________________
Urban Centres and Urban forces in c. 600-900 CE Rajasthan:
205
There is considerable inscriptional evidence of temple building from the seventh to ninth century which complements as well as supplements the archaeological data. From Nagaur district we have the Goth-Mangalod inscription of 608 CE recording the building the temple of goddesss Dadhimati by Dadhya Brāhmaṇas. Jodhpur district has the Buchkala inscription of 815 CE recording the construction of a Visnu temple by Jāyāvali, daughter of Pratihāra Jajjuka, 'S the Ghati vala inscription of 861 CE recording the construction of a Jina temple by the Pratihāra ruler Kakkuka 6 and the Osia inscription of 959 CE recording the existence of the Mahāvīra temple in the time of Vatsarāja in the eighth century and its subsequent renovation by a merchant. 17 In Sirohi district the Vasantgarh inscription of 625 CE refers to the construction of the temple of Ksemāryā by a trader at the direction of the town assembly and the Kusuma inscription, 636-7 CE, refers to the construction of a Siva temple by the warrior Satyabhama. Samoli on the Udaipur- Sirohi border has an inscription of 646 CE recording the construction of the temple of goddess Aranyavāsini by Jentaka mahattara at the command of the mahājana. 20
Sikar district has the Khandela inscription of 807 CE recording the construction of an Ardhanāriśvara temple by a member of the Dhūsara family and the Sakrai inscription of 822 CE recording the construction of a pavilion of gods by the local gosthi, the members of which were sresthins and vanikas." From Bharatpur district we have a set of inscriptions at Kaman dating from 786-905 CE, recording endowments to a deity, apparently Śiva, installed in a temple. 23 A separate inscription from Kaman dated 869 CE records the construction of a temple by three brothers.24 Another Kaman inscription assigned paleographically to the eighth-ninth centuries records the construction of a Vişnu temple by Vacchikā, wife of Durgadāman. Ajmer district has an inscription from Nasun, referring to the dedication of a Siva image and the fragmentary inscription of the eighth century from Shankaraghatta in Chittor district records the construction of a high structure, probably a temple, by king Mānabhanga.” From Udaipur district, we have an inscription at Nagda dated 661 CE which refers to the construction of a temple by Yasomati, wife of mahārāja Varāhasimha, senāpati of the Mewar ruler, Guhila Aparājita. 28 In Bhilwara district, the Dhod inscription, 644 CE, refers to the existence of a Durgā temple and a mahāmaheśvara temple. 29 Jhalawar district has the 689 CE inscription recording the construction of a temple by the dyūtasabhāpati of the Maurya ruler Durgagana, 90 and Kota district has the Shergarh inscription of 790 CE which records the construction of a Buddhist temple and monastery by a sāmanta Devadatta." The foregoing data may be tabulated as given below:
TEMPLES IN RAJASTHAN District
Source
Builder Nagaur Goth Mangalod
608 CE Inscription
Brahmpaņas Didwana
gih.9 century CE Temple remains Jodhpur Osia gh-9th century CE Inscription
renovated by trader Buchkala
815 CE Inscription
Jāyā vali Ghatiyala
861 CE Inscription
ruler Osia. Bhundana. Mandor, Pipad, gih-9h century CE Temple remains Buchkala. Ghatiyala. Medta
Phalodi Soila, Arna, Tivri Barner Khed
gth.9 century CE Temple remains
Place
Date