Khajuraho the former capital of the Chandellas is an insignificant village now to the south of Mahoba in Chhatarpur State. The still more ancient capital of Bundelkhand or Jajhoti ( Jijāka-Bhukti ) mentioned by Hiuen Tsang was Eran in Saugar District.[*] The boundaries of Jajhoti can be defined even now by the habitat of Jajhotia Brahmins. (As will be stated later on, Brahmins, from about the twelfth century, came to be divided into sections called after the land in which they resided; and Brahmins residing in Jajhoti were called Jajhotia as those residing in the Chedi country were called Tiwari from Tiwar its capital and those residing in Kanauj were called Kanojia). Khajuraho capital of Bundelkhand in the 11th century was out of the way of Mahomedan invasions, Mahoba being the capital in the 11th and 12th centuries; and hence fortunately, so to speak, its superb and stupendous temples still stand intact, exhibiting the wonderful art of that period and the prosperity and religious zeal of the Chandella kings. The largest temple in Khajuraho is the Kandaria Mahādeva temple built by Dhanga and next to it come the Viśvanātha and Lalji temples built by the same king and the Ramchandra temple built by his father Yaśovarman. Two Jain temples also built in the same period are noteworthy. Devi Jagadāmbi and Kunvar Math are among the best. These temples of Khajuraho "the finest in Northern India" are worthy of admiration for their harmonious design, massive dimensions and rich decoration. They are all remarkable for their curvilinear steeple which is raised without support of pillars.

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At Mahoba also which became the capital of the Chandellas in this sub-period there are many remarkable structures. Especially Mahoba is distinguished for its many lakes built by many Chandella kings even in the second sub-period. Rāhilyasāgar was built by Rāhila in the former, and Kiratsāgar was built by Kirtivarman in this sub-period. The great lake called Madanasāgar with the two fine granite temples on its bank and Kankaria Math were built by Madanavarman. Mahoba is a Tahsil town in the Banda district and can be reached from a station on the Jhansi-Manikpur line.

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There were many notable forts in the Chandella territory and Al-Beruni has mentioned the two most important, Gwalior and Kalanjar. Kalanjar is an ancient fort and holy place noted as a sacred sthāna of Śiva from the days of the Mahābhārata. The wall surmounting the steep sides of the hill and the many strong gates placed at different places in the ascent are very ancient. Ajayagadh is another fortified place to which Trailokyavarman retired when Kalanjar was for a time taken by the Mahomedans. There are many inscriptions both at Kalanjar and at Ajayagadh.

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∗ This is doubted by Hiralal in his paper at the Madras Oriental Conference (1924).

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The third important Rajput family which flourished in the previous sub-period and rose to greater power and renown in this sub-period (1000-1200) was the Kalachūri Haihaya family of Chedi. This family as stated in Vol. II p. 137 was a pure well-known Kshatriya family and not a newly created Kshatriya family as some suppose. It belonged to the lunar race and was believed to be descended from Sahasrārjuna of Māhishmatī, well-known in Purāṇas for conquering even Rāvaṇa, as is distinctly mentioned in Chedi inscriptions even of this period. Indeed in one inscription (Ind. Ant. XVIII p. 216) their gotra Ātreya is given which is an unusual thing for inscriptions of this period. This shows that this family was very orthodox and religious as indeed its history also shows. Its tutelary god, as usual with Rajputs, was Śiva. Its capital was Tripura near Jubbulpur and Tripura or Tiwari Brahmins are a distinct well-known sub-caste of the Brahmins of Northern India.

