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Jayasiṃha, who assumed the title Siddharāja, ruled the Kingdom of Gujarat between 1092 and 1142. He was a member of the
Chaulukya The Chaulukya dynasty (), also Solanki dynasty, was a dynasty that ruled parts of what are now Gujarat and Rajasthan in north-western India, between and . Their capital was located at Anahilavada (modern Patan). At times, their rule extended ...
(also called Solanki) dynasty. Jayasimha's capital was located at
Anahilapataka Patan () is the administrative seat of Patan district in the Indian state of Gujarat and is an administered municipality. It was the capital of Gujarat's Chavda and Chaulukya dynasties in medieval times and is also known as Anhilpur-Patan to ...
(modern Patan) in present-day
Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...
. Besides large parts of Gujarat, his control also extended to parts of
Rajasthan Rajasthan (; Literal translation, lit. 'Land of Kings') is a States and union territories of India, state in northwestern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the List of states and union territories of ...
: he subdued the Shakambhari Chauhans king
Arnoraja Arnoraja (IAST: Arṇorāja, r. c. 1135–1150 CE) was an Indian king belonging to the Shakambhari Chahamana dynasty. He ruled the Sapadalaksha country, which included parts of present-day Rajasthan in north-western India. Arnoraja defeated the ...
, and the former Naddula Chahamana ruler
Asharaja Asharaja ( IAST: Āśārāja, r. c. 1110–1119 CE) was an Indian king belonging to the Naddula Chahamana dynasty. He ruled the area around Naddula (present-day Nadol in Rajasthan), before being dethroned by his nephew Ratnapala. He then accep ...
acknowledged his suzerainty. Jayasimha also annexed a part of
Malwa Malwa () is a historical region, historical list of regions in India, region of west-central India occupying a plateau of volcanic origin. Geologically, the Malwa Plateau generally refers to the volcanic plateau, volcanic upland north of the ...
(in present-day
Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (; ; ) is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and the largest city is Indore, Indore. Other major cities includes Gwalior, Jabalpur, and Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, Sagar. Madhya Pradesh is the List of states and union te ...
) by defeating the Paramaras. He also waged an inconclusive war against the
Chandela The Chandelas of Jejakabhukti was an Indian dynasty in Central India. The Chandelas ruled much of the Bundelkhand region (then called ''Jejakabhukti'') between the 9th and the 13th centuries. They belonged to the Chandel clan of the Rajputs. T ...
king
Madanavarman Madana-Varman (reigned c. 1128–1165 CE) was a king of the Chandela dynasty of India. He succeeded his father Prithvi-Varman as the ruler of the Jejakabhukti region (Bundelkhand in present-day Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh). He revived the ...
. Jayasimha's daughter Kanchana married Arnoraja. The couple's son Someshvara (the father of
Prithviraj Chauhan Prithviraja III (IAST: Pṛthvī-rāja; 22 May 1166 – February 1192), popularly known as Prithviraj Chauhan or Rai Pithora, was a king from the Chahamanas of Shakambhari, Chauhan (Chahamana) dynasty who ruled the territory of Sapadalaksha, w ...
) was brought up by Jayasimha at the Chaulukya court.


Early life

Jayasimha was a son of the Chaulukya king
Karna Karna (Sanskrit: कर्ण, IAST: ''Karṇa''), also known as Vasusena, Anga-Raja, Sutaputra and Radheya, is one of the major characters in the Hindu epic ''Mahābhārata''. He is the son of Surya (the Sun deity) and princess Kunti (later ...
and his Kadamba queen Mayanalladevi. According to folklore, he was born in
Palanpur Palanpur (Gujarati language, Gujarati: ) is a city and a headquarters of Banaskantha district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Palanpur is the ancestral home to an industry of Indian diamond merchants. Etymology Palanpur in early times is said ...
, but there is no historical evidence of this. Jayasimha ("victory lion") was so named by the old ladies of the Chaulukya palace. He later assumed the title "Siddharaja". The 12th century Jain scholar
Hemachandra Hemacandra was a 12th century () Śvetāmbara Jaina acharya, ācārya, scholar, poet, mathematician, philosopher, yogi, wikt:grammarian, grammarian, Law, law theorist, historian, Lexicography, lexicographer, rhetorician, logician, and Prosody ...
mentions a legend according to which Karna prayed to the goddess
Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, , ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, beauty, fertility, sovereignty, and abundance. She along with Parvat ...
for a son. He restored a temple of Lakshmi, and meditated for a long time, overcoming seductive
apsara Apsaras (, , Khmer language, Khmer: អប្សរា are a class of celestial beings in Hinduism, Hindu and Culture of Buddhism, Buddhist culture. They were originally a type of female spirit of the clouds and waters, but, later play ...
s and a threatening demon. Ultimately, the goddess Lakshmi appeared before him, and blessed him, as a result of which Jayasimha was born. The 14th century author Merutunga does not mention Hemachandra's semi-mythical account. But he mentions another legend about Jayasimha's childhood: at the age of 3, Jayasimha climbed on the royal throne, and sat there. The astrologers declared that this had happened at an auspicious moment, so Karna performed his son's coronation ceremony then and there. Merutunga dates this event to 7 January 1094, and therefore, suggests that Jayasimha was born in 1091 CE. However, this account does not seem to be accurate as it has not been mentioned by earlier authors such as Hemachandra. In his ''Dvyashraya'', Hemachandra mentions several mythical tales presenting Jayasimha as an epic hero. Had Merutunga's account been historically accurate, Hemachandra would not have failed to mention it. According to Hemachandra, Jayasimha's father Karna had a brother named Kshemaraja who renounced his rights to the throne. Kshemaraja's descendants were Devaprasada, Tribhuvanapala and Kumarapala (who was Jayasimha's successor). When Karna died, Devaprasada left his son Tribhuvanapala in Jayasimha's care and committed suicide by immolating himself on Karna's
funeral pyre A pyre (; ), also known as a funeral pyre, is a structure, usually made of wood, for burning a body as part of a funeral rite or execution. As a form of cremation, a body is placed upon or under the pyre, which is then set on fire. In discussi ...
. Jayasimha treated Tribhuvanapala like his own son. All other chroniclers state that Jayasimha hated Tribhuvanapala's son Kumarapala. As Hemachandra was a courtier of both Jayasimha and Kumarapala, historian A. K. Majumdar theorizes that he created a fictional account to hide an unpleasant truth. According to Majumdar, Karna probably banished Devaprasada to avoid any rival claims to the throne. After Karna's death, Devaprasada tried to usurp the throne, taking advantage of Jayasimha's young age. However, Karna's wife Mayanalla and her loyal minister Santu had Devaprasada killed. Mayanalla then acted as a regent for the young king Jayasimha.


