Nandini Gowda KL: enhanced lead per standard format further and updated info

2026-03-01T22:33:17Z

enhanced lead per standard format further and updated info

imported>TrangaBellam: ed

2021-08-17T19:57:35Z

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{{Short description|Dynasty based in Sindh, present day Pakistan}}
{{Infobox country
|native_name = '''کیستھا خاندان'''
|conventional_long_name = Rai dynasty
|common_name = Rai Empire
|era = [[Middle Kingdoms of India|Classical India]]
|status =
|event_start =
|year_start = 489
|date_start =
|event1 =
|date_event1 =
|event_end =
|year_end = 632
|date_end =
|p1 =
|flag_p1 = Ror dynasty
|p2 =
|flag_p2 =
|s1 = Brahman dynasty
|flag_s1 =
|image_flag =
|flag_type =
|image_coat =
|image_map =
|image_map_caption =
|capital = [[Aror]]
|common_languages =
|religion = [[Hinduism]]<br/>[[Buddhism]]<ref name=harsha>[https://books.google.com/books?id=m68BAAAAMAAJ& ''Harsha and His Times: A Glimpse of Political History During the Seventh Century A.D. , Page 78''] by Bireshwar Nath Srivastava (Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office, 1976)</ref>
|government_type = [[Absolute Monarchy]]
|leader1 = [[Rai Diwa]]
|year_leader1 =
|leader2 = [[Rai Sahiras]]
|year_leader2 =
|leader3 = [[Rai Sahasi I]]
|year_leader3 =
|leader4 = [[Rai Sahasi II]]
|year_leader4 =
|title_leader = [[Emperor]]
|legislature =
|stat_year1 = {{circa|600}}
|stat_area1 = 1553993
|demonym=|area_km2=|area_rank=|GDP_PPP=|GDP_PPP_year=|HDI=|HDI_year=|today=}}
{{History of Sind}}
The '''Rai dynasty''' (c. 489–632 CE)<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bCVyhH5VDjAC&pg=PA152|title=Al- Hind: The slave kings and the Islamic conquest, Volume I|year=1991|publisher=Brill|page=152|isbn=9004095098}}</ref> was a kingdom<ref>{{Cite book|last=Elliot, H. M. (Henry Miers), Sir, 1808-1853, author.|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/1136335945|title=The History of India, as Told by its Own Historians : The Muhammadan Period.|isbn=978-1-139-50713-4|oclc=1136335945}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=india|first=Ancient geography of|title=alexander cunningham|publisher=Alexander Cunningham}}</ref> during the [[Classical India|Classical period]] on the [[Indian subcontinent]], which originated in the region of [[Sindh]], later part of [[Pakistan]].<ref name="harsha">[https://books.google.com/books?id=m68BAAAAMAAJ& ''Harsha and His Times: A Glimpse of Political History During the Seventh Century A.D. , Page 78''] by Bireshwar Nath Srivastava (Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office, 1976)</ref> The dynasty at its height ruled much of the Northwestern regions of the Indian subcontinent. The influence of the Rai's extended from [[Kashmir]] in the east, [[Makran]] and [[Debal]] port (modern [[Karachi]]) in the west, [[Surat]] port in the south, and the [[Kandahar]], [[Sulaiman Mountains|Sulaiman]], Ferdan and Kikanan hills in the north.<ref name="harsha">[https://books.google.com/books?id=m68BAAAAMAAJ& ''Harsha and His Times: A Glimpse of Political History During the Seventh Century A.D. , Page 78''] by Bireshwar Nath Srivastava (Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office, 1976)</ref> It ruled an area of over {{convert|600,000 |mi2|km2|0}}, and the dynasty reigned a period of 143 years.<ref name="harsha">[https://books.google.com/books?id=m68BAAAAMAAJ& ''Harsha and His Times: A Glimpse of Political History During the Seventh Century A.D. , Page 78''] by Bireshwar Nath Srivastava (Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office, 1976)</ref>

The [[Battle of Rasil]] in 632 played a crucial role in their decline. The battle resulted in the [[Rashidun Caliphate]] annexing the [[Makran|Makran coast]] .<ref>Peter Crawford, ''The War of the Three Gods: Romans, Persians and the Rise of Islam'', (Pen & Sword, 2013), 192.[https://books.google.com/books?id=ZPAHBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA192&dq=raja+rasil&hl=en&sa=X&ei=aOwYVd23ONWhugS-_IHIDg&ved=0CCAQ6AEwAQ]</ref><ref>André Wink, ''Al-hind: The Making of the Indo-islamic World'', Vol. I, (E.J. Brill, 1990), 133.[https://books.google.com/books?id=U7Q3AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA133&lpg=PA133&focus=viewport&vq=Chach&output=html_text]</ref> The book ''[[Chach Nama]]'' chronicles the final demise of the Rai dynasty and the ascent of [[Hindu]] [[Chach of Alor]] to the throne.