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Gāṅgeya was the king of this family ruling in Tripura about the beginning of this sub-period. His date of accession is given as 1020 A. D. in Vol. II computed from the average of 20 years for each king but he may have come to the throne much earlier. He was the most illustrious ruler of this line. He struck numerous coins of gold, silver and copper which are still found in numbers. Curiously enough his coins alone are found and none of his successors. Their style was copied by neighbouring kings and even by Muhammad Ghori (Gaurishankar's Tod). He made extensive conquests, taking advantage of the fallen condition of the Pratihāra emperors of Kanauj. The eastern dominions of Kanauj must thus have fallen away and been taken possession of by Gāṅgeya and Benares was in his possession (Elliot II Baihaki p. 129) as stated before when Niaḷtagin raided it. Probably he even conquered Teḷaṅgaṇa (Trikaliṅga) of the Eastern Chālukyas who had now been supplanted by the Cholas. He had a fight with Bhoja of Malwa in which he was apparently worsted though neither Paramāra nor Chedi inscriptions mention this event.

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He does not appear to have been molested by Mahmud of Ghazni whose raids extended as far as Kālangar of the Chandellas and did not probably go beyond; though Gāngeya's fame was so great that his name is mentioned by Al-Beruni. In Chedi inscriptions nothing particular is recorded about him but he is usually styled Vikramāditya (Ep. Ind. II p. 3). His one inscription found is dated 1037 A. D. (Kielhorn Ep. Ind. VIII) and he must have died about 1038 A. D. Inscriptions state that he retired in old age, resided at Prayāga and died there, one hundred queens burning themselves on his pyre as satīs. This is probably an exaggeration but the fact is mentioned in a Chedi inscription (Ep. Ind. II p. 3).

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He was succeeded by his son Karna who was a still greater king than he. His conquests were more extensive and his dominion extended into Bihar beyond Benares in which city he built a temple named Karnameru. He is often styled Lord of Trikalinga (Ep. Ind. II p. 305) in inscriptions of the Chedi family and he appears to have conquered large portions of Telangana from the Cholas. He founded the town named Karnāvati (now the village Karnabel close to Tewar) and gave it to Brahmins learned in the Vedas (Ep. Ind. II p. 3). He conquered many kings and the list as usual includes Chola, Pāndya, Murala, Anga, Vaṅga, Kaliṅga etc. and he is said to have devastated Champāranya (Ep. Ind. II p. 10). Kielhorn thought that Champārnya was some minor place in C. P. but Mr. Jayaswal has rightly shown that it is the ordinary Champāranya of Bihar and Karna's conquest extended as far as that place (Journal Bihar and Orissa 1924). He was waited upon by 136 princes (Gaurīshanker's Tod). His overrunning Malwa after the death of Bhoja and driving away his son has already been mentioned. This fact is noted in the Paramāra Nagpur Praśasti but strangely enough is not mentioned in any Chedi inscription. Probably Malwa was not long retained by him, being regained by Udayāditya and there is thus no mention of this victory in Chedi records.

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Another inscription (Ind. Ant. XVIII p. 216) a hundred years after him gives the names of his opponents conquered in the south as Chola and Koṅga, in the east Hūna and Gauda and in the north Gurjara and Kira carrying his conquests as far north as the Himalayas. It seems, however, really probable that Karṇa in the north defeated the Gurjara or Pratihāra emperor who was an ally of the Turks and drove the Turks out of the country. This fact appears clearly from the way in which Karṇa's name is mentioned in an inscription of the Gāhadavālas already noted (Ind. Ant. XIV p. 103). This evidence coming from the records of a foreign state is very valuable. “When Bhoja went to heaven and when Karṇa remained only in renown and when the earth was being troubled, she found a refuge and protection in Chandradeva Gāhadavāla.” We have already said that Bhoja here is Bhoja of Malwa and Karṇa is this Karna of the Chedis; they had successively fought against the Turks and freed the middle land from their oppression, Bhoja from 1020 to 1040 A. D. and Karṇa probably from 1040 to 1080 A. D. Chandradeva conquered Kanauj and supplanted the effete Pratihāras about that time. The words ‘when the earth was troubled’ must be referred to the trouble caused by constant raids of the Turks who having established their rule over the Panjab, from their capital Lahore, sent frequent incursions into middle India. A serious raid of this kind is recorded by Baihaki (who wrote in 1050 A. D.). He states that Ahmad Nailtagin, governor of Lahore, made a raid on Benares, a city to which even Mahmud had not gone and plundered the bazar in 1033 A. D. (Elliot Vol II.). The city was under Gaṅga i. e. Gāṅgeya; but probably not completely. Karṇa finally took Benares into his possession and made incursions as far north as the Kira country on the slopes of the Himalayas and removed the oppression of the Turks. He also conquered Champāraṇya and Bihar as stated before.

