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208 / Jijñāsā
fledged urban centres, with the concentration of non-food producing classes including officials and tertiary classes and development of corporate life, which would cause what Mumford termed an implosion as diverse elements of the community were mobilized and packed together."
Bhinmala, also known as Bhillamala, was at the beginning of the seventh century, as noted by Hieun Tsang, the capital of Gurjara, endowed with a flourishing population and a wise and valorous ruler. In 625 CE it was ruled by the Capa ruler, Varmalata,44 and silver coins known as varmalāta probably after the ruler were current there. 45 As Brahmagupta, the famous astronomer known as the preceptor of Bhillamäla (Bhillamälakācārya), refers to the Capa ruler Vyaghramukha as the ruling king in 628 CE, it appears to have been the centre of Capa power, which was destroyed by Junaid. "6 Bhinmala, along with the Jalor area, continued to be the centre of political power under the Imperial Pratihāras. The Kuvalayamälä (778 CE) refers to it as Sri-Bhillamala-nagara," indicating that it was a prosperous town, Sri standing for prosperity and 'nagara' for town.
On the cultural side, we learn that Bhillamāla was an important centre of Jina worship. Uddyotana's teacher-ancestor, Sivachandragani, removed from him by four generations, had moved from Pavaiyya to Bhillamala especially to pay his respects to Jina. Further, Sivachandragani's disciple Yakṣadatta's disciples had rendered the Gurjara country beautiful with Jina temples. Brahmagupta belonged to Bhillamala, as did Magha (c. 8" century CE), the author of the epic poem Sisupälavadha. Siddharși Süri wrote his Upamitibhavaprapañcakatha here in 905 CE." On the economic side, reference has already been made to the silver currency issued by king Varmalata. The Ahar inscription (864 CE) refers to prosperous merchants of the Varkkatavanik community from Bhillamála, referred to as ŚriBhillamala-nagara, residing at Tattnandapura. "The Nagar inscription, 684 CE, refers to the expert sculptors of Bhillamāla, who built a step-well at Nagar. 54
Mandor and Merta figure as the capitals of the Mandor Pratihāra rulers, who presumably made the former their capital after its conquest and further fortification in the sixth century CE. The city was known as Mändavya-pura, the suffix 'pura' revealing its urban associations. Two generations later, the ruler Nagabhața established his capital at Merta, again known as Medantaka-pura and possibly an urban centre. Pratihāra association with Mandor did not end and the next ruler Tāta practised austerities at Mandor after abdication." Arab invasion may have disturbed Mandor but did not destroy it. D.R. Bhandarkar and R. C. Majumdar opine that the stone bearing the Pratihara ruler Bäuka's inscription was probably brought there from Mandor." Kakkuka's Ghatiyälä inscription, 861 CE, records that he erected a column at Mandor, akin to a pillar of fame. Ghatiyālā was another urban centre developed by Kakkuka, where he established a haṭṭa and a still extant column engraved with four images of Gaṇeśa facing the four quarters as its capital piece. On the cultural side Mandor, where cultural activities can be traced to the pre-Pratihara period, has a beautiful rock-cut panel depicting Śiva in the company of Ganapati and seven mätkäs. "The extensive military campaigns of the Mandor rulers, such as, Siluka who defeated the Bhatti ruler, Kakka who gained renown by fighting against the Gaudas in Bengal, Bauka who repulsed a confederacy of kings and Kakkuka who destroyed the settlements of the Bhillas and Ābhīras 59 presuppose the existence of a substantial army and economic surplus.
Chittor developed as a centre of power under the Mauryas, its fort believed to have been built by the ruler Citränga in the seventh century," the Manasarovara lake excavated in 713 CE by the ruler Mäna and a very high structure, probably a temple along with a step-well constructed by a king Manabhanga in c. 711 CE.62 On the cultural side, the Jaina preceptor Haribhadra narrated the
