Ancient Uttarakhand

- Oracle IAS
We have covered…
• Pre history
• Stone age, rockshelters, metal age, megaliths
• Proto History
• Uttarakhand in literary sources
Timeline of Indian History
• Pre and Proto History
• Ancient
• Mahajanapadas Mauryans/Buddhism/Jainism
• Post Mauryans GuptaHarsha
• Medieval
• Tripartite conflict Rajputs
• Delhi SultanateMughals
• Modern
• Later Mughals Maratha/Sikh/Europeans
• British Rule and Freedom Movement
To cover today
• Ancient Tribes
• Janapadas
• Mauryan period
• Kuninda
• Kushanas
• Gupta and Post Gupta
• Harsha and later
• Paurava Varman
• Kartikeyapur
Ancient Dwellers of Uttarakhand
• Grierson: Kiratas; Mentioned by Megasthanes, Mahabharata, puranas;
• Hunters and animal rearing
• Shilpakars are descendents of Kiratas; all other castes come from plains
• Kols and Mundas: Shivprasad Dabral
• Now they dwell on borders with Tibet
• Darads/khasas:- from Afghanistan; took Kashmir route
• Shakas : same profession as Kiratas; looks same as Khasas
• It is said that Katyuris were Khasas;
• Capital Lakhanpur and Brahmpur
Mahajanpada/Janapada Age
• Kalkut, Kulun, Katri, Yugandhar, Ranku and Bhardwaj Janpadas
• in north of Kuru and Uttar Panchal in 7th Cen. BC.
• Considered to be branches of Kunindas
• However, not mentioned in contemporary Greek and Indian sources
• Kalsi inscription defines northern boundary of Ashoka
• Dehradun, near Yamuna, Pali and the script Brahmi
• Only place in north India to have complete 14 edicts.
• Probably, independent in time of Shungas
Kuninda Coins
• Sole source of Kuninda Authority
• from 200 BC to 300 AD.
• Three types:-
• Amoghbhuti type : most famous ruler;
• coins in his name; silver and copper coins;
• Brahmi and Kharoshthi inscription(incomplete)
• Almora coins:- In Almora (now in British museum);
• In Katyur valley;
• names of Mrigabhuti, Sivadutta, Shivpalita
• Chatreshwar coins: In name of their presiding deity
Kushana and Afterwards
• During Kushana period, Kunindas only in Hills as Kushana
coins fund in plain areas; Post Kushana they got plains back
• Yaudheyas:
• Republic; 3-4 C AD; Western part- many coins from
Kangda, Shimla, Jaunsar, Kala Danda, Saharanpur etc.
• Later Kunindas reemerged after them
• Varshganya Dynasty of Yugshaila: Kalsi area; Sheelvarman
performed Ashvamedh on left bank of Yamuna
Gupta and Post Gupta
• Not much info about Gupta period
• Prayag Prashasti and Lakhamandal inscription provide details
• Prayag prashasti names Kartripur west of Nepal i.e. Uttarakhand
• Yadavas were ruling near Kalsi
• Post guptas, Yadavas and Nagas regained power
• Lakhamandal Prashasti of Yadavas by Princess Ishwara;
• 12 Kings named
• capital Sinhpur
• Nagas : Trishula inscription of Gopeshwar;
• 4 Kings: Skandanag, Vibhunag, Anshunag, Ganpatinag(greatest)
Harsha and after
• Xuan Xang and 3 janpadas:-
• In his book Si-Yu-Ki
• Strughna/Strirajya/Suwarnagotra:-
• Yamuna valley, Ganga was boundary
• Ruled by women
• famous for pipilika gold
• Brahmpur of Pauravas:-
• Ganga to Karnali
• Govishana:
• Kashipur, Rampur, pilibhit; Ramganga to Sharda;
• Capital near Kashipur according to Cunningham
• Many other small kingdoms
Paurava- Varman Kingdom I
• Get information from Taleshwar copper plate inscriptions
• Period : 4th Century AD to 7th century AD
• Total 2 copper plate inscriptions found in Almora
• Tell names of kings, as well as other historical info
• By Dvijavarman and Vishnuvarman
• Script : Gupta era Brahmi
• Titles of Kings : Param Bhattaraka, Maharajadhiraja,
Maharaj
• Name of Kingdom : Parvatakar, capital : Brahmpur, city of
Indra
Paurava- Varman Kingdom II
• Brahmpur is mentioned by Vrahamihir, Markandey Puran,
Xuan Xang etc.
• Brahmpur has been identified with Lakhanpur on
Ramganga.
• The inscriptions also mention various posts and terms
related to land measurement.
• Posts almost same as in Gupta Administration
Paurava- Varman Kingdom III
• Dronvaap
• A measure of grains about 32 seer or 16 Naali
• Also a unit of land measurement
• Kulyavaap
• Also found in Gupta inscriptions
• 8 Drona
• Kharivaap
• Panini also mentioned this as a bigger unit than
Dronvaap(20 drona)
Kartikeyapur I
• Brahmpur Finished by 675
• One branch of Kunindas became powerful in NW garhwal
and became Kartikeyapur dynasty
• First dynasty of Middle Himalayas with many sources
• Political unity, Art, Architecture, 9 inscriptions
• 3 families and 14 Kings; 300 years
Kartikeyapur II
• First family est by Basantandev and second by Nimbar
• Ishtgandev(nimbar Dynasty) united Kumoun and Garhwal.
• His son Laliteswar Dev great builder; many copper plates
from his time
• Last King: Subhikshraj Dev
• Not to be identified with Katyuris: Yashwant katoch
Kartripur or Kartikeyapur
• In Prayag prashasti
• Taleshwar Copper Plates use Kartikeyapur and Brahmpur
names
• Pandukeshwar copper plates mention Kartikeyapur
• Xuan Xang: Brahmpur
Katyuri Dynasty
• Same as Kartikeyapur
• Pandukeshwar votive inscriptions tell about their admin units and
places.
• Mostly situated in Katyur Valley and Joshimath Tehsil; migrated
from J to K
• Votive ins. of: Laliteshwardev, Padmatdev, Subhikshraj
• First King: Vasantandev(633-645)
• 8 inscriptions in Kutila script
• 3 Dyansties: Vasantandev, Nimbar, Salonaditya
Katyuri Dynasty II
• Greatest King: Lalitshur Dev(832-854)
• King as avatar of God, protector of order, patron of talented,
• Area from Satlaj to Ruhelkhand
• Officers:-
• Prantpal: for securing borders
• Ghattapal: securing passes
• Varmpal: to oversee people who pass the boundaries
• Narpati: river transport, tax collection, checking suspicious activities
Army
• 4 parts: Infantry, Cavalary, Elephant wing and Camel wing
• Infantry leaders: Gaulmika; cavalry leader:
• Asvabaladhikrit; Elephant wing: Hastibaladhikrit; Camel
wing: Ustrabaladhikrit
• Hastyvostrabaladhikrit: for all mounted wings
• King was CiC
Thank You
• Tomorrow : Katyuri admin, Parmar start