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Like Bhoja whose illustrious example great kings tried to emulate, Karṇa was a patron of learned men also, a fact mentioned incidentally in an inscription. “His fame was greatly increased by poets who also enlightened his mind” (Ind. Ant. XVIII p.216).* The names of these poets have not yet been known. Perhaps this fact has not attracted the attention of researchers.

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Karṇa is said to have reigned long and his reign is supposed to have lasted into the 12th century; but from the verse above quoted in a Gāhadavāla grant, Karṇa was dead when Chandradeva conquered Kanauj about 1090 A. D. We, therefore, take his reign to extend from 1040 to 1080 A. D. He raised the Kalachūri line to the pinnacle of its glory and fortunately his son was worthy enough to carry the glory on.

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∗ अमियन्त परां वृद्धिं यशः संवेदनैः श्रियः । मनोविनोदनैर्हस्य कवीन्द्रैरिनिन्द्रियैरिव ॥

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This son and successor Yaśaḥkarṇa, born of Karṇa's queen Āvallādevī a Hūṇa princess, ruled long from 1080 to at least 1124, two inscriptions of his found being dated 1120 and 1122 A. D. He also ruled vigorously, for he is said to have defeated Āndhra again which probably now means the Chola kings of the south, or the Gangas of Kalinganagara. He is even said to have worshiped the Bhīmeśvara Śiva temple in Āndhra country on the mouth of the Godāvarī (E. I. II. p. 3), a fact stated in his own inscription also dated 1122 A. D. As the Gāhadavālas had taken possession of Kanauj, his dominion and influence in the north must have diminished. Govindachandra in an inscription confirms a grant made by him in 1120, showing that a portion of his northern territory was then in the possession of Kanauj. Kashi or Benares was certainly in the possession of Chandradeva as stated in his inscription. Lakshmadeva of Malwa is also said to have fought with him and defeated him.

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Yaśaḥkarṇa was succeeded by his son Gayakarṇadeva who also appears to have ruled long and vigorously as inscriptions show. He married Ālhaṇadevī a princess of the Guhilot family of Mewad. An inscription recorded by her gives her pedigree as follows (Bheraghat inscription Ep. Ind. II. p. 10): "In the Gobhilagotra was Hansapāla whose son was Vairisiṃha, whose son was Vijayasiṃha. He married Śyāmalādevī daughter of Udayāditya king of Dhārā and their daughter was Ālhaṇadevī." This description is important in many respects. First, the Rajputs had begun to look upon their family or clan as gotra, Gobhila being of course Gohila. They probably began to count their Rishi gotra as of no importance, the theory being propounded that their Rishi gotra was the gotra of their Purohitas. The family namegotra is found in many inscriptions of this period. Secondly, the line of the Guhilot kings is correctly given as Hansapāla, Vairisiṃha and Vijayasiṃha in Mewad chronicles and inscriptions, of which we had some doubt (see Ind. Ant. XVIII p. 216). Thirdly, instead of Mewad, the word Prāgvāṭa is here used. It is difficult to determine what Prāgvāta meant though unquestionably it included Malwa. Fourthly, Udayāditya Paramāra was king of Malwa. He is said to be king of Dhārā which thus clearly appears to be in his possession. It is lastly important to note that this Haihaya family of Chedi was considered of the best Rajput blood as it had marriage relations with the Guhilots of Mewad and the Paramāras of Malwa two best Rajput families and with Pṛthvīrāja Chauhan whose mother the queen of Someśvara was a Kalachūri princess, as will be noted later on, probably a daughter of Ālhaṇadevī herself or her son Narasinhavarman.

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This inscription is dated 1155 A. D. and probably Ālhaṇadevī was regent for her son Narasinhavarman. Yaśahkarṇa's rule ended about 1024 A. D. and Gayakarṇa's rule ended about 1054 A. D., his inscription found being dated 1151 (Int. Ant. XVIII p. 210). He was succeeded by his son Narasinhavarman, three inscriptions of whom have been found, dated 1155, 1158 and 1169. He seems to have died young though his reign does not seem to have been without importance. For from the time of his inscriptions, the form of the title of Chedi kings appears to have changed. He and his successors call themselves "lords of three kings Narapati, Aśvapati and Gajapati by the power of their own arm."* They also call themselves Vāmadevapādānudyāta which is wholly inexplicable as their ancestors are mentioned the same Gāṅgeya, Karṇa, Yaśahkarṇa and Gayakarṇa. It seems that the Chedi kings took the first title from Gāhadavāla kings of Kanauj who also use the same title in their inscriptions from about this time onward (See Govindachandra's grant Ind. Ant. XV p.7 dated 1168). Now it will be remembered that the Pratihāra emperors of Kanauj were called Hayapatis, lords of horses and the kings of Bengal Gajapatis, lords of elephants (See Vol. II App. VI p. 349, 350). Probably the kings of Āndhra were called Narapatis or kings of men and whoever conquered these countries may claim the title, conqueror of three kings Aśvapati, Gajapati and Narapati. The Gāhadavālas had conquered Kanauj, Bengal and even Āndhra and so had the Chedis. They, therefore, both appear to have taken

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* स्वभुजसंपादित-नरपति-गजपति-अश्वपतिराज्यत्रय ।

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this title, bombastic though it clearly was. Narasinhavarman appears to have been brave and probably fought with Andhras only, though his ancestor Karṇa had undoubtedly conquered all the three Kanauj, Bengal and Āndhra. Curiously enough this title does not appear in Karṇa's inscriptions but first appears in that of his great-grandson Narasinha.

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Narasinha is called in his inscription dated 1159 (Ind. Ant. XVIII. p. 214) Dahaliya Mahārāja which seems to suggest he was king of Bundelkhand or part of it at least. In his time a temple was constructed at a ghat near Kauśāmbi on the Jamna upto which river his dominion may have extended.

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Narasinha may be taken to have ruled from 1152 to 1160 and he was succeeded by his brother Jayasinha who takes the same title in his two inscriptions found dated 1175 and 77 A. D. Jayasihna ruled probably from 1160 to 1178 A. D. ; for in 1180 we get an inscription of his son Vijayasinhavarman. Another inscription of his dated 1196 has been found (Ind. Ant. XVII p. 228, the exact date herein given is 27 Oct. 1195). Gaurishankar gives two more kings viz. Ajayasinha, a son of the last, mentioned indeed in Vijayapāla's inscription dated 1180 A. D., and Trailokyavarman whose inscription dated 1241 has been found. How this line ended does not appear. Probably it fell before Mahomedans in the days of Altamash or his successor. The seal of the family exhibits two elephants with the goddess Lakshmī between them and their banner ensign was a bull.

Linked texts (11)

Epigraphia Indica
Mahābhārata — Vyāsa, Sanskrit
Indian Antiquary
Khajuraho
Mahoba
Kunwar Math
Bhera-Ghat Stone Inscription of the Queen Alhanadevi. The [Chedi] Year 907 — Sanskrit
Jabalpur copper-plate inscription of Yaśaḥkarṇadeva — Sanskrit
Royal Asiatic Society plate of Vijaya-Chandra and the Yuvaraja Jayachchandra. —Samvat 1225 — Sanskrit
Basahi plate of Govindachandra. Samvat 1161 — Sanskrit
Benares copper-plate inscription of Karṇadeva. The [Chedi] year 793 — Sanskrit