by his son Vibhishanavardhana. He was praised in the Risthal inscription for his noble qualities. Vibhishanavardhana's son and successor Rajyavardhana expanded his ancestral kingdom. Rajyavardhana was succeeded by his son Prakashadharma.

Prakashadharma

Prakashadharma was a notable king of this dynasty, who assumed the title, ''Adhiraja''. The Rīsthal inscription gives us information about his achievements.

It records the construction of a tank and a Shiva temple at Risthal by Bhagavaddosha, a ''Rajasthaniya'' (viceroy) of Prakashadharma. This inscription mentions that Prakashadharma defeated the Huna ruler Toramana, sacked his camp and had taken away the ladies of his harem. The tank constructed at Risthal during his reign was named after his grandfather as ''Vibhishanasara''. He also constructed a temple dedicated to Brahma at Dashapura. During the excavation at Mandsaur in 1978 by a team of Vikram University, Ujjain, led by V.S. Wakankar, his two glass seals inscribed with the legend ''Shri Prakashadharma'' were found.Wakankar, V.S. (1981) ''Aulikara Vamsha ke Itihas par Naya Prakash'' (in Hindi) in M.D. Khare ed. ''Malwa through the Ages'', Bhopal: Directorate of Archaeology & Museums, Government of Madhya Pradesh, pp,278-9 In all probabilities he was succeeded by his son Yashodharma Vishnuvarma.

An undated fragmentary Mandsaur inscription provides a name of a suzerain ruler Adityavardhana and his feudatory ''Maharaja'' Gauri. Adityavardhana has been recently identified with Prakashadharma by a historian Ashvini Agarwal.Ojha, N.K. (2001). ''The Aulikaras of Central India: History and Inscriptions'', Chandigarh: Arun Publishing House, , pp.37-41 The Chhoti Sadri inscription dated Malava Samvat 547 (490 CE) and written by Bhramarasoma, son of Mitrasoma supplies a genealogy of Adityavardhana's feudatory ruler, ''Maharaja'' Gauri. The first ruler of this Manavayani kshatriya family was Punyasoma. He was succeeded by his son Rajyavardhana. Rashtravardhana was the son of Rajyavardhana. Rashtravardhana's son and successor was Yashogupta. The last ruler of this family, Gauri was son of Yashogupta. He excavated a tank at Dashapura for the merit of his deceased mother. This inscription also mentions the name of a prince, Gobhata but his relationship with Gauri is not known.

Yashodharman

The most prominent and greatest king of this dynasty was Yashodharma Vishnuvardhana. Yashodharma's two identical undated Mandsaur victory pillar inscriptions (found at Sondani, near present-day Mandsaur town) and a stone inscription dated Malava Samvat 589 (532 CE) record the military achievements of him.Ojha, N.K. (2001). ''The Aulikaras of Central India: History and Inscriptions'', Chandigarh: Arun Publishing House, , pp.19-20 All of these inscriptions were first published by John Faithfull Fleet in 1886. The undated pillar inscriptions, which were also written by poet Vasula, son of Kakka say that his feet were worshipped by the Huna ruler Mihirakula. These also state that his feudatories from the vicinity of the river ''Lauhitya'' (Brahmaputra) in the east, from the ''Mahendra'' mountains (Eastern Ghats) in the south, up to the Himalayas in the north and the ''Paschima Payodhi'' (Western Ocean) in the west came to the seat of his empire to pay homage. he assumed the titles, ''Rajadhiraja'' and ''Parameshvara''. Yashodharma's dated inscription informs us that in 532 CE, Nirdosha, his ''Rajasthaniya'' was governing the area between the Vindhyas and the ''Pariyatra''s ( Aravalis) and his headquarters was Dashapura. Probably the rule of the Aulikaras ended with Yashodharma

In Line 5 of the Mandsaur pillar inscription, Yashodharman is said to have vanquished his enemies and to now control the territory from the neighbourhood of the (river) Lauhitya (Brahmaputra River) to the "Western Ocean" (Western Indian Ocean), and from the Himalayas to mountain Mahendra.Foreign Influence on Ancient India by Krishna Chandra Saga
p.216
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Yashodharman thus conquered vast territories from the Hunas and the Guptas, although his short-lived empire would ultimately disintegrate between 530 and 540 CE. He was succeeded by his son, Shiladitya, although this claim is not completely correct, as many historians write that he died without an heir, creating a power vacuum again, and his empire disintegrated.

Art and architecture

The most significant monuments which definitely belong to the Aulikara period are two freestanding victory pillars of Yashodharma Vishnuvardhana bearing his inscriptions. These almost identical pillars, situated at Sondani, a suburb about 2 kilometers to the southeast of the Aulikara capital of Mandsaur, are made of sandstone. The height of the entire column is 44 ft 5 in. Its square base is 4 ft 5 in high and 3 ft 4 in wide. The bell-shaped capital is 5 ft 2 in high. Its shaft is sixteen faced round. Most probably there was a crowning statue, which has not been found.Ojha, N.K. (2001). ''The Aulikaras of Central India: History and Inscriptions'', Chandigarh: Arun Publishing House, , pp.99-100 The sculptures at Sondani and surrounding areas of Mandsaur are a good marker for the final period of Gupta Art, as they were commissionned by Yasodharman (ruled 515 – 545 CE) around 525 CE, in celebration of his victory against the Alchon Hun king Mihirakula. This corresponds to the last phase of Gupta cultural and political unity in the subcontinent, and after that point and for the next centuries, Indian politics became extremely fragmented, with the territory being divided between smaller dynasties. The art of Sondani is considered as transitional between Gupta art and the art of Medieval India: it represents "an aesthetic which hovered between the classical decorum of Gupta art on the one hand and on the other the medieval canons which subordinated the figure to the larger religious purpose".

File:Sondhni overview.jpg, A victory pillar of Yashodharma at Sondani, Mandsaur district
File:Sondhni, two Dvarapalas.jpg, Sondhni, two Dvarapalas
File:Sondhni pillar capital.jpg, Sondhni pillar capital
File:Prakasheshvara in Mandasor Fort.jpg, Prakasheshvara in Mandsaur Fort

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