The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v1.c8.s8.14

v1.c8.s8.14

The findspots of the charters of Pravarasena and the localities mentioned in them make it certain that the districts of Amraoti, Betul, Chhindwada, Nagpur, Bhandārā, and Bālaghāṭ were under his direct administration. The kingdom must of course have extended over a much wider territory, including most of the Madhya Pradesha, Berar, Khandesh, Bombay Mahārāṣṭra, and a considerable portion of the Hyderabad State. Of this territory, southern Berar, north-western Hyderabad, and southern Mahārāṣṭra were then governed by the Basim branch of the Vākāṭakas. It is curious to find that the Basim contemporary of Pravarasena II was also a ruler of the same name, who, like his namesake, was the second ruler of that name in his own family. Pravarasena II of the Basim branch was a senior contemporary of Pravarasena II of the main family, and ruled down to *c.* A.D. 415. He was succeeded by his son, whose name has not been preserved in the Ajanta record, but who was a boy of eight at the time of his accession. We have no definite information about the relations between the two branches at this time; but it seems very probable that Pravarasena II of the main line may have helped the council of regency at Basim by his advice and guidance. It is not impossible that for some time the two administrations may have been merged into one government. If we make this assumption, it will be easier to understand how Pravarasena II of the main branch came to be described as Kuntaleśa or the lord of Kuntala, though that province had actually been conquered a generation earlier, mainly by the exertions of Vindhyaśakti II of the Basim line.