The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c34.s5: (6) Guhila-putras of Sesodā
The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c34.s5
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(6) Guhila-putras of Sesodā
v2.c34.s5.1
I have already recorded the statement of the *Ekaliṅga-māhātmya* that in the reign of the Medapāṭa Guhila Karṇa (alias Raṇasiṁha) the Guhilas became divided into two branches, the *Rāvals*, and the *Rāṇās*.¹ The former or the elder branch continued to enjoy sovereign power in Mewar. In the latter branch flourished Māhapa, Rāhapa, etc. Māhapa and Rāhapa were the two sons of Karṇa and held in succession the fief of Sesoda, which was assigned to them by their father. The descendants of Rāhapa came to be known as Sesodias from the name of their *jaigīr*, and ultimately revived the Guhila power in Chitor after it was crushed by the armies of 'Alā ud-Dīn Khaljī (1296-1316 A. D.). Ojha² gives the following list of Rāhapa’s descendants mainly from the bardic chronicles:
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¹ See *ante, DHNI*, Vol. II, p. 1179.
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² *HR*, II, p. 522; also *Muhaṇota Naiṇsī kī khyāta*, Part I, Hindi Trans. by Rāmanārāyaṇa Dūgaḍa, Nāgarīpracāriṇī Sabhā, Kāśī, Saṁvat 1982, pp. 18-19, fn.
v2.c34.s5.4
1. *Rāṇā* Rāhapa
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2. Narapati
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3. Dinakarṇa
| (Dinakara)
4. Jasakarṇa
| (Jasakara)
5. Nāgapāla
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6. Pūrṇapāla (Purapāla)
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7. Pṛthvīpāla (*Rāṇā* Prathama)
|
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8. Bhuvanasiṃha (Bhuṇagsi)
v2.c34.s5.6
9. Bhīmasiṃha
v2.c34.s5.7
10. Jayasiṃha
v2.c34.s5.8
11. Mahārāṇā Lakṣmaṇasiṃha (1303 A. D.)
v2.c34.s5.9
| (Lākhamasī)
| |
v2.c34.s5.10
Mahārāṇā Arisiṃha (Arasī or Arsī) Ajayasiṃha
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Mahārāṇā Hammīra (c. 1326-64 A. D.)
v2.c34.s5.12
As mentioned above this line of chiefs seems to have always remained feudatory to the main line of Chitor. Lakṣmaṇasiṃha Lakṣmasiṃha and his son Arisiṃha took their share in the defence of Chitor against ‘Alā ud-Dīn and were killed in 1303 A. D. The Kumbhalgadh inscription (V.S. 1517-A.D. 1460) of Kumbhakarṇa seems to indicate that Lakṣmaṇasiṃha after the surrender² of Ratnasiṃha to ‘Alā ud-Dīn was raised to the throne of Mewar and so he and his son Arisiṃha both reigned for very brief periods before their deaths. Tradition records that Lakṣmaṇasiṃha died along with seven of his sons in trying to maintain the defence of Chitor (EI, Vol. XXI, p. 281, V. 180). It was his grandson (?) Hammīra who restored Guhila power in Mewar by capturing the fort of Chitor from Jesā or Jayasiṃha. Jesā was the son of the Jalor Cāhamāna Māladeva who was placed in charge of the fort by ‘Alā ud-Dīn after the administration of Khiẓr Khān. According to Muhanoṭa Naiṇsī the Cāhamāna Māladeva ruled at Chitor for 7 years.³ The capture of Chitor by Hammīra seems to have happened some time after the reign of Ghiyāth ud-Dīn Tughluq (c. 1320-25), for whose reign we have a Persian inscription in Chitor.⁴
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¹ Sometimes called ‘Lakṣmasiṃha.’
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² Tasmin gate has been rightly taken by S. Dutta to mean ‘departure.’ For this interpretation he depends on the contemporary authority of Ta’rīkh-i-‘Alāī of Amir Khusrau. See IHQ, 1931, p. 293, fn. 1. See also ante, DHNI, Vol II, p. 1196.
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³ HR, II, pp. 502-03.
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⁴ Ibid, p. 501 and fn. 2. See also CHI, Vol. III, p. 526; AAK, Vol. II, pp. 269-70. From the line of Lakṣmaṇasiṃha (Lakṣmasiṃha) the appellations Sesodia and Mahārāṇā came to be applied to the rulers of Mewar.