South Indian Inscriptions

EARLY CHALUKYAS OF GUJARAT

Two inscriptions of the time of Dharasraya-Jayasimha have been found in Southern Gujarat. The earlier one, dated K. 421(671 A.C.), records the grant of the village Asatti-grama, which Bühler has identified with Astgaon, 7 miles south-east of Navasari.¹ The second inscription, ² dated K. 443(693 A.C.), which was found at Surat, registers the grant of a field in the village of Osumbhala modern Umbhel, 7 miles south of Kamrej. Both these grants were made by the prince-regent Sryasraya-Siladitya- the former from Navasarika and the latter from his victorious camp at Kusumesvara( modern Kosmara, 3 m. north- west of Umbhel). That he was ruling on behalf of his father Dharasraya-JayaSimha is indicated not only by his title Yuvaraja, but also by the seal of the latter grant which bears the legend Srí-Dharasraya. Jayasimha seems to have lived for a few years after K. 443; for, his son Sryasraya-Siladitya apparently predeceased him, since his name is omitted in the later records of the dynasty.

Jayasimha’s younger son Mangalarasa who succeeded him³ was ruling in North Konkan. He is known to have made two land grants. The Manor plates recently discovered in the Thana District, Bombay State, are dated in the Saka years 613(691 A.C.). They mention the prince’s name with the birudas, Vinayáditya, Prithivivallabha, Yuddhamalla and Jayasraya, and record his grant of some villages and hamlets for the worship of the Sun-god and the repairs of his temple at Manapura, modern Manor in the Palghar taluka of the Thana District. Another copper-plate grant o this prince was found at Balsar in the Surat District.⁴ It was made at Mangalapuri which was probably founded by Man- galarasa himself and was evidently his capital. This grant mentions the same birudas of Mangalarasa. It is dated in the Saka year 653(731-32 A.C.). Mangalapuri has not been identified, but the dating of the record in the Saka era suggests that the grant must have been made outside Gujarat,⁵ probably in North Konkan where the Saka era was then current. The plates, though granted in Konkan, seem to have been taken over to Gujarat just as the Anjaneri plates of Jayabhata, issued in Central Gujarat, were found in the Nasik District and the Kasare plates of Allasakti, also issued in Gujarat, were discovered in West Khandesh. Besides, if he grant had been made in Gujarat, Navasarika, which was the Chalukya capital in South Gujarat, would in all probability have been mentioned as the place of issue. Mangalarasa is also mentioned with only one biruda Jayasraya in the Navsari plates⁶ of his younger brother Avanijanasraya-Pulakesin. From the description given therein it appears that Mangalarasa regained by the might of his arm the territory which had previously been lost. The name of the enemy from whom he wrested it has, however, not been specified.

It has been generally held that Avanijanasraya-Pulakesin succeeded Mangalarasa in Southern Gujarat; for, in his Navsari plates dated K.490, he mentions himself as medi-
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¹ No.27.
² No.28.
³ If the date of the Kaira plates of the Chalukya Vijayaraja is referred to the Gupta era, Vijayaraja will have to be placed between Sryasraya-Siladitya and Mangalarasa, but the plates are probably spurious. See below, pp. 168-69.
⁴ This record is known only from the account given by Pandit Bhagvanlal in J.B.B.R.A.S., Vol. XVI, p. 5. The original plates have not been published. From Bhagvanlal’s account it appears that the name of the donor is given therein as Mangalaraja.
^5. It must, however, be admitted that the Nagad plates of Allasakti, though issued from his camp at Kayavatara( modern Karwan) in Gujarat, are dated in the Saka era. This was probably because the grant was of a village in Khandesh where the Saka era was current. The Mundakhede plates of Allasakti’s son Jayasakti are likewise dated in the Saka era.
^6.No.30.