AKOTA BRONZES UMAKANT P, SHAH Photographs by Pramod Chandra ‘extrsut = Department of Archacology, Government of Bombay 1959State Board for Historical Records and Ancient \fonuments Archeological Series, Not General Editor Dr P M Josh, MA PAD (Lendon) Durector of Archives & Histoneal Monuments Government of BombayGENERAL EDITOR’S FOREWORD It gives me much pleasure to usher the Archaeological Serves of the Department of Archacology and the State Board for Historical Records and Anctent Monuments with a volume on the bronzes discovered at Akota It 1s hoped that further valumes in this series will deal with aspects of Indian art and archaeology tn the State of Bombay A volume on some very remarkable Roman and Satavahana bronze objects and mages found at Kolhapur and mentioned im footnote seven at page two of this monograph 1s under active reparation and volumes on inscriptions of the Silaharas of Northen Konkan and ancient and early medieval Gujarat are at present under consideration A monograph on Deccan pamting 13 also bemg contemplated It 1s further hoped that the Archaeological Unit of the Depart ment of Archaeology working in the Saurashtra area wil be m a positron to add reports of exploration and excavation of Harappan sites in Saurashtra to this sertes The State Board for Histoncal Records and Ancient Monuments established by Government in 1949 has also launched on a Monograph Series of small volumes of gencral interest ‘The first book of this serres 1s on Nevasa, the place where the Dnyaneshwan was composed in AD 12go_ It has already been published and will be followed by monographs on other places of historical and archacological imterest in the State of Bombay The first volume of the Atstorical Serres—also sponsored by the Board—entstled Hestorrcal Genealogies has already been published The Akota bronzes described m the present volume represent a hoard of Jaina images discovered at Akota near Baroda The exciting nature of the discovery and the romantic manner of their recovery 1s given by Dr U P Shah in the Introduction Akota, a hamlet on the western outskutts of the modern city of Baroda is situated on the right bank of the Vishvamitr: mver Known im ancient and medieval times as Ankottaka, 1t was a town of-spme importance between circa BC 2gooand AD 1100 The excavations carried out here by Dr B Subba Rao on behalf of the Maharaja Sayaprao University of Baroda and the labours and intellectual curiosity of some friends of Dr Shah brought to hght Kshatrapa coins and some very interesting Roman objects This evidence has helped us in establishing the antiquity of Akota which we can now take back, as already stated above, to at least the second century BC Dr Shah places the amages of this monograph from the second half of the fifth century to the eleventh century of the Christian era This continued period of activity m the castmg of metal images 1s suggestive of an aspect of cultural development and artistic actrvity m Gujarat Intherto not well known For the first trme we have extensive evidence of a fully developed Western Indian School that would seem to bear out the assertions of Lama Taranatha_ Indeed the Akota bronzes add a new chapter to the history of metal sculpture in India Only two of the Akota images have dates inscribed on them Many of the others bear mseriptions and Dr Shah has reed heavily on their palaeography to frame his chronology He has been helped no doubt, by the number of orderly epigraphical records available, particularly of the Mautrakas, but it must be roentbered that palaeography cannot be the sole arbiter of art history, and can only We may have to revise the chronology suggested by act as an aid im sts study Dr Shah rf and when materials are available for a more intensive research into the evolution of art forms in GujaratIt was but proper that Dr Shah, who had done so much to locate the bronzes and who had also brought them to the notice of scholars in his research papers, should have been entrusted with the work of the monograph by the Government My thanks are due to him for having accepted the imvitation to undertake this monograph | must, of course, express my gratitude and thanks to Dr Moti Chandra of the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India, Bombay who has advised and guided Dr Shah and myself at every stage of tins work He has gone through the ongima! draft, suggested modificauons and changes 1nd discussed them with Dr Shah and myself Sm Pramod Ghandra, also of the Prince of Wales Museum, has been closely