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Vidyadharavarman (Chandel Emperor)
| Vidyādhara | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paramabhattaraka Maharajadhiraja Parameshvara Kalanjaradhipati | |||||||||
File:Vidyadhara Chandel and his wife Satyabhama (Chauhan Princess) during 1010 CE.jpg Maharaja Vidyādhar with his wife Satyabhama (Chauhan princess) Maharaja Vidyadhara Chandel | |||||||||
| Maharaja of Kalanjara | |||||||||
| Reign | r. c. 1003-1035 CE | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Ganda | ||||||||
| Successor | Vijayapala | ||||||||
| Maharani | Satyabhama-devi (Chauhan Princess) [1][2] | ||||||||
| Wives |
| ||||||||
| Sons | Vijayapala, Jayapala & Ajayapala | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| House | Haihaya, Lunar dynasty | ||||||||
| Dynasty | Chandel | ||||||||
| Father | Ganda-deva | ||||||||
| Mother | Devsena-devi (Gahadvala princess) | ||||||||
| Religion | Shaivism | ||||||||
_during_1010_CE.jpg){kind=link}
Vidyadhara (Hindi: विद्याधर:)(reign 1003-1035 c.) popularly known as Vidyadhar-Varman or Chandra Vida, was a emperor from Chandel dynasty of Central India who is born in Vrishni clan[3] who ruled from region Jejakabhukti , with his capital at Kalinjar in present-day Uttar Pradesh. In early period he streched Chandela kingdom from Chambal river in the northwest and Narmada River in south. In 1018 CE, he defeated Kannauj ruler Rajapala.[4] He celebrated his success over Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna, Bhoja of Malwa, and other rulers by building Kandhariya Mahadev temple.[5][6][7]
Ascension
Until the 1970s, scholars such as R. K. Dikshit assigned the beginning of Vidyadhara's reign to 1018 CE.[8] However, later, a copper-plate issued by Vidyadhara's queen Satyabhama was discovered at Kundeshwar. This inscription is dated 1004 CE, which proves that Vidyadhara was already ruling in 1004 CE. Based on this, scholar S. K. Sullerey dates Vidyadhara's reign as 1003-1035 CE.[1][9]
Invasion of Kannauj
In 1018 CE, the Ghaznavid king Mahmud of Ghazni invaded Kannauj, whose Pratihara king (possibly Rajyapala) fled the city, allowing the Ghaznvids to sack it without facing much resistance. According to the 12th century Muslim historian Ali ibn al-Athir, Bida, the king of Khajuraho killed the king of Kannauj as a punishment for this cowardice. Bida is believed to be a variant of "Vidya" (that is, Vidyadhara). Some later Muslim historians misread this name as "Nanda", based on which British-era scholars identified the killer of the Kannauj king as Vidyadhara's predecessor Ganda. However, an inscription discovered at Mahoba confirms that it was Vidyadhara who defeated the ruler of Kannauj.[4][10] The Dubkund inscription of Arjuna of Kachchhapaghata family claims that Arjuna killed Rajyapala in a great battle. The Kachchhapaghatas were feudatories of the Chandelas, so it appears that Arjuna was acting as an agent of Vidyadhara.[11]
Against Mahmud of Ghazna
After an unsuccessful invasion of Kalinjar in 1019 CE, Mahmud of Ghazni again invaded the Chandela kingdom in 1022 CE and the war was fought outside of Kalinjar fort. After a long battle Mahmud surrendered and made a peace with Kalinjar. Later, Vidyadhara celebrated his success over Mahmud of Ghazni, Bhoja and other rulers by building Kandhariya Mahadev temple.[5][6][12][13][14]
According to Nizamuddin Ahmad's Tabaqat-i-Akbari, the two armies were encamped on the opposite banks of a river. Mahmud sent an envoy to Vidyadhara (called "Nanda" by Ahmad), asking him to accept Islam and Mahmud's suzerainty. Vidyadhara refused to make a submission. After seeing the Chandela ruler's vast army from an elevated spot, Mahmud became worried. However, at night, Vidyadhara withdrew with some of his companions, leaving behind his army. According to this account, there was no fight between the two armies. After Vidyadhara's withdrawal, Mahmud's army sacked his camp, and procured a great amount of wealth, including 580 elephants. Gardezi, in his Zayn al-Akhbar, states that the Chandela ruler (called "Ganda" in this account) had already deserted his camp by the time Mahmud's envoy reached there. Ali ibn al-Athir offers a different account, stating that the two armies fought a battle before retreating at the nightfall. [15]