Military career

Find spot Provenance () is the chronology of the ownership, custody or location of a historical object. The term was originally mostly used in relation to works of art, but is now used in similar senses in a wide range of fields, including archaeology, p ...
s of inscriptions issued during the reign of Jayasimha Siddharaja" width="400" height="400" zoom="5" longitude="73.36" latitude="24.01">


Saurashtra

Multiple literary sources as well as inscriptions establish that Jayasimha defeated Khangara alias Navaghana, the king of
Saurashtra Saurashtra, Sourashtra, or variants may refer to: ** Kathiawar, also called Saurashtra Peninsula, a peninsula in western India ** Saurashtra (state), alias United State of Kathiawar, a former Indian state, merged into Bombay State and since its d ...
. According to Merutunga, Khangara was an
Abhira Abhira may refer to: *Abhira people The Abhira people (Devanagari: आभीर) were a legendary people mentioned in ancient Indian epics and scriptures. A historical people of the same name are mentioned in the Periplus of the Erythr ...
, which suggests that this is a reference to king Khengara of
Chudasama dynasty The Chudasama dynasty, a Samma (tribe), Samma branch, ruled parts of the present-day Saurashtra region of Gujarat state in India between the 9th and 15th centuries. Their capital was based in Junagadh and Vanthali, Vamanasthali. The early his ...
. Jayasimha's
Dahod Dahod is a city on the banks of the Dudhimati River in Dahod District in the State of Gujarat, India. It is said that it has taken its name from Saint Dadhichi, who had an Ashram on the bank of Dudhumati river. This city is known for being t ...
inscription boasts that he imprisoned the king of Saurashtra; this is most probably a reference to his victory over Khangara. According to bardic legends, Khangara married a woman coveted by Jayasimha, because of which the Chaulukya king invaded Khangara's kingdom. However, this legend is not credible. Jain chronicler Prabhachandra mentions that Siddharaja had first dispatched an army led by Kirtipala (brother of Kumarapala) to attack Navaghana. When this army was unsuccessful, another force led by Udayana was dispatched in its support. This joint army defeated Navagaha, but Udayana was killed in the battle. Prabhachandra goes on to mention that Jayasimha later killed Khangara. According to Merutunga, Navaghana was another name of Khangara. So, it appears that Khangara was not completely subdued in the battle in which Udayana was killed.
Merutunga Merutuṅga was a medieval scholar from present-day Gujarat in India and was a Śvētāmbara Jain monk of the Achal Gaccha. He is presently most well-known for his Sanskrit text, the '' Prabandhacintāmaṇi'', composed in 1306 CE. He also ...
claims that Khangara defeated Jayasimha 11 times, but the Chaulukya king emerged victorious in the 12th battle. Merutunga's claim cannot be taken literally: 12 was a favourite number of the Jain writers, and he may have used the number to emphasize the seriousness of the war. Merutunga's legend also states that Khangara fortified
Vardhamana Mahavira (Devanagari: महावीर, ), also known as Vardhamana (Devanagari: वर्धमान, ), was the 24th ''Tirthankara'' (Supreme Preacher and Ford Maker) of Jainism. Although the dates and most historical details of his lif ...
and other cities. He did not want to die by weapons, and therefore, asked his nephew to kill him with coins if the enemy succeeded in scaling the ramparts. As a result, he was beaten to death with boxes full of coins. According to Jayasimha Suri, after defeating Khangara, Jayasimha appointed Sajjana as the governor of
Girnar Girnar is an ancient hill in Junagadh, Gujarat, India. It is one of the holiest pilgrimages of Jains, where the 22nd Tirthankara, Tirthaṅkar, Lord Neminath attained omniscience, and later nirvana at its highest peak (''Neminath Shikhar''), ...
(a town in Saurashtra). This is corroborated by an 1120 CE inscription found at Girnar. Merutunga also supports this claim, although he calls Sajjana the governor of Saurashtra. Historical evidence indicates that Jayasimha was unable to capture all of Khangara's territories in Saurashtra: Jayasimha's successor Kumarapala had to send an army against the Abhiras. According to Prabhachandra, Jayasimha was unable to annex Khangara's kingdom because a large number of Khangara's followers continued to offer resistance.