associated with us in the preparation of the mono- graph for the press, in the reading of proofs, in making suggestions for designing the cover and 1n various other ways in which he hghtened my task of seeing the volume through the press He has supervised the work of photographs at every stage and all photographs except tb, 2a, 2b, 3, 4b, 5, Ga, 19, 29a, 95a, 35b, 49, 50a, 50b, 56a, 63a, 70a, 72, 73b, 74, 75, 76, 77 and 78 were taken by him with the able assistance of Sn M M Gupta, the Departmental Photographer The bronzes are at present housed in the Baroda Muscum and the work of photographing them was done there with the co-operation of Sn V L Devkar, Director of the Museum Smmati Helen Chandra has done the layout of the plates and assisted in the general get up of the book My thanks are due to her and to Sn J Nath who prepared the Jacket to the volume and also made the photographs ready for the blockmakers ‘The Govt Photo Zinco Press did the blocks most promptly and helped me mm speeding up this volume My Supenntendent, Sri D R Amlad: has laboured hard to see this volume through the press The index was prepared by him and he has also helped in the correction of proofs Thope to be in 2 position to bring out farther volumes m the Archaeological Series in due course P M JOSHI, Director of Archives @ Historical Monuments Government of Bombay Department of Archaeology Government of Bombay Secretanat Record Office Bombay aoth Apnl, 1959INTRODUCTION The site of the anctent town of Ankottaka (modern Akotd), situated to the west of Baroda, was discovered early 1 1949 by my friend M D Desai This discovery and the recovery of a Roman bronze jar handle from the site have been discussed in a previous piper' There I had drawn certain inferences based on some scattered metal and stone images discovered by my colleagues and myself an various Jaina temples of Western India, especially from Vasantgarh in old Stroh state (now in Rayasthan) I had suggested that these finds would help to reconstruct the cultural and political history of the Western coastal arcas, beginnmg with the Mauryan age? Y had further observed that the Guryara Pratihara culture, with Bhollamala (modem Bhinma! oC Cente, hast is cred the creation of a ire pw D arangadhara Was the pionver-of tins artsticmovernient;_an event refi ‘Tibetan Lama Tar. iS * ven errett 10" by ‘This suggestion has since been supported by the recovery of a large hoard of Jaina metal images from the site of Akota These were apparently dug out before June 1951, when R N Mehta of the M S University of Baroda obtained five of them irom a Brahman and brought them to me for identification They were thickly oxidised but appeared to be stmular im style to some of the later metal images from Wasantgarh and other Jaina sites, on the basis of which they were assigned tentatively by me to a period ranging from the 8th to roth century AD I was also informed that a simular female figure was in the possession of a local dealer Just a few days earher Desai, too, had informed me that two small pieces, one of a Jaina _yakska and another of a Jaina yaksh, were with a local cuno dealer These neces, | discovered, had the same type of oxdisation as covered the mages brought by Mehta, through whose help I was able to acquire the head of a small Jina image assignable to c 6th century,’ and later, a female fly whisk bearer assignable to c 8th century AD* The condition of these images led me to suspect that they formed part of some recently unearthed hoard so that I was on the lookout for more pieces Mehta agreed with me im suspecting that the pieces probably came from Akota Soon after this a Jaina friend took me to a man who had exhibited eleven preces for worship, attributing thew appearance to some miracle All these had been cleaned with acid, and some of them were inscribed One such specimen was particularly noteworthy, as the mscription on its back stated that it was installed im the Ankottaka Vasatika, that 1s in the Jama shrine at Ankottaka It was therefore quite clear that all the pieces came from the Akota site I smmediately informed “‘Mebta and taking the smaii ‘head with me, threatened the man with the exposure of his muraculous clams He confessed and sold to me ninety three preces con 1 ‘The paper entitled Specimens of Pre Medieval Sculptures from Gujarat and Saurashtra was read before the Fine Arts Section of the Bombay Sesson of the All Inda Onental Conference 1949 2 NB P Ware has now been obta aed by R N Mehta from Tumbarva near Karvan of Mehta Sxcaratons