Jignasa Journal Of History Of Ideas And Culture Part 01

Author(s): Vibha Upadhyaya and Others
Publisher: University of Rajasthan

Page 248

210 / Jijnäsä
Buchkala and Didwana were districts under the Imperial Pratihāras. Buchkala was an important district (visaya) in the time of Nagabhața II, termed as his 'own viṣaya' (sva- visaya), as recorded by an inscription of 815 Ce, recording the construction of a temple." Two ninth-century temples have been discovered here. Didwana was under the rule of the Imperial Pratihāras from the time of Vatsarāja and Nagabhata II. It formed a viṣaya in the time of Bhoja, as we learn from a land grant record dating 843 Ce restoring a grant originally made by Vatsarāja. A beautiful yogaṇārāyaṇa image furnishes evidence of the artistic activity at Didwana.
Capitals of minor lineages were evidently located at Jhalawar, Shergarh and Kanaswa. The Jhalawar inscription of the time of the Maurya ruler Durgagana records the erection of a temple by Voppaka, officer in charge of gambling, or the dytasabhäpati of the king, "indicating the existence of administrative machinery. Shergarh was ruled in 790 Ce by a samanta Devadatta.83 Kanaswa has an inscription dated 738 Ce of the Brahmana prince Sivagana, a friend of king Dhavala of the Maurya lineage.
Other settlements which can be identified as urban centres include Osia, Jalor, Sakrai, Khandela and Samoli. The Osia inscription in the temple of Mahāvīra specifically mentions that Osia or Ūkeśa was a flourishing town (puram gariya) inhabited by people of different classes in the time of Vatsarāja. In 956 CE it was renovated by a merchant named Jindaka at the request of the temple committee.85 Mention has already been made of the large-scale temple construction in eight-ninth century Osia. 86
Jalor was known as 'Jävälipura". According to the colophon of the Kuvalayamala, a Prakrit work of 778 CE, Jāvälipura was charming with Jina temples and full of Jaina laymen. Virabhadra had got a temple dedicated to Rṣabha Jinendra constructed there, which was lofty, white and charming with fluttering costly banners, staying in which Uddyotana composed his Kuvalayamālā." Merutunga's Vicāraśreṇī, as cited by A. N. Upadhye, relates that the temple of Mahāvīra called Yakṣavasati was built on the Suvarnagiri, i.e., hill-fort of Jalor by king Nähada. This Suvarnagiri was inhabited by the richest section of society: those who were worth less than a crore even by one lakh had no accommodation there. Upadhye further identifies Nähaḍa as Nagabhața I, the Imperial Pratihāra king ruling in the first half of the eighth century CE. Evidently, Jalor had strong urban associations.
Sakrai was an important urban centre as the Sakrai inscription" refers to śreṣthins of Dhūsara and Dharkatta families as members of the local gosthi which constructed the temple porch of Sankarāmātā. Mention of members of two generations of the Dhusara family as well as members of three generations of the Dharkaṭṭa family as śresthins indicates that urbanism was well established. The Khandela inscription of 807 CE records the construction of a temple by Adityanaga, son of Vodda and grandson of Durgavardhana, a vanik of the Dhúsara family," who has been identified as Adityanaga, son of Vodda, mentioned as gosthika in the Sakrai inscription.
Evidence of the evolution of the urban process at Samoli comes from the Samoli inscription dated 646 CE which records that a mahajana community from Vasantgarh started an agara or mine, which became a source of livelihood for the people, and as noted above, established a temple. The able rule of king Siladitya, an important ruler of the Mewar line of the Guhilas, who is described in the inscription as a giver of delight to the gods, Brähmaṇas and preceptors, as well as a vanquisher of foes, must have provided a further impetus to urbanization.
An important factor engendering urbanization was the development of an urban economy, certain aspects pertaining to which have been noted above viz., the presence of an agricultural surplus.