Joydeb Sarkar2003: started new details

2025-11-17T20:29:56Z

started new details

New page

{{Short description|4th-5th century dynasty of eastern India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox Former Country
| conventional_long_name = Mathara dynasty
| common_name = Mathara dynasty
| era = [[Middle Kingdoms of India|Classical India]]
| year_start = c. 4th century CE
| year_end = c. 5th century CE
| religion = [[Hinduism]]
| government_type = Monarchy
| capital = Simhapura
| common_languages =
| p1 = Gupta Empire
| s1 = Pitrbhakta dynasty
| s2 = Vasishtha dynasty
| image_map =
<mapframe text="[[Find spot]]s and places of issue of the Mathara inscriptions" width="250" height="250" zoom="8" longitude="83.89" latitude="18.25">
{
"type": "FeatureCollection",
"features": [
{
"type": "Feature",
"properties": { "marker-symbol": "monument", "title": "Rakaluva (Ragolu)" },
"geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [83.893680, 18.349258] }
},
{
"type": "Feature",
"properties": { "marker-symbol": "monument", "title": "Andoreppa (Andhavaram)" },
"geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [83.955904, 18.488637] }
},
{
"type": "Feature",
"properties": { "marker-symbol": "monument", "title": "Simhapura (Singupuram)" },
"geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [83.973103, 18.351780] }
}
]
}
</mapframe>
}}

The '''Mathara''' ([[IAST]]: Māṭhara) dynasty ruled in the [[Kalinga (historical region)|Kalinga]] region of eastern India during 4th and 5th centuries CE. They were one of the few royal families who were ruling [[Kalinga (region)|Kalinga]] (others being [[Vasishtha dynasty|Vasishtha]] and [[Pitrbhakta dynasty|Pitrbhakta]]). Their territory was mainly confined between the southern part of Odisha and the river [[Godavari|Godavari River]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=କୃଷ୍ଣଚନ୍ଦ୍ର ପାଣିଗ୍ରାହୀ |url=http://archive.org/details/history-of-orissa-1986 |title=History of Orissa |last2=Krishna Chandra Panigrahi |last3=Kr̥ṣṇacandra Pāṇigrāhī |last4=Krishna Chandra Panigrahi |last5=Kr̥ṣṇacandra Pāṇigrāhī |date=1986 |publisher=State Committee for Compilation of History of the Freedom Movement Orissa}}</ref> They appear to have been overthrown by the [[Pitrbhakta dynasty]].

== Genealogy ==

The following members of the Mathara family are known ([[IAST]] names in brackets):{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=8}}
* Shankara-varman (Śankaravarman)
* Shakti-varman (Śaktivarman)
* Prabhanjana-varman (Prabhañjanavarman)
* Ananta-shakti-varman (Anantaśaktivarman)

The Mathara kings were devotees of Narayana ([[Vishnu]]).{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=7}}

== History ==

The Mathara dynasty ruled Kalinga from the mid-4th century to the end of the 5th century, probably after the forces of the [[Gupta Empire|Gupta]] emperor [[Samudragupta]] withdrew from the region.{{sfn|Shishir Kumar Panda|1995|p=11}} They fought with the [[Vasishtha dynasty|Vasisthas]] and the [[Pitrbhakta]]s for the control of Kalinga.{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=219}}

=== Shaktivarman ===

Shaktivarman is the earliest known ruler of the dynasty, and bore the title ''Kalingadhipati'' ("Lord of Kalinga").{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=5}} His father was Shankaravarman, who did not bear any royal title.{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=9}}

A copper-plate inscription of Shaktivarman, dated to his 13th regnal year, gives describes him as ''Maharajasya-Shri Shaktivarmanah''. It was composed by his minister (''amatya'') Arjunadatta. The inscription was issued at Pishtapura, which is identified with modern [[Pithapuram]].{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=4}} It records the grant of Rakaluva area (modern Ragolu in [[Srikakulam district]]) to [[Brahmin|Brahmanas]]. The area is described as being located in the Kalinga ''[[vishaya]]'' (district).{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=5}}

The inscription describes Shaktivarman as the son of Vāsiṣṭhi.{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=4}} According to historian Snigdha Tripathy, this suggests that his mother came from the [[Vasishtha dynasty]]. Such matronymics were also used by the earlier dynasties such as the [[Satavahana]]s and the [[Andhra Ikshvaku|Ikshvakus]]. Pishtapura was originally under the control of the Vasishtha dynasty, and Shaktivarman probably inherited it from his mother. Some scholars believe that Pishtapura was the capital of the Matharas. However, none of Shaktivarman's descendants are known to have issued charters from Pishtapura.{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=5}}

