Early Medieval South Asian History of Narsingh Dev Katyuri King who Sifted Capital from Kartikeypur to Baijnath (Baidyanath)

History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar) - Part 108

   Early Medieval South Asian History of Katyuri Imperialism in Kumaon, Garhwal and Haridwar (Uttarakhand) -19

          (Early Asian Medieval History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar (Uttarakhand))

                          (Early Asian Medieval History (740-1100 AD)

                                 By: Bhishma Kukreti

             There is in inscription about the successors of Subhiksharaj Katyuri.  Therefore no information is available about successors of Subhiksharaj Katyuri.

          The folk sayings provide glimpses on the history of post Subhiksharaj Katyuri kings that Nar Singh Dev Katyuri shifted the capital from Kartikeypur to Baijnath (Baidyanath) in present Kumaon. There is no historical written record available about Narsingh Dev Katyuri. Therefore, it is difficult to state about his relationship with Subhiksharaj Katyuri.

             Folk Sayings about Nar Singh Katyur

             The folklore state the following folktale about Nar Singh Dev Katyur-

             It is said that Narsingh Dev was the successor of Vasudev Katyur family. The capital of Narsingh Dev was Kartikeypur or Joshimath.

              One day, Narsingh Dev Katyur was gone for hunting. In his absence, lord Vishnu came there incarnated as Narsingh. Vishnu (Narsingh deity-half lion-half man) asked food from his queen. The queen offered food to Narsingh. Narsingh deity lied down on the bed of king. When king came he saw an unknown person lying down in his bed. The king Nar Singh Dev became angry and he attacked on deity by sword. The king cut the hand of deity. Instead of bleeding the hand started flowing milk. The king became fearful and started shivering.

   The deity said that he came to bless the king but the king did crime. The deity Narsing cursed the king Nar Singh and asked him to shift from Kartikeypur or Joshimath to Katyur (Baijnath).  The deity said to the king that he (king) would see same wound on his (deity’s) idol. The deity Narsingh cursed to King Nar Singh that when the idol would be broken his (Katyur king) family rule would be over from this earth.

       The one hand of idol of Narsing deity in Narsingh temple in Joshimath is thinner than other.

                         Conflicts between Shaivya and Vaishnava

          One assumption is that Katyuri kings were Shaivya (believer of Shiva) and when Vaishnava (believer of Vishnu) became powerful in Garhwal Shiva devotee Katyuri king had to shift from Garhwal to Kumaon. However, the argument is not based on logic as Katyuri kings of Kartikeypur (Joshimath) were also devotee of Vishnu.

                              Glacier Sliding

              Historian Dr Dabral presumes that there were continuous glaciers sliding in Kartikeypur region and landslides too. It might be that Kartikeypur was destroyed due to glaciers sliding and land sliding. Therefore, Katyuri kings took decisions to shift their capital from Kartikeypur to Baijnath-Kartikeypur.

           The Katyuri kings had affection with name Kartikeypur. Therefore they named the new capital as Baidnath Kartikeypur.   

             By logic, Dabral suggests that around 1000 AD, Nar Singh Dev Katyuri shifted his capital from Kartikeypur (Joshimath) to Baijnath Kartikeypur (Baidyanath). Baijnath (Baidyanath) is 90 miles in east from Kartikeypur or Joshimath. The place got administrative importance in ninth and tenth centuries.

***Read about characteristics of Katyuri of Kartikeypur Kingdom in History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand) Part -109

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti -bckukreti@gmail.com 27/7/2013

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

                           

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand) to be continued… Part -109

Early Asian Medieval History of Katyuri Dynasty in Kumaon, Garhwal and Haridwar (Uttarakhand) to be continued…20

    (Oriental Early Medieval Age History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar (Uttarakhand) to be continued…)

    (Oriental Early Medieval Age History (740-1100 AD to be continued…)

                                        References

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1-Atkinson, E.T. 1974 (new edition), 1974, Kumaon Hills

1A- Adhikari, Suryamani, 1997, The Khasa Kingdom

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3--Dabral, Shiv Prasad , 1968, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Bhag-3 Pages 429-513)

3A- Elliot and Dowson, History of Indian (2^nd part)

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10-Rawat, Ajay S., 19 Garhwal Himalayas: A Study in Historical Perspective 

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11A-Saklani, Dinesh Prasad, 1998, Ancient Communities of The Himalayas

11B- Tripathi, Ramdatt , Katyur ka Itihas

 12-Notes on Archeological Aspects of Uttarakhand: ascidehraduncircle.in/uttrakhand.html

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14- Epigraphia  Indica 1982, Vol. XIII

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