History of India, c. 150 A.D. to 350 A.D.: Naga–Vakataka Imperial Period c19.s5: Bhāra-Siva Sivas

History of India, c. 150 A.D. to 350 A.D.: Nāga–Vākāṭaka Imperial Period c19.s5

Language: English

Bhāra-Siva Sivas

c19.s5.1

Bhūbharā [Bhūmarā] Siva [Eka-mukha Lingam] in the Temple.

c19.s5.2

Eka-mukha-Lingam-Nakti-ki-talai, Khoh (A. S. W. C., 1919-20).

c19.s5.3

Bhūbharā Eka-mukha Lingam Siva [ Under tree near the Village ]

Bhākul dev.¹ Between Ganj and Nachnā I found a square stone temple with a few sculptures on a bāwalī (stepped well) which have exactly the same technique as the Nachnā sculptures. The temple contains a plain lingam. The spot is called Chauparā.

c19.s5.5

¹ See Plate XI. Curiously enough, I found a similar, though later, sculpture at Koch, near Tikari, Gaya, indicating the Bhāraśiva influence in Magadha. [The Koch image will be illustrated in a subsequent issue of J.B.O.R.S.]

c19.s5.6

Local Tradition of Past Dynasties. From Lal Saheb of Nagod and other persons I came to learn local traditions about the past dynasties which ruled over Uch-harā, Nachnā, and Nagaudh. The ‘Bhars’ are said to have been the former rulers of Nagaudh and Nachnā and the Sanyāsins, of Uch-harā. These Sanyāsins are the historical ‘Parivrājaka Mahārājas’ of the inscriptions, and ‘the Bhars’ might probably be the Bhāra-Śivas. There is no room in history from the Chandel times or rather from the Gupta times to the present day for a Bhar dynasty. It is possible that Mahārāja Jayanātha and his family who were neighbours of the Parivrājakas were a branch of the Bhāra-Śivas.

c19.s5.7

There is no Bhar village at Bhūbharā. But I was told by Lal Saheb, who is the adopted son of the late Chief of Nagaudh and knows every inch of the ground, that the Bhars in the State wear sacred thread and have the status of inferior Kshatriyas. They may or may not be connected with the Bhāra-Śivas. I am inclined to regard them as unconnected.

c19.s5.8

At Bhārahut I heard the tradition that there had been a Telī dynasty there. This probably refers to Tailapa, as in the proverb of ‘Gāngū and Telī’ (Gāngeyadeva and Tailapa).