The inscription suggests that Shaktivarman's Kalinga kingdom extended up to the [[Godavari River]] in the south.{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=5}} The Simhapura inscription of his son claims that Shaktivarman ruled the region between the Mahanadi and the Kṛṣṇavennā ([[Krishna River|Krishna]]) river. This claim seems to be an exaggeration: during 5th and the 6th centuries, the area between the Godavari and the Krishna rivers was controlled by the [[Shalankayana]]s and then the [[Vishnukundina]]s. Also, there is no evidence that the Matahara rule extended up to the [[Mahanadi River]] in the north. The "Mahanadi" mentioned in the inscription seems to be a different river in the present-day [[Ganjam district]]; it joins the [[Rushikulya]] River near [[Asika|Aska]].{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=6}}

=== Prabhanjanavarman ===

Prabhanjanavarman succeeded his father Shaktivarman.{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=6}} His only known inscription was issued from Siṃhapura. The inscription describes him as ''Sakala-Kalingadhipati'' ("Lord of the whole of Kalinga").{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=5}}

The inscription records the creation of Ningondi ''[[agrahara]]'' ([[Brahmin|Brahmana]] village). The village was located on the seashore, although its exact location is not certain. The inscription names Jyeshtha as an officer (''daṇḍanāyaka'') of the king.{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=6}}

=== Anantakshaktivarman ===

Anantashaktivarman succeeded his father Prabhanjanavarman. He bore the title ''Kalingadhipati'' ("Lord of Kalinga").{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=7}}

An inscription of the king, dated to his 14th regnal year, has been found. It does not mention its place of issue, but it was presumably issued from Simhapura, which later came under the control of the [[Pitrbhakta dynasty|Pitrbhaktas]]. The inscription records the grant of Andoreppa village (modern Andhavaram in [[Srikakulam district]]) to [[Brahmin|Brahmanas]]. It names Mātṛvara as an officer (''deśākṣapatalādhikṛta'' and ''daṇḍanāyaka'') of the king.{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=7}}

Another inscription of the king, now at the [[Government Museum, Chennai|Madras Museum]], was issued in his 28th regnal year. It names Arjunadatta as a royal officer (''deśākṣapatalādhikṛta''); he seems to be same as the ''daṇḍanāyaka'' mentioned in Shaktivarman's inscription. Arjunadatta's name also appears in the records of the Pitrbhaktas.{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=7}}

Anantashaktivarman appears to have been overthrown by the [[Pitrbhakta dynasty|Pitrbhakta]] king Umavarman.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1975|p=225}} His officer Mātṛvara later served as the ''deśākṣapatalādhikṛta'' of Umavarman in Simhapura.{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=12}} After Anantashaktivarman, Pishtapura seems to have come under the control of the [[Vasishtha dynasty]]. The Vasistha king Anantavarman issued an inscription from this city.{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=9}}

== Inscriptions ==

The following copper-plate inscriptions of the Mathara kings are known:{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|p=xi, 4-8}}

{| class="wikitable"
! Find spot !! Issued by !! Issued from !! Regnal year !! Purpose
|-
| Ragolu || Shaktivarman || [[Pishtapura]] || 13 || Grant of Rakaluva village (modern Ragolu)
|-
| Unknown || Prabhanjanavarman || Simhapura || || Land grant in Ningondi
|-
| Andhavaram || Anantashaktivarman || || 14 || Grant of Andoreppa village (modern Andhavaram)
|-
| Unknown (currently at Madras Museum) || Anantashaktivarman || || 28 || Grant of Sakunaka village (identity uncertain)
|}

All the records are in [[Sanskrit]] language, written in a southern variety of the [[Brahmi script]].{{sfn|Snigdha Tripathy|1997|pp=17-18}}

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

=== Bibliography ===

{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |author=Dilip Kumar Ganguly |title=Historical Geography and Dynastic History of Orissa, Up to the Rise of the Imperial Gaṅgas |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kcgBAAAAMAAJ |year=1975 |publisher=Punthi Pustak |oclc=2376032 }}
* {{cite book |author=Shishir Kumar Panda |title=The state and statecraft in medieval Orissa under the later eastern Gaṅgas (A.D. 1038-1434) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=voNHAAAAMAAJ |year=1995 |publisher=K.P. Bagchi & Co. |isbn=978-81-7074-153-4 }}
* {{cite book |author=Snigdha Tripathy |title=Inscriptions of Orissa |volume=I - Circa 5th-8th centuries A.D |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XUiYu3XByNgC&pg=PR3 |year=1997 |publisher=[[Indian Council of Historical Research]] and [[Motilal Banarsidass]] |isbn=978-81-208-1077-8 }}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
* [http://indepigr.narod.ru/orissa/menulisting19.htm Mathara inscriptions]

{{Odisha}}

[[Category:Dynasties of India]]
[[Category:Kalinga (India)]]

Mathara dynasty - Revision history

Joydeb Sarkar2003: started new details