Chahamanas of Naddula

The Naddula Chahamana ruler
Asharaja Asharaja ( IAST: Āśārāja, r. c. 1110–1119 CE) was an Indian king belonging to the Naddula Chahamana dynasty. He ruled the area around Naddula (present-day Nadol in Rajasthan), before being dethroned by his nephew Ratnapala. He then accep ...
(alias Ashvaraja) became a vassal of Jayasimha. It appears that Asharaja was dethroned by his rival Ratnapala, because of which he sought Jayasimha's help. Ashraja's 1110 CE and 1116 CE inscriptions do not mention Jayasimha as his overlord. Ratnapala's 1120 CE and 1135 CE inscriptions prove that he was the ruler of Naddula during this period. Thus, Ratnapala must have displaced Asharaja sometime during 1116–1119 CE. Ashraja must have sought help from Jayasimha sometime before 1143 CE; his 1143 CE inscription describes him as subsisting on the feet of Jayasimha. The later 1262 CE Sundha Hill inscription also states that Asharaja pleased Jayasimha by helping him in a campaign in
Malwa Malwa () is a historical region, historical list of regions in India, region of west-central India occupying a plateau of volcanic origin. Geologically, the Malwa Plateau generally refers to the volcanic plateau, volcanic upland north of the ...
. Despite gaining Jayasimha's favour, Asharaja was not able to recapture Naddula. This is proved by the fact that Ratnapala's son and successor Rayapala issued eight inscriptions from Naddula during 1132–1145 CE.


Chahamanas of Shakambhari

Several sources suggest that Jayasimha subdued the Shakambhari Chahamana ruler
Arnoraja Arnoraja (IAST: Arṇorāja, r. c. 1135–1150 CE) was an Indian king belonging to the Shakambhari Chahamana dynasty. He ruled the Sapadalaksha country, which included parts of present-day Rajasthan in north-western India. Arnoraja defeated the ...
. Arnoraja's ancestor Vigraharaja III had helped the Paramara king
Udayaditya Udayāditya (reigned c. 1070–1093) was a Paramara ruler of Malwa region of central India, who succeeded Jayasimha I. He is known for driving out the Kalachuri King Lakshmikarna. He was succeeded by his son, either Lakshmadeva or Naravarm ...
against Jayasimha's father
Karna Karna (Sanskrit: कर्ण, IAST: ''Karṇa''), also known as Vasusena, Anga-Raja, Sutaputra and Radheya, is one of the major characters in the Hindu epic ''Mahābhārata''. He is the son of Surya (the Sun deity) and princess Kunti (later ...
. So, the two kingdoms most probably did not have friendly relations when Jayasimha ascended the throne. The conflict between Arnoraja and Jayasimha may have been triggered by their attempts to control the weakening Paramara kingdom of
Malwa Malwa () is a historical region, historical list of regions in India, region of west-central India occupying a plateau of volcanic origin. Geologically, the Malwa Plateau generally refers to the volcanic plateau, volcanic upland north of the ...
. The Chaulukya poet Someshvara, in his ''Kirti-Kaumudi'', states that when Arnoraja saw the severed heads of kings lying before his feet, he bowed to Jayasimha out of fear.
Hemachandra Hemacandra was a 12th century () Śvetāmbara Jaina acharya, ācārya, scholar, poet, mathematician, philosopher, yogi, wikt:grammarian, grammarian, Law, law theorist, historian, Lexicography, lexicographer, rhetorician, logician, and Prosody ...
's ''Dvyashraya'' also states that Ānā of Sapadalaksha (that is, Arnoraja), bent his head before Jayasimha. An inscription discovered at the Chahamana capital Shakambhari (modern Sambhar) provides a genealogy of the Chaulukya kings, from
Mularaja Mularaja () was the king of Gujarat and the founder of the Chaulukya dynasty. Also known as the Chaulukyas of Gujarat or Solanki, this dynasty ruled parts of present-day Gujarat. Mularaja supplanted the last Chavda dynasty, Chavda king, and foun ...
to Jayasimha. It mentions Shakambhari, which indicates that Jayasimha may have even occupied the Chahamana capital for a brief period. Jayasimha's daughter Kanchana-devi married Arnoraja. The poet Someshvara declares that the only difference between Jayasimha and the deity
Vishnu Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...
was that Vishnu took the daughter of the Arno (literally "ocean") as his wife, while Siddharaja gave away his daughter in marriage to Arno-raja. The Chahamana chronicle ''
Prithviraja Vijaya ''Prithviraja Vijaya'' (IAST: Pṛthvīrāja Vijaya, "Prithviraja's Victory") is an eulogy, eulogistic Sanskrit kavya, epic poem on the life of the Indian Chahamanas of Shakambhari, Chahamana king Prithviraja III (better known as Prithviraj Chauhan ...
'' also states that Jayasimha's daughter was one of the two wives of Arnoraja. Usually, the defeated kings would give their daughters in marriage to the victor. So, it is not certain why Jayasimha married his daughter to Arnoraja. He probably saw this as a diplomatic way to end the hostility between the two families. This strategy seems to have been successful, as Arnoraja helped him against the Paramara king
Naravarman Naravarman (reigned 1094–1133 CE), also known as Naravarma-deva, was an Indian king from the Paramara dynasty, who ruled in the Malwa region of central India. The Paramara power greatly declined during his reign, as a result of multiple milit ...
. Someshvara (not to be confused with the poet), who later became the Chahamana king, was a son of Arnoraja and Kanchana. According to ''Prithviraja Vijaya'', some astrologers told Jayasimha that Someshvara's son (
Prithviraja III Prithviraja III (IAST: Pṛthvī-rāja; 22 May 1166 – February 1192), popularly known as Prithviraj Chauhan or Rai Pithora, was a king from the Chahamanas of Shakambhari, Chauhan (Chahamana) dynasty who ruled the territory of Sapadalaksha, w ...
) would be an incarnation of
Rama Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda' ...
. Therefore, Jayasimha brought up Someshvara in his own kingdom.


