History of Kanauj to the Moslem Conquest c18.s1.47

c18.s1.47

The theory doubtless has some apparent cogency, but it is far from conclusive, for the Gāhaḍavālas never call themselves Rathors (Rāṣṭrakūṭas) in any of their grants; and we also know that the two clans intermarry and they differ from one another in their *gotras*, being Kāśyapa and Gotama respectively. Secondly, the tradition of Sihāji is perhaps vitiated by an inscription at Bithu on a memorial tablet which gives for his death the Vikrama date 1330 or 1273 A. D. thereby making him rather removed in time from Jayacandra². Besides, the Hathaunḍi (Hastikuṇḍi) inscription, dated in the vikrama year 1053 = 997 A. D.,³ testifies to the fact that Rāṣṭrakūṭa princes ruled over tracts of Marwar long before the supposed migration of the Gāhaḍavālas from Kanauj. It appears probable that the legend was concocted only to establish some connection with a distinguished Kṣatriya family that was once the master of the principal kingdom of Northern India. Thirdly, Cand Bardāī’s omission of the Gāhaḍavālas in the traditional list of 36 clans is at best an *argumentum ex silentio*, although they are elsewhere mentioned by him in a way which shows that he was aware of their separate entity. In the *Ālhā-Prastāva*, for example, we read “Sajji Gaharwar Gohila aneka”, i.e., “there were many Gaharwars and Gohils arrayed”.¹ Lastly, the presence of Rāṣṭrakūṭa ruling families in Kanauj and adjacent regions during the latter half of the 11th century A. D. would hardly prove anything regarding their collateralness with the Gāhaḍavālas. And chronological considerations distinctly go against identifying the Rāṣṭrakūṭa king Candra of the Badaun inscription with the Gāhaḍavāla Candra. As shown below, Madanapala, who represented the fifth generation from Candra, the founder of this Rāṣṭrakūṭa line, lived about the beginning of the 12th century, and so the latter must have flourished about the first quarter of the 11th century A. D.; i.e., at least half a century before the Gāhaḍavāla Candra.