Gurjara Pratiharas

Gurjara Pratiharas, also known as the Pratiharas, exerted their influence over western and northern India from the 8th to the 11th century CE. Their ascendancy began under Nagabhata I (730–760 CE), who successfully repelled Arab invaders. One of the most renowned kings of this dynasty was Bhoja or Mihira Bhoja (c. 836-885 CE). The Gurjara Pratiharas gained fame for their resistance against Arab invasions in the 8th century and their intricate power struggles with the Palas and Rashtrakutas.

Who are the Gurjara-Pratihara?

The term “Pratihara” translates to “doorman,” and the Gurjara-Pratiharas rose to prominence in the 8th century by successfully resisting Arab invasions under the leadership of Nagabhata I.
Bhoja, hailed as the greatest emperor of the Pratihara dynasty, is credited as the actual founder of the Gurjara empire.
The Pratiharas, who ruled over Kannauj for an extended period, are often referred to as Gurjara-Pratiharas.
In the eastern and central regions of Rajasthan, the Pratiharas established several principalities, contributing to their territorial expansion.
The Gurjara-Pratihara Kingdom faced constant conflicts with contemporaneous powers like the Palas and Rashtrakutas during their expansion.
The Pratiharas engaged in battles with the Rashtrakutas for control over Malwa, Gujarat, and Kanauj, crucial for dominating the upper Ganga valley.
Early Pratihara emperors faced defeats by Dhruva and Gopal III of the Rashtrakuta Kingdom in their attempts to expand into the Malwa region and the upper Ganga basin.
The Rashtrakutas emerged victorious over the Pratiharas in 790 and again in 806-07, prompting the Pratiharas to withdraw to the Deccan, paving the way for the Palas.
The poet Rajashekhara, affiliated with the court of Gurjara-Pratihara King Mahendrapala and his son Mahipala, contributed significantly to the cultural legacy of the empire.

Important Rulers of Pratiharas

Nagabhata (730- 760 AD)

He was the founder of Pratihara dynasty.
His rule lasted from 730 to 760 CE.
His empire included Gujarat, Malwa, and parts of Rajputana.
He confronted Arab evasion in the 8th century towards the east of Sindh.
He fought against Rashtrakuta King Dantidurga and was defeated.
Nagabhata I was succeeded by his brothers Kakkuka and Devaraja.

Vatsraja (780- 800 AD)

He was the son of Dharmapala
He consolidated the empire and extended control over Western and Northern India.
He made Ujjain his capital.
He captured Kannuaj from the Rajputana rulers and made it his capital.
He confronted Dhruva (Rashtrakuta ruler) and Dharmapala (Pala ruler) in his fight for Kannauj.
He captured the Doab region from Dharmapala and Northern India, including Ganga Valley.
Dhruva, the Rashtruka King, later defeated him.

Nagabhata II (800- 830 AD)

He was Vatsraja’s son who conquered Sindh and eastern India.
He revived the policy of conquest and extension of the empire.
He also defeated the Palas and conquered parts of Gujaradesha in western India and the Arabs.
Rashtrkuta King Govinda III defeated Nagabhata for control over Gujarat.
He recovered Malwa from Rashtrakutas later.
He rebuilt the Shiva Temple at Somnath in Gujarat, which was destroyed during Arab evasions.
He defeated the rulers of Saindhava, Andhra, Vidarbha, and Kalinga.
Nagabhata also defeated Dharampal (Pala Ruler) and extended the empire to Bihar.
However, this success was short-term.
Kannauj became an important place of control during his reign.
His son Rambhadra succeeded him and extended the territories further.

Bhoja I/ Mihir Bhoja (836- 865 AD)

He was the most popular king of the Gurjara Pratihara dynasty and ruled for 46 years.
Initially, he was defeated by Palas, Rashtrkutas, and Kalachuris, but later he struck again (with the help of Chedi and Guhila feudatories) and was successful in his campaign.
His capital was Kannuaj (also called Mahodaya), .and Barah Copper Plate mentions the Skandharva military campaign at Mahodaya.
He was a Vaishnavite follower and assumed the’ Adhivarvha’ title.
Arabas of Sindh, Kalachuris, and the Chandalas accepted his supremacy.
The Pratiharas had India’s strongest cavalry, as per Arab travelers.
Al- Masudi, an Arab traveler, called him ‘King Barua.’

Mahendrapala (885-910 AD)

With his contribution, the empire extended from the North of the Himalayas to Narmada, east of Bengal and west of Sindh.
He assumed the title of Maharajadhiraja of Aryavarta.
The famous Sanskrit poet, Rajasehkhar was part of his court.
Rajeshekar wrote the famous play Karpuramanjari in the Prakrit language.
His other works include Kavya Mimansa, Balabharata, Bhrinjika, Prapanch Pandav, and many more.

Mahipala (913- 944 AD)

His reign marked the downfall of the Gurjara Pratihara dynasty.
He was defeated by Rashtrkuta King Indra III and lost Kannauj to him.
He tried to recover lost lands but was repeatedly defeated by Rashtrakutas.
Al- Masudi, an Arab traveler, wrote that Pratihara had lost access to the sea.
This led to Rashtrkutas gaining power in Gujarat.

