The Chudasama dynasty ruled parts of the present-day Saurashtra region of Gujarat state in India between the 9th and 15th centuries. Their capital was based in Junagadh and Vamanasthali.
The early history of the Chudasama dynasty is almost lost. The bardic legends differ very much in names, order and numbers and so are not considered reliable. Traditionally, the dynasty is said to have been founded in the late 9th century by Chudachandra. Subsequent rulers such as Graharipu, Navaghana and Khengara were in conflict with Chaulukya rulers Mularaja and Jayasimha Siddharaja. Thus they are mentioned in contemporary and later Jain chronicles. After the end of Chaulukya rule and that of their successor Vaghela dynasty, the Chudasamas continued to rule independently or as vassals of the successor states, the Delhi Sultanate and Gujarat Sultanate. The first known Chudasama ruler recorded in inscriptions was Mandalika I, during whose reign Gujarat was invaded by the Khalji dynasty of Delhi. The last king of the dynasty, Mandalika III, was defeated and forcibly converted to Islam in 1472 by Sultan Mahmud Begada, who also annexed the state.[1]
Several inscriptions link the Chudasamas to the legendary lunar dynasty; later inscriptions and the text Mandalika-Nripa-Charita link them to the Yadava family of the Hindu deity Krishna.[2] For example, the inscriptions at Neminath Temple (c. VS 1510/c. 1454 CE) on Girnar describes them as being of Yadava origin.[3]
The Dhandusar inscription (VS 1445) says that the founder of the dynasty was Chudachandra.[citation needed] According to a legend, the father of Ra Chuda (that is, Chudachandra) was a Samma chief of Sindh; his mother was the sister of Wala Ram (c. 875), the last of chiefs of Vamansthali (modern Vanthali), who had earlier served as governors under the king of Vallabhi.[4]Nainsi ri Khyat (17th century) also states that the Chudasamas migrated to Saurashtra from Sindh.[5] The Chudasamas are often referred to as abhiras (pastoralists), and legends refer to the 10th century Chudasama king as a "tyrannical shepherd".[2]
Merutunga describes them as Abhiras.[11]Bhagwan Lal Indraji held that the Chudasamas were originally of the Abhira tribe, as their traditions attest connexion with the Abhiras and as the description of Graharipu one of their kings by Hemachandra in his Dvyashraya Kavya points to his being of some local tribe and not of any ancient Rajput lineage. Further in their bardic traditions as well as in popular stories the Chudasamas are still commonly called Ahir-Ranas. The position of Aberia in Ptolemy (A.D. 150) seems to show that in the second century the Ahirs were settled between Sindh and the Punjab.[12]
According to Ramesh Chandra Majumdar and Sailendra Nath Sen, the Abhiras began to rule in Southern and western Saurashtra from the second half of the 10th century A.D their capital was vamanshtali, modern vanthali nine miles west of Junagadh. They became very powerful during the reign of Graharipu who defeated the Saindhavas and the Chaulukyas.[13][14]
Rapson believes that Isvardatta and his descendants were natives of Saurastra and must have been ancestors of the Abhir kings of Junagadh, of the Chudasama (Ra) dynasty.[15]
Location of the Chudsamas, and neighbouring in South Asia, circa 800 CE.[16]
The Chudasama dynasty were in constant conflict with the Chaulukyas. Hemachandra states that Mularaja of the Chaulukya dynasty fought against Graharipu, the ruler of Junagadh, to protect the pilgrims going to Prabhas Patan.[17]
There are no known inscriptions of the period before Mandalika I. Still, it is certain that they had established their rule in the Saurashtra region before Mularaja came to power in Anahilavada because literary sources tell of battles between Chudasama kings and Chaulukya kings; Mularaja and Jayasimha Siddharaja. A Vanthali inscription records Mandalika, a king whose kingdom was captured by Jagatsimha, a feudatory of Chaulukya king Viradhavala. This Mandalika king must be another Mandalika king mentioned in latter half genealogy. As Viradhavala is known to live in VS 1288, he must be assigned the same date. As another Vanthali inscription date VS 1346, it must have been under the Jagatsimha's family till then. It seems that a later Chudasama king Mandalika regained Vanthali when Chaulukya rule weakened. So the later genealogy starts from him in later inscriptions. The Chudasamas continued to rule till VS 1527 (1472 CE) when they were defeated by Sultan Mahmud Begada. As inscriptions says about their resistance to Gujarat Sultans, it can be said that they were the most powerful dynasty in Saurashtra region at that time.[citation needed]
Coins
Based on historical records, it is known that the coins known as Kodis, Karshapan or Pan, Vishopak, Dram and Rupak were used in Chudasama domains. 80 Kodis were equal to one Karshapan and 16 Karshapan were equal to one Dram. One Dram was equal to 20 Vishopak.[18]
Constructions
Uparkot fort rediscovered by Chudasama ruler Graharipu
The Uparkot Fort of Junagadh was occupied by Chudasamas during the reign of Graharipu. Later it is said to have been rebuilt by Navaghana who had transferred his capital from Vamanasthali to Junagadh. He is also attributed with the constructions of Navghan Kuvo and Adi Kadi Vav, a well and a stepwell respectively, in the fort. His descendant Khengara is attributed with a stepwell, Ra Khengar Vav, on the way to Vanthali from Junagadh though it was built by Tejapala, the minister in the Vaghela court.[19]
^Sailendra Nath Sen (1 January 1999). Ancient Indian History and Civilization. New Age International. p. 344. ISBN978-81-224-1198-0. Retrieved 3 January 2011. The Abhiras began to rule in Southern and western Sourashtra from the second half of the 10th century A.D their capital was vamanshtali, modern vanthali nine miles west of Junagadh. They became very powerful during the reign of Graharipu who defeated the Saindhavas and the Chaulukyas.
^Majumdar, Ramesh Chandra (1964). Ancient India. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 303. The Abhiras grew very powerful during the reign of Graharipu in the middle of the 10th century A.D. He had his capital at Vāmanasthali, now represented by Abhiras the village Vanthali, 9 miles west of Junagadh.
