Paramaras: Polity and Administration | History Optional for UPSC (Notes) PDF Download

Introduction

The Paramara dynasty was a significant ruling power in Malwa and surrounding areas of west-central India from the 9th to the 14th century. They were part of the Rajput clan and played a crucial role in the region's history.

Origins of the Paramara Dynasty:

• The dynasty was founded by Upendra or Krishnaraja, who established their rule in the Malwa region, located north of the Narmada River, in the early 9th century.
• The early rulers of the Paramara dynasty were likely influenced by the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta, a powerful dynasty of the time.

Rise to Power:

• In around 972 CE, a significant figure named Siyaka seized control of the Paramaras after sacking Manyakheta, the capital of the Rashtrakutas.
• Under the leadership of Siyaka's successor Munja, the Malwa region, now part of present-day Madhya Pradesh, became the core territory of the Paramara dynasty.
• Dhara, modern-day Dhar, was established as the capital of the Paramara kingdom during this period, marking the height of their power and influence.

Origin of the Paramaras

• The Paramaras trace their origin to ancient Indian traditions. According to mythology, the sage Vashistha’s Kama Dhenu(a divine cow) was stolen by the sage Vishwamitra. To retrieve his cow, Vashistha performed a sacrifice on Mount Abu, from which a hero named Paramaras emerged from the sacrificial fire and reclaimed the cow.
• The Parmaras are one of the four Agnikula clans of the Rajputs, though their lineage remains unclear and is a topic of scholarly debate. They ruled over the Kingdom of Ujjain, located north of the Narmada River.
• The Paramaras, with their capital initially at Ujjain and later at Dhar, were successors to the Rashtrakutas. The dynasty was founded by Upendra or Krishnaraja, who established their rule primarily in the Malwa Region. The Paramaras succeeded the Pratiharas in the early 10th century following the latter's decline.
• The dynasty reached its height under Bhoja, the nephew of Munja, whose empire extended from Vidisha in the east to the Sabarmati River in the west, and from Chittor in the north to the Konkan in the south.
• From the late 10th century to the late 13th century, a branch of the Parmar dynasty ruled Mount Abu, with Chandravati as its capital. Another branch governed the princely states of Vagad(modern-day Banswara) and Dungarpur from the mid-10th century to the mid-12th century, with Arthuna as the capital. Two additional branches of the lineage are also noted: one ruling Jalore and the other Bhinmal from the late 10th century to the late 12th century.

Paramara Dynasty: Key Rulers

The Paramara dynasty, known for its military prowess and cultural contributions, had several notable rulers who played crucial roles in establishing and expanding the dynasty's power. Below is a detailed overview of some of the most important figures in the dynasty's history.

Upendra (800-818 CE):

• Upendra, also known as Krishnaraja, was the founder of the Paramara dynasty.

Siyaka II (948-974 CE):

• Also known as Harsha, Siyaka II was instrumental in establishing the Paramaras as a sovereign power.
• He defeated the Rashtrakuta king Khottiga at Kalighatta, near the Narmada River, and sacked Manyakheta, the Rashtrakuta capital.

Munja/Vakpatiraja II/Prithvi Vallabha (972-990 CE):

• During his reign, the Paramaras achieved numerous military victories against various foes, including the Kalachuris, the Huns, the Guhilas, the Nadulas, and Tailapa.
• Despite his successes, Munja eventually lost territory to Tailapa II, the Western Chalukya ruler.
• He was a great poet with interests in art and culture, known by various aliases such as Amoghavarsha, Prithvi Vallabha, and Sri Vallabha.

Sindhuraja (990-1010 CE):

• Sindhuraja, the brother of Munja, reclaimed territories lost to Tailapa II.
• He achieved victories against various adversaries, including an Huna chief, the Somvanshi of south Kosala, the Shilaharas of Konkana, and the ruler of Lata.
• His biography,Nava-Sahasanka-Charita, was penned by his court poet Padma Gupta.

