Gurjara-Pratihara Dynasty

The most well-known ruler in this dynasty The Pratiharas, also known as the Gurjara-Pratiharas, ruled over western and northern India from the eighth to the eleventh centuries CE. Following their effective defence against Arab invasions in the late eighth century CE, the Pratiharas gained notoriety. The most well-known ruler in this dynasty was Bhoja, also known as Mihira Bhoja (c. 836-885 CE; title: Adivaraha).

In this article, we will learn about the Gurjara-Pratihara Dynasty, their important rulers, Administration and many more things about them and their tenure.

Gujara-Pratihara Dynasty Map

Gujara Pratihara Dynasty

Gurjara-Pratihara Dynasty Overview

Capital	Avanti, Kannauj
Common languages	Sanskrit, Prakrit
Religion	Hinduism
Government	Monarchial
Historical era	Late Classical India
Established	730 CE
Disestablished	1036 CE
Preceded by Chavda dynasty Varman dynasty of Kannauj	Succeeded by Pala Empire Chandela dynasty Paramara dynasty Kalachuris of Tripuri Tomara dynasty Chavda dynasty Chahamanas of Shakambhari Ghaznavid Empire Guhila dynasty
Today part of	India , Bangladesh

Gurjara – Pratihara Important Rulers

Nagabhata I (730 CE – 760 CE)

The Gurjara Pratihara dynasty was founded by Nagabhata. In Avanti, Malwa, he established the capital.

He fought alongside another Arab leader, Junaid, who was vanquished by him in the Battle of Rajasthan, and the Rashtrakuta monarch, Dhruva (tripartite battle for Kannauj).

Vatsaraja (780- 800 AD)

Dharmapala was his father.

1. Throughout Western and Northern India, he expanded the empire’s dominion.
2. His capital is now Ujjain.
3. Kannauj became his capital after he took it from the Rajputana kings.
4. In the struggle for Kannauj, he faced Dharmapala, the ruler of Pala, and Dhruva, the ruler of Rashtrakuta.
5. Northern India, including the Ganga Valley, was taken by him, as well as the Doab area from Dharmapala.
6. A later opponent of his was Dhruva, the Rashtrakuta King.

Bhoja I (836 CE – 885 CE)

1. Throughout his reign, he was the most well-liked monarch of the Gurjara Pratihara dynasty.
2. Palas, Rashtrakutas, and Kalachuris beat him at first, but he later returned fire (with the support of the Chedi and Guhila feudatories) and won the war.
3. The Gandharva military battle at Mahodaya is mentioned in the Barah Copper Plate. His capital was Kannauj, also known as Mahodaya.
4. As a devotee of Vaishnavism, he took on the appellation of “Adivaraha”.
5. The Arabas of Sindh, the Chandalas, and the Kalachuris acknowledged his hegemony.
6. Arab travellers claimed that the Pratiharas possessed the best cavalry in India.
7. Al-Masudi, an Arab voyager, referred to him as “King Barua.”

Mahendrapala I ( 885-910)

1. During the reign of Mahendrapala I, the empire grew to encompass the regions east of Bengal and west of Sindh, from the north of the Himalayas to the Narmada.
2. He became Maharajadhiraja of Aryavarta.
3. Within his court was the renowned Sanskrit poet Rajshekhar.
4. In Prakrit, Rajshekar penned the well-known play Karpuramanjari.
5. His other compositions include Prapanch Pandav, Bhrinjika, Balabharata, Kavya Mimansa, and numerous others.

Mahipala (913- 944 AD)

1. Under his rule, the Gurjara Pratihara dynasty came to an end.
2. Indra III, the Rashtrakuta King, vanquished him and took Kannauj with him.
3. Rashtrakutas regularly defeated him as he attempted to reclaim lost territory.
4. The traveller from the Arab world Al-Masudi reported that Pratihara was cut off from the sea.

Rajyapala (960- 1090 AD)

1. Rashtrakuta dynasty’s Krishna III vanquished him.
2. Mahmud of Ghazni assaulted Kannauj, forcing him to withdraw from the fight.
3. He was destroyed by Vidyadhar Chandel.

