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Navghan Kuvo is named after Navaghana. The forecourt to reach the well was probably built during his reign in 11th century. It is believed to have been completed by his son Khengara. [11]
Navaghana alias Khengara was a Chudasama King of Saurashtra [1] [2] region of western India who reigned in the late 11th century. His capital was at Junagadh. He was a contemporary of Jayasimha Siddharaja, the Chaulukya ruler of Anahilapataka. According to bardic legends, Jayasimha attacked during his reign and he was defeated and became is vassal. He moved capital to Junagadh. He was succeeded by Khengara who had vowed to take revenge.
Jayasimha's Dahod inscription (VS 1196/1140 CE) boasts that he imprisoned the king of Saurashtra; this is most probably a reference to his victory over Khengara. In Siddha-Haima-Shabdanushasana, Hemachandra has given two examples of grammar mentioning Jayasimha's victory over Saurashtra. The verses attributed to Ramachandra, disciple Hemachandra, in Prabandha-Chintamani of Merutunga, Jayasimha is referred as Giridurgamalla, i. e. the "Champion of the Giridurga or Junagadh". The Prabandhachintamani also mentions Jayasimha's victory over Saurashtra. [3] [4] [5]
Jain chronicler Prabhachandra, in Prabhavaka-charitra, mentions that Jayasimha had first dispatched an army led by Kirtipala (brother of Kumarapala) to attack Navaghana. When this army was unsuccessful, another force led by Udayana was dispatched in its support. This joint army defeated Navagaha, but Udayana was killed in the battle. [3]
Gulab Chandra Chaudhary opines that Merutunga, in Prabandha-chintamani, wrongly identifies Navaghana with Khengara; mentioning Navaghana in prose and Khengara in verses while all other sources mention Khengara. [6] Based on the multiple tales and Navaghna's confusion with Khengara, Campbell theorises that Jayasimha might have led multiple expeditions against the more than one king with similar names. [7] [5]
In Prabandha-chintamani, Merutunga has given following account of Navaghana but it may be applied to Khengara if his identification in incorrect:
Navaghana is mentioned as the Abhira Ranaka, similar to Hemachandra's reference to Graharipu in Dvyashraya. Merutunga claims in his prose that Navaghana defeated Jayasimha eleven times, but Jayasimha went himself twelfth time after capturing newly fortified Vardhamanapura (now Wadhwan). Merutunga's claim cannot be taken literally: 12 was a favourite number of the Jain writers, and he may have used the number to emphasize the seriousness of the war. Jayasimha besieged Junagadh fort. Navaghana's nephews had agreed to show secret entry of the fort on condition that Jayasimha will not kill Navaghana with weapons but with coins which they meant that Jayasimha will only collect a tribute from him. When Jayasimha entered the fort, he captured Navaghana from his great palace in which he was hidden by his queen. He was not killed with weapons but he was beaten to death with vessels full of coins. [3] [8]
The bardic tales says that Navaghana was defeated and insulted by Jayasimha who compelled him on one occasion to take grass in his mouth and make submission. Navaghana was also enraged against Harraj of Umeta on the Mahi river (also referred as Harraj Mahida) and contrived also to have a feud with the Vaghela of Bhoira. He was much displeased with a Charan named Mesan who had insulted him and thus he had vowed that he would split this Charan's cheeks. [9]
Navaghana had four sons; Shatrashalji, the founder of the houses of Bhadli, Sarva and Gamph; Devghanji and Savghanji who received the Osham Chorasi; and Khengara who succeeded him. [9]
It is said that when Navaghana lay a dying his spirit would not pass from his frame until his sons would promise to perform four behests with which he charged them. These were; to slay Harraj of Umeta, to destroy the fort of Bhoira, to break down the gate of Anahilapataka (Patan) and to split the cheeks of a Charan named Mesan who had spoken disrespectfully of him. Khengar alone undertook to perform these four tasks and poured water into his father's hand as a token that he had sworn perform these deeds. Then Navaghana died. Khengara succeeded Navaghana and made Junagadh his capital, though often residing at Vanthali. [9]
When Khengara was informed that Jayasimha was absent in Anahilapataka warring in Malwa, he marched to Anahilapataka and broke down one of the gates. He carried off the wooden gates to Junagadh and put them up in the Kalve gateway at that town. He then advanced to Umeta killed Harraj and washed his blade in the Mahi river and on his return he passed by Bhoira and broke down the fortress thereof. When he returned to Junagadh, he sent for the Charan and filled his mouth with gold and jewels until he said, "My cheeks are split"; thus fulfilling the vow and afterwards he bestowed on him the village called after him Mesanka near Palitana. [9] [10]
The breaking of gates of Anahilapataka had enraged Jayasimha and he later attacked Junagadh in which Khengara lost eventually. The bards also mentions the Ranakadevi as the immediate cause of war. [4] [9] [10]
Based on the literature, it known that he was a contemporary of Jayasimha Siddharaja who reigned from c. 1092 – c. 1142 CE thus Navaghana must be reigning during the early years of his reign. He was succeeded by his son Khengara according to bardic tales who is also mentioned in the literature related to Jayasimha.
According to the Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Navaghana reigned from 1067-1098 CE and he was succeeded by his son Khengara. Though these dates are not reliable. [9]
Navghan Kuvo is named after Navaghana. The forecourt to reach the well was probably built during his reign in 11th century. It is believed to have been completed by his son Khengara. [11]
Hemachandra was a 12th century Indian Jain saint, scholar, poet, mathematician, philosopher, yogi, grammarian, law theorist, historian, lexicographer, rhetorician, logician, and prosodist. Noted as a prodigy by his contemporaries, he gained the title kalikālasarvajña, "the knower of all knowledge in his times" and father of the Gujarati language.
