Sambodhi 1998 Vol 21

Author(s): J B Shah, N M Kansara
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 63

RELATIONS BETWEEN THE CĀLUKYĀS OF GUJARAT WITH THE
BHĀȚIS OF JAISALMER Ram Vallabh Somani
The Bhātis of Jaisalmer remained very powerful during the pre-medieval times. They fought several battles against the Pratihārs of Mandor and other-rulers. The boundaries of Tamanī and Valla-Mandal were also finalised at that time. The Jodhpur inscription of VE 894 of Pratihär Bäuk mentions that Devarāj Bhāti was defeated and was compelled to surrender the royal insignia to the Pratihārs. Even then the power of the Bhāțis was not curtailed". In the beginning of the 12th century A. D. Bhāti Dusad was the ruler. He had two sons named Jaissal and Vijayrāj. The Bhatti-Vamsa Prasasti mentions that Dusād overlooking the claim of Jaissal appointed Vijayrāj as his successor. Jaissal went towards Tanot and captured some areas of Sind also. He started plundering raids in the Jaisalmer areas and harassed the people much. Several times the battles were also fought between Vijayrāj and Jaissal. Slowly Jaissal increased much power and became problematic to Vijayrāj, who wanted a permanent settlement of the affair. Therefore, he approached Kumārpal Cālukya of Gujarat, a most powerful ruler of the Western India?. The Jaisalmer Khyāt and Tawarikh of Jaisalmer narrate an interesting account. According to them Vijayrāj was married with the daughter of Siddhrāj Jaisimha of Gujarat. During the marriage ceremony, the mother of the bride expressed a desire that Vijayrāj should prove to be a veritable portal of the North (UttarBhatta-Kimwada). Such remarks were not improbables in those days. It is known that the Muslim forces, while proceeding to Gujarat passed through the kingdom of the Bhātis. Similarly the epithet 'Lānja' (prodigal), was given to Vijayrāj on his prodigality of pouring a huge quantity of camphor in the Sahasra-ling tank of Pāțan in order to get the water perfumed?. The Chronocles of Gujarat do not mention these incidents. Therefore, these seem to have been aded in the chronocles of Jaisalmer at a later date. However, it is true that the Bhāti Vijayrāj maintained cordial relations with the Cālukyās of Gujarat, which is proved from the following accounts. Someśvar-Paramār of Kiradu invaded Tanot Nosar, Uccā and some other parts of Sind, and defeated Jaijjak (Jaissal), a refractory chief. Later on acknowledging the supremacy of Cālukya King Kumārpāl his territory was restored back to him.