Paramaras of Malwa

During the 1130s CE, Jayasimha defeated a Paramara king of
Malwa Malwa () is a historical region, historical list of regions in India, region of west-central India occupying a plateau of volcanic origin. Geologically, the Malwa Plateau generally refers to the volcanic plateau, volcanic upland north of the ...
(or
Avanti Avanti (in Italian, meaning 'ahead', 'forward', or 'before', and also an unrelated Sanskrit name) may refer to: Vehicles * Studebaker Avanti, a model of automobile built by Studebaker * Avanti II, a successor model made by Avanti Motor Corporati ...
). The
Vadnagar Vadnagar is a town and municipality in the Mehsana district of the state of Gujarat in India. It is located from Mehsana. Its ancient names include ''Anartapura'' (the capital of Anarta) and ''Anandapura.'' It was a location visited by Xuanz ...
prashasti ''Prashasti'' (IAST: Praśasti, Sanskrit for "praise") is an Indian genre of inscriptions composed by poets in praise of their rulers. Most date from the 6th century CE onwards. Written in the form of poetry or ornate prose, the ''prashastis'' s ...
inscription of his successor states that he imprisoned the king of Malwa, which scared all other rulers of the earth. The
Dahod Dahod is a city on the banks of the Dudhimati River in Dahod District in the State of Gujarat, India. It is said that it has taken its name from Saint Dadhichi, who had an Ashram on the bank of Dudhumati river. This city is known for being t ...
inscription also confirms Jayasimha's victory, but doesn't name the Paramara king. The Talwara inscription states that Jayasimha humbled the pride of
Naravarman Naravarman (reigned 1094–1133 CE), also known as Naravarma-deva, was an Indian king from the Paramara dynasty, who ruled in the Malwa region of central India. The Paramara power greatly declined during his reign, as a result of multiple milit ...
, but the Ujjain inscription states that Jayasimha defeated Naravarman's successor
Yashovarman Yashovarman (IAST: Yaśovarman) was the ruler of the Kingdom of Kannauj and first king of the Varman dynasty. Life Yashovarman was the king of Kannauj in the early part of the eighth century. The city (then known as Kanyakubja) had previously ...
. Multiple chronicles also mention this victory. According to the chronicles written by Someshvara, Jinamandana and Jayasimha Suri, the Paramara king was Naravarman. However, other chroniclers such as
Hemachandra Hemacandra was a 12th century () Śvetāmbara Jaina acharya, ācārya, scholar, poet, mathematician, philosopher, yogi, wikt:grammarian, grammarian, Law, law theorist, historian, Lexicography, lexicographer, rhetorician, logician, and Prosody ...
, Arisimha, and Merutunga state that he was Yashovarman. Historian A. K. Majumdar theorizes that the Chaulukya-Paramara war began during the reign of Naravarman (r. c. 1094-1133 CE), and ended during the reign of Yashovarman (c. 1133-1142 CE). Jayasimha's title ''Avantinatha'' ("Lord of Avanti") first appears in the 1137 CE Gala inscription. The Naddula Chahamana ruler Asharaja as well as the Shakambhari Chahamana ruler
Arnoraja Arnoraja (IAST: Arṇorāja, r. c. 1135–1150 CE) was an Indian king belonging to the Shakambhari Chahamana dynasty. He ruled the Sapadalaksha country, which included parts of present-day Rajasthan in north-western India. Arnoraja defeated the ...
(r. c. 1135-1150 CE) helped Jayasimha in this campaign. Based on these evidences, Jayasimha's conquest of the Paramara capital Dhara can be dated to 1135-1136 CE. According to the 12th century chronicler
Hemachandra Hemacandra was a 12th century () Śvetāmbara Jaina acharya, ācārya, scholar, poet, mathematician, philosopher, yogi, wikt:grammarian, grammarian, Law, law theorist, historian, Lexicography, lexicographer, rhetorician, logician, and Prosody ...
, Jayasimha was the aggressor in this conflict, while the 14th century chronicler
Merutunga Merutuṅga was a medieval scholar from present-day Gujarat in India and was a Śvētāmbara Jain monk of the Achal Gaccha. He is presently most well-known for his Sanskrit text, the '' Prabandhacintāmaṇi'', composed in 1306 CE. He also ...
claims that the war started with a Paramara invasion of the Chaulukya kingdom. Hemachandra claims that some
yogini A yogini (Sanskrit: योगिनी, IAST: ) is a female master practitioner of tantra and yoga, as well as a formal term of respect for female Hindu or Buddhist spiritual teachers in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Greater Tibe ...
