Vishal Dev Chauhan

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Find spot Provenance (from the French ''provenir'', 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody or location of a historical object. The term was originally mostly used in relation to works of art but is now used in similar senses i ...

s of inscriptions of Vigraharaja IV" width="300" height="400" zoom="4" longitude="75.65" latitude="27.29"> Vigraharāja IV (r. c. 1150–1164 CE), also known as Visaladeva, was a king from the Chauhan (Chahamana) dynasty in north-western India. He turned the Chahamana kingdom into an empire by subduing the neighbouring kingdoms of

Chaulukya The Chaulukya dynasty (), also Solanki dynasty, was a dynasty that ruled parts of what are now Gujarat and Rajasthan in north-western India, between and . Their capital was located at Anahilavada (modern Patan). At times, their rule extended ...

Naddula Nadol is a census town in Desuri tehsil of Pali district, India. Ashapura Mataji temple and Shri Nadol Tirth attract pilgrims. History Nadol was originally called Naddula. The Chahamanas of Naddula (called Chauhans of Nadol in vernacular lege ...

, and Tomara kingdoms. He also repulsed Muslim invasions, probably from the

Ghaznavid The Ghaznavid dynasty ( fa, غزنویان ''Ġaznaviyān'') was a culturally Persianate, Sunni Muslim dynasty of Turkic ''mamluk'' origin, ruling, at its greatest extent, large parts of Persia, Khorasan, much of Transoxiana and the northwest ...

rulers

Bahram Shah Al-Malik al-Amjad Bahramshah was the List of Ayyubid rulers#Emirs of Baalbek, Ayyubid emir of Baalbek between 1182–1230 (578–627 AH). Reign Bahramshah succeeded his father Farrukh Shah, Farrukhshah as ruler of the minor emirate of Baalbek and ...

and

Khusrau Shah Khusrau Shah (also spelled Khosrau Shah, Khosrow Shah, and Khusraw Shah) was the last king of the Justanids from 972 to ca. 1004. He was the son and successor of Manadhar. The words " Khosrow" and "Shah" are both Persian words that mean "king". ...

. Vigraharaja's kingdom included major parts of present-day

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...

Haryana Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land ar ...

, and

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...

; and possibly some parts of

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...

and

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...

too. Vigraharaja commissioned several buildings in his capital Ajayameru (modern

Ajmer Ajmer is one of the major and oldest cities in the Indian state of Rajasthan and the centre of the eponymous Ajmer District. It is located at the centre of Rajasthan. It is also known as heart of Rajasthan. The city was established as "''Aj ...

), most of which were destroyed or converted into Muslim structures after the Muslim conquest of Ajmer. These included a

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

centre of learning that was later converted into the

Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra (literally "shed of 2½ days") is a historical mosque in the city of Ajmer in Rajasthan, India. It is one of the oldest mosques in India, and the oldest surviving monument in Ajmer. Commissioned by Qutb-ud-Din-Aibak in 1192 ...

mosque. ''

Harakeli Nataka ''Harakeli Nataka'' is a Sanskrit drama written by the Chahamana (Chauhan) king Vigraharaja IV alias Visaladeva, who ruled from 1150 to 1164 CE. This drama is based on Kiratarjuniya of writer Bharavi.The play is also called ''Lalita Vigraharaja Na ...

'', a

-language drama written by him, is inscribed on inscriptions discovered at the mosque site.

Early life

Vigraharaja was born to the

Chahamana Chauhan, historically ''Chahamana'', is a clan name historically associated with the various ruling Rajput families during the Medieval India in Rajasthan. Subclans Khichi, Hada, Songara, Bhadauria, Devda etc. are the branches or subclan ...

king

Arnoraja Arnoraja (IAST: Arṇorāja, r. c. 1135-1150 CE) was an Indian king belonging to the Shakambhari Chahamana dynasty. He ruled the Sapadalaksha country, which included parts of present-day Rajasthan in north-western India. Arnoraja repulsed a Gha ...

. Vigraharaja's elder brother and predecessor Jagaddeva killed their father. Their half-brother,

Someshvara Someshwara or its variant spellings ''Someshwar'', ''Someshvara'' and ''Someshvar'' may refer to: * Soma (deity), a Vedic Hindu deity * Shiva, a Hindu deity People * Someshvara I, 11th century Indian king from the Western Chalukya dynasty * Somes ...

, was brought up in Gujarat by his

maternal relatives. Vigraharaja probably ascended the throne after killing Jaggaddeva to avenge their father's death.