at Timbarca Baroda 1955 * UP ShahandR N Mehta A Few Early Sculptures from Gujarat Journal of the Ontental Inst tule 1 (No 1) pp 1601 Pls IIL 1V 4 UP Shah A Female Chaun bearer from Ankot{aka and the School of the Ancient West Bulletin of the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India No 1 pp 43 46by lum = The new acquisitions were immediately shown to local workers ce ata including Dr H Goltz andS R Rao of the Western Circle, Department of Archaeology, and the Jaina community was also informed of the hoard = During this tame, the owner of the site was approached by Jaina friends and the rest of the lot was recovered Since the hoard had apparently already passed into the possession of several people, there 1s no doubt that some images hive not yet been traced Two such images were subsequently acquired by the Baroda Museum from a local dealer, and it 1s also likely that some inscribed pedestals and other loose picces have been sold off as scrap metal This, unfortunately, appears to have been also the fate of the pedestal of the largest mage, which on the analogy of the large Vasantgarh Jaina image,’ probibly contained an inscription Since these bronzes were all cast by the lost wax process with a heavy black core inside, some of them were deltberately broken by ignorant persons in the hope of obtaining Indden gold or jewels Fragments sold off as scrap metal and also many complete images could have been retrieved by persuaston, but the sudden application of the Treasure Trove Act scared those people who had purchased the scrap and the fragments were probably destroyed At least they have disappeared beyond any hope of recovery I was especially eager to recover the lost inscriptions of Rishabhanatha (P1 8b) and Jevantasvams (Pl ga) as they may have helped greatly im solving the main problem in our study of Western Indian art We can only hope that the fate of the Akota hoard will prove a lesson in all similar sttuations in the future While collecting surface pottery from the pits dug out by the workmen of the brick factory owning the Akota site, M_D Desai first discovered a Roman bronze jar handle m 1949 ° Accompanied by Desai, I picked up the trefoil shaped neck of the same jar while collecting pot sherds Both the nech and the Jar were presented to the Baroda Museum, but the neck, much corroded and broken into Pieces, 15 not to be traced These two are the earhest known bronze Preces dis- covered from the site, being amported in the course of normal trade relatrons between the Roman empire and the Western coast? Early literature contains no reference to Akota It 15 first mentioned in the Baroda plates of Karkka Suvarnavarsha® of the Gujarat Rishtrakiita branch, dated Saka 734/A D 812, where it 1s referred to as the western boundary of the village of Vatapadraka, situated in the “Ankottaka, 84", that 13 an the Anhkottaka admimstrative division of eaghty four villages, Ankottaha being the headquarters of the division This grant was a revival of an older grant, from which it can be inferred that Ankottaka existed in the beginning of the Chnstian era This was Supported by excavations carried out by B Subba Rao who obtained two restruck Kshatrapa coins from the arca® The shrine of Bhimanatha situated to the north of this arca has some mason marks on stones used for pavement im later repairs These resemble the old Brahim letters ya, kra, cht and can be dated to the end century ® First discussed by Mum hal: (No 2) pp azn 2gr ° MD Desa — Some Roman Anuquites from Aketa near Baroda Mu am VIL pp at ff and Pls The site was later excavated by B Subba Rao of University of Baroda see has Baroda Through the Ages Baroda 19) yanav jaya an Nagart Prachanm Painka (New Series) XVIII Bulletin of the Baroda : * See J F Fleet Sansknt and Old Canarese Insenpt ons PP 156 * Subba Rao Baroda Through the Ages pp 785BC on account of their close simmlarity with Bhattiprolu and Its also interesting to note that Desai collected a ‘brick with a nnabh ot the lanes oe and the neck of a big earthen jar with the mark of early Brahm: ma The latter, however, can also be interpreted as a taurme symbol It 2s probable, therefore, that the hibitatron at Akota dates from at least the and century BC The name Ankottaka itself 1s puzzlimg and 1s possibly of non-Aryan origin e The second recorded reference to Akota appears in Vastupalachan Jinaharshagam, which says that Teyapala, the munater of Lavandmside act Viradhavala (c AD 1200-1238), passed through Baroda on his way back after conquering Ghughula