Bhoja (1010-1055 CE):

• Bhoja ruled over a vast territory, from Chittor in the north to upper Konkan in the south, and from the Sabarmati River in the west to Vidisha in the east.
• A patron of the arts, literature, and science, Bhoja is credited with constructing the Bhojeshwar temple in present-day Madhya Pradesh and Bhoj shala, a center of Sanskrit studies in Dhar.
• He authored various works, including:
  • Ayurveda Sangraha: A major commentary on the yoga sutra.
  • Rasaraja Mriganka: A treatise on chemistry and drugs.
  • Samarangana Sutradhara: A treatise on civil engineering.
  • Tattva Prakasha: A treatise on Tantras.
• Bhoja was also known as Parameshvara-Parama Bhattaraka, possibly synonymous with Paramara-Deva.
• He was the last prominent ruler of the Paramara dynasty and was considered a model king, excelling in various fields such as cosmology, engineering, poetry, and mathematics.
• Bhoja is often compared to Samudragupta for his achievements.

Naravarman (1094-1133 CE):

• Naravarman succeeded his elder brother Lakshamndev and was known for his poetry.
• He wrote hymns dedicated to various deities, including the famous Nagpur Prashasti and a hymn dedicated to Makahal after restoring the Mahakal temple in Ujjain.
• Coins made of gold (5.2 g), silver (2.9 g), and copper bearing his name were discovered in Indore.

Mahalakadeva:

• The last known king of the Paramara dynasty, Mahalakadeva was defeated and killed by Ala-ud-din Khalji of Delhi in 1305 CE.
• His defeat marked the decline of the Paramara dynasty.

Administration of the Paramara Dynasty

Army of the Paramara Dynasty:

• The Paramara army included elephants, cavalry, and infantry. At the time of its decline, the Paramara government maintained between 30,000 and 40,000 cavalry and a large number of infantry. They were also famous for their elephants.
• The main weapons used in battle were swords, bows, and arrows. King Bhoja was known for his skills in archery and playing the drums. In cities like Ujjain,Dharh,Bhilsa,Mandu, and Gauupura, forts were built.

Branches and Claimed Descendants of Paramara Malwa:

• The three sons of Sindhuraja were Bhoja,Udaditya, and Mang. Emperor Bhoja (1000–1055 CE), known for his love of art and architecture, succeeded Sindhuraja as king. A grant from his feudatory Yashovarman mentions Bhoja’s victories over Karnata, Lata, Gurjara, Toggal, and Bhima.
• Bhoja founded Bhojpur, 28 kilometers from Bhopal, and Bhojpal(now Bhopal). His son Jayasimha rose to power with the help of Chalukya Vikramaditya VI but was killed in battle against a rival Chalukya prince,Someshvara I.

Different Clans of the Paramars

The Paramars, a prominent clan in Indian history, have various subclans with unique origins and histories. Here’s a detailed look at the different clans and their backgrounds:

Descendants of Imperial Parmars: Parmar Khaaps of Malwa Origin

Umat Panwars:

• The Umat Panwars are a subclan of the Parmars, tracing their lineage back to Umat, the grandson of Udaditya.
• In the 1400s, they established the Umatwara republic in Northern Malwa, which eventually split into the present-day Rajgarh and Narsinghgarh states.
• The subclan is named after Umat Panwar, who was allocated a jagir(land grant) in this area and was the son of Raja Bhoja I Parmar.

Panwars of Garhwal & Himachal:

• According to oral tradition, the Panwars of Garhwal trace their ancestry to Rajaputra Kanakpala Parmar, who is believed to have arrived at Chamoli during a pilgrimage in the early ninth century.
• It is speculated that he might have come from Malwa or Abu, as evidenced by similarities in architecture between Maru-Gurjara and Garhwali styles, as well as the names of certain localities.
• In 1358, Raja Ajay Pal Panwar, the 37th descendant from Kanakpal, united all 52 Garhis(chieftains) in the region, succeeding the weakened Katyuri dynasty, which was left behind by the Rajwar Rajputs of Askot,Pithoragarh.
• Raja Ajay Pal Panwar established the Kingdom of Garhwal by unifying these 52 Garhis and initially moved the capital from Chandpur Garhi to Devalgarh, eventually settling in Srinagar.