Military career

The 1164 CE Delhi-Shivalik pillar inscription states that Vigraharaja conquered the region between the

Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...

and the

Vindhyas The Vindhya Range (also known as Vindhyachal) () is a complex, discontinuous chain of mountain ridges, hill ranges, highlands and plateau escarpments in west-central India. Technically, the Vindhyas do not form a single mountain range in the ...

. The Himalayas and the Vindhyas form the traditional boundary of Aryavarta (the land of ancient

Aryans Aryan or Arya (, Indo-Iranian *''arya'') is a term originally used as an ethnocultural self-designation by Indo-Iranians in ancient times, in contrast to the nearby outsiders known as 'non-Aryan' (*''an-arya''). In Ancient India, the term ' ...

), and Vigraharaja claimed to have restored the rule of Aryans in this land. While his claim of having conquered the entire land between these two mountains is an exaggeration, it is not completely baseless. His Delhi-Shivalik pillar inscription was found at Topra village in Haryana, near the

Shivalik Hills The Sivalik Hills, also known as the Shivalik Hills and Churia Hills, are a mountain range of the outer Himalayas that stretches over about from the Indus River eastwards close to the Brahmaputra River, spanning the northern parts of the Indi ...

. This indicates that Vigraharaja captured territories to the north of Delhi, up to the Himalayan foothills. Raviprabha's ''Dharmaghosha-Suri-Stuti'' states that the ruler of

Malwa Malwa is a historical region of west-central India occupying a plateau of volcanic origin. Geologically, the Malwa Plateau generally refers to the volcanic upland north of the Vindhya Range. Politically and administratively, it is also syno ...

and Arisiha (possibly Arisimha of

Mewar Mewar or Mewad is a region in the south-central part of Rajasthan state of India. It includes the present-day districts of Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Pratapgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Pirawa Tehsil of Jhalawar District of Rajasthan, Neemuch and Man ...

) assisted him in hoisting a flag at the Rajavihara Jain temple in Ajmer. The ruler of Malwa here probably refers to a claimant to the

Paramara The Paramara dynasty (IAST: Paramāra) was an Indian dynasty that ruled Malwa and surrounding areas in west-central India between 9th and 14th centuries. They belonged to the Parmara clan of the Rajputs. The dynasty was established in either th ...

kingdom, which had been captured by the

s during this period. Assuming that the claimant to the Malwa throne had accepted Vigraharaja's suzerainty, it appears that Vigraharaja's influence extended up to the Vindhyas, at least in name. His kingdom included the present-day Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi. It probably also included a part of

(to the south-east of

Sutlej river The Sutlej or Satluj River () is the longest of the five rivers that flow through the historic crossroads region of Punjab in northern India and Pakistan. The Sutlej River is also known as ''Satadru''. It is the easternmost tributary of the Ind ...

) and a portion of the northern Gangetic plain (to the west of Yamuna). The play ''Lalita-Vigraharaja-Nataka'', composed by Vigraharaja's court poet, claims that his army included 1 million men; 100,000 horses; and 1,000 elephants.

Chaulukyas of Gujarat

Visaladeva inscription on Delhi Topra 12th century

Vigraharaja's father

had suffered a humiliating at the hands of Kumarapala, the

king of Gujarat. Vigraharaja launched several expeditions against the Chaulukyas to avenge his father's defeat. According to the

Bijolia Bijoliya is a census town in Bhilwara district in the state of Rajasthan, India and is surrounded by nature and waterfalls and is famous for Tapodaya Teerth Kshetra and Mandakini Temple. Geography Bijoliya Kalan is located at . It has an aver ...

rock inscription, he killed one Sajjana. The inscription describes Sajjana as "the most wicked person of the land", who was sent to the abode of

Yama Yama (Devanagari: यम) or Yamarāja (यमराज), is a deity of death, dharma, the south direction, and the underworld who predominantly features in Hindu and Buddhist religion, belonging to an early stratum of Rigvedic Hindu deities ...

(the god of death) by Vigraharaja. Historian

Dasharatha Sharma Dasharatha Sharma (1903–1976) was an Indologist with particular interest in the history of the Rajasthan region of India. Born in the Rajasthani city of Churu, he studied in the city of Bikaner and at the University of Delhi. He had degrees ...

identified Sajjana with Kumarapala's governor (''daṇḍāhiśa'') of

Chittor Chittorgarh (also Chittor or Chittaurgarh) is a major city in Rajasthan state of western India. It lies on the Berach River, a tributary of the Banas, and is the administrative headquarters of Chittorgarh District. It was a major stronghol ...

