The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c34.s1.127.2

v2.c34.s1.127.2

There is reason to believe that Ajayapāla took such drastic steps against Sāmantasiṁha that the latter for some time at least had to take shelter in the hills of Vāgaḍa, which lies to the east of the Mahi, and is now known as the State of Dungarpur. The Abu inscription of Samarasiṁha (V.S. 1342)⁴ relates that Kumārasiṁha, the successor of Sāmantasiṁha, "made the earth possessed of a good king after having taken it away again from the possession of the enemy." The unpublished Kumbhalgarh inscription of Kumbha says that after Sāmantasiṁha his brother Kumārasiṁha ousted from the country the enemy prince Kītu, who had seized his kingdom, and after pleasing the Gurjara king became king at Āghāṭapura.¹ This Kītu has been identified with Kīrtipāla,² a younger brother of the Naddūla Cāhamāna Kelhaṇa (*c.* 1163-92 A.D.), the reputed founder of the Jāvālipura Cāhamānas. I have shown elsewhere that Kelhaṇa was a feudatory of the Caulukya Kumārapāla about 1171 A.D.,³ and it is not unlikely that he continued to acknowledge the sovereignty of his successor Ajayapāla. The principality of Kīrtipāla assigned to him in his father Ālhaṇa's reign (*c.* 1152-62 A D.) appertained to Naddūlāī,⁴ modern Nādlai in Godwar (Jodhpur State), not far from the frontiers of Mewar. It is therefore quite likely that on the instructions and with the assistance of Ajayapāla, Kīrtipāla invaded Mewar and occupied it on behalf of the Caulukya king.