of Godhra, and repaired a temple of Adisvara at Utkota ‘This shows that Ahota continued to be a Jaina centre until about the 13th century, though it must have been reduced to a small suburb with nearby Baroda growmg rapidly This can be seen from the fact that Santuka, a minster of Siddharayja Jayasimha, took part in the Jama ratha yatra festival at Vada-Udaya or Baroda (and not at Akota)” In AD 1104, Viragam, commenting on the Pmdanryukt, referred to Baroda as the “ornament of Lata” The above conclusion 1s further corroborated by the fact that in the entire Akota hoard there 1s no rmage which can be defimtely assigned to a pertod later thanc AD r1oo_ This suggests that the hoard was perhaps buried by the Jainas for safety during the invasion of Gujarat by Alap Khan, a general of ‘Ala-ud-din Khalj;, in A D_1298, although it 1s possible for the hoard to have been buried any time after c AD 1100 as well The exact findspot of the hoard could not be traced, as we could salvage pieces only from the person who purchased it from the digger The place pointed out by the digger did not yield any clues when excavated later by B Subba Rao In his excavation report, however, he refers to a pit which seems to have yielded the bronzes Thus 1s very improbable as the pit in question was used as a dump and contained bones, ash, charcoal and pot-sherds Such a dump prt could not be a site of deliberate bumal of bronzes for safety because this would have been tantamount to sacrilege No temple site was revealed by the trenches The foundattons of a building with a big hall, cleared during excavations, could not with certainty be identified as belonging toa shnne Thus structure dates from the Kshatrapa age * As will be evident from Durggint Parfvanatha (Pl 2gb), there existed on the site a shrine called Ratha-Vasauika, probably named after Arya Ratha, in the end century AD In V § 1006, according to an inscription in the hoard, there was a shrime known as Ankottaka Vasatika Iris not posstble to determine the conditions of the differcnt images when the potter’s spade brought them to light Some were reported to have been mun- 10 As will be seen from the text that follows, the Bactrian Greeks seem to have ruled over coastal Gujarat and Saurashtra during the latter half of the end century BC The Greeks had the habit of founding cities named after thar kings, eg Alexandna I wonder if Ankottaka has anything to dé with Antiochus—-an Antiochus fol:s — Ankottaka The evidence of Maurya rule is also clear from the Edicts of Asoka at Girnar* and Sopara.* Under Agoka, the province was governed by Tushispha Yavana‘ During this eriod the provincial capital was at Girinagara (Junagarh) but Bharuhachchha (Broach) was an important port on the coastal plain from about 6th century B.C. down to the age of the Kshatrapas. The third Buddhist Council that met during Agoka’s reign sent a yarana monk Dharmarakshita to Aparanta.’? But after the death of Afoka, with the general collapse of the imperial power, the Mauryas Jost their bold over Gujarat by about B.C 200 at the latest. In the East the Mauryan empire passed to the Suagas, but their relation with the rulers of Gujarat is not known. Literary references indicate two Sunga expedi- tions to the South, one to the North-West and from there to the Southern Ocean under Pushyamitra" and the other to the Sindhu accompanied by the performance of an afvamedha sacrifice under Vasumitra, grandson of Pushyamitra.? Tarn thinks that the Southern Ocean refers to the southern ocean of Pataleneand Saurashtra," in which case, Saurashtra may be said to have been temporarily under the Sungas, however brief that period may be, The reference to a fight with the Yavanas on the Sindhu, ts doubtful, and, according to one view, the Sindhu seems to be the Chambal river," which would mean that Vasumitra encountered the Yavanas 1 For the details of thas penod, rf Munsin, Glory That War Cigaradefa 1, pp. 99-138 Teas quite possible that the area, including Broach, was under Chandapradyota of Uyain, for farther mformauon and bibhography see Raychaudhan, Politeal History of Ancient Indte, Calcutta, (5th Edn) 1950, pp 202 ff F Yoelhorn, “ Junagath Rock Insenpton of Ridradaman," Epreraphia Indica VII, pp 36-49 E Hultzsch, Corpus Inseriphionum Indscarum I, Oxford 1925, pp 1-27 Jind, p 118 Another rock edict of Aéoka has been recently discovered at 5S: now'sn the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India, Bombay opara and ss Kaelborn, “ Junagarh Rock Insemption of Rildradiman,” p 41, RG