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DINESH CHANDRA
SAMBODHI
niched on walls. The ramparts of the fort with parapets and shooting gaps are as high as 12ft. and 6 ft. in width. Such a magnificent and strong fort was very rare in contemporary India. Vedas refer to Kalinjar as 'Tapasthali, a place of penance. Mahābhārata makes a mention of its beautiful lake and Padma Purana' glorifies it for its holiness. In olden days, Kalinjar was also known as Ratnakūța, Mahägiri and Pingalaó. Kalinjar or Kalamjara literally means the one who causes time to grow old. It has really done so and stood long as test of time. According to Ferista", "Kalinjar was founded by Kedar Rājā in 7th century. The first prominent person connected with Kalinjar was Chandra Vermā who was associated with it since 978 A.D. Rajā of Kalinjar with Jaipal, King of Lahore, attacked Ghazni in 978 and suffered defeat'. Again in 1008 A.D. King of Kalinjar sided with Anandpal in battle of Peshawar in order to check the invasion of Ghazni. In year 1022-23 A.D. Kalinjar fort was besieged by Mohammed of Ghaznī. Farista writes about the fort : "This is a fort unparalleled in whole history of Hindustān for its strength. Nanda, its chief, presented 300 elephants and begged for peace. As animals were sent out of fort without riders, Sultān ordered Turks to seize and mount them. The enemy perceiving this, was much surprised and Nanda sent a copy of Hindi verse in praise of Sultān who was much pleased with compliments and later conferred the grant of 15 forts on him "?". Historian Hasan Nizami writes, "The accused Parmar, the Raja of Kalinjar, fled into the fort after desperate resistance in the battlefield and afterwards surrendered himself. The Government of Kalinjar was entrusted to Hazur-uddin Hasan Arnal and the fort became a part of Mohammedan kingdom of Delhi 12". There is an inscription of 1131 A.D. speaking about the victory of Chandellas13. In 1182, the Chandela king after being defeated by Prithvirāj Chauhān of Delhi, shifted their capital from Mahobā (Hamirpur district in U.P.) to Kalinjar. Chandelas made a great contribution in building and decorating the fort". They were also responsible for construction of temples at Khajuraho between A.D.,950 and 1050 before Muslim invasions. Khajuraho once comprised of 85 temples of which only 20 still exist. Skanda Purānaspeaks of struggle between Hindu powers of North India and their enemies, the Turks. After the dismemberment of the Prathilāra empire, the moon once again began to shine on the sacred hill of Kalinjara on the head of Nilakantha. The successor of Chandra, born of Atrī, hence called Chandratreya came into prominence under the leadership of