s once asked Jayasimha to visit
Ujjain Ujjain (, , old name Avantika, ) or Ujjayinī is a city in Ujjain district of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the fifth-largest city in Madhya Pradesh by population and is the administrative as well as religious centre of Ujjain ...
, and worship the goddess
Kali Kali (; , ), also called Kalika, is a major goddess in Hinduism, primarily associated with time, death and destruction. Kali is also connected with transcendental knowledge and is the first of the ten Mahavidyas, a group of goddesses who p ...
ka there. Since Ujjain was located in the Paramara territory, Jayasimha invaded the Paramara kingdom. He first marched to Ujjain, and then captured the Paramara capital Dhara. He tied up Yashovarman "like a bird" and subdued the entire
Avanti Avanti (in Italian, meaning 'ahead', 'forward', or 'before', and also an unrelated Sanskrit name) may refer to: Vehicles * Studebaker Avanti, a model of automobile built by Studebaker * Avanti II, a successor model made by Avanti Motor Corporati ...
region (the Paramara territory). Hemachandra's account features elements of
fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...
. According to Merutunga's legend, Jayasimha once went on a pilgrimage to
Somnath Prabhas Patan, historically named Dev Patan, is a locality in Veraval, Gujarat. As the site of the Somnath temple and its associated Jyotirlinga (an aniconic representation of the god Shiva), it is an important place of Hindu pilgrimage. Pl ...
with his mother. Taking advantage of his absence, Yashovarman invaded the Chaulukya capital. Jayasimha's minister Santu requested Yashovarman to negotiate a peace treaty. Yashovarman replied that he would leave if he was granted all the merits ('' punya'') gained by Jayasimha during the Somnath pilgrimage. Santu agreed, and conducted a ceremony to symbolically transfer Jayasimha's merits to Yashovarman. The Paramara king then returned to Malwa. When Jayasimha returned to his capital and learned about what had happened in his absence, he became furious. He invaded Malwa, and defeated the Paramara king after a 12-year war. Merutunga's account does not seem credible, because the Paramaras were too weak at this time to invade the powerful Chaulukya kingdom. The poet Someshvara states that Jayasimha put Naravarman in a wooden
cage A cage is an enclosure often made of mesh, bars, or wires, used to confine, contain or protect something or someone. A cage can serve many purposes, including keeping an animal or person in captivity, capturing an animal or person, and displayi ...
like a parrot. Balachandra adds that Naravarman was brought to Gujarat in a wooden cage. Jayasimha Suri claims that when Siddharaja decided to invade the Paramara kingdom, he took a vow to make a
scabbard A scabbard is a sheath for holding a sword, dagger, knife, or similar edged weapons. Rifles and other long guns may also be stored in scabbards by horse riders for transportation. Military cavalry and cowboys had scabbards for their saddle ring ...
for his sword with Naravarman's skin. He defeated Naravarman after a 12-year campaign, and fulfilled this vow. Jina-Mandana repeats the same story, but states that Jayasimha's ministers convinced him to give up this vow. The Ujjain inscription states that Jayasimha appointed one Mahadeva as the governor of Avanti. Yashovarman may have also ruled the Paramara kingdom as Jayasimha's vassal. It is not known for how long did Jayasimha control Malwa. Yashovarman's successor
Jayavarman I (Paramara dynasty) Jayavarman (reigned c. 1142-43 CE), also known as Ajayavarman, was an Indian king from the Paramara dynasty, who ruled in the Malwa region of central India. He appears to have recaptured the Paramara capital Dhara after a Chaulukya occupation of ...
(r. c. 1142-43) assumed the title ''
Maharajadhiraja Maharaja (also spelled Maharajah or Maharaj; ; feminine: Maharani) is a royal title in Indian subcontinent of Sanskrit origin. In modern India and medieval northern India, the title was equivalent to a prince. However, in late ancient India ...
'', which indicates that he managed to restore the Paramara ruler in at least a part of Malwa. However, he was dethroned by an usurper named Ballala, apparently after Jayasimha's death.


