उत्तराखंडी ई-पत्रिका की गतिविधियाँ ई-मेल पर

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

उत्तराखंडी ई-पत्रिका

उत्तराखंडी ई-पत्रिका

Monday, May 27, 2013

History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar (Uttarakhand) - Part 55


Downfall of Kuninda Republics/Regime

History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar (Uttarakhand) - Part 55  

Historical Aspects of Pre-Classical Period of Haridwar -Kumaon-Garhwal (Uttarakhand), Himalayas-52   
Historical Religious, political, administrative, social and cultural aspects of Kuninda Decline -1


(History write ups are dedicated to great Historians Hari Krishna Raturi, Rahul Satyankritan, Badri Datt Pandey and Dr Shiv Prasad Dabral, Satish Chandra Kala, K.P. Nautiyal, B.M. Khanduri, Jeewan Singh Kharakwal)

                                                       ByBhishma Kukreti

                                      
                                                        Kushan Downfall

The downfall of Kushan regime brought freedom among various republics and kingdoms. The death date of last Kushan King Vashudeva is supposed to be either 176AD or 250AD. There was Kushan rule after the death of Kushan king Vashudeva by his Straps as Aidhuraya Adhuja (Sadhuja) for a couple of decades. The coins of Hardoi suggest that a Kushan representing or Kushan king Salonveer had been there. 
               However, it is sure that Kushan regime did not survive beyond 250AD.

                             Kuninda’s /Kulinda’s Aggression in Downfall of Kushan
                 
              The latest researches by Kanti Prasad Nautiyal, B.M. Khanduri support the findings of various historians as Vakataka (edited Ramesh Majumdar, 2011), Satish Chandra Kala and suggestion by Dr. S.P. Dabral advocate that Kunindas /Kulindas of Garhwal, Haridwar, Bijnor, Saharanpur and Kumaon (ancient Uttarakhand); Kuninda/Kulinda of Himachal Pradesh and Haryana along with Yaudheya Gana republicans or chieftains pushed back Kushanas and were one of the major factors for downfall of Kushana.


                                   Rise of Yaudheya Gana
                Yaudheya Gana was an ancient Mahabharata, Pauranic soldiering community. At the decline period of Kushana, Yaudheya Gana rose again. Yaudheya Gana pushed down the Kushana rulers. The post Kushana coins of Yaudheya Gana are found in Dehradun, Saharanpur, Delhi, Rohtak, Ludhiana and Kangra districts. Same way, post Kushana coins are found abundantly in many places of Uttarakhand and other places other than Uttarakhand.

                                   Collation or Cooperation between Kunindas/Kulindas and Yaudheya Gana

              The similarities among coins of Yaudheya Gana and Kuninda Gana on coins just after or at the time of Kushana suggest that both the republicans copied the Kushan way of coinage.
             In later stage of coins have similarities and exclusivities between coins of Kunindas and Yaudheya Gana that advocates for cooperation and collation among Kunindas and Yaudheya Gana chieftain teams (Richard, D. Mann, 2011, Rise of Mah? Sena, page 113 and Dr. Dabral).

              The cooperation and collation between Kunindas/Kulinda was major factors for pushing Kushan away from ancient Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar, Bijnor, Saharanpur (Behat); Himachal Pradesh and part of Punjab and Haryana.   
           Both Kunindas/Kulindas and Yaudheya Gana republicans exchanged the coins in each other territories. There was economical, political, social and military cooperation and collation between Kunindas and Yaudheya.


                              Kuninda Kings from Uttarakhand of post Kushan Age

    The coins of Sumari village (Shrinagar, Garhwal), Bhaidgaon (Langur, near Dadamandi, Garhwal), Bhattisera, Atthoor, Devalgarh, Porola, Nainital, Almora, Kashipur,  Dehradun, and other places of ancient Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar, Bijnor and Saharanpur) suggest the following Kuninda/Kulinda Kings post Kushan period.

                                      Chhatreshwar Kuninda King


          The coins of r Kuninda King Chhatreshwar suggest that Chhatreshwar was a Kuninda king and he was one of the kings for freeing his country from Kushanas.
            It is guessed that the capital of Kuninda King Chhatreshwar of post Kushan period was at Chhatrawati.
               The family deity of Kuninda King Chhatreshwar was Shiva
        The time period of Kuninda King Chhatreshwar was immediately after downfall of Kushan kingdom from this region. The coins of Chhatreshwar have resemblances with Kushan coins in many aspects.

                          Anonymous Kuninda King and relationship of Kala caste?

