The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c24: Preface
The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c24
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- English
Preface
v2.c24.1
I must express my regret that circumstances entirely beyond my control have delayed the issue of this second volume for so long a period. Part of the book was already in print as far back as 1931. But the preoccupation of the University Press in printing certain under-graduate text-books, the difficulty of getting the maps ready and grave family bereavements are some of the reasons which delayed the publication of the volume. I have however utilized the time at my disposal by bringing up to date certain portions in the light of fresh material.
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With this volume ends the analysis of the political history of the various dynasties that ruled in Northern India during the three or four centuries preceding the establishment of the imperialism of Delhi under the Turks. The beginnings of some of these dynasties however have been traced as far back as the middle of the sixth century A.D. while there were others which retained their vigour till the fourteenth century. The ruling tribes of some areas again were never thoroughly subjugated by the empire builders of Delhi while those of one area at least remained permanently outside their sphere of influence. The power of these dynasties during the period under survey, spread over a vast area extending from the Kishen Ganga in the north to the Godavari in the south and from the borders of Persia in the west to the Patkai hills in the east.
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Though this volume is a continuation of the work undertaken in the first, it has got an individuality of its own. It deals entirely with Rajput dynasties most of which sprang up in the latter days of the Imperial Pratīhāras. I hope it will be of some use to the sudents of Hindu history in general and to those interested in Rajput history and the beginnings of Islam in India in particular.
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Lack of space and a natural bias for facts have led me to keep my 'generalizations and idealizations' strictly under control. In this volume also I have accepted the humbler role of a builder of foundations rather than that of an architect, planning and raising an imposing superstructure and magnificent façade of History. I agree with the view that Indian history is at present in a much too primitive condition to attempt safely anything so ambitious. I have therefore consciously followed a method which has perhaps made this work less interesting to a certain class of students of Indian history.
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As the press and the publishers here ordinarily accept no responsibility in the matter of Indexes of its publications, this heavy and mechanical work again fell on my shoulders. But thanks to the ungrudging assistance of my pupil, Mr. Matindramohan Sen, M.A., this task was very much lightened for me. I have added two new features to this volume. Firstly, I have accepted the suggestion of Prof. Jules Bloch (University of Paris) and prepared an index of ancient and mediaeval geographical names in the twenty maps contained in the two volumes. As the maps are drawn on different scales, I have often given in this index different latitudes and longitudes for the same place; this I admit is rather cumbrous but may be found to be more helpful to the general reader. Secondly, in addition to the Synchronistic Table, I have added a list of dynasties and the territories controlled by them chronologically arranged. As to the spelling of Sanskrit, Persian and modern names, I have followed the same system as in Volume I; the only exception is Brāhman for Brahman. I have again tried to correct any want of uniformity in spelling by providing in the indexes alternative forms of spelling of names.
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The ten coloured maps of the first volume, imperfect as they were, met with the approval of Indian and foreign scholars. I have tried to effect some improvement in the ten tricolour maps of this volume. But lithography in Calcutta, so far as map-making of a technical nature is concerned, seems to be in a rather crude stage, and though I have tried to make the maps useful to students of Indian Historical Geography, I am not fully satisfied with their production. To Dr. H. C. Raychaudhury (Calcutta University), Mr. S. Dutt (St. Paul's College and Calcutta University), Mr. Chintaharan Chakravarti (Bethune College) and Mr. Matindramohan Sen, I am thankful for a few suggestions and help in correcting proofs of the maps.
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To the Archaeological Survey of India I am indebted for a photograph of a portion of the Quwwat-ul-Islām Mosque at Delhi. In the twelfth century, Delhi was the great frontier outpost of the Cāhamāna empire. The site of the mosque and its neighbourhood contained fortifications and various buildings and places of worship of the Hindu dynasty. When I was in Delhi in December 1933, I noticed a portion of the ruins of the mosque which still shows clearly, in addition to a group of human forms, a beautiful female figure in *tribhanga* pose on one of the sculptured pillars of a Hindu temple. As the period under survey saw the foundation of Turko-Afghan imperialism on the bed-rock of old Indian civilization, the photograph in a way acts as a symbol for the whole work. I have therefore re-produced it on the jacket and cover of the volume.
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My task of seeing the volume through the press was much facilitated by the courtesy and consideration of the officers of the Calcutta University Library, Asiatic Society of Bengal, Imperial Library and the University Press. In particular I am thankful to Mr. J. C. Chakravorti (Registrar, Calcutta University), Mr. Johan Van Manen, C.I.E., and Khan Bahadur Hidayat Hossain (General and Jt. Philological Secretaries, Asiatic Society of Bengal), and Mr. A. C. Ghatak (Superintendent, University Press) for help at various stages in the publication of the volume.
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I have dedicated this volume to the memory of my father. I owe much of whatever success I have attained as a student of history to his advice and inspiration.
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I conclude with the hope that my readers will find this volume, like its predecessor, of some use at least as "a preparatory clearing ground for more ambitious work."
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.{l} \textsc{Departments of Ancient Indian History} / \& / \textsc{Sanskrit,} / \textsc{University of Calcutta.} / 18th November, 1935.} \textsc{Hem Chandra Ray}
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List of Bibliographies ... ... ... xiii Genealogical Tables . . . . . xv List of Maps . . . . . xvii List of Contractions . . . . . xix Chapter XI: Candrātreyas (Candellas) of Jejā-Bhukti (Bundelkhand) ... ... ... 665 Chapter XII: Haihayas of the United and Central Provinces 738 Chapter XIII: Kacchapaghātas (Kachwāhas) of Rajputana and Central India ... ... 821 Chapter XIV: Paramāras (Pāvaras) of Gujarat, Malwa and Rajputana ... ... 837 Chapter XV: Caulukyas (Solaṅkis) of Aṇahilapāṭaka ... 933 Chapter XVI: Cāhamānas (Cauhans) of the Punjab, Rajputana and Gujarat ... ... 1052 Chapter XVII: Tomaras (Tuars) of Delhi ... ... 1145 Chapter XVIII: Guhila-putras (Guhilots) of the Punjab, Rajputana and Kathiawar ... ... 1153 Chapter XIX: Conclusion ... ... ... 1211 Appendix: Dynasties and the territories controlled by them chronologically arranged ... ... 1219 Index . . . . . 1229 Index to maps in Vols. I and II ... ... ... 1290 Corrigenda ... ... ... 1297 Synchronistic Table ... *in pocket at the end of the volume.*