Chandelas

Jayasimha's conquest of Malwa made him a neighbour of the
Chandela The Chandelas of Jejakabhukti was an Indian dynasty in Central India. The Chandelas ruled much of the Bundelkhand region (then called ''Jejakabhukti'') between the 9th and the 13th centuries. They belonged to the Chandel clan of the Rajputs. T ...
kingdom, which was located to the east of Malwa. Several Chaulukya chronicles claim that Jayasimha subdued the Chandela king
Madanavarman Madana-Varman (reigned c. 1128–1165 CE) was a king of the Chandela dynasty of India. He succeeded his father Prithvi-Varman as the ruler of the Jejakabhukti region (Bundelkhand in present-day Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh). He revived the ...
. On the other hand, the
Kalanjara Kalinjar is a fortress-city in Banda district of Uttar Pradesh, India. It was ruled by several dynasties, including the Guptas, the Vardhana dynasty, the Chandelas, Solankis of Rewa, Mughals and the Marathas. The fortress has several temp ...
inscription of the Chandelas states that Madanavarman defeated the king of
Gurjara Gurjara, or Gurjar, may refer to; * Gurjar or Gurjara, an ethnic group of South Asia **Gujari language, spoken by the Gurjars * Gurjaras of Lata (500–738 CE), or Gurjara dynasty of Baruch, Gujarat *Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty, or Gurjara dynasty ...
(that is, Jayasimha) in an instant, just like
Krishna Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...
had defeated
Kamsa Kamsa (, ) was the tyrant ruler of the Vrishni kingdom, with its capital at Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, Mathura. He is variously described in Hindu texts, Hindu literature as either a human or an asura; The Puranas describe him as an asura, while ...
. The ''
Prithviraj Raso The ''Prithviraj Raso'' (IAST: Pṛthvīrāja Rāso) is a Braj language epic poem about the life of Prithviraj Chauhan (reign. c. 1177–1192 CE). It is attributed to Chand Bardai, who according to the text, was a court poet of the king. ...
'' of
Chand Bardai Chand Bardai (died c. 1200) was an Indian poet who composed '' Prithviraj Raso'', an epic poem in Brajbhasa about the life of the Chahamana king Prithviraj Chauhan. The poem presents him as a court poet of Prithviraj. According to it, after P ...
also corroborates this claim. These contradictory claims suggest that the conflict between Jayasimha and Madanavarman was inconclusive, with both the sides claiming victory. The Chaulukya court poet Someshvara claims that the Chandela king submitted to Jayasimha, frightened by the Chaulukya conquest of Malwa. Another chronicler Jayasimha Suri claims that Jayasimha Siddharaja defeated Madanavarman, and took 960 million gold coins from the Chandela king. According to Jina Mandana's ''Kumarapala-Prabandha'', a bard once told Jayasimha that Madanavarman was a very wise, generous and pleasure-loving ruler, whose court was as splendid as that of Jayasimha. Jayasimha confirmed the veracity of this claim by sending a person to Mahoba. He then invaded the Chandela kingdom. After reaching the outskirts of Mahoba, he sent an emissary, asking Madanavarman to surrender. Madanavarman was busy celebrating the spring festival, and did not take the demand seriously. When the emissary reminded him about the fate of the Paramaras, he derisively asked his minister to make Jayasimha return by paying him some money. Jayasimha received the money, but when he heard about Madanavarman's nonchalance, he refused to return without meeting the Chandela king. He visited the Chandela palace with a large retinue. Only four of his attendants were allowed to accompany him inside the palace, but Madanavarman offered him a warm reception. Consequently, Jayasimha returned to his capital peacefully. According to K. M. Munshi, this legend is "fanciful", and Jayasimha did not achieve much success against the Chandelas.