Mandar & A D Pusalker (Editors), of Indian People, Vol 11}, Bombay 1951 Sankalia, Archacclagy of Guyerat, p 8 Ind, Kalidasa, Melankdgrmttra, Act V, after verse 14 19 W W Tar, Gresks in Bactna and India, Cambndge 1938, p 147 MR G Majumdar, “Some Observati Pushy , Quarterly p 218 ons on Pushyamutra and his Empire”, Indran Historscal The Age of Impeal Unity (History and Culture > P By .perhaps new Mathura, then under Menander ? If this view be correct it 15 doubt. ful whether the agcamedha horse came to Guyarat at all Politicat conditions in Northern and Western India were disturbed due to the advance of the Bictrian Greeks, who under Demetrius, about BC 150 marched down the Indus and took Patalene, from there moving on to coastal Guyarat probably through Kachchha and Saurashtra Here they estabhshed themselves under Apollodotus, probably a brother of Demetrius, who ruled the whole country from Gandh'ra to Barygaza where his coins as well as those of Menander are reported to have been circulating * Menander (c BC 115-90), who marched successfully agamnst Pitahputra and Mathura, captured power after the death of Apollodotus and Demetrius In spite of reverses in the cast, he contmued to rule from Mathura to Broach * Foreign rule over Gujarat possibly contmued under his son Sotor I, through his general Apollodotus I, whose coms were imitated by the Saka sitraps Chashtana and Nahapfna The pohtical powcr of the Greeks was shattered by the Sakas, who advancing from Seistan, conquered Patalene on the Indus and advanced on Abiria (Kachchha?) and conquered Northern India under Manes or Moga '* Two coins of Azes have been obtained by Mehta from Karvan near Baroda According to local and Jaina traditons, the Gardabha king was annihilated at Uyain through the help of the Sakas by Kalakdcharya, and these Sakas are reported to have been driven out of Uyain about BC 58 But whether or not Guytrat and Saurashtra were also fost by the Sakas 1s not known 7 Very little evidence 1s forthcoming about the rulers of Guyarat and Saurashtra uptoc AD 100, but a com of Wima hadphises (¢ AD 67-75) (who calls lum- self a MaheSvara), found from Karvan,'* the original seat of the Lakulisa sect, as noteworthy We do not know how far westward and southward the rule of early Kushanas had extended into India Philostratus refers to the perpetual quarrel of the “barbarians” (Kushanas) with the Parthian king of the Indian border Jand That Parthian rule contmued m_ the lower Indus valley as late asc AD 70-80 1s suggested by the Persplus “Before it (Barbaricum on the principal mouth of the Sindhu} there hes a small sstand and behind 1 1s the metropolis of Scythia, Mim-nagar, it 1s subject to Parthian princes who are constantly driving each other out’? The carly Scythrans of East Iran, and the Parthtans who had established themselves in the 12 YS Agrawala suggests that anmanmahendro mathurdm in Abhayanandis Fritts on Jainendra Vydkarana 2 2.92, has to be corrected as arunat Menendro mathuram where Menendro 1s Menander 53 Age of Imperial Unity, pp 106-107 46 ORE Tarn, Greeks in Baciria and Indsa, p 148 where he argues from the statement in Periplus of the Eqythraean See Dr B Subba Rao informs me that coins of Appolodotus have been recently recovered from Amreh dastnet, Bombay State Age of Imperral Unaty, pp 1126113 18 E J Rapson (Edstor), Cambridge History of Inca I, Cambridge 1922, p 168 37 BJ Sandesara, Jaina Agama Sahutyam Guyarét, PPO! 98 Also see U P Shah Sucarnabhtm mi Kalokdcharya (Hindi), Banaras Jaina Cultural Research Society, p 19 where an attempt has been made to demonatrate that Kalaka was a histoncal figure of c BC 100 38 Tam thankful te R N Mehta for this information and for several other useful suggestions which have been incorporated m this chapter 10 Age of Imperial Umty, pp 132, 178valley of the lower Sindhu in c, Ist century B.C., had probably penctrated as far east a8 Kathiawar and the adjoining regions.” The Kushinas of Kanishka’s house had their satraps at Ujjain and in Western India. Of this dynasty of satraps, known as the Kshaharatas, the earliest known member is Bhamaka (¢ A.D. 78-115) whose coins were current in coastal Gujarat,” Kathiawar and Malwa, Nahapina seems to have succeeded him (c. A.D, 115-125). Very few coins of Nahapana are found from Gujarat proper but rivers and sites of Gujarat have been mentioned in the Nasik inscrip- tion of his son-in-law Ushavadata and this mdicates that Nahap&na’s territory extended from Ajmer-Pusbhar in the north to Nasik and Poona in the south, Jaina traditions refer to him as ruling over Broach and state how he was defeated by the Satavahana ruler who must be identified with Gautamiputra Sdtabarni.? Gujarat thus passed into the hands of the Andhras for some time in c. A.D. 125-195. Coins of the Satavahanas are found from Karvan and Kamrej. Some of them may have found their way there due to trade contacts with the Deccan through Khandesh and southern Gujarat which must have continued throughout the rule of the Kardamaka dynasty.