Indian Antiquary Vol 53

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 242

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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[OCTOBER, 1994
Maharaja Gaekwar is the first ruler in India to the first importance to his line. Bit by bit, in introduce free and compulsory primary education" the course of reign of 30 years or moro, 985 to and the first to establish free state-aided libraries c. 1015 A.D., Raja Raja enlarged his dominion throughout his dominions." The Library depart. till its northern boundary was "the Tungabhament was established in 1911.
dra till it joins the Krishna, and took into it terThe next interesting part of the scheme is the ritory along an irregular frontier proceeding north. establishment of organized travelling libraries, wards from somewhere near Karnal to the fron. by which "all libraries coming under the scheme tiers of Orissa." From this frontier his son Raare entirely free to all persons, young and old, jendra started on his long career of conquest, rich and poor, of every casto and creed." The having been associated with his predecessor na heirCentral Library contains about 100,000 volumes, apparent, and having "actually done, the work 20,000 of them from the Maharaja's own private of conquest for his father." Library and about 20,000 more volumes in the So when he started on his own account he was "travelling library section." It contains also no novice at the work. His first efforts brought the largest circulating library in India, the cir. him into touch with the Western Chalukya, whose culation in 1923 being about 97,000 volumes, ruler Jayasimha he defeated, having apparently exclusive of 8,000 volumes circulated in Baroda boon in Ceylon and Malabar in the interval. All City from the travelling library. There is also
this takes us to his tenth year. In his twelfth a Children's Library which lent over 4,000 volumes year conquests are claimed for him up to the Gan. in 1923, and further, a valuable thing in India, ges and across the Bay of Bengal. By his thir. & Mahila (Ladies') Branch Library. A separate toonth year a number of places are mentioned Sanskrit Library, a collection of rare MSS. and as having fallen to him, and among other rulers The Gaekwad's Oriental Series for publishing them he captured Indraratha át Jatinagara and defeated complete, an institution which is more than a Dharmapala of Dandabhukti, Ranasura of Dak credit to its originator and the Baroda Stato.
shina Lada, Govindachandra of Bengal and The account of the establishment of District Ottamayipala of Uttara Lada, and thus reached and Village Libraries is very interesting and the the Ganges. About this time he sent a fleet of facta "that 598 libraries and 91 reading rooms ships "into the middle of the Oooan against San have been established in villages," and that "39 grama Vijayottunga Varma, King of Kadaram of the more ambitious villages have even erected and captured him. He took, across the seas, library buildings," speak volumes for the progress Sri Vijaya, and many other places in the Malay of education in a Native State in India.
Peninsula and Sumatra. Professor Krishnaswami R. C. TEMPRE. Bote about identifying these personages and
places with conspicuous knowledge. RAJENDRA, THE GANGAIKONDA CHOLA. By S.
By his first campaign Rajendra "had secured KRISHNASWAMI AIYANGAR, PH.D. Oxford Uni
his position both in the South, in his roar," and versity Press.
" along a somewhat irregular frontier extending In this pamphlet, reprinted from the Journal from the region of Central India to Dharwar in of Indian History, Vol. II, Part III, September, the south of the Bombay Presidency." He then 1923, we have another of Professor Krishnaswami set to work to conquer Kalingam and territories Aivangar's illuminating studies in the history across the Bay of Bengal. His capture of "In. of the Tamils. Rajendra Chola, who reigned draratha of the dynasty of the moon," and of from 1011 to c. 1042 A.D., was one of the great
the great the places mentioned in connection with that Chola sovereigns and succeeded his father Raja
monarch took Rajendra Chola to the modern Rája, another great sovereign, as an independent Central India and beyond Orissa. The Professo monarch, about 1015 A.D. He did great things then shows that the two Ladas represent the two for his dynasty and received, among other titles, divisions of Radha in Bengal; that is, Dakshina that of the Gangaikonda Chola, the Chola that Lada wa Midnapur and Uttara Lada wa Bartook the Ganges. What his exploita were and shwân. Next the Professor makes the importhow he came by this titlo is the task that Profesant identification of Dandabhukti with Bihar, sor Krishnaswami Aiyangar has set himself to
set himself to the conquest of which brought Rajendra to the unearth from inscriptions and literature, per
wo por Ganges itself. forming it with the skill and knowledge that we having secured his route to the sea by the con. are now accustomed to expect from him. The
quest of Orissa and part of Lower Bengal, R&task is an important one for the student of South
jendra Chola launched his expedition Overseas Indian history.
from Palur near Gopalpar, as above said, against The Professor sets out by showing that the Sangrama Vijayottunga Varman of Kadaram, marriago by Raja Raja of his daughter Kundsvvai which the Professor identifies with the River to the Eastern Chalukya, Vimaladitya, was of "Katres on the North Coast of Sumatra " i.e.,