Pariksha SaathiLesson 2 of 10 · Madhya Pradesh General Knowledge
Medieval Madhya Pradesh: Parmaras, Chandelas, Malwa Sultans, Gonds and Marathas
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Regional kingdoms
After the Guptas, central India was divided among regional dynasties; the Gurjara-Pratiharas held Gwalior in the ninth century, and the Teli ka Mandir in its fort is assigned to the Pratihara age. From the tenth century the Parmaras of Malwa, the Chandelas of Bundelkhand and the Kalachuris around Jabalpur dominated, until the Turkish invasions weakened them.
Parmaras and Raja Bhoj
The Parmaras ruled Malwa first from Ujjain and later from Dhar (Dhara Nagari). The poet-king Vakpati Munja was killed by the Chalukya king Tailapa II. His nephew Raja Bhoj (about 1010-1055) is the most celebrated ruler of medieval Madhya Pradesh. A scholar-king credited with works such as the Samarangana Sutradhara on architecture and the Saraswati Kanthabharana on poetics, he founded the Bhojshala, a Sanskrit school at Dhar, began the Bhojeshwar Shiva temple at Bhojpur in Raisen district, never finished but housing one of India's largest lingams, and is credited with creating the great lake of Bhopal, a city whose name is often derived from Bhojpal. A later Parmara, Udayaditya, built the Udayeshwar (Neelkantheshwar) temple at Udaypur in Vidisha district, and Parmara rule ended when Alauddin Khalji's army took Malwa in 1305.
Chandelas and Khajuraho
The Chandelas, founded by Nannuka in the ninth century, ruled Jejakabhukti (Bundelkhand) with Khajuraho as their temple city and the forts of Kalinjar and Mahoba, both now in Uttar Pradesh, as strongholds. Between about 950 and 1050 they built the Khajuraho temples in Chhatarpur district in the Nagara style from sandstone: Yashovarman built the Lakshmana temple, Dhanga the Vishvanatha temple, and the Kandariya Mahadeva, the largest, is attributed to Vidyadhara, who resisted Mahmud of Ghazni. Tradition speaks of 85 temples, of which about two dozen survive. Paramardi (Parmal) lost to Prithviraj Chauhan in 1182; his generals Alha and Udal are the heroes of Bundeli ballads.
Kalachuris and Tomars
The Kalachuris (Haihayas) ruled the Chedi country from Tripuri, modern Tewar near Jabalpur; Gangeyadeva took the title Vikramaditya and his son Lakshmikarna, who attacked Malwa in Bhoj's last years, was the strongest king of the line. The Chaunsath Yogini temple at Bhedaghat is a Kalachuri work. At Gwalior the Kachchhapaghata king Mahipala built the Sahasrabahu (Sas-Bahu) temple in 1093. In the late fourteenth century the Tomars made Gwalior independent. Dungar Singh had giant Jain images carved into the rock of the fort, and Man Singh Tomar (1486-1516) built the Man Mandir palace and, for his Gujar queen Mrignayani, the Gujari Mahal. He was a great patron of Dhrupad music, and the text Man Kautuhal is associated with him.
Malwa Sultanate and Mandu
Dilawar Khan Ghuri, the Tughlaq governor of Malwa, became independent in 1401 with Dhar as his capital. His son Hoshang Shah (1406-1435) moved the capital to Mandu, also called Shadiabad, the city of joy; his tomb there is regarded as India's first marble building and is said to have inspired the builders of the Taj Mahal. Mahmud Khalji founded the Khalji line of Malwa, and Ghiyasuddin Khalji built the Jahaz Mahal. Bahadur Shah of Gujarat annexed Malwa in 1531. Later Baz Bahadur, son of Sher Shah's governor Shujaat Khan, ruled from Mandu; his love for the singer Rani Roopmati is remembered in Roopmati's Pavilion. Akbar's general Adham Khan defeated Baz Bahadur at Sarangpur in 1561, and Roopmati took poison rather than be captured.