* Besides, the Satavahana™ and the Western Kshatrapas often fought for the possession of border regions up to Nasik and Sopara. The Andhras were soon forced to withdraw from Gujarat, Saurashtra and Malwa by another branch of the Sahas, namely the Kardamakas, who ruled over these parts for about two hundred years The first ruler of this line of Western Kshatrapas was Chashtana but the family achieved greatest glory under Riidradaman I (c. A.D. 130-150). During his rule, the power of Kshatrapas extended over the greater part of Malwa, Rajputana, Marwar, Sindh, Kutch, Kathiawar, Gujarat and Northern Konkan2* His Girnar inscription refers to the victory over Satakarni His capital was at Uyain while his governor for Saurashtra and Anarta was the Pahlava Suviikha, son of Kulaipa. The latter part of the Wester Kshatrapa rule witnessed the rise of the Abhiras in Kathiawar, Khandesh and northern Maharashtra, and possibly also of the Traikitakas. They remaimed in certain parts of Gujarat even during Gupta rule. A copper plate of one Iévara Ranaka, discovered from Kalchatta near Chhota-Udaipur, and assignable to ¢. qth century AD, 1s noteworthy” It as interesung to note that pottery with red slp, smoky core, and coarse fabne, showing Parthian influence n the stamped mots of swans, horses and Lions, and simular te that recovered from Tasala and Harwan in Kashour was recovered from Akota and a few mreces were obtained from Karvan The Parthians were intermuxed with the Sakas in India and ther mfluence on matenal culture and art, cvcn in coastal Gujarat and Saurashtra, cannot be averlooked Ridradaman employeda Pablava engincer atGinnagara m building the dam of lake Sudartana Age of Impenal Umty, p 179, Raychaudhary, Polsheal History of Ancient India, p 484 Age of Imperial Unity, p 181 Mun Punvavyaya (Eduor), Bnikat-Kalpa Bhaskya ¥, Bhat _ Charm: 11, Ratlam 1g2t, pp 200-201 9 wrager 1935-98, p 52, Leafpata ‘The Jogalthemb: hoard shows that Gautamiputra had restruck the cums of Nahapina For Satavahana coins from Gujarat, xe A 5S Gadre, “Some Rare Coms from C. ” Journal of the Numurmate Sonety of Inca XI, 630. MI ee ed erat Comms from Karvan, North Gujarat” did SAM po daa © DRS A Hoard of Lead E, E iJ Rape. Catalogue of the Cowes of the Andhra Dyrasty, London 1908, p exx , Ace of Irpenal Cons of Abhira Tsvaradatta obtained from Saurasbtra show that he ruled as a Mahakshatray in AD 18B-gr, see tee of Impenal Umty, pp 186-488 For the Kalchar i Pandya, “We Add a New Chapter to Gujarat History,” V% chatta plate see AV. Magazine (March 1950), pp 77 © hstory,” Vallbhshit Pot! MabaridsalayaKshatrapa rulc in Gwarat and Saurashtra was ended by Chandragupta IT inc AD 395 Gupta sovereignty over Guyarat seems to have ended after the death of Skandagupta,c AD 470 The Traikittaka ruler Dahrasena was ruling south of the Tapti in the year A.D 456-57 and under his son Vyaghrasena the Tratkiitaka dominions extended further south into Konkan In c AD 500, however, their power was crushed by the Vahataka king Harishena who claims victory over Lata and Trikita * After Hanshena (c AD 520), the Vakataka occupation of Giyarat came to anend In southern Gujarat, a mahasamanta mahargja Samgamasimha 1s known to have ruled the region between the Narmada and the Tapti from hus capital at Broach in AD 540” Ths overlords were probably the Katachchiris Records of Sankaragana (the son of Katachchun Krishnaraja) and Ins son Buddharaya show that the Katachchur: dominion extended from Malwa in the north to Nasik in the south and possibly included modern Baroda and Broach districts for some time ® Barly in the 7th century, the Katachchiri king Buddharaya was defeated by the Western Chalukya ruler Mangalesa, after which Southern Lata or the country south of the Tapt: became a Chalukya province What happened to Northern Lata or the modern Broach and Baroda districts as not certam, but it 1s probable that they passed to the Guryaras of Broach and Nandipur: {modern Nandod, 34 mules from Broach)" aboutc AD 580 _ These Guryaras were probably a branch