Kumarapala was an Indian king from the Chaulukya (Solanki) dynasty of Gujarat. He ruled present-day Gujarat and surrounding areas, from his capital Anahilapataka.
Karna was an Indian king from the Chaulukya (Solanki) dynasty of Gujarat. He ruled the present-day Gujarat and surrounding areas, from his capital Anahilapataka.
Navaghana was an early Chudasama king known only from the ballads and folklore of Saurashtra of Gujarat, India. His capital was at Vamanasthali which he later moved to Junagadh during his last years of reign.
Graharipu was a 10th-century Chudasamaking of Saurashtra region of western India with his capital at Vamanasthali. He was a contemporary of Mularaja, the first Chaulukya ruler of Anahilapataka. Graharipu built or repaired Durgapalli, the ancient fort in Junagadh identified as Uparkot.
Brahma Kund is a stepped temple tank in Sihor town of Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, India. It is located near the southern wall of the old town. It believed that it was constructed by Jayasimha Siddharaja.
Bhima I was a Chaulukya king who ruled parts of present-day Gujarat, India. The early years of his reign saw an invasion from the Ghaznavid ruler Mahmud, who sacked the Somnath temple. Bhima left his capital and took shelter in Kanthkot during this invasion, but after Mahmud's departure, he recovered his power and retained his ancestral territories. He crushed a rebellion by his vassals at Arbuda, and unsuccessfully tried to invade the Naddula Chahamana kingdom. Towards the end of his reign, he formed an alliance with the Kalachuri king Lakshmi-Karna, and played an important role in the downfall of the Paramara king Bhoja.
Jayasiṃha, who assumed the title Siddharāja, was an Indian king who ruled western parts of India. He was a member of the Chaulukya dynasty.
Mularaja was the founder of the Chaulukya dynasty of India. Also known as the Chaulukyas of Gujarat or Solanki, this dynasty ruled parts of present-day Gujarat. Mularaja supplanted the last Chavda king, and founded an independent kingdom with his capital in Anahilapataka in 940-941 CE.
The Chudasama dynasty, a Samma branch, ruled parts of the present-day Saurashtra region of Gujarat state in India between the 9th and 15th centuries. Their capital was based in Junagadh and Vamanasthali.
Yashovarman was an Indian king from the Paramara dynasty, who ruled in the Malwa region of central India. He was defeated and imprisoned by the Chaulukya king Jayasimha Siddharaja, and appears to have ruled as a Chaulukya subordinate after 1134 CE.
Arnoraja was an Indian king belonging to the Shakambhari Chahamana dynasty. He ruled the Sapadalaksha country, which included parts of present-day Rajasthan in north-western India. Arnoraja defeated the Ghaznavid king Bahram Shah in the Slaughter of Turushkas near Ajmer, and also defeated several neighbouring Hindu kings including the Paramaras and the Tomaras. He had to face defeats against the Chaulukyas, and was ultimately killed by his own son, Jagaddeva.
Ajayapala was an Indian king from the Chaulukya (Solanki) dynasty of Gujarat. He ruled the present-day Gujarat and surrounding areas for a short period, from his capital Anahilapataka.
The early history of Chudasama dynasty of Saurashtra is almost lost. The bardic legends differs very much in names, order and numbers so they are not considered reliable. Mandalika Kavya, a Sanskrit poem by Gangadhara, gives some information on dynasty but it has little historical value. Some of their inscriptions gives their early genealogy but they too differ in order of succession. Ranchhodji Diwan, A. K. Forbes, James Burgess and Gaurishankar Oza had tried to fix genealogy and chronology. Based on the dates of the inscriptions assigned to Chudasama kings and other literary sources, the genealogy and chronology of latter half of the dynasty can be established fairly. Still it is certain that they ruled about from about Vikram Samvat (VS) 900 to VS 1527.
Khengara was a Chudasama king of Saurashtra region of western India who reigned from 1331 CE to 1351 CE. His capital was at Junagadh.
Khengara was a Chudasama king of Saurashtra region of western India who reigned in the 12th century. His capital was at Junagadh. He was a contemporary of Jayasimha Siddharaja, the Chaulukya ruler of Anahilapataka. According to bardic tales, he was a son of Navaghana and had succeeded him.
Ranakadevi was a legendary 12th century queen of Khengara, the Chudasama ruler of Saurashtra region of western India. She is mentioned in the bardic tragic romance representing the battle between Chudasama king Khengara and Chaulukya king Jayasimha Siddharaja. However, this legend is not credible.
Gajaraja, also known as Mahipala, was an early Chudasama king known only from the ballads and folklore of Saurashtra region of Gujarat, India.
The early history of Chudasama dynasty of Saurashtra region is almost lost. The bardic legends differs very much in names, order and numbers so they are not considered reliable. Mandalika Kavya, a Sanskrit poem by Gangadhara, gives some information on dynasty but it has little historical value. Some of their inscriptions gives their genealogy but they too differ in order of succession. Ranchhodji Diwan, A. K. Forbes, James Burgess and Gaurishankar Oza had tried to fix genealogy and chronology. They ruled about from Vikram Samvat (VS) 900 to VS 1527.
Prabandha-Chintamani is an Indian Sanskrit-language collection of prabandhas. It was compiled in c. 1304 CE, in the Vaghela kingdom of present-day Gujarat, by Jain scholar Merutunga.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .