Sanskrit Inscriptions (I): The Cāhamānas

[Study of Sanskrit Inscriptions Issued During Early and Early Medieval Period (I): The Cāhamānas]

A family of Cāhamānas was ruling as petty chiefs either in Śākambhari or Sāmbhar region of Jaipur in Māhiṣmati on the Narmadā in the early years of the seventh century. His overlord appointed a member of the family Bhartrvaddha-II, the Gurjara-Pratihāra Nāgabhaṭa-I, to rule in the Broach region as his feudatory after the decline of the Gurjaras of Broach. In c. 756 CE, Bhartrvaddha-II issued the Hansot Plates.^[1] This charter has been described Bhaṭṭa, Kakka as Vālabhra^[2] who was an immigrant from Valabhī. He left his home and came to Broach, where he found employment under Bhartrvaddha-II.

Significant changes occurred in the political history of Northern India from about the middle of the eighth century CE. Suddenly, Maitrakas, early Gurjaras, and Guhilās are no longer heard of. On the other hand, new dynasties like the Rāṣṭrakūṭas, Pālas, Gurjara -P ratihāras, and the Paramāras came into the scene.Several almost contemporary ruling houses Bhauma-karas, Somavaṃsis, Eastern Gaṇgas, small Nanda dynasty made their appearance during this period in the Odisha region.The Pālas of Bengal and Bihar at times extended their hold over other parts of North India.