Descendants of Abu-Chandrawati Parmars:

• A brother of Bappairaja Parmar of Malwa,Utpalraja, founded the Arbuda or Abu Parmars between 918 and 919 AD.
• They are often referred to as Abu-Chandravati Parmars because their capital was situated at the base of Mount Abu.
• The Jalore Parmars and the Bhinmal-Kiradu Parmars were both offshoots of the Abu Parmars.
• These three Parmar lineages were vassals of the Imperial Chalukyas of Gujarat, unlike the Vagad Parmars from the same territory, who were feudatories of the Malwa Parmars.

Descendants of VAGOD Parmars of Arthuna:

• Before the Ahada Guhilots gained control of the territory in the 11th century, the Vagod Parmars ruled it with their capital at Arthuna.
• The Vagadiya Parmars of Arthuna, who governed Vagad in the 11th century before it was taken over by the Ahada Guhilots, are the ancestors of the Barads of Panchmahal,Banaskantha, and Sabarkantha.
• The Barads are one of Gujarat’s most widespread Parmar branches, with their main families located in Danta,Banaskantha.

DOD Parmars:

• The Dod-Parmars are an ancient Parmar sublineage that migrated to Gujarat and took their name from a Dod village.
• Their leader Chandan Dod founded Chandanavati(prehistoric Vadodara).
• Bijaldev Dod also established Gagron in Jhalawar, formerly known as Dodgarh, in the 12th century.

Parmars of Punjab:

• The Varha Panwars, descended from Dharnivarah of Lodruva, are the oldest Panwar branch in the desert region.
• They opposed Devraj Bhati, who built Derawar Fort in the ninth century CE.
• The Varha Panwars were also connected to the Bhatia clan.
• They dominated Lodruva and Bahawalpur, but the rise of the Bhattis as a powerful force in the Jaisalmer-Dhatt region pushed the Varhas further into northern Punjab.

The Decline of the Paramaras of Malwa

• After Bhoj's death, the Paramaras dynasty faced significant challenges. Bhoj's successor, Jaysimha I, was attacked by the Kalachuri-Chalukya alliance, as noted in Bilhana's writings.
• Jaysimha's successor, Udayaditya, saw his younger son Narvarman suffer defeats against the Chandelas of Jejakabhukti and the Chaulukya king Jayasimha Siddharaja. Yashovarman lost the Paramara capital Dhara to Jayasimha Siddharaja. Yashovarman's heir, Jayavarman I, briefly reclaimed Dhara but was overthrown by a usurper named Ballala.
• Around 1150 CE, Kumarapala, the Chaulukya king, defeated Ballala with the aid of his vassals Naddula Chahamana ruler Alhana and Abu Paramara chief Yashoda Vala. Malwa then became a Chaulukya province.
• Jayavarman's son Vindhyavarman defeated Chalukya king Mularaja II and reestablished Paramara rule in Malwa nearly twenty years later. His reign was marked by invasions from the Hoysalas and the Yadavas of Devagiri. The ongoing conflicts ultimately led to the decline of the Paramara dynasty.

Conclusion

• The Paramaras were a significant dynasty in medieval India, controlling vast territories. However, internal struggles and external pressures caused their decline, and over time, they could not maintain control over the entire Indian subcontinent.
• Their power waned due to conflicts with the Chalukyas of Gujarat, the Chalukyas of Kalyani, the Kalachuris of Tripuri, and other neighboring kingdoms. After repeated attacks on Dhara, the later Paramara rulers moved their capital to Mandapa-Durga (now Mandu).
• The dynasty came to an end when Alauddin Khalji of Delhi defeated and killed Mahalakadeva, the last known Paramara king, in 1305 CE.