________________
28
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[JUNE, 1926
About the subsequent history of Navasarika, we do not know anything for certain; with the fall of the Gurjar Chalukyas, it must have passed into the hands of the Rashtrakutas. In the ninth century Naosari seems to have developed into a Jain centre. The Surat grant of Karka, dated Saka 743, records the grant of certain properties to some Jain temples at Navasarika.
Parsi immigration took place in the sixteenth century, so its account does not fall within the scheme of this thesis. It is true that a small Parsi colony had settled there as early as 1142 A.D.; but the main colony came about 1520.A.D., when the Parsis were driven out of Sanjan by Muhammadans.
28. Nandipuri.
Nandipuri is the same as modern Nandod; the capital of Rajpipla state in the Revakantha Agency. It is about 30 miles north-east of Bharoch. The identification presents no philological difficulties; the change of Skt 'r' into Pkt. d'is well-known; and the instances of Skt. 'pa' changing the preceding vowel into 'o', when disappearing, are numerous; cf. Mayôra from Mayapuri, Badoda from Vatapadra, Bardoli from Bhadra. palli, etc.
Two of the six genuine grants of the Gurjar rulers are issued from Nandipurf;107 the rest are issued from various places of encampment. The former two open with the word ga: and on the strength of the analogy of the Valabhi plates (which when issued from the capital always begin with af:), we may well conclude that Nandipuri was the capital of the southern Gurjar kingdom [580 to 808 A.D.].
Dr. Bühler however thinks that Nandipurî mentioned in those two plates is the old fort so named just outside the Jhadeshwer gate of Bharoch. This identification is for several reasons unacceptable. Since Nandipuri fort was constructed for the defence of Bharoch and practically formed part of it, a grant issued therefrom would naturally commence with : rather than with rega:, for Bharukachchha was well known all over India, and its name would naturally have been preferred to that of an obscure fort forming part of its defences. Moreover, if the grants were really issued from this fort, the expression would necessarily have followed Nandipurî, for the fort could not have been, either the capital or the place of residence, but only a temporary place of encampment of the king. Nor is there anything improbable in the sway of the donor King Dadda II [o. 620-c. 650] extending upto Ankleshwer, villages in which districts are assigned in those grants. For Dadda the second was a powerful chief and could afford successful protection to the Valabhi king against so mighty a monarch as Harshadeva of Kanoj Cf. परमेश्वर श्रीहर्षदेवाभिभूतवलभिपतिपरिचाणोपजातभ्रमरभ्रशुभ्रन्श्रविभ्रमयशोधवलः | Kaira grant of Dadda II. 108
For the greater part of its existence, however, the Gurjara principality at Nandipurî was only a feudatory, owing allegiance now to Chalukyas 109 and then to Rashtrakutas, as the occasion required.
29. Pañchâsara.
Ancient Pañchâsara is the same as Pañchâsar, a fair-sized village in Wadhwan Prânt situated on the boundary line between Gujarat and Cutch. There being a complete phonetic identity, there can be no doubt on this point; the possibility of Panchasara, the capital of the Châvotaka principality, being another than this Pañchâsara is excluded by the statement of Merutunga that Pañchâsara was situated in Vardhamâna Ahara. 110
107 Ind. Ant., XIII, 82 ff. 109 B. G., 1.1. p. 107.
108 Ind. Ant., XIII, 82. 110 Poc., p. 16.