Gonds, Bundelas and Mughals
The Gond kingdom of Garha-Katanga grew strong under Sangram Shah, credited with 52 forts. His son Dalpat Shah married Durgavati, a Chandela princess; after his death she ruled for their son Vir Narayan, beat back Baz Bahadur, and died fighting Akbar's general Asaf Khan near Jabalpur on 24 June 1564. In the north the Bundelas founded Orchha on the Betwa under Rudra Pratap Singh in 1531. Vir Singh Deo, who had Abul Fazl killed in 1602 for prince Salim (Jahangir), built the Jahangir Mahal at Orchha and the palace at Datia, and the Hindi poet Keshavdas, author of Ramchandrika and Rasikpriya, belonged to the Orchha court. Akbar's last conquest was the fort of Asirgarh near Burhanpur in 1601, called the key to the Deccan, and Mumtaz Mahal died at Burhanpur in 1631. In Aurangzeb's time Chhatrasal built a Bundela kingdom with Panna as capital and, attacked by Muhammad Khan Bangash, sought the help of Peshwa Bajirao I, to whom he gave a third of his territory.
The Marathas
Bajirao I's victory over the Nizam near Bhopal in 1737 and the Treaty of Durai Sarai (Doraha) in 1738 gave Malwa to the Marathas. Three Maratha houses came to rule much of the region: the Holkars at Indore, the Scindias at Gwalior and the Pawars at Dhar and Dewas, while the Bhonsles of Nagpur held parts of Mahakoshal. Malhar Rao Holkar founded the Holkar state; his daughter-in-law Ahilyabai Holkar ruled from 1767 to 1795 from Maheshwar on the Narmada, rebuilt the Kashi Vishwanath temple in 1780, endowed temples and ghats across India and encouraged Maheshwari weaving. Ranoji Scindia founded the Scindia house with Ujjain as its first capital, Mahadji Scindia became the strongest power in north India after Panipat, and Daulat Rao Scindia moved the capital to Gwalior (Lashkar).
Key facts
- Raja Bhoj (Parmara, about 1010-1055): capital Dhar, Bhojshala, Bhojeshwar temple at Bhojpur (Raisen), the great lake of Bhopal; author of the Samarangana Sutradhara.
- Khajuraho (Chhatarpur): Chandela temples of about 950-1050 in the Nagara style; Lakshmana temple by Yashovarman, Kandariya Mahadeva attributed to Vidyadhara.
- Kalachuris of Tripuri (Tewar near Jabalpur): Gangeyadeva and Lakshmikarna; the Chaunsath Yogini temple at Bhedaghat.
- Gwalior: Sas-Bahu temple built by the Kachchhapaghata king Mahipala in 1093; Man Singh Tomar (1486-1516) built Man Mandir and the Gujari Mahal for queen Mrignayani.
- Malwa Sultanate: Dilawar Khan Ghuri independent in 1401 at Dhar; Hoshang Shah shifted the capital to Mandu (Shadiabad); Baz Bahadur lost to Adham Khan at Sarangpur in 1561.
- Rani Durgavati of Garha-Katanga died fighting Akbar's general Asaf Khan near Jabalpur on 24 June 1564.
- Orchha on the Betwa, founded in 1531 by Rudra Pratap Singh; Vir Singh Deo built the Jahangir Mahal; the poet Keshavdas wrote Ramchandrika at the Orchha court.
- Asirgarh near Burhanpur: Akbar's last conquest (1601), the key to the Deccan; Mumtaz Mahal died at Burhanpur in 1631.
- Chhatrasal of Panna took Bajirao I's help against Bangash; the Treaty of Durai Sarai (1738) gave Malwa to the Marathas.
- Maratha houses: Holkar (Indore; Ahilyabai ruled from Maheshwar, 1767-1795), Scindia (Ujjain, then Gwalior), Pawar (Dhar and Dewas).
Quick revision
Pratiharas at Gwalior (Teli ka Mandir); Parmaras of Dhar, Raja Bhoj (about 1010-1055), Bhojpur temple, Bhojshala; Chandelas built Khajuraho (about 950-1050), Kandariya Mahadeva; Kalachuris of Tripuri, Chaunsath Yogini at Bhedaghat; Sas-Bahu temple 1093; Man Singh Tomar's Man Mandir and Gujari Mahal; Malwa Sultanate 1401, Mandu, Baz Bahadur and Roopmati, Sarangpur 1561; Durgavati died 24 June 1564; Orchha founded 1531; Asirgarh 1601; Treaty of Durai Sarai 1738; Holkars, Scindias, Pawars.