History of Ekchakra Bahuban (Chauhan) in Garhwal

History of Garhwal including Haridwar (1223- 1804 AD) –part -31

                                            

 History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -276

                       By: Bhishma Kukreti (A History Student)

          History Sources for Chauhan Chieftains of Western Garhwal

             There are only folklores about Chauhan (Chahman) Chieftains ruling on Gadhs of Garhwal. No historical reports are available to deny or support the rules of Chauhan in Gadhs of Garhwal.

           However, it is obvious from the Muslim Historians writings that Chauhan ruled in western part of Garhwal for longer than other parts of Garhwal. Islamic Folklores as Tabqaat –i-Nasiri (by Minhaj-i-Siraj, 1260) and Malfujat –i-Timuri state that there were following Kings in west and east of Yamuna in Garhwal –

1-Unknown King – Who provided shelter to rebellion Junaidi the prime minister of Sultan Razia Begum in 1236-37.

2- Rana Devpal- Rana Devpal (1255) provided shelter to Kutalugkhan the Awdh rulwer who revolted against Sultan Nasiruddin and Balvan.

3- King Ratan Sen – Ratan Sen fought with Timur in Kookaprvat or Kaleshwar and Shivalik hills in 1399.  

  Less is known about rulers (1280-1390) of west of Yamuna in Garhwal (Dehradun).

   The Sanskrit classic ‘ Niranayamrit’ by Allatnath or Alladnath Suri  son of Siddh Lakshaman provides details that six or seven Bahuban (Chauhan or Chahuban) rulers ruled in west Yamuna (Dehradun region) around 1280-1390. Ekchakra was the capital of Bahuban or these Chauhan rulers. Ekchakra was at the bank of Yamuna.

                   Nirnayamrit by Allatnath Suri

    Allatnath Suri the court poet of Chauhan King Suryasen created a Sanskrit Code of conduct book (Neeti sutra) as per advice of Suryasen. Allatnath was great scholars of Veda, Shastra, Vyakaran, Smriti etc. Allatnath wrote another book –sakalpuran Sammuchaya.

  Allatnath was expert of Lalit Chanda creation and he wrote about Suryasen too.

              The beginning of Nirnayamrit provides the short details of earlier four generations of King Suryasen, Suryasen, his son and his brother.

       There are references of 28 old Dharma Granth in Nirnayamrit. That is why Nirnayamrit got prominent position as Dharmagranth immediately after its creation by Allatnath Suri. The other Dharmagranth those were created in later stages as NirnaySindhu, Daytatva, Tirthnirnay, Kalnirnay, Nirnaydeepak, Shradhkaumudi, mentioned the references of Nirnayamrit. Two editions of Nirnayamrit were published (Kolkatta and Mumbai). A coy is kept in Bhandarkar Research Institute, Mumbai and a copy of Nirnayamrit is also in Berlin.

       Therefore, the Kings mentioned in Nirnayasmriti is important record for history.

** Read more about Bahuban or Chahuban in the next chapter….

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com2/3//2014

                                      References

1-Dr. Shiv Prasad Dabral, 1971, Uttarakhand ka Itihas Bhag-4, Veer Gatha Press, Dogadda, Pauri Garhwal, India 

2-Harikrishna Raturi, Garhwal ka Itihas

3-Dr. Patiram, Garhwal Ancient and Modern

4-Rahul Sankrityayan, Garhwal

5- Oakley and Gairola, Himalayan Folklore

6- Bhakt Darshan, Garhwal ki Divangit Vibhutiyan

7-Foster, Early Travels in India William Finch

8-Upadhyaya, Shri Shankaracharya

9-Shering, Western Tibet and British

10-H.G. Walton, Gazetteer of British Garhwal

11-B.P.Kamboj, Early Wall Paintings of Garhwal

12-H.g Walton, Gazetteer of Dehradun

13- Vimal Chandra, Prachin Bharat ka Itihas

14-Meera Seth, Wall Paintings of Western Himalayas 

15-Furar, Monumental Antiquities

16-Haudiwala, Studies in Indo-Muslim History

17- Rahul Khari 2007, Jats and Gujjar Origin, History and Culture

18- Upendra Singh, 2006, Delhi: Ancient History, Barghahan Books

19- B.S. Dahiya, 1980, Jats the Ancient Rulers (A Clan Study) , Sterling Publications

20- Maithani, Bharat –Gotrapravardeepika

21 Prem Hari Har Lal, 1993, The Doon Valley Down the Ages

22-Dashrath Sharma, Early Chauhan Dynasties

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

History of Garhwal from 1223-1804 to be continued in next chapter          

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -277  

Xx

Notes on History of Chauhan rulers of Garhwal; History of Chauhan Chieftains of Pauri Garhwal; History of Chauhan rulers of Tehri Garhwal; History of Chauhan Kings of Chamoli Garhwal;  History of Chauhan Gadhpati or rulers of Rudraprayag Garhwal; History of Chauhan rulers of Uttarkashi Garhwal; History of Chauhan rulers of Dehradun Garhwal; History of Chauhan rulers of Haridwar Garhwal;