|
Natives of Central India
Historians such as Dr. P.B. Desai are emphatic about
the central Indian origin of the Kalachuris. Before
the arrival of Badami Chalukya power, they had
carved out an extensive empire covering areas of
Gujarat, Malwa, Konkan and parts of Maharashtra.
However after their crippling defeat at the hands of
Chalukya Magalesa, they remained in obscurity for a
prolonged period of time. A 1174 CE. records says
the dynasty was founded by one Soma who grew beard
and moustache, to save himself from the wrath of
Parashurama (Avathra of Vishnu), and thereafter the
family came to be known as "Kalachuris", Kalli
meaning a long moustache and churi meaning a sharp
knife. Historian have also pointed out that several
Kalachuri kings were related to Chalukyas and
Rashtrakutas by matrimonial alliances and ruled from
places like Tripuri, Gorakhpur, Ratnapur, Rajpur.
They migrated to the south and made Magaliveda or
Mangalavedhe (Mangalavada) their capital. They
called themselves Kalanjarapuravaradhisvara, which
indicates their central Indian origin. Their emblem
was Suvarna Vrishabha or the golden bull. They must
have started as feudatories of the Chalukyas of
Kalyani.
Legends
According to legends, Kalli meaning long moustache
and Churi meanoing Sharp knife is the source of
their dynastic name. They were also referred to as
Katachuris (shape of a sharp knife),
Kalanjarapuravaradhisvara (Lord of Kalanjara) and
Haihaya (Heheya). Mount Kalanjara is in north
central India, east of the Indus Valley floodplain.
This name Haihaya is supposed to be derived from
haya (a horse). Other theories are,
A prince of the Lunar race, and great-grandson of
Yadu. A race or tribe of people to whom a Scythian
origin has been ascribed. The Vishnu Purana
represents them as descendants of Haihaya of the
Yadu race, but they are generally associated with
borderers and outlying tribes. In the Vayu and other
Puranas, five great divisions of the tribe are named
as Talajanghas, Vitihotras, Avantis, Tundikeras,
Jatas, or rather Sujatas.
They conquered Bahu or
Bahuka, a descendant of King Harish Chandra, and
were in their turn conquered, along with many other
barbarian tribes, by King Sagara, son of Bahu.
According to the Mahabharata, they were descended
from Saryati, a son of Manu. They made incursions
into the Doab, and they took the city of Kasi
(Benares), which had been fortified against them by
King Divo Dasa; but the grandson of this king
Pratardana by name, destroyed the Haihayas, and
re-established the kingdom of Kasi.
Kaartaveerya-arjuna, of a thousand arms, was king of
the Haihayas, and he was defeated and had his arms
cut off by Parasurama. The Vindhya Mountains would
seem to have been the home of these tribes; and
according to Colonel Todd, a tribe of Haihayas still
exists “near the very top of the valley of Sohagpur,
in Bhagelkhand, aware of their ancient lineage, and
though few in number, still celebrated for their
valor.” Northern Dynasty.
|
