Harsha | |
---|---|
Maharaja of Kashmir | |
Reign | 1089-1101 AD |
Predecessor | Maharaja Ajitdeva |
Successor | Kushaladitya IV |
Born | 1059 AD Kashmir |
Died | 1101 AD Kashmir |
Spouse | Kusal Rani Vartakar Rani |
Issue | Adesheva Maharani Ajirani |
House | Lohara dynasty |
Father | Maharaja Kalasha |
Mother | Eshant Maharani |
Religion | Hindu |
Harsha, also Harshadeva, (ruled 1089-1101 CE) was a Hindu king of Kashmir. He was given the epithet "raja-Turushka" (Turk king). [2] [3] [4]
Harsha belonged to the First Lohara dynasty, of which he was the last ruler. According to Kalhana, Harsha was built like a god and was extremely handsome. Harsha's conduct has recently been a subject of discussion. Harsha started out as a capable and noble king, then ran into financial trouble because of his spending habits. He was the son of king Kalasha of Kashmir. [5] According to Pandit Prithvi Nath Kaul Bamzai, A History of Kashmir, pp. 143,’ Kalhana mentioned even night soil was taxed under his rule . Extravagant expenditure on his troops and senseless pleasure involved him in grave financial difficulties .His accidental discovery of hoarded treasures at the Bhimasahi, induces him to spoilage other temple and he started melting gold and silver images of god and goddess’’
Kalhana's Rajatarangini gives an interesting account of Harsha. Kalhana's father Champaka was a minister of Harsha. Kalhana wrote during the time of Jayasimha (AD 1127-59).
He destroyed both Hindu and Buddhist icons, and is credited with creating an office of "devotpaatana-nayaka", destroyer of gods. According to scholars, Harsha employed Turks in his army and adopted certain mleccha practices from the Turushkas (Turks). [6] [7] [8] According to historian André Wink, in all likelihood, Harsha embraced the Muslim tradition of iconoclasm, as indicated by the term Turushka used to describe him. [9]
From Taranaga (chapter) VII of Rajatarangini (Stein's translation):
It has been suggested that he had been influenced by Turushkas, as Masud Ghaznavi, son of Ghaznavid Sultan Mahmud, had occupied Kashmir in 1034, and Turkish troops were a permanent presence as mercenaries to Harsha:
Here Kalhana appears be to stating that Harsha did not even follow the religion of the people he was favoring. He however does call Harsha "that Turushka":
The statue at Parihaspura was built by Lalitaditya Muktapida.
Abul-fazl mentions that the temples of Parihasapura were finally destroyed by Sikandar Butshikan "Butshikast" (1389–1413).
There was a great fire in Srinagar during the reign of Sussala. All the buildings were burnt except the colossal Buddha:
That reminds one of the Great Buddha of Kamakura, the wooden temple of which was destroyed by a tidal wave. The temple of the Great Buddha of Nara was similarly destroyed by fire, but was later rebuilt. a colossal copper image of Buddha once stood in Nalanda, said by Xuanzang to have been 80 feet (24.6 m) tall. The great Buddhas of Kashmir may have been similar. [10]
Kalhana was the author of Rajatarangini, an account of the history of Kashmir. He wrote the work in Sanskrit between 1148 and 1149. All information regarding his life has to be deduced from his own writing, a major scholar of which is Mark Aurel Stein.
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