. According to the Jain author Somatilaka Suri, Vigraharaja's army captured Sajjana's elephant force. While Vigraharaja was busy fighting at Chittor, Kumarapala tried to create a diversion by besieging

Nagor Nagor or Nagher is a village in Bhuj Taluka of Kutch at a distance of about 8 km from Bhuj town, the capital of Kachchh District of Gujarat in India. History Nagor is one of the 18 villages founded by the Mistri community of Kutch in late ...

, but lifted the siege after learning about Vigraharaja's victory at Chittor. A Chahamana ''

prashasti ''Prashasti'' (IAST: Praśasti, Sanskrit for "praise") is an Indian genre of inscriptions composed by poets in praise of their rulers. Most date from the 6th century CE onwards. Written in the form of poetry or ornate prose, the ''prashastis'' s ...

'' (

eulogy A eulogy (from , ''eulogia'', Classical Greek, ''eu'' for "well" or "true", ''logia'' for "words" or "text", together for "praise") is a speech or writing in praise of a person or persons, especially one who recently died or retired, or as a ...

) boasts that Vigraharaja reduced Kumarapala to a ''karavalapala'' (probably the designation of a subordinate officer). This is obviously an exaggeration, but it does appear that Vigraharaja conquered some of Kumarapala's territories. The earliest Chahamana inscriptions from the

Jahazpur Jahazpur is a city and a municipality in Bhilwara district in the Indian state of Rajasthan.It is also the tehsil headquarters of the Jahazpur tehsil. It is commonly popular for a temple called Jain temple swastidham and built around a fort. Hi ...

Mandalgarh Mandalgarh is a town with municipality in Bhilwara district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Pincode of Mandalgarh is 311604. It is the tehsil headquarters of Mandalgarh tehsil. History Mandalgarh was ruled by Brahma kings , the last Brahma kin ...

area are dated to Vigraharaja's reign.

Chahamanas of Naddula

Vigraharaja subdued the

Chahamanas of Naddula The Chahamanas of Naddula, also known as the Chauhans of Nadol, were an Indian dynasty. They ruled the Marwar area around their capital Naddula (present-day Nadol in Rajasthan) between 10th and 12th centuries. They belonged to the Chahamana (Ch ...

, who had branched off from the Shakambhari Chahamana dynasty, and were feudatories of the Chaulukya king Kumarapala. The Bijolia inscription boasts that he turned Javalipura (modern

Jalore Jalore () (ISO 15919 : ''Jālora'' ), also known as ''Granite City'', is a city in the western Indian state of Rajasthan. It is the administrative headquarters of Jalore District. It has a river known as Jawai Nadi. Jalore lies to south of Su ...

) into "Jvalapura" (city of flames); reduced Pallika (modern

Pali Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or ''Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of ''Theravāda'' Buddhism ...

) to a ''palli'' (a hamlet); and made Naddula (modern

Nadol Nadol is a census town in Desuri tehsil of Pali district, India. Ashapura Mataji temple and Shri Nadol Tirth attract pilgrims. History Nadol was originally called Naddula. The Chahamanas of Naddula (called Chauhans of Nadol in vernacular lege ...

) a ''nadvala'' (a cane-stick or a marsh of reeds). The Naddula ruler subdued by him was probably

Alhanadeva Alhana-deva (IAST: Alhaṇadeva, r. c. 1148–1163 CE) was an Indian king belonging to the Naddula Chahamana dynasty. He ruled the area around Naddula (present-day Nadol in Rajasthan), as a vassal of the Chaulukya king Kumarapala. During his re ...

. Vigraharaja also defeated one Kuntapala, who can be identified with a Naddula Chahamana subordinate of Kumarapala.

Tomaras of Delhi

The

rock inscription states that Vigraharaja conquered Ashika (identified with

Hansi Hansi, is a city and municipal council in Hisar district in the Indian state of Haryana. It appears that at one time Hansi was larger, more prosperous and more important than Hisar. The town has several important buildings of archeological import ...