Rajyapala (960- 1090 AD)

Krishna III of the Rashtrakuta dynasty defeated him.
He was forced to leave the battle when Mahmud of Ghazni attacked Kannauj.
Vindyadhar Chandela killed him.

Yashpala (1024- 1036 AD)

He was the last ruler of the Gurjara Pratihara dynasty.
In 1090 AD, Kannuaj was taken by Gandhavalas.

Caste system was prevalent in India during Gurjara-Pratihara period and the reference of all the four castes of the Vedic period is found in the inscription as well.
The inscription refers to the Brahmans as Vipra and several Prakrit words are used for Kshatriyas.
The people of each caste were divided into different classes.
Chaturveda and Bhatta groups were prominent among the Brahmans.
Among the Vaishyas the Kanchuka and Vakata groups were prominent.
The Arab writer Ibda Khurdadab has referred to seven castes in the time of the Pratiharas.
According to him, there existed the classes of Savakufria, Brahman, Kataria, Sudaria, Bandalia and Labla.
King was selected from the Savakufria class whereas people of the Brahman class did not take wine and married their sons with the daughters of the Kataria class.
The Kataria classes were regarded as Kshatriyas.
The people of Sudaria were regarded as Sudras and usually did farming or cattle rearing.
Basuria class was the Vaishya class whose duty was to serve other classes.
The people of Sandila class did the work of Chandals.
The above description of the Arab writer indicates that the Vaishyas did the work of the Sudars and the Sudar did the work of the Vishyas.
It appears that the caste system was slowly and gradually breaking in a nice manner.
The Brahmans started marrying kshatriya girls and the vaishyas performed the work of the sudras as well.
The Muslim attacks had begun during this period and many Hindus of the conquered states had been becoming the followers of Islam.
It also appears that the Hindu society had allowed the purification of such Hindus.
Smriti Ghandrayana Vrat, ‘Biladuri’ and the writings of Aluberni and other Muslim writers also confirm this fact.
Some references of inter-caste marriage have also been found.
The prominent Sanskrit scholar Rajasekhar had married a Kshatriya girl named Avanti Sundari.
Kings and the rich classes practiced polygamy.
However, usually men had only one wife.
It can also be known from some reference where on the death of their husbands, women had burnt themselves along with their husbands. Thus, sati pratha was there though it was not very much prevalent.
There was no purdah system among the women of the royal families.
According to Rajasekhar women learnt music, dancing and paintings.
Women were very much fond of ornaments and also used oils and cosmetics.
People of rich families used to wear very thin clothes.

Art and Architecture of Pratiharas

Gurjara Pratihara promoted art and architecture during their reign.
Sculptures like the Vishwapoora form of Vishnu and the marriage of Shiva and Parvati from Kannauj are noteworthy here.
Mesmerizing carved pillars on the temple walls of Abhaneri, Osian, and Kotah are a site to watch.
A female figure titled Sursundari in Gwalior Museum is quite famous as well.
Teli ka Mandir in Gwalior Fort is one of the best-known architectural marvels of Gurjara Pratiharas.
A rare sandstone idol of Lord Shiva in Nataraja Pose is unique.
It is originally from Ghateshwara Temple, Baroli Rajasthan, and is set to be returned to India from the UK.
Ambika Mata temple is quite famous for its defining style of architecture.
The temple has a Phamsana roofed, closed hall with five-bay mulaprasadas.
Ghateshwara temple at Baroli with a tall shikhara, two squares over its portico with parapets bearing elaborate aedicule and miniature Latina shikhara at the corners.
Gyaraspur Temple is more advanced in planning as it has an ambulatory with closed halls.
This, along with balconies and porches, gives it a crucified form.
The Vishnu and Someshwara Temple at Kiradu are a few more examples of sumptuous cumulation of the Gurjara Pratiharas style.

Decline of Pratiharas

During the reign of Mahipala I, the Rashtrakuta king Indra III launched a devastating attack on Kannauj, causing widespread destruction.
The Pratiharas suffered a major setback as they lost control of Gujarat, a pivotal economic hub, to the Rashtrakutas.
In 963 CE, Krishna III of the Rashtrakuta dynasty invaded and conquered the northern territories of the Pratiharas, leading to a rapid decline in their power.
Subsequent rulers of the Pratihara dynasty struggled to revive their power, resulting in their feudatories gaining independence. The kingdom managed to survive mainly in the Kanyakubja region.
By the 11th century, the Ghaznavid Turks completely eradicated the Gurjara Pratiharas from India’s political landscape.

Conclusion

Gurjara Pratihara Empire, a significant power in early Medieval India from the 9th to the 10th century, achieved prominence through its triumphant struggles against the Palas and Rashtrakutas. Known for its effective administration and skilled rulers like Nagabhata I and Mihir Bhoj, the empire thrived despite persistent wars. Its enduring legacy extends beyond military victories, as evidenced by iconic architectural marvels such as the Teli ka Mandir in Gwalior Fort, the Ghateshwara Temple, and a remarkable Sandstone statue of Lord Shiva in the Nataraja style. Additionally, the empire’s cultural richness is reflected in the contributions of revered poets like Rajashekha.