Other conflicts

The Talwara inscription of the Chaulukyas boasts that Jayasimha crushed Permardi. "Permardi" was a title used by the contemporary
Kalyani Chalukya The Western Chalukya Empire ( ) ruled most of the western Deccan, South India, between the 10th and 12th centuries. This Kannada dynasty is sometimes called the ''Kalyani Chalukya'' after its regal capital at Kalyani, today's Basavakalyan i ...
monarch
Vikramaditya VI Vikramaditya VI (r. 1076 – 1126 CE) became the Western Chalukya King after deposing his elder brother Someshvara II, a political move he made by gaining the support of Chalukya vassals during the Chola invasion of Chalukya territory.Sen ...
, as well as several other rulers. The Permardi mentioned in the Talwara inscription is unlikely to be Vikramaditya VI, since such a victory would have been the greatest military success of Jayasimha. Jayasimha's victory over Permardi is not mentioned in other records, and finds only a casual mention in the Talwara inscription. This suggests that Permardi was an insignificant ruler. Historian A. K. Majumdar identifies him with Perma-nripa, the son of an obscure king named Pitta, mentioned in a Huli inscription. The Kalyani Chalukya records claim that Vikramaditya VI crossed the
Narmada river The Narmada River, previously also known as ''Narbada'' or anglicised as ''Nerbudda'', is the 5th longest river in India and overall the longest west-flowing river in the country. It is also the largest flowing river in the state of Madhya Prade ...
, and conquered the
Lata Latha (Hindi: लता, Kannada: ಲತಾ) is a Hindu Indian female given name, which means "creeper" and "Durga". Latha may refer to: Notable people named Lata *Lata Mangeshkar (1929–2022), Indian singer. *Lata Bhatt (born 1954), Indian sin ...
and
Gurjara Gurjara, or Gurjar, may refer to; * Gurjar or Gurjara, an ethnic group of South Asia **Gujari language, spoken by the Gurjars * Gurjaras of Lata (500–738 CE), or Gurjara dynasty of Baruch, Gujarat *Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty, or Gurjara dynasty ...
regions. This claim is not supported by historical evidence, though it is possible that Vikramaditya raided the territory to the north of Narmada. Jayasimha helped Someshvara, a ruler of the Paramara branch of
Bhinmal Bhinmal (previously Shrimal Nagar) is an ancient town in the Jalore District of Rajasthan, India. It is south of Jalore. Bhinmal was the early capital of Gurjaradesa, comprising modern-day southern Rajasthan and northern Gujarat. The town was ...
, regain his lost throne. Someshvara's father Udayaraja claims to have conquered "Choda, Gauda and
Karnata Karnata was an ancient kingdom, mentioned in the great epic ''Mahabharata'', It gave the name to the South Indian state of Karnataka. References in Mahabharata Sahadeva's Military Campaign to the South of India *Mahabharata, Book 2, Chapter ...
". This probably refers to the wars he fought as one of Jayasimha's generals. In this context, Gauda may refer to eastern Punjab. The 1158
Ujjain Ujjain (, , old name Avantika, ) or Ujjayinī is a city in Ujjain district of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the fifth-largest city in Madhya Pradesh by population and is the administrative as well as religious centre of Ujjain ...
inscription describes Jayasimha as ''Barbaraka-jishnu'' ("conqueror of Barbaraka"), an epithet also used by his successors. According to Hemachandra, Barbaraka was a
rakshasa Rākshasa (, , ; ; "preservers") are a race of usually malevolent beings prominently featured in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Folk Islam. They reside on Earth but possess supernatural powers, which they usually use for evil acts such as ...
(demon), who harassed the sages of the hermitage located on the banks of the Sarasvati River at Shristhala (Siddhapura). Jayasimha defeated Barbaraka at the request of the sages, but later released him. Barbaraka then gifted precious jewels to Jayasimha, and became his follower. Later chroniclers also repeat this legendary account with some variations. The historical identification of Barbaraka is not certain, but scholars such as
Georg Bühler Professor Johann Georg Bühler (19 July 1837 – 8 April 1898) was a German scholar of ancient Indian languages and law. Early life and education Bühler was born to Rev. Johann G. Bühler in Borstel, Hanover, attended grammar school in Hanove ...
and
Bhagwan Lal Indraji Bhagwan Lal Indraji or Bhagwanlal Indraji (8 November 1839 – 16 March 1888) was an Indian archaeologist and scholar. A member of the Royal Asiatic Society's Bombay branch. He made transcripts of several ancient Indian inscriptions, including t ...
speculated that he was a non-
Aryan ''Aryan'' (), or ''Arya'' (borrowed from Sanskrit ''ārya''), Oxford English Dictionary Online 2024, s.v. ''Aryan'' (adj. & n.); ''Arya'' (n.)''.'' is a term originating from the ethno-cultural self-designation of the Indo-Iranians. It stood ...
tribal chief. The
Dahod Dahod is a city on the banks of the Dudhimati River in Dahod District in the State of Gujarat, India. It is said that it has taken its name from Saint Dadhichi, who had an Ashram on the bank of Dudhumati river. This city is known for being t ...
inscription states that Jayasimha defeated Sindhuraja, who was probably a Soomra king of
Sindh Sindh ( ; ; , ; abbr. SD, historically romanized as Sind (caliphal province), Sind or Scinde) is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, southeastern region of the country, Sindh is t ...
.


Succession

Jayasimha did not have a son. According to his Jain courtier
Hemachandra Hemacandra was a 12th century () Śvetāmbara Jaina acharya, ācārya, scholar, poet, mathematician, philosopher, yogi, wikt:grammarian, grammarian, Law, law theorist, historian, Lexicography, lexicographer, rhetorician, logician, and Prosody ...
, he had visited several Hindu and Jain shrines to pray for a male heir, but then came to learn through
divination Divination () is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic ritual or practice. Using various methods throughout history, diviners ascertain their interpretations of how a should proceed by reading signs, ...
that he would be succeeded by his grand-nephew Kumarapala. According to the legends in the later Jain chronicles, Jayasimha hated Kumarapala, and tried to persecute him during his lifetime. However, Kumarapala escaped, and became the king after his death.