They established a formidable temple of [[Shiva]] in present-day [[Sukkur]], [[Pakistan]], close to their capital in [[Aror]]. This is consistent with the historical accounts from the times of [[Harsha]], as numerous monarchs from the subcontinent never sponsored a state religion and typically patronized all [[Dharma|Dharmic]] religions.<ref name="Wink pg.152">{{cite book |title=Al Hind: The Making of the Indo-Islamic World |publisher=BRILL |year=1996 |last=Wink |first=Andre |isbn=90-04-09249-8 |page=152}}</ref>

==History==
B. D. Mirchandani stated, "Our knowledge of the Rai dynasty, which is not a great deal, is derived entirely from three Muslim chronicles of Sind."<ref>Mirchandani, B. D.; ''Glimpses of Ancient Sind''{{page needed|date=April 2013}}</ref> The history of the Rai and Brahman dynasties is almost entirely derived from the Muslim chronicles, especially the ''[[Chachnama]]'' and ''[[Shahnama]]''.<ref name="Wink pg.152" /> The dynasty was launched by Adi Rai in the year 3044 of the ''[[Kali Yuga]]'' era, i.e., 58 B.C. His son Dev Rai succeeded him after 48 years.<ref>A Short History of Jammu Raj: From Earliest Times to 1846 A.D.p.44.Ajaya Prakashan,
1985.</ref> Sukh Dev Singh Charak rose to power in the shifting political scene with the wane of the [[Sassanid]] influence in the wake of the [[Hepthalite]] ([[White Hun]]/[[Huna people|Huna]]) invasions. Rulers issued silver coins bearing their likeness by the 7th century.<ref name="Wink pg.152" />

The ''Chachnama'' describes the Rai dynasty as a significant power of the time, as well as the extent of Rai Sahiras' domain: {{quote|The limits of his dominions extended on the east to the boundary of Kashmir, on the west to Makran, on the south to the coast of the sea and Debal, and on the north to the mountains of Kurdan and Kíkánán. He had appointed four Governors (Maliks) in his kingdom: one at Brahminabad; and the fort of Nerun and Debal, Luhánah, Lákhah. Sammah and the river were left under his management. Another at the town of Siwis-tán; and Ladhia, Chingán, the skirts of the hills of Rojhán up to the boundary of Makrán, were given into his charge. The third at the fort of Iskandah; and Báhíah, Stwárah, Jajhór, and the supplementary territories of Dhanód were given in his possession; and the fourth at the town of Multan; and the towns of Sikkah, Karnd, Ishthar, and Kíh up to the boundary of Kashmir were en¬trusted to him. The king himself had his headquarters in the city of Aror, retaining Kurdán, Kíkánán, and Bar-Hamas directly under his sway.<ref>''The Chachnamah: ancient history of Sind''. Translated from the Persian by Mirza Kalichbeg Fredunbeg. Commissioner's Press (1900).{{page needed|date=April 2013}}</ref>}}

===Demise===
According to the ''Chachnama'', the last Rai emperor, Rai Sahasi II, died through illness without issue. By that time, Chach was in complete control of the affairs of the kingdom. When Rai Sahasi II was near death, Suhanadi explained to Chach that the kingdom would pass to other relatives of the dying king in the absence of any direct heir. Consequently, they hid the news of the king's death until claimants to the throne were killed through conspiracy. Following this, Chach declared himself a ruler and later married Suhandi. This ended the Rai Dynasty and began the dynasty of a Brahmin dynasty called Chach dynasty.<ref name=chachnama>[http://persian.packhum.org/persian/pf?file=12701030&ct=8 "Chach Nama - The queen falls in love with Chach who becomes the Ruler through her love"], Packhum.org</ref>

Six months after death of Rai Sahasi, his brother Rana Maharath ruler of [[Chittor]], challenged Chach in combat, claiming to be rightful ruler of the Rai Dynasty. Chachnama states that Maharath was killed as the two engaged in a duel, in which it was forbidden to mount a horse or any other animal. During the duel Chach mounted a horse in order to kill his rival.<ref name=chachnama/><ref>[http://persian.packhum.org/persian/main?url=pf%3Ffile%3D12701030%26ct%3D8 "Chach fights with Maha-rat and kills him by a strategem"], Packhum.org</ref>

==Rulers==
Andre Wink reports on the possibility of the corruption of the [[Sanskrit]] names and renders them as related in parenthesis in the following chronology of the Rai rulers of Sindh:<ref name="Wink pg.152" />

*Rai Diwa ji (Devaditya), a powerful chief who forged alliance and extended his rule east of [[Makran]] and west of [[Kashmir]], south to the port of [[Karachi]] and north to [[Kandahar]]{{citation needed|date=June 2016}}
*Rai Sahiras (Shri Harsha)
*Rai Sahasi (Sinhasena)
*[[Rai Sahiras II]], died battling the King of [[Nimroz]]
*[[Rai Sahasi II]], the last of the line

==See also==
*[[Mukrand Rai]]
*[[List of Hindu Empires and Dynasties]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box
| title = Rai Dynasty
| years = 489–690 AD
| before = [[Ror Dynasty]]
| after = Islamic Invasion / [[Chach of Alor]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{History of Sindh}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:History of Sindh]]
[[Category:History of Balochistan]]
[[Category:Dynasties of Pakistan]]
[[Category:History of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Medieval India]]
[[Category:Dynasties of India]]
[[Category:Chach Nama]]
[[Category:History of Gujarat]]
[[Category:Rajput clans of Sindh]]

Rai dynasty - Revision history

Nandini Gowda KL: enhanced lead per standard format further and updated info

imported>TrangaBellam: ed