Jain Inscriptions of Rajasthan

Author(s): Ramvallabh Somani
Publisher: Rajasthan Prakrit Bharti Sansthan Jaipur

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Chaupai and several contemporary copper plates, reveals that Maharana Pratap had achieved success in recapturing a considerable territory of Mewar, Godawar etc. before that date. After the settlement of 1615 A.D. between the Mughal Emperor and the ruler of Mewar, several Jain temples were built at Udaipur both by Shvetambars and Digambars. The Digambar Jain temple inscription54 dated V.E. 1726 (1669 A.D.) of Udaipur (un-published) furnishes details concerning several battles fought by Maharana Rajsingh. Vagad :
The territory of Vagad was dominated by Digambar Jains. On the basis of epigraphical evidence, Dungarpur Galiyakot, Sagawara, Naugama etc. were the important centres of Digambar Jains. But the Shvetambars had also built several temples in the region and the Vagada-Pravasa-Geetika (1370 A. D.) contains references to them. The Uparaganva inscription55 dated V.E. 1461 (1404 A.D.) (un-published) of Dungarpur records a detailed genealogy of the rulers of Vagad. It helps us in clearing a confusion which other mediaval inscriptions of Dungarpur have created: namely that Samantsingh was the progenitor of the ruling families of Dungarpur and Banswara. G.H. Ojha and Dashrath Sharma56 also followed these misleading interpretations in arriving at their conclusions. It seems that the Uparaganva inscription, somehow, escaped their notice. The medieval epigraphs of Dungarpur enumerate the names of Jayatsingh and Sihad after Samantsingh. But on the basis of epigraphical evidence, Samantsingh ruled in Vagad between V.E. 1236-1242 (1179-1185 A.D.). Thereafter he was removed by Guhilot Amritpal of Bhattripatta branch with the help of Chalukya Bhimdeva of Gujarat. Thus, Samantsingh remained no more in power after V.E. 1242. His exact relations with Sihad's
54. For this information, I am obliged to Shri Bhanwar Lal Chittora of
Udaipur. 55. History of Mewar by the Author p. 83 56. G. H. Ojha-Udaipur Rajya ka Itihas Vol. 1. p. 150. Dashrath-Sharma,
Rajasthan Through The Ages Vol, I p. 650, History of Mewar by the Author pp. 83-84,