of the Guryara-Prathdra dynasty of Jodhpur founded by Hanchandra® whose son Dadda 1s possibly the same as Samanta Dadda I (c AD 580) of the Broach branch The territories of the Guryaras of Broach seem to have ‘extended from the river Mahi im the north to the Kim in the south and from the sea-coast in the west to the borders of Malwa and Khandesh on the east” In the begimnmg they were probably the feudatories of the Kalachuris, then of both the Guryara-Pratiharas and the Chalukyas of Badam, and then in about A D 640, possibly of the Maitrakas of Valabhi A large portion of Malwa secms to have eventually passed into ther hands ** Dadda II (¢ AD 629 641) gave protecuon to the Lord of Valabhi who must have been Dhruvasena Il (c AD 620-640) Jayabhata IV, the last known ruler went out to Valabhi to help sts ruler against the Taykas (Arabs) mn AD 734-5 but the dynasty seems to have been wiped out by the Arab raid under Junaid Thus, during and after the Gupta rule and im the beginning of the 7th century, central and northern Gujarat remained under northern influence which must have extended in the south to the river Kim or Tapti and to west Khandesh where it continued to be maintained by trade contacts 46 Archaeologwal Sury of Western India 1V, p 127, Sankahia, Archacology of Gyaral, pp 11-12 4° Sten Konow, ‘ Sunaokala Plates of Samgamasimha," Eprgraphia Indica X, p 72 80 Sankalia, Archaeology of Gyaral, p 13, A S Gadre, The Kataccuris in Western India,’ Bharatya Vidya 1X (1948), pp 189 ff 3) For the genealogy and account of the Guraras of Broach see Sankalsa, Archarology of Guwarat, pp 1st7 VB Mehra, “The Guryara-Pratiharas of Bhrigukachchha Annals of the Bhandarkar Onental Research [nstrtule SXXI (1950), pp 250% and V V Mirashi “A Note on the Prince of Wales Muscum Plates of Jayabhata (If >), Epreraphna Indica XXIV. pp 176 32° R CG Majumdar ‘The Guyara Pratiharas * Journal of the Department of Letters Unmernty of Catauta X, p 33° R C Majumdar & A D Pusalker (Editors), The Clasneal Age (History and Culture of the Indian People, Vol III}, Bombay 3954, p 66 “Pd, p 67We do not know the northern boundary of the kingdom of the Gurjaras of Broach nor do we know the southern boundary of the Maitrakas of Valabhi. The sctipt of most of the grants of these Gurjaras corresponds with that of the Maitraka grants and also a number of Valabhi coins are reported to have been obtained at Abota-Baroda and Kanan” This would suggest’ continuance of Maitraka rule in Baroda district immediately after the end of the Gupta, and also testifies to Maitraka mfluence on the Guraras of Broach. The administration of Baroda and Kaira districts probably fluctuated from one dynasty to another. The country south of Tap came under Western Chilukya rule in about AD 670, though the Chaluhya influence possibly began with the defeat of Katachchan Buddharya inc. A.D, 610 at the hands of Mangdlesa.“ Trom AD 670 to A D. 7400 Chalukya branch line of Dhardéraya Jayasimhavarman ruled over the southern parts of Lita ‘The dominion of these Western Chilukyas of Navasan extended an the north upto Tapti, 19 the south to the territory of the imperial Chalukyas, and an the south-east at included the modern district of Nasik.” The southern advance of [unaid was checked by the Chalukyas of Navasiri, headed by Pulakesin Janasraya,* but northern Lata or central Gujarat probably fell mto the hands of the Gurjara-Pratiharas of Avanti and Bhartpyaddha, a Chahamina feudatory of Nagavaloka (Nagabhata I) ruled at Broach in A D. 756.” The Rashtrakitas of Malkhed, afier exterminating the main Ch3lukya line, turned their attention to the Gujarat Chalukyas and in about AD. 740 Dantidurga (c AD 733~758)claims to have fought on the banks of the Mahiand Reya (Narmada) and obtained Victories over Malava, Lata and Tanka.© Govinda Til gave over the Gujarat kingdom (Lita-mandala) to his brother Indra I] in about AD 808." Indra’s son Karkla Suvarnavarsha issued the Baroda grant which refers to the Anhottaha group of 84 villages (AD 812-824). After Krishna Akdlavarsha, Lita aga passed under the direct contro! of the main Rashtrakiita ine, and in A.D, 914, Indra Nityavarsha, who dealt a severe blow to Mahipala of Kanauj, regranted about four hundred villages in Lata at the time of lus coronation, L&ta remained directly under the Rashtrakitas upto Govinda V (c, A D. 935), and then upto about c. A D. 970 it was gov emed through their Paramiara feudatories, The Harsol grant ® tells us that Lata was governed by AMfahémandalika-chidamani Mahdrgadhrdja