) and

. The Chahamanas had been involved in conflicts with the

Tomaras The Tomara dynasty (also called Tomar in modern vernaculars because of Schwa deletion in Indo-Aryan languages, schwa deletion) dynasty ruled parts of present-day Delhi and Haryana in India during 8th-12th century. Their rule over this region ...

of Delhi since the time of his ancestor Chandanaraja. Vigraharaja put an end to this long conflict by decisively defeating the Tomaras, who had grown weak under attacks from the Chahamanas, the

Gahadavala The Gahadavala dynasty (IAST: Gāhaḍavālas), also Gahadavalas of Kanauj, was a Rajput dynasty that ruled parts of the present-day Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, during 11th and 12th centuries. Their capital was located at Varanas ...

s and the Muslims. The Tomaras continued to rule for a few more decades, but as vassals of the Chahamanas. An old ''bahi'' (manuscript) states that Visaladeva i.e. Vigraharaja captured Delhi from Tamvars (

) in the year 1152 CE (1209 VS). According to historian R. B. Singh,

might have been under Muslim control by this time. On the other hand, Dasharatha Sharma theorizes that the Tomaras had recaptured Hansi from

Ghaznavids The Ghaznavid dynasty ( fa, غزنویان ''Ġaznaviyān'') was a culturally Persianate, Sunni Muslim dynasty of Turkic ''mamluk'' origin, ruling, at its greatest extent, large parts of Persia, Khorasan, much of Transoxiana and the northwest ...

by this time, and Vigraharaja captured it from the Tomaras. The legendary epic poem ''

Prithviraj Raso The ''Prithviraj Raso'' (IAST: Pṛthvīrāja Rāso) is a Braj language epic poem about the life of Prithviraj Chauhan (reign. c. 1177–1192 CE). It is attributed to Chand Bardai, who according to the text, was a court poet of the king. Th ...

'' states that the later Chahamana king

Prithviraja III Prithviraja III (IAST: Pṛthvī-rāja; reign. – 1192 CE), popularly known as Prithviraj Chauhan or Rai Pithora, was a king from the Chauhan (Chahamana) dynasty who ruled the territory of Sapadalaksha, with his capital at Ajmer in present- ...

married the daughter of the Tomara king Anangapala, and was bequeathed Delhi by the Tomara king. Historian R. B. Singh speculates that it was actually Vigraharaja who married the daughter of the Tomara king. According to Singh, Desaladevi, who has been mentioned in the play ''Lalita-Vigraharaja-Nataka'' as Vigraharaja's lover, might have been the daughter of a Tomara king named Vasantapala.

Turushkas

Several sources indicate that Vigraharaja achieved military successes against the

Turushka Turushka (or Turuṣka) may refer to: * a Sanskrit word for olibanum * a term often used for Turks in some ancient sources; see * Turushka dynasty, a ruling dynasty of ancient South Asia See also * Turushkaf, a village in Arabkhaneh Rural ...

s, the Muslim Turkic invaders. The Delhi-Shivalik pillar inscription boasts that he destroyed the

mlechchhas Mleccha (from Vedic Sanskrit ', meaning "non-Vedic", "foreigner" or " barbarian") is a Sanskrit term, initially referring to those of an incomprehensible speech, later foreign or barbarous invaders as contra-distinguished from elite groups. The ...

(foreigners), and once again made Aryavarta ("the land of

") what its name signifies. The '' Prabandha-Kosha'' describes him as "the conqueror of Muslims". The Muslim invaders forced to retreat by him were probably the

rulers

and

. The plot of ''Lalita Vigraharaja Nataka'' involves Vigraharaja's preparations against a Turushka ruler named Hammira (

Emir Emir (; ar, أمير ' ), sometimes transliterated amir, amier, or ameer, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or cerem ...

). In the story, his minister Shridhara tells him not to risk a battle with a powerful adversary. Nevertheless, Vigraharaja is determined to fight the Turushka king. He sends a message to his lover Desaladevi, informing her that the upcoming battle would soon give him an opportunity to meet her. The play describes Desaladevi as the daughter of prince Vasantapala of Indrapura. The play is available only in fragments, so the details of the ensuing battle are not known. Historian

identified Hammira with Khusrau Shah, and assumed that Vigraharaja repulsed his invasion. Historian R. B. Singh, on the other hand, theorizes that no actual battle took place between Vigraharaja and Hammira. According to Singh's theory, the "Hammira" on the play might have been Bahram Shah, who fled to India after the

Ghurids The Ghurid dynasty (also spelled Ghorids; fa, دودمان غوریان, translit=Dudmân-e Ğurīyân; self-designation: , ''Šansabānī'') was a Persianate dynasty and a clan of presumably eastern Iranian Tajik origin, which ruled from the ...

defeated him at the

Battle of Ghazni (1151) The Battle of Ghazni was fought in 1151 between the Ghurid army of Ala al-Din Husayn and the army of the Ghaznavid Sultan Bahram-Shah of Ghazna.Jaques 2007, p. 392 The Ghurid ruler defeated Bahram-Shah, captured the city, and destroyed it as reve ...

