History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c14.s6.9

v1.c14.s6.9

We may note here that Gujarat may be divided into three parts (the chief rivers of modern Gujarat being the Tapi, the Nerbudda, the Mahi and the Sabarmati in their later courses as they join the sea). South Gujarat may be taken to extend upto the Nerbudda; middle Gujarat upto the Mahi and north Gujarat beyond the Mahi. In ancient times south Gujarat was first called Parānta as we see in the Mahābhārata and thereafter Lāṭa, as we see in many grants and in Varāhamihira. Middle Gujarat was called Ānarta. This name has disappeared finally. It was first substituted by Bharukachha while northern Gujarat is called Ānandapura by Hiuen Tsang. Now south and middle Gujarat were formerly under the Traikutakas who came from the Deccan and hence they gave their characters and their era to the grants of the Broach Gurjaras. These latter sometimes held sway over south Gujarat also; but the Chālukyas of the Deccan soon conquered this part and established at Navasari a Gujarat Chālukya branch. A copperplate grant of these Chālukyas (also using the Traikutaka era) is very important. It shows that the Arabs having conquered Sind in 712 A. D. made several attempts, as may be expected, to conquer the adjoining kingdoms in succession. And one attempt of this kind was frustrated in a hard fought battle by these Chālukyas near Navasari. This grant of the Gujarat Chālukya branch of Pulakeshin date A. D. 739 (Tr. 390 ) is interesting for the general history of India.* The Arabs were called Tajikas by the Indians. They are said in this grant to have assailed Sind, Kachhella, Saurāṣṭra ( Valabhi ) Chavotaka and Maurya ( to be noticed hereafter ) and Gurjara and then come to Navasari country “ with the object of attacking the Deccan through it and conquering all the Deccan kings.” We have here the kingdoms existing in 738. A. D. between Sind and Navasari. Gujarat in this grant represents very probably the kingdom of Broach including that of the Gurjaras of the north. Middle Gujarat was generally subject to the Broach line of Dadda though parts were sometimes under Valabhi; but Ānandapura and Kachha even were in the time of Hiuen Tsang under Malwa. The rule of the Gurjaras lasted, as we have said, about 200 years and the Broach line disappeared, like Valabhi, somewhere about the middle of the 8th century; how we have no mention yet in historical records. It was certainly not destroyed by the Arabs. It may have been destroyed by the Chālukyas or by the Chāvotakas. It is, however, a mere guess and we find the Gurjara kingdom of Broach finally disappear, leaving its name ineffaceably attached to the country.