Gurjara-Pratiharas

The Pratiharas, also known as the Gurjara-Pratiharas (8th century CE – 10th century CE), ruled over western and northern India. The fortunes of this dynasty improved under Nagabhata-I (730–760 CE), who successfully defeated Arab invaders. The most well-known king of this dynasty was Bhoja or Mihira Bhoja (c. 836-885 CE). The Pratiharas were best known for their patronage of art, sculpture, and temple construction, as well as their ongoing conflict with contemporary powers such as the Palas of eastern India and the Rashtrakuta Dynasty of southern India. 

Region of Gurjara – Pratihara Dynasty

Background

• The fall of the Pushyabhuti Dynasty based at Kanyakubja (modern-day Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh state) under Harshavardhana (606-647 CE) in 647 CE caused chaos and political instability.
• Many kingdoms rose and fell, but the Pratiharas, Palas of eastern India, and Rashtrakutas of southern India eventually came to dominate. The Ayudha dynasty ruled Kanyakubja at the time (c. 9th century CE).
• The origins of the Gujarat, particularly the Gurjara-Pratiharas, are still unknown.
• The Gujarat are variously viewed as foreign people gradually assimilated into Indian society, as local people who belonged to the Gurjara land (Gurjaradesha or Gurjaratra), or as a tribal group.
• The Pratiharas, whose name is derived from the Sanskrit word pratihara (which means “doorkeeper”), are regarded as a tribal group or clan of the Gurjaras.
• In the epic Ramayana, Prince Lakshmana worked as a doorkeeper for his elder brother King Rama.
• The Pratiharas adopted this title because Lakshmana was considered their ancestor.
• Several other Gurjara families began as local officials and eventually established small principalities to the south and east of Jodhpur in modern-day Rajasthan state.
• After successfully repelling Arab invaders in the late eighth century CE, the Pratiharas rose to prominence.
• Aside from inscriptions, the sculpture and monuments erected during their reign provide important evidence of their times and rule.
• Accounts of Arab merchants who visited India during this period include Suleiman (c. 9th century CE), who visited India in the 9th century CE and left behind an account of his travels, and al-Masudi (c. 10th century CE), who visited Gujarat in 915-16 CE.
• All of these authors refer to the Pratihara Kingdom as al-Juzr (from the Sanskrit Gurjara) and attest to “the great power and prestige of the Pratihara rulers and the vastness of their empire.”

Rulers of Pratiharas

• The Gwalior inscription mentioned the family’s early history. Mihir Bhoja was the most well-known Gurjara Pratihara dynasty king.
• Nagabhatta-I was the true founder of the family’s fame. He was victorious over the Arab Muslim forces.
• Vatsaraja pursued an aggressive imperial policy from A.D. 775-800. He defeated the Pala king of Bengal, Dharmapala. Dhruva, the Rashtrakuta king, defeated Vatsaraja, removing the political benefit of the Pala king’s defeat.
• Dharmapala used Vatsaraja’s defeat to install his own nominee Chakrayudba on the throne of Kanauj.
• Nagabhatta II, Vatsaraja’s son, formed an alliance with Andhra, Vidharbha, and Kalinga. He spent a lot of time preparing to fight his opponents.
• First, Nagabhatta II defeated Chakrayudha and took Kanauj. Then he defeated Dharmapala and fought Rashtrakuta king Govinda-III.
• Bhoja-I or Mihir Bhoja restored his dynasty’s declining fortunes and reputation.
• The death of Devapala of Bengal, followed by Rashtrakutas invasion of Bengal, provided a golden opportunity for King Bhoja-I.
• Krishna II, the Rashtrakuta king, was involved in the conflict with the Eastern Chalukyas.
• Bhoja-I defeated Krishna-II and took over the Malwa and Gujarat regions.
• Bhoja-I established his sovereignty over the Punjab, Avadh, and other territories of north India after defeating two great rivals.
• Bhoja-I was a Vishnu devotee who took the name ‘Adivaraha.’ It is engraved on some of his coins. He is also known as ‘Mihir,’ ‘Prabhasa,’ and so on.
• Around A.D. 885, Bhoja-I was succeeded by his son Mahendrapala-I.
• Mahendrapala-I also expanded his empire’s borders. During his reign, the Pratihara Empire spanned almost the entire length of India, from the Himalayas in the north to the Vindhyas in the south, and from Bengal in the east to Gujarat in the west.
• Mahendrapala-I was also referred to as ‘Mahendrayudha’ and ‘Nirbhayanarendra.’ He was a generous patron of scholars.
• Rajashekhara was a well-educated member of his court. Karpuramanjari, Bala-Ramayana, Bala Bharata, Kavyamimansa, Bhuvana Kosha, and Haravilasa were among his works.
• From the eighth to the tenth centuries A.D., the Pratiharas dynasty ruled north India for over two centuries.
• Al-Masudi, an Arab scholar, visited India in A.D. 915-916. Al-Masudi mentioned the Pratihara rulers’ great power and prestige, as well as the vastness of their empire.
• According to Al-Masudi, the AI-Juzr (Gurjara) empire had 1,800,000 villages, and the cities and rural areas were approximately 2,000 kilometres long and 2,000 kilometres wide.
• Between A.D. 915 and A.D. 918, the Rashtrakuta king, Indra-II, attacked and completely destroyed Kanauj. The Pratihara Empire was weakened as a result of this.
• Krishna-III, another Rashtrakuta ruler, invaded north India around the year 963. He overthrew the Pratihara rulers. As a result, the Pratihara Empire declined.
• The Pratiharas supported learning and literature.
• According to the epigraphic records, the construction of temples and the educational institutions associated with them were community projects in which the entire village community participated.