Svyaka under Srivallabha (Krishna ITI, c. AD. 0-56). The overlordstup of the next Rashtraktita ruler Khottiga (c. AD 956-71) was over- thrown by Harsha-Siyaka inc AD 970 and Lata became an independant Paramara 5 Subba Rao, Baroda Through the Ages, p vt 86 The Sendraka Nakumbhallagakts of the Bagumra grant seems to have been a Chalukyan feudatory » G Bubler, “ Bagumra Grant of Nikumbhallaiaku," Indian Antgvery XVIII P 265 , Sce Sankaha, Archacology of Guerat, p 1g for a different view ‘The north Ghalukyas of Navasari could have extended for a “hile upto the Narmads ner sear The Arabs came from Sind via Marwar ofer-runmng Cutch, Saurashtra, and the t of the Chapotkatas (North G 7 so of th < ‘Gunoras of spoils ( North Gujarat ) and also of the Mauryas of Chitor and the Gunsras The Clasncal Age, pp 162 163 RC Maymdar and A D Pusalker (Editors), Age of Impenal Kan: aa » ay (History and Culture ‘ the Indian People, Vol IV), Bombay #955, pp 1 Hf and Sankaha, Archaeology of Gyarat, o G Buhler, * Inscriptions from Kavi," Indian Anhquary V, p 147 i DR Bhandarkar, “Two Grants of Indsaraja 1,” Eprgraphte Indica UN, p 24 K.N Dikshut, “ Two Harsola Grants of the Paramara Siyaba of VS 1005," ibid AT, a 0 BP 236 10province as evidenced by his Ahmedabad grant“ The Paramaras continued to occupy North Guwjarat—Idar area at least until AD rort as supported by the Modasa grant of Vatsaraja‘** Therr later history m Guyarat is still not known The Rashtrakutas normally ruled upto Mahi or Kaira in the north to which Malwa and some territory in the northeast and southeast were sometimes added, but Gwarat remained a bone of contention between the Rashtrakiitas and the Gurjara-Pratiharas The early emperors considered Lata as merely an outlying rovince but from the time of Amoghavarsha (AD 814-878), they showed more interest 1n the area From the beginning the Rashtrakitas were at war with the Guyara- Prattharas of Avant: and Kanayy They often overran northern India even beyond the Ganga-Jamuna Doab It 1s held that Govinda III annexed Malwa, and Kanauy was placed under Indraraya, the Lata ruler Thus many influences, cultural and otherwise, must have passed through Lata which was a half-way house between the Deccan on one side and Malwa on the other The Paramiaras of Lata had, however, to retreat against another force from the South, when Barappa, probably a feudatory of the Chaluhyas of Kalyani, anvaded therr territory After the Guptas, Northern Gujarat seems to have been ruled by the Guryara- Pratuhdras of Jodhpur-Mandor before c AD 750, occasionally by the Mautrakas, and then by the Guryara-Pratuhdras of Avanu and Kanay uptoc A D gz20 Between ¢ AD 750 and 970, 1t may have passed under the temporary sway of the Rishtrakitas for the Guryara-Pratihara power was then weak“ Vanariya, a Chapotkata, and son of Jayasekhara of Pafichasara, carved out a terrttory in the Sarasyati valley in ec AD 746, ruling 1t from Anahillavada-Patan He and his successors ruled for about two hundred and twenty-five years from ¢ AD 746-961 and seem to have been alles of the Guraras of Kanayy Mallardya, son of Rat (a Chalukya prince, probably in the service of Gurjara- Pratiharas of Kanauy),? obtained the kingdom of the Chapotkatas of Anthillavada- Patan inc AD g41“ Since the new dynasty ruled over the terntory of the Gunyaras after the downfall of Kanavy, and because Malaria probabt had many Guyara followers, the names Guryaratra etc , came to be applied to modern Gwarat also, 1¢ to the territory under these Chaluhyas of Patan he older Guryara-dega, of the Gurara-Pratiharas of Jodhpur and Kanauy had extended far northward and eastward of Patan and its cultural heritage passed on to the Chijukyas of Anahillaviada-Patan Mialaraja attached Barappa of Lata who was ulumately killed by the next ruler Chamunda The dynasty of Birappa, however, continued to exist and we find Karttriya, son of Goggiraja donating villages near Dabhoi and Jambuy4di- Vaghodsa, suggesting that the arca south of Mahi was under their sway in A D Another grant mentions their successful fight on the bank of the mver Visvamitrr near Baroda, with the Chalukyas of Pitan The last known prince of this dynasty «¢ DB Duskalkar, An Odd Plate of Paramara Siyaka of VS 1026 bid p 178 44) "The document was discovered by \f Ro Maymudar who read a paper on st at the Ahmedabad Session of the Indian History Congress 0954 © Sankalia, Archarology of Guarat p 34 41 fbid, Appendix C 40) Jt, p 36 and Sankaha (1929), P 234 Sambhar Imsenpuon of Jayasumha,’ Indiay detguoy LVIN um