Conflict with Bhoja
An inscription of Gwalior Kachchhapaghata king Kirtiraja, who was vassal of Chandelas, tell us that he defeated the forces of the Malwa ruler. At that time, Malwa was ruled by the powerful Paramara king Bhoja. It is unlikely that Kirtiraja could have defeated him alone. Thus, S. K. Mitra theorizes that Kirtiraja must have received help from his overlord Emperor Vidyadhara in this campaign.[16][17]
The Mahoba inscription of the Chandelas states that Bhoja and Kalachuri-Chandra, like scared pupils, worshipped Vidhyadhara, a master of warfare. [18] Kalachuri-Chandra (literally "Moon of the Kalachuris") is identified with the Kalachuri king Gangeya-deva[19][20]
Aound 1025, Vidyadhara defeated the united forces of Paramara king Bhoja and kalachuri king Gangeya-deva.[21]
Cultural contributions
Vidyadhara commissioned the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple at Khajuraho.[22] Vidhyadhara celebrated his success over Mahmud of Ghazni, Bhoja and other rulers by building the Kaṇḍāriyā Mahādeva Temple, dedicated to his family deity Shiva. Epigraphic inscriptions on a pilaster of the mandapa in the temple mentions the name of the builder of the temple as Virimda, which is interpreted as the pseudonym of Vidhyadhara.[5] Its construction is dated to the period from 1025 and 1050 AD.[23]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sullerey 2004, p. 25.
- ↑ Indian Archaeology: A Review. Archaeological Survey of India. 1975. p. 55.
- ↑ Dikshit 1976, p. 3.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Mitra 1977, pp. 72-73.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Ring, Salkin & Boda 1994, p. 468.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Mitra 1977, p. 82.
- ↑ Balakrishna, Sandeep (28 November 2020). Invaders and Infidels (Book 1): From Sindh to Delhi: The 500-Year Journey of Islamic Invasions. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-93-90077-22-9.
- ↑ Dikshit 1976, pp. 71-72.
- ↑ Indian Archaeology: A Review. Archaeological Survey of India. 1975. p. 55.
- ↑ Dikshit 1976, p. 72.
- ↑ Mitra 1977, pp. 74-75.
- ↑ Balakrishna, Sandeep (28 November 2020). Invaders and Infidels (Book 1): From Sindh to Delhi: The 500-Year Journey of Islamic Invasions. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-93-90077-22-9.
- ↑ Gopal, Dr Krishna (2003). Fairs and Festivals of India. Gyan Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-212-0810-9.
- ↑ Chakraberty, Chandra (1944). The Racial History of India. Vijaya Krishna Brothers.
- ↑ Mitra 1977, pp. 78-79.
- ↑ नागोरी, एस एल (2007). प्राचीन भारत का वृहत् इतिहास: Guptottarakālīna Bhārata (in हिन्दी). पोइन्टर पब्लिशर्स. ISBN 978-81-7132-509-2.
- ↑ Pāṇḍeya, Vimala Candra (1962). Prācīna Bhārata kā itihāsa, 500 ī.-1200 ī. dakshiṇa sahita: vikrama, Jabbalapura tathā anya viśvavidyālayoṃ ke liye (in हिन्दी). Kedāra Nātha Rāma.
- ↑ Mitra 1977, p. 75.
- ↑ Awasthi, A. B. L. (1969). प्राचीन भारत का इतिहास: राजपूत राजवंश (in हिन्दी). Kailāśa Prakāśana.
- ↑ Mālavīya, Pradhī (1971). Uttarī Bhārata kā itihāsa: History of northern India (in हिन्दी). Prakāśana Kendra.
{{cite book}}: Missing|author1=(help); Unknown parameter|firstfirst1=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|lastlast1=ignored (help) - ↑ Gvāliyara darśana (in हिन्दी). Gvāliyara Śodha Saṃsthāna, Jīvājī Viśvavidyālaya. 1980.
- ↑ Sullerey 2004, p. 26.
- ↑ Abram 2003, pp. 420–21.
Bibliography
- Romila Thapar (28 June 1990). A History of India. Penguin UK. ISBN 978-0-14-194976-5.
- Dikshit, R. K. (1976). The Candellas of Jejākabhukti. Abhinav. ISBN 9788170170464.
- Mitra, Sisirkumar (1977). The Early Rulers of Khajurāho. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 9788120819979.
- Singh, Mahesh (1984). Bhoja Paramāra and His Times. Bharatiya Vidya Prakashan.
- Sullerey, Sushil Kumar (2004). Chandella Art. Aakar Books. ISBN 978-81-87879-32-9.