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Monday, June 17, 2013

History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar (Uttarakhand) - Part 74

Nagvansh of Kartripur (485-565AD)

                  History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar (Uttarakhand) - Part 74  



                                                       By: Bhishma Kukreti

 
                          Gupta Rule over part of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar (Uttarakhand)


             Through, Kavyaminmasha, the historians suggest that there was Gupta rule over from the day Chandragupta killed Khashdhipati (a king of one area of Uttarakhand) of Kartripur. There are absolutely no record available that throws light on Uttarakhand at Gupta period.

                                 Vishaypati Sarvnag (465-485 AD?)

                      The Indore of Bulandshahar inscriptions state that Sarvnag was the provincial chief (Vishaypati) of land between Yamuna and Ganja at the time of Skandagupta (465).
   That means Sarvnag ruled (under Gupta) the territory approximately from 465-485AD. The inscription suggests that Sarvnag might be the chieftain of Yamun and Kartripur region of Uttarakhand.

                         Nag Kings of Kartripur (a territory in Uttarakhand)

 The Gopeshwar (Chamoli Garhwal) Trishul abhilekh (trident inscription) and Barahat (Uttarkashi) trident inscription suggest that five Nga kings ruled over Kartripur territory.
                 The Siroli (Chamoli Garhwal) stone inscription suggests that Maikhuri king Sarvarman ruled that region.
  This means that this Nag dynasty ruled over some part of Uttarakhand (especially Garhwal) from 485 AD to around or before 565AD)
                      Four Nag kings on Gopeshwar Trident Inscription

 The following Nag King names are there on Gopeshwar Trident inscription
1-Skandnag
2-Vibhunag
3-Anshunag
4-Ganpatinag
 Barahat Trident inscription describes following two nag kings
1-Ganeshwar
2-Guh
               The Gupta inscriptions here and there in India suggest that there were small kingdoms of Nag clans in north India before the emergence of Samudragupta. Samudragupta took rule from these Nag chieftains. However, they were representatives of Gupta ruler and virtually were rulers of their territories.
           When there was weakness in Gupta rule these Nag rulers became stronger.
  Hun ruled full or some part of Uttarakhand. Or Kartripur Kings used to pay taxes to Hun.

                               Ganpatinag King of Kartripur (Gopeshwar, Chamoli)

                                    

               The brass  trident inscription at the complex of Rudranath/Gopinath (Gopeshwar) temple is measuring 5 feet high and 20centimeetr wide. Ganpatinag the heir of Skandnag, Vibhunag and Anshunag built a Shiva temple and erected this trident. Guha builr the son of Ganpatinag built a temple Vishwanath temple in Barahat (Uttarkashi i, seventy miles away from Gopeshwar) and erected trident. The quality of trident, shape/size and script writing on both the tridents suggest that both the tridents were manufactured by same craftsman and carving writer was same.   
  It is said that Ashok Challa repaired this temple on later age.
              There are fifteen copper coins in National museum in Kolkata of forth century. The name Maharaja Shri Ganendra is carved on those coins. However, there is not much literature available to establish any relation of these coins with Ganpatinag of Kartripur, Gopeshwar.
                                       Shriguha Nag

     
                    Shriguha the son of Ganeshwar or Ganpatinag got the crown of Kartripur after Ganpatinag’s death.
                      The twenty one feet high bronze trident of Barahat (Uttarkashi) and its inscriptions state that Shriguha was brave king. Shriguha had wide chest and big eyes. Shriguha was handsome and great donor too. Shriguha was a knowledgeable King. Shriguha was forward looking and soft hearted King.  
         
                                 Shaivism in Chamoli and Uttarkashi in Fifth/Sixth Century

                      Ganpatinag and Shriguha Nag built Shiva temples in Gopeshwar and Barahat. Both erected high tridents at the complexes of respective temples.  The people were also followers of Shiva sect.