Diplomatic relations

According to Merutunga, the king of Dahala (the Tripuri Kalachuri ruler) sent a letter of alliance to Jayasimha. This Kalachuri king was probably Yashah-Karna. Merutunga also claims that Jayasimha had a diplomatic agent at the court of
Jayachandra Jaya-chandra (IAST: Jayacandra, r. 21 June 1170– 1194 CE) was a king from the Gahadavala dynasty of northern India. He is also known as Jayachchandra (IAST: Jayaccandra) in inscriptions, and Jaichand in vernacular legends. He ruled the Anta ...
, the king of
Varanasi Varanasi (, also Benares, Banaras ) or Kashi, is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.* * * * The city has a syncretic tradition of I ...
. However, Jayachandra's reign started in c. 1170 CE, nearly three decades after the end of Jayasimha's reign in c. 1142 CE. During Jayasimha's reign, the king of Varanasi was the
Gahadavala The Gahadavala dynasty (IAST: Gāhaḍavālas), also known as Gahadavalas of Kannauj, was a Rajput dynasty that ruled parts of the present-day Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, during 11th and 12th centuries. Their capital was located ...
ruler Govindachandra, who was Jayachandra's grandfather. Historian A. K. Majumdar speculates that Jayachandra may have assisted his grandfather in an expedition; Merutunga's claim probably refers to an alliance between the Chaulukyas and the Gahadavalas.


Cultural activities


Literature

Jayasimha patronized several scholars, and made Gujarat a noted centre of learning and literature. Most notably, he was a patron of the Jain scholar
Hemachandra Hemacandra was a 12th century () Śvetāmbara Jaina acharya, ācārya, scholar, poet, mathematician, philosopher, yogi, wikt:grammarian, grammarian, Law, law theorist, historian, Lexicography, lexicographer, rhetorician, logician, and Prosody ...
. Probably around 1125,
Hemchandra Hemacandra was a 12th century () Śvetāmbara Jaina ācārya, scholar, poet, mathematician, philosopher, yogi, grammarian, law theorist, historian, lexicographer, rhetorician, logician, and prosodist. Noted as a prodigy by his contempora ...
was introduced to Jayasimha Siddharaja (
fl. ''Floruit'' ( ; usually abbreviated fl. or occasionally flor.; from Latin for 'flourished') denotes a date or period during which a person was known to have been alive or active. In English, the unabbreviated word may also be used as a noun indic ...
1092–1141) and soon rose to prominence in the Chaulukya royal court. According to the ''
Prabhavakacarita Prabhāvakacarita (Life of the Prominent) is a Jaina text devoted to history, composed by Prabhācandra, an '' acarya'' of the Śvetāmbara tradition of Jainism in 1277–78. While Prabhāvakacarita is dedicated to the lives of Jain monks of th ...
'' of
Prabhācandra Prabhācandra (c. 11th century CE) was a Śvetāmbara monk, grammarian, biographer, philosopher and author of several philosophical books on Jainism. Life Prabhachandra was a ''Śvetāmbara monk'' who flourished in 11th century CE. Prabhāvaka ...
, the earliest biography of
Hemachandra Hemacandra was a 12th century () Śvetāmbara Jaina acharya, ācārya, scholar, poet, mathematician, philosopher, yogi, wikt:grammarian, grammarian, Law, law theorist, historian, Lexicography, lexicographer, rhetorician, logician, and Prosody ...
, Jayasimha spotted
Hemachandra Hemacandra was a 12th century () Śvetāmbara Jaina acharya, ācārya, scholar, poet, mathematician, philosopher, yogi, wikt:grammarian, grammarian, Law, law theorist, historian, Lexicography, lexicographer, rhetorician, logician, and Prosody ...
while passing through the streets of his capital. The king was impressed with an impromptu verse uttered by the young monk. In 1135, when Siddharaja conquered
Malwa Malwa () is a historical region, historical list of regions in India, region of west-central India occupying a plateau of volcanic origin. Geologically, the Malwa Plateau generally refers to the volcanic plateau, volcanic upland north of the ...
, he brought the works of
Bhoja Bhoja was the Paramara dynasty, Paramara king of Malwa from 1010 until his death in 1055. He ruled from Dhara (city), Dhara (modern Dhar), and Military career of Bhoja, fought wars with nearly all his neighbours in attempts to extend his king ...
from Dhar along with other things. One of these manuscripts included a treatise on grammar written by the 11th century Paramara king
Bhoja Bhoja was the Paramara dynasty, Paramara king of Malwa from 1010 until his death in 1055. He ruled from Dhara (city), Dhara (modern Dhar), and Military career of Bhoja, fought wars with nearly all his neighbours in attempts to extend his king ...
,'' Sarasvati-Kanthabharana'' (also known as the ''Lakshana Prakash