Vidyādhara | |
---|---|
Paramabhattaraka Maharajadhiraja Parameshvara | |
Chandela king | |
Reign | r. c. 1003-1035 CE |
Predecessor | Ganda |
Successor | Vijayapala |
Dynasty | Chandela |
Vidyadhara (r. c. 1003-1035 CE) was a Chandela king of central India. He ruled in the Jejakabhukti region (Bundelkhand in present-day Madhya Pradesh). Vidyadhara was the successor of Ganda, and expanded the Chandela power between Chambal river in the northwest and Narmada River in south.
Until the 1970s, scholars such as R. K. Dikshit assigned the beginning of Vidyadhara's reign to 1018 CE.[1] However, later, a copper-plate issued by Vidyadhara's queen Satyabhama was discovered at Kundeshwar. This inscription is dated 1004 CE, which proves that Vidyadhara was already ruling in 1004 CE. Based on this, scholar S. K. Sullerey dates Vidyadhara's reign as 1003-1035 CE.[2][3]
See also: Ghaznavid invasion of Kannauj |
In 1018 CE, the Ghaznavid king Mahmud of Ghazni invaded Kannauj, whose Pratihara king (possibly Rajyapala) fled the city, allowing the Ghaznvids to sack it without facing much resistance. According to the 12th century Muslim historian Ali ibn al-Athir, Bida, the king of Khajuraho killed the king of Kannauj as a punishment for this cowardice. Bida is believed to be a variant of "Vidya" (that is, Vidyadhara). Some later Muslim historians misread this name as "Nanda", based on which British-era scholars identified the killer of the Kannauj king as Vidyadhara's predecessor Ganda. However, an inscription discovered at Mahoba confirms that it was Vidyadhara who defeated the ruler of Kannauj.[4][5] The Dubkund inscription of Arjuna of Kachchhapaghata family claims that Arjuna killed Rajyapala in a great battle. The Kachchhapaghatas were feudatories of the Chandelas, so it appears that Arjuna was acting as an agent of Vidyadhara.[6]
An inscription of Kirtiraja, the Kachchhapaghata ruler of Gwalior, claims that he defeated the forces of the Malwa ruler. At that time, Malwa was ruled by the powerful Paramara king Bhoja. It is unlikely that Kirtiraja could have defeated him alone. Thus, S. K. Mitra theorizes that Kirtiraja must have received help from his overlord Vidyadhara in this campaign. One possibility is that Bhoja invaded the Chandela kingdom, but was forced to retreat by Kirtiraja.[12] The fragmentary Mahoba inscription of the Chandelas states that Bhoja and Kalachuri-Chandra, like scared pupils, worshipped Vidhyadhara, a master of warfare.[7] Kalachuri-Chandra (literally "Moon of the Kalachuris") is identified with the Kalachuri king Gangeya-deva. According to one theory, Bhoja, aided by Gangeya, invaded the Chandela kingdom, but Vidyadhara forced them to retreat. However, some scholars such as K. M. Munshi believe that the Mahoba inscription is merely a boastful exaggeration.[13]
Vidyadhara commissioned the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple at Khajuraho.[14] Epigraphic inscriptions on a pilaster of the mandapa in the temple mentions a king called "Virimda", which is interpreted as another name of Vidhyadhara.[15]