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THE JAINA GAZETTE The seat of the Chaulukyan government was at Anhilwad" now in ruins but then a magnificent city enriched with stately palaces, sumptous temples, beautiful pleasure-gardens and charming tanks. It was a great centre of international trade where the people of different nationalities met and transacted business. The indegenous commercial community of the capital was very affluent. There were millionaires and multi-millionaires amongst them and those who were worth a crore or more enjoyed the privilege of hoisting huge flags with ringing bells over their palatial houses. The merchants under took long voyages to foreign countries for trade purposes and made enormous profits.?
The Chaulukyan empire of which Kumarapala was by far the noblest ruler was founded by a Rajput adventurer named Mularaja, who having killed Chavada king. Samanta Singh, in A.D. 941, took possession of Anhilwad and set up there as an independent chiet. He was succeeded by his son Chamunda of whom we know little. After Chamunda, came Durlabha who was succeeded by Bhima I. He ruled from A.D. 1022 to A.D. 1064 and seems to have been more powerful than either of his predecessors. During his reign in A.D. 1024 Mahainud of Ghazni invaded Gujarat, captured Somanatha and sacked Anhil wad. The kingdom survived the shock given by Mahamud and a few years later, Bhima's general Vimala reduced the Paramara chief of Chandravati to submission and secured from him the beautiful Chitrakuta peak of Abu where in A.D. 1032 he built his famous Jaina temple which is still one of the glories of the Jaina architecture. Bhima had three sons Karna, Khemaraja and Mularaje, On his retirement from the temporal power, in A.D. 1064, Karna became king. He was served by three ministers, Munjajla, Santu and Udaya. All of them were very capable men professing the Jaina religion. Karna was succeeded by his minor son SiddharajaJayasinha. During his minority, the administration was carried on
1. Modern Patan in the Gaekwad state, noted for its rich and valuable collections of ancient Jaina MSS.
2. Yasah pala, Moharajaparajaya, Introd XL
3. Udaya had four sons, Bahada Ambada, Chahada and Sola, The first two rose to eminence upder Kymarapala, Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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