               Dr Satish Chandra Kala found coins of Kuninda era from Sumari (Village of Kala caste) near Srinagar, Garhwal. Dr Shiv Prasad Dabral found Kulinda coins from Bhaidgaon (Langur, Pauri Garhwal) . It is not coincident that both the villages are dominated by Kala a Brahmin caste community. Is there any relationship of Kala caste with Kuninda kingdom? Were Kalas Kulpurohits of Kuninda Kings?  
  Many coins of Bhaidgaon do not have any king name on the coins.  Till at historians could not guess the name of this Kuninda King.

                                    Kuninda King Bhanu (post Kushan period)


   The historians found the copper coins of Kuninda King Bhanu of post Kushan period from Bhaidgaon Langur, Pauri Garhwal), Behat (Saharanpur) and Dehradun. That suggests that the region of Kuninda King Bhanu was east of Yamuna and definitely south plains of ancient Uttarakhand including Bijnor and Saharanpur. Whether the capital was Srughana or Behat, it is not decided.
     The coins have similarities with Kushan and Yaudheya coins.  It is obvious that period of Kuninda King Bhanu was twenty years after the death of last Kushan king Vashudeva.

                             Kuninda King Ravana


              Dr. Satish Chandra Kala found fifteen Kuninda King Ravan coins from Bhaidgaon (Langur, Pauri Garhwal). The Kuninda King Ravana coins were not found from other places. That advocates that the kingdom of Kuninda King Ravana was limited. Bhaidgaon is near Dadamandi, Dogadda and near to Kotdwara Bawar/Kanvashrama.  That indicates that the Kuninda King Ravana kingdom would be in today’s Bawar, Dabralsyun, and Ajmer region of South Garhwal or may be up to Bijnor.  

                           Prominent Places of Kuninda of post Kushan period

  The coins of Kuninda of post Kushan period propose that Purola (Uttarkashi), Athoor (Tehri), Sumari (Upper Pauri Garhwal), Bhaidgaon (South Pauri Garhwal); Kalsi, Jagatgram, Lakhamandal (dehradun); , Gopeshwar (Chamoli) , Mayapur (Haridwar), Behat (Saharanpur) and Govishan (Kashipur etc of Kumaon) were prominent places for Kunindas of post Kushan period.    

                  Economic Condition in Kuninda Kingdoms of post Kushan period


  Places in Plains of Uttarakhand (Bawar or Bhabhar) of Uttarakhand were major centers of exchange of goods and Mandi.
   Brick houses were common in plains. Metallic produces were also manufactured or traded in Uttarakhand of Kuninda period of post Kushan age. Idols were traded in that period. Ointments as eye ointment were also traded from Uttarakhand. Weighing devices have progressed in this period.

            Religions in Kuninda Kingdom of post Kushan Period

  At least in the plains of Uttarakhand, the religions of Kushan period persisted. There are no historical proofs about religions of hill areas.


                                             Kuninda Downfalls

    Dr Dabral provides various reasons for Kuninda downfalls. Dr Dabral provides the following dates for Kuninda Kings of post Kushan period.
 Vashudeva and Post Vashudeva Kushan kings – (206-250AD)
Chhatreshwar, Bhanu, Ravan the Kuninda Kings – (243-290AD)
Ashwameghkarta, Shivbhavani, Pon, Shilvarman ( 290350AD)
                        

  


Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti 27/05/2013


(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand) to be continued… Part -56
Historical Aspects of Pre-Classical Period of Haridwar -Kumaon-Garhwal (Uttarakhand), Himalayas-53   
This chapter contains historical aspects of downfalls of Kuninda Kingdom; historical aspects of downfalls of Kuninda Kingdom from Chamoli Garhwal; historical aspects of downfalls of Kuninda Kingdom from Garhwal; historical aspects of downfalls of Kuninda Kingdom from Uttarkashi Garhwal; historical aspects of downfalls of Kuninda Kingdom from Rudraprayag, Garhwal; historical aspects of downfalls of Kuninda Kingdom from Bhaidgaon, Pauri Garhwal; historical aspects of downfalls of Kuninda Kingdom from Dehradun, Garhwal; historical aspects of downfalls of Kuninda Kingdom from Mayapur (Haridwar ); historical aspects of downfalls of Kuninda Kingdom from Kashipur/Bawar Kumaon; historical aspects of downfalls of Kuninda Kingdom from Kumaon; historical aspects of downfalls of Kuninda Kingdom from Nainital, Kumaon; historical aspects of downfalls of Kuninda Kingdom from Almora, Kumaon; historical aspects of downfalls of Kuninda Kingdom from Behat Saharanpur; historical aspects of downfalls of Kuninda Kingdom from Bijnor

No comments:

Post a Comment

आपका बहुत बहुत धन्यवाद
Thanks for your comments