Yashpala (1024- 1036 AD)

1. He served as the Gurjara Pratihara dynasty’s final monarch.
2. Gahadavala conquered Kannauj in AD 1090.

Gurjara Pratiharas: Capital “ Kannauj”

The Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty, which dominated most of northern India from the middle of the eighth to the eleventh century, was an imperial force on the Indian subcontinent during the Late Classical period. They held power in Kanauj after initially ruling in Ujjain.

During the Gurjara-Pratihara state’s heyday, roughly between 836 and 910, Kannauj (a city in Uttar Pradesh) served as its capital. This state encompassed a large portion of northern India.

Gurjara Pratiharas – Administration

Vassal chiefs reigned over some regions of the empires, while direct administration oversaw other regions. Vassal chiefs had to supply the Pratihara King with troops and pay a set tribute, but they had internal autonomy.

Every time the Pratiharas had a weak king, the chiefs of the vassals, such as the Paramaras of Malwa and the Chandellas of Bundelkhand, rebelled. The administrative divisions of Palas and Gurjara Pratiharas were comparable:

The Pattala was the Pala kingdom’s subordinate unit beneath the Visaya. The army assisted the governor of Bhukti, known as “Uparika,” in upholding law and order and collecting land income.

“Visyapati,” who oversaw a broader region than paprika, was the leader of the mandala or Visaya and performed similar duties.

The roles of the village headman and village accountant, who were appointed by inheritance, handled village administration. Grants of rent-free land were used to cover their costs.

The village elder, known as the grama-mahajana or grama-mahattara, frequently assisted the headman in his tasks.

The kingdom of Pratiharas witnessed the rise of petty chieftains, known as samantas or bhogapatis, who ruled over multiple villages. Later, minor chiefs and Visyapatis combined, and both groups were referred to as Samantas.

Gurjara- Pratihara Society

The Gurjara-Pratihara period saw the widespread use of the caste system in India, and the inscription also makes mention of all four of the Vedic castes. Several Prakrit terms are employed to allude to Kshatriyas, while the inscription addresses the Brahmans as Vipra.

Every caste’s members were split up into various classes. Among the Brahmans, the Chaturveda and Bhatta groups had great prominence.

The Kanchuka and Vakata groups held significant prominence among the Vaishyas. During the Pratiharas, seven castes were mentioned by the Arab writer Ibda Khurdadab.

He asserted that the classes of Bandalia, Sudaria, Kataria, Savakufria, Brahman, and Labla all existed. The Brahman class did not drink wine and instead married their sons, but the Savakufria class produced the King.

He asserted that the classes of Bandalia, Sudaria, Kataria, Savakufria, Brahman, and Labla all existed. The Savakufria class produced the King, while the Brahman class married off their sons to Kataria class daughters without drinking wine.

They considered the Kataria classes to be Kshatriyas. The Sudarian populace, who were considered Sudras, mostly engaged in farming or cattle breeding.

Serving other classes was the role of the Vaishya class known as the Basuria class. This account of the Arab writer suggests that the labour of the Sudar was done by the Sudar, while the work of the Vishyas was done by the Vaishyas.

The caste structure seems to be gently disintegrating bit by bit. In addition to the vaishyas carrying out the sudras’ tasks, the Brahmans began marrying Kshatriya girls.

The time coincided with the start of Muslim invasions and the conversion of many Hindus from the conquered states to Islam. It seems that such Hindus were also permitted to be purified by Hindu culture.

The writings of Al-Biruni and other Muslim writers, as well as Smriti Ghandrayana Vrat, “Biladuri,” attest to this truth. There have also been a few mentions of intercaste marriage.

Avanti Sundari, a Kshatriya girl, was the wife of eminent Sanskrit scholar Rajasekhar. The wealthy and kings engaged in polygamy.

But males often only had one wife. It is also known from certain references that women burned themselves and their spouses when their husbands died. As a result, sati pratha existed albeit infrequently.

The women of the royal houses did not follow the purdah system. Rajasekhar claims that women were taught to paint, dance, and play music.

Women utilised cosmetics and oils, and they were also big fans of ornaments. In the past, wealthy people wore extremely thin clothing.