                        Enemy Disturbances in Shriguha Kingdom

 
                          The trident inscriptions of Barahat suggest that enemy created disturbances and Shriguha Nag diffused those disturbances.  However, it is not clear that the disturbances creators were outsiders or within the family.
             Yadva Vanshi king Singhvarman (after 460AD) was King of Yamunprades adjacent of Kartripur. There is possibility of war between Yamunprades King and Kartripur King.  
              A couple of Historians suggest that there were sever attacks on Kartripur from Guge Kingdom of Tibet.  It might be too that Shriguha defeated the Guge King’s attack and erected Trident as memorandum of his win over Tibetan king.


                   Decline of Nag Kingdom after Maukhari Kingdom Rise


                    The inscription of Sarvarman suggests that Maukhari attacked Kartripur and ended nag dynasty from Kartripur.
   
                       Sanskrit Education in Nag Kingdom

                  The Gopeshwar and Barahat inscriptions suggest that there were Sanskrit learned scholars and Sanskrit poets in Uttarkashi and Chamoli Garhwal in fifth and sixth century. The writing, the poetic class of inscriptions, show that there were arrangements for education in common places. The elite used to speak in Sanskrit.  Education was available to elite and might be to common men.


                  Economic conditions of Uttarakhand in Nag Period (485-565AD)

    The art and artistic value of Trident definitely advocate that economic conditions of North Garhwal were prosperous and there was export from this area. Though in Hun regime there was decline in mercantile activities the tradition of exporting gold dust, minerals, herbal medicines and herbs, mineral salt, woolen produces, musk, Bhojpatra, Ganga water  was going on.
              Barahat suggests that Uttarkashi was big market in ancient time.

                The metallurgy was important in north Garhwal in fifth and sixth century. Art and crafts had big role in society.
                       The coming history of Garhwal also state that the contemporary architecture science and art was flourishing in Garhwal in fifth and sixth century. Ganga and other reverent rivers were having importance in Indian societies.

               There were exchanges of science and art or technology transfer with other parts of Indian plains from Uttarakhand. There was commercial relationship with Tibet and at the same time there were disagreements for borders too.
                          

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti 15/06/2013
References:
1-Jayswal, Andhkaryugin Bharat
2-Shiv Prasad Dabra, ‘Charan’, 1968, Uttarkhadn ka Itihas, Bhag –1 and 3
3-Rahul Sankrityayan , Garhwal
4-Vasudev upadhyaya, Gupta Samrajya ka Itihas
5- Raj Pruthi, 2004, The Classical Age
6-Dinesh Saklani, 1998, Ancient Communities of the Himalayas
7-Arun Kumar Mishra, 1992, The Trading Communities in Ancient India:
8- Indian Archeology Review, 1968-69
9- Archeological Survey Catalogue, Chamoli and Dehradun Circle on Internet (Notification number 1669/1133-M/-27/12/1920

(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand) to be continued… Part -75

Xxx             xxx  
Notes on History of Uttarakhand (fifth and sixth century); History of Haridwar, Uttarakhand (fifth and sixth century); History of Chamoli, Garhwal, Uttarakhand (fifth and sixth century); History of Gopeshwar, Chamoli, Garhwal, Uttarakhand (fifth and sixth century); History of Tehri  Garhwal, Uttarakhand (fifth and sixth century); ); History of  Rudraprayag, Garhwal, Uttarakhand (fifth and sixth century); History of  Uttarkashi, Garhwal, Uttarakhand (fifth and sixth century); History of  Barahat, Uttarkashi, Garhwal, Uttarakhand (fifth and sixth century);History of  Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand (fifth and sixth century); History of  Dehradun Garhwal, Uttarakhand (fifth and sixth century); History of  Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon , Uttarakhand (fifth and sixth century); History of Nainital,  Kumaon , Uttarakhand (fifth and sixth century); History of  Almora, Kumaon , Uttarakhand (fifth and sixth century); History of  Champawat, Kumaon , Uttarakhand (fifth and sixth century); History of  Bageshwar, Kumaon , Uttarakhand (fifth and sixth century); History of  Pithoragarh, Kumaon , Uttarakhand (fifth and sixth century).

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