Naiki Devi
| Naiki Devi | |
|---|---|
| Spouse | Ajaypala |
| Issue | Mularaja II |
| Dynasty | Chaulukya |
| Father | Paramardi |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Naiki Devi (IAST: Nāikī Devī ) or Nayika Devi was the regent queen of Chaulukya dynasty[1][2] during her son Mularaja II's infancy from 1175. She was a queen of the Chaulukya king Ajayapala.[3]
She is best known for defeating Muhammad Ghori in 1178 CE at Gadararghatt pass when she was the Queen Regent for her 13 year old son Mularaja II, after which he never attempted to invade Gujarat again.[4]
Early life
[edit]Her earlier life is not known, according to Prabandhachintamani of Merutunga, she was daughter of Paramardi. One theory identifies this Paramardi as the Kadamba king Permadi-deva, but according to historian Ashoke Kumar Majumdar, she was likely the daughter of the Chandela king Paramardivarman (reigned c. 1165-1203 CE).[3]
She was married to Chaulukya ruler Ajayapala and had son named Mularaja, who later became king as an infant after his father's death. According to Merutunga, when her son succeeded his father as king in 1175, she became regent of the kingdom during the minority of her son.
Ghurid invasion
[edit]After Muhammad of Ghor captured Multan and Uch, he decided to expand his empire beyond Sindhu River. He faced multiple defeats at the hands of Chahmanas led by Prithviraj Chahmana (popularly known as Prithviraj Chauhan). In 1178 he decided cross Sindhu and capture Anhilwara (modern day Patan), capital of Gujarat, through the Thar Desert.[5]
Upon receiving the news of this invasion, she decided to ambush him. She decided the location of ambush to be Kasahrada, at the foothills of Arbuda (Mount Abu) to engage him guerrilla warfare, as her army was largely outnumbered. She also sent messages to neighbouring kings including king of Jalore Kirtipala Songara, king of Nadole Kailash Chahamana (Kelhandas Chauhan) and king of Arbuda (Abu) Dhaaravarsha Paramar.
Nayika Devi led the unified force in battle of Kasahrada where Muhammad of Ghor was defeated by unified Rajputana . The location of battle was a village named Kayandhra near foothills of Abu hills. Persian chroniclers Minhaj al-Siraj and Ferishta mentioned that Muhammad of Ghor was routed by Bhima II (Mularaja's brother and successor), although the epigraphic evidences confirmed that Mularaja II was ruling at the time of Ghurid invasion.[6]
A later account of Merutunga states that Nayika devi took her son Mularaja in her lap and marched at the head of the Chaulukya army and defeated the Ghurid forces at Gadararghatt (Hindi: गाडरारघट्ट, romanized: Gāḍarāraghaṭṭa) pass and secured for her son title of "Vanquisher of the king of Garjanakas" (Hindi: गर्जनकनृपविजयी) where Garjanakas was used to refer to Ghaznavids and Ghurids.[4] Upon this defeat Muhammad of Ghor never tried to invade through Gujarat during his subsequent invasions.[5]
In popular culture
[edit]The 2022 Gujarati historical film Nayika Devi: The Warrior Queen stars Khushi Shah as Naiki Devi.[7]
References
[edit]- ↑ Kulke, Hermann; Rothermund, Dietmar (2004). A History of India. Psychology Press. p. 117. ISBN 978-0-415-32919-4.
When Gurjara Pratiharas power declined after the sacking of Kannauj by the Rashtrakutkas in the early tenth century many Rajput princes declared their independence and founded their own kingdoms, some of which grew to importance in the subsequent two centuries. The better known among these dynasties were the Chaulukyas or Solankis of Kathiawar and Gujarat, the Chahamanas (i.e. Chauhan) of eastern Rajasthan (Ajmer and Jodhpur), and the Tomaras who had founded Delhi (Dhillika) in 736 but had then been displaced by the Chauhans in the twelfth century.
- ↑ Ludden, David (2013). India and South Asia: A Short History. Simon and Schuster. pp. 88–89. ISBN 978-1-78074-108-6.
By contrast in Rajasthan a single warrior group evolved called Rajput (from Rajaputra-sons of kings): they rarely engaged in farming, even to supervise farm labour as farming was literally beneath them, farming was for their peasant subjects. In the ninth century separate clans of Rajputs Cahamanas (Chauhans), Paramaras (Pawars), Guhilas (Sisodias) and Caulukyas were splitting off from sprawling Gurjara Pratihara clans...
- 1 2 Majumdar 1956, p. 131.
- 1 2 Konow, Sten (1907). Epigraphia Indica Vol. 9.
- 1 2 "Battle of Gujarat or Kayadara, 1178". www.historyofwar.org. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- ↑ Hooja, Rima (2006). A History of Rajasthan (PB). Rupa & Company. p. 261. ISBN 978-81-291-1501-0.
After occupying Uchchh in 1175 and annexing adjoining parts of Sindh, Muhammad of Ghor advanced against Gujarat in AD 1178, which was then ruled by the Chalukyan ruler Bhima II (?Mularaj II?). The bravery and spirited fight put up by him and his allies (among them Kelhan of Nadol, his younger brother, Kirtipal Chauhan, founder of the Jalore line, and the Parmar ruler of Abu, King Dharavarsha), forced the enemy back from the vicinity of Abu, in Rajasthan. According to the Sundha Inscription, this decisive battle took place at Kasahrada, near Abu
- ↑ "'Nayika Devi: The Warrior Queen' Depicts Chunky Panday As Evil Antagonist". ABP Live. IANS. 16 March 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
Sources
[edit]- Majumdar, Ashoke Kumar (1956). Chaulukyas of Gujarat. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. OCLC 4413150.