The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c32.s7.1

v2.c32.s7.1

The Cāhamānas of this branch, who are generally known as the *Sonigarās*,⁴ trace their descent to Kīrtipāla, also known as Kītū. He was a brother of Kelhaṇa, and, as I have noticed, already enjoyed some control in the administration of his father and brother. His Nadol grant, dated in V. S. 1218 (A.D. 1160), which was issued during his father's reign, shows that he at that date held 12 villages, appertaining to Naddūlāi (mod. Nadlai in Godwar). The Sundha hill-inscription tells us that ' he defeated a Kirātakūṭa chief named Āsala and at Kāsahrada routed an army of the Turuṣka.'¹ Kirātakūṭa has been identified with modern Kiradu, a small village about 16 miles N.N.W. of Barmer in the Mallani district of Jodhpur State. In V. S. 1235 (*c.* 1178 A.D.) Kiradu region was under the rule of Madanabrahmadeva, a feudatory of the Caulukya Bhīma II.² It is uncertain whether this Āsala was related to Madanabrahma. The other place, Kāsahrada, where Kīrtipāla is said to have defeated 'an army of the Turuṣka,' has been identified by Bhandarkar with Kayadram, or Kasadram, a village in the Sirohi State, at the foot of Mt. Abu.³ The same scholar has also suggested that this conflict with the Turuṣkas was the engagement which Quṭb ud-Dīn fought with the Caulukya armies in A.D. 1197. It is however not unlikely that Kīrtipāla's success was achieved in the earlier expeditions which was undertaken by Mu'izz ud-Dīn in A.D. 1178 when the Muslims were defeated. The Sundha hill-inscription, after referring to his victory over the Turuṣkas, makes the significant statement that 'as ruler of the kingdom of Naddūla' Kīrtipāla took up his residence at Jāvālipura.⁴ This shows that Kīrtipāla, who appears to have died sometime before 1182 A. D., and was therefore a contemporary of his brothers Kelhaṇa⁵ (*c.* 1163 to 92 A. D.), removed his seat of residence to Jalor during the latter's life-time. If so, then his claim to have taken up his residence at Jalor as 'ruler of the kingdom of Naddūla' may indicate that he was a claimant for the throne of Nādōl. According to Nahanota Naiṇsī he took Jalor from the Paramāras.¹ An unpublished Kumbhalgarh inscription seems to indicate that Kīrtipāla temporarily ousted the Medapāṭa Guhila Sāmantasiṁha sometime between *c.* 1171 and 1179 A.D., but was himself driven out of Mewar by Sāmantasiṁha's brother Kumāra with the assistance of the king of Gujarat.² It is possible that these incidents took place after his capture of Jalor.