The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c32.s7.42

v2.c32.s7.42

Jāvālipura,¹ Māṇḍavyapura,² Vāgbhaṭameru,³ Sūrācaṇḍa,⁴ Rāṭahrada, Kheḍa,⁵ Rāmasainy,⁶ Śrīmāla,⁷ Ratnapura,⁸ Satyapura⁹ and other places. This list of places indicates that his territories extended from Sanchor and Jalor in the south to Mandor in the north, including Nadol, the old seat of his ancestors. The Sundha hill-inscription further informs us that he curbed the pride of the Turuṣka, was not conquered by the Gurjara kings and put an end to the Sindhurāja.¹⁰ D. R. Bhandarkar rightly conjectured that he is identical with the Marwari Udayasiṁha who is mentioned in the *Hammīra-mada-mardana* as assisting the Dholka Caulukya Vīradhavala (*c.* 1219-44 A.D.) against a Muslim invader.¹¹ Sindhurāja has also been identified by the same scholar with the Lāṭa Cāhamāna Sindhurāja, whose son Saṁgrāmarāja is represented in the same drama as in league with the Yādava Siṁhana (*c.* 1210-47 A.D.) and the Parāmara Devapāla (*c.* 1218-36 A.D.) against Vīradhavala.¹² The conflict of Udayasiṁha, who extended his territories as far north as Mandor, with the Turuṣkas was inevitable. I have already suggested that the invasion of the *Mīlacchīkāra* in the *Hammīra-mada-mardana* was probably the military campaign of the Delhi Sulṭān Iltutmish (1211-36 A.D.), which he undertook in A. H. 624 (*c.* 1226 A. D.)¹³ and in which he captured ‘Mandawar (Mandor) within the limits of the Siwālikh (territory).’ But Udayasiṁha appears to have also come into conflict with the Delhi Sulṭān earlier than that date. Ḥasan Niẓāmī relates that sometime between 1211 and 1216 A.D. “they represented to his Majesty (Shams ud-Dīn) that the inhabitants of the fort of Jālewar (Jalor) had determined to revenge the blood which had been shed, ‘and once or twice mention of evil deeds and improprieties of that people was made before the sublime throne.’ Shams ud-Dīn accordingly assembled a large army, and headed by ‘a number of the pillars of the states such as Rukn ud-Dīn Hamza, ‘Izz ud-Dīn Bakhtiyār Nasīr ud- In Mardān Shāh, Nasīr ud-Dīn ‘Alī and Badr ud-Dīn Saukartigīn,’ valiant men and skilful archers, took the way to Jālewar… By reason of the scantiness of water and food it was a matter of danger to traverse that desert, where one might have thought that nothing but the face of demons and sprites could be seen, and the means of escape from it were not even written on the tablet of providential design. ‘Udī Sah, the accursed, took to the four walls of Jālewar, an extremely strong fortress, the gates of which had never been opened by any conqueror.’ When the place was invested by Shams ud-Dīn, Udī Sah requested some of the chiefs of the royal army to intercede for his forgiveness. While the terms of his surrender were under consideration, two or three of the bastions of his foot were demolished. He came ‘with his head and his feet naked and placed his forehead on the earth’ and was received with favour. The Sulṭān granted him his life, and restored his fortress, and in return the Rāī presented respectfully an hundred of camels and twenty horses in the name of tribute and after the custom of service. The Sulṭān then returned to Delhi.’”¹