. Bahram Shah invaded the Tomara territory of

after coming to India. Vasantapala might have been a Tomara ruler, possibly Anangapala. Indrapura may refer to Indraprastha, that is, Delhi. Vigraharaja probably decided to send an army in support of the Tomara king. But before an actual battle could take place, Bahram Shah returned to Ghazna as the Ghurids had departed from that city.

Other conquests

According to the Bijolia inscription, Vigraharaja also defeated the Bhadanakas. The ''

Prithviraja Vijaya ''Prithviraja Vijaya'' (IAST: Pṛthvīrāja Vijaya, "Prithviraja's Victory") is an eulogistic Sanskrit epic poem on the life of the Indian Chahamana king Prithviraja III (better known as Prithviraj Chauhan in the vernacular folk legends). It is b ...

'' claims that he conquered several hill forts.

Cultural activities

Adhai Din-ka-Jhonpra Arcade and ceiling detail (6133962667)

Vigraharaja patronized a number of scholars, and was a poet himself. Jayanaka, in his ''Prithviraja-Vijaya'', states that when Vigraharaja died, the name ''kavi-bandhava'' ("the friend of the poets") disappeared. The king commissioned a centre of learning in Ajmer, which was later destroyed by the

Ghurid The Ghurid dynasty (also spelled Ghorids; fa, دودمان غوریان, translit=Dudmân-e Ğurīyân; self-designation: , ''Šansabānī'') was a Persianate dynasty and a clan of presumably eastern Iranian Tajik origin, which ruled from the ...

invaders and converted into the

mosque. Several literary works were engraved on stones at this centre: * The play ''Lalita Vigraharaja Nataka'' was composed by his court poet Somadeva in his honour. Only fragments of this play were recovered from the mosque. * Fragments of the play '' Harikeli Nataka'', authored by Vigraharaja himself, were also found inscribed on two slabs at the Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra. The play is styled after '' Kiratarjuniya'', a work by the ancient poet

Bharavi Bharavi () was a 6th century Indian poet known for his epic poem '' Kirātārjunīya'', one of the six ''mahakavyas'' in classical Sanskrit. Time and place As with most Sanskrit poets, very few concrete details are available about Bharavi's life ...

. * A Chauhan ''prashasti'' (eulogy), which is in form of a '' kavya'' (poem). * A '' stuti'' (prayer) to various Hindu deities, also in ''kavya'' form. According to ''Prithviraja-Viajaya'', Vigraharaja commissioned as many buildings as the hill forts he captured. Most of these appear to have been destroyed or converted to Muslim structures (such as Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra) after the Muslim conquest. He established a number of towns named Visalapura ("the city of Visala") after his alternative name Visala. He is also said to have commissioned a lake named Visalasara (also known as Vislya or Bisalia) in Ajmer. According to ''

'', the king saw a beautiful spot with springs and hills while returning from a hunt. He ordered his chief minister to construct a lake at this spot. He also founded the Vigrahapura town (modern Bisalpur) on the site of an older town called Vanapura. There, he constructed the Gokarnesvara temple, now popularly known as Bisal Deoji's temple. Like his predecessors, Vigraharaja was a devout

Shaivite Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangin ...

, as indicated by his ''Harakeli-Nataka''. He also patronzed

Jain Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...

scholars, and participated in their religious ceremonies. At the request of the Jain religious teacher Dharmaghosha-Suri, he banned

animal slaughter Animal slaughter is the killing of animals, usually referring to killing domestic livestock. It is estimated that each year 80 billion land animals are slaughtered for food. Most animals are slaughtered for food; however, they may also be slau ...

on the

Ekadashi Ekadashi () is the eleventh lunar day (''tithi'') of each of the two lunar phases which occur in an Vedic calendar month - the '' Shukla Pakṣa'' (the period of the brightening moon also known as the waxing phase) and the ''Kṛṣṇa Pakṣa ...

day. The Bijolia rock inscription describes Vigraharaja as "a protector of the needy and the distressed". He was succeeded by his son

Amaragangeya Amaragangeya (r. c. 1164-1165 CE ), also known as Aparagangeya, was an Indian king from the Chahamana dynasty. He ruled parts of north-western India, including present-day Rajasthan. Amaragangeya was a son of the Chahamana king Vigraharaja IV. ...

References

Bibliography

* * * * {{Chahamanas of Shakambhari Chahamanas of Shakambhari 12th-century Indian monarchs