Gurjara -Pratiharas Art and Architecture

Sculptures and carved panels are among the prominent Gurjara-Pratihara architectural examples. Their temples were built like open pavilions. The Chandelas of Bundelkhand, who were their vassals, constructed Khajuraho, one of the most renowned examples of Gurjara-Pratihara architecture.

Gurjara Pratihara promoted art and architecture during their reign.

Sculptures like the Vishwaroopa form of Vishnu and the marriage of Shiva and Parvati from Kannauj are noteworthy here.

Gyaraspur Temple is more advanced in planning as it has an ambulatory with closed halls.

Gurjara -Pratihara Popular Literary Work

During the Gurjara Pratihara era, Rajshekhar was a well-known Sanskrit poet, dramatist, and critic.

He emphasised well-known topics like love and drew attention to the social, political, and economic realities of the day.

Karpuramanjari, Kavyamimasa, and Avantisundari are a few of his well-known pieces.

Gurjara – Pratihara feudatories

• Chahamanas of Shakambari
• Chandelas of Jejakabhukti
• Guhila dynasty
• Tomaras of Delhi

Gurjara Pratiharas: Tripartite Struggle

Due to their engagement in the Tripartite Struggle for control of the city, the Gurjara-Pratiharas secured their dominance over the significant city of Kanyakubja (modern-day Kannauj). Before assuming authority over Kannauj, previous colonial scholars postulated that the Gurjara-Pratiharas governed Rajasthan

Fall of Gurjara – Pratiharas

The Rashtrakuta monarch Indra III attacked Kannauj with great might under the reign of Mahipala I, wreaking havoc all around.

A severe blow to the Pratiharas came when the Rashtrakutas took over Gujarat, a crucial economic centre.

The Rashtrakuta dynasty Krishna III invaded and subjugated the Pratiharas’ northern lands in 963 CE, precipitating a sharp fall in their dominance.

The Pratihara dynasty’s successors battled to regain control, which led to the independence of their feudatories. The Kanyakubja region was mostly responsible for the kingdom’s survival.

The Ghaznavid Turks eliminated the Gurjara Pratiharas from Indian politics entirely by the eleventh century.

Related Links;

• Tripartite Struggle
• Rise of Rajputs
• Emergence of New Dynasties

Conclusion

The Gurjara Pratihara Empire, which flourished from the ninth to the tenth centuries in early mediaeval India, was known for its victorious battles against the Palas and Rashtrakutas. The empire prospered despite ongoing conflicts because of its efficient government and talented kings like Nagabhata I and Mihir Bhoj.

Beyond military triumphs, its lasting influence can be seen in magnificent architectural creations like the Ghateshwar Temple, the Teli ka Mandir in Gwalior Fort, and the amazing Nataraj-style Sandstone monument of Lord Shiva. Respected poets like Rajshekhar also made significant contributions that demonstrate the cultural diversity of the empire.

Gujara-Prathihara Dynasty – FAQs

Who is the founder of the the Gurjara Pratihara dynasty?

Nagabhatta I

The correct answer is Nagabhata-I. Nagabhatta I was the founder of the Gurjara-Pratiharas Dynasty. The Pratiharas Dynasty(8th-11th Century A.D): The Pratiharas were also renamed as Gurjara.

Who was the famous king of Gurjara-Pratihara?

Mihira Bhoja

Mihira Bhoja was one of the most important rulers of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty. Under him, their dynasty expanded vastly. He expanded his territory by defeating the neighbour dynasties.

Who defeated the the Gurjara Pratihara dynasty?

The Rashtrakutas

The Rashtrakutas defeated the Pratiharas in 790 and again in 806-07, after which they withdrew to the Deccan and cleared the way for the Palas. The poet Rajashekhara, associated with the court of the Gurjara-Pratihara King Mahendrapala and his son Mahipala.

Who was the first ruler of the Pratihara dynasty?

Nagabhata I was the first prominent ruler of Pratiharas. In the 8th century, he ruled over Broach and Jodhpur and extended his dominion up to Gwalior.

Who defeated Nagabhata 1?

Rashtrakuta ruler Dantidurga

Rashtrakuta invasion

Nagabhata appears to have been defeated by the Rashtrakuta ruler Dantidurga.