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MAITRAKA-GURJARA PERIOD
199
The study of the different legends and the busts of kings on these Valabhi coins reveals at least four (probably six ) different rulers who issued these coins.-(B. L. Mankad, Journal of the Numismatic Society, Vol. XV, 1953, Valabhi Coins in the Baroda Museum', and Plate No. IV ):-( Plate )
Traikūțaka Coins : Traikūțaka coins are found in Southern Gujarat, Konkan and the Maratha country. Coins of the Traikūțaka kings Dahrasena, son of Indradatta, and Vyāghrasena, son of Dahrasena are known, whose names are mentioned in copper-plate grants of 456 and 480 A.D., respectively.
Coins of the Kalacuri King Kșşņarāja, the father of Sankargaņa, are known from the Gujarat area. They were first published by Dr. Bhau Daji (JBBRAS, XII (O.S.), p. 213-14). But he could neither read the correct legend nor attribute them properly. These coins are in the same tradition of the Western Kşatrapas, having the head of the king on the obverse, and a seated bull on a platform as the central device on the reverse. The legend on these coins is Parama-Māheśvara Mātā pitripādānudhyāta Sri Krsnarāja, as read by Fleet (1A., XIV, p. 68 ), and confirmed by N. L. Rao (JNSI, XVI, p. 107-8).
Temples: There was great architectural activity in Western India during this period. As early as the end of the 5th Century, Hindu temples of Goddesses (Pandurāja and Kottammahikā for example), of Siva, Súrya, Gaņeśa and other gods are known to have been in existence from the records of donations by the Maitraka kings and the kings of other dynasties. However, no remains of these temples have been traced so far.
A few temples are known mainly on the western and southern sea-board of Saurāṣtra. A few solitary shrines are also found at Thān and Koțțai in Kaccha. These might have been built during the supremacy of the Maitrakas of Valabhi, or during the rule of the Jethvās of Ghumli; and later, those near Somanātha and Prabhāsa, at Sutrāpādā, Kadvār, etc. under the suzerainty of the Gurjara-Pratihāras. Further development of the pre-Caulukyan temple architecture is illustrated by the temples at Visāvāļā, 15 miles N.W. of Porbunder, Bileśvara, in the Baraļā Hills and Thān. The temples at Kinderkheļā, about 12 miles north of Porbunder, Sona Kansāri and Pästhur, which form another group, are of the same period.
The pre-Caulukyan temples that are in existence even today, can be treated together as they have an essential oneness with some points of difference. These small-scale temples, as arranged in their development of style, are grouped in two batches: the one group includes the Visavādā, Bileśvara, Sutrāpādā and Thăn temples; the other includes those at Kadvār, Kinderkhedā, Son Kansări and Pasthur..
As to the plan of these temples, a square shrine is placed among two courtyards, inner and outer, which may be either square or rectangular. The tendency is towards the latter, which subsequently became the gūdha mandapa of the later Caulukyan temples having a number of pillars. The inner courtyard in every case served as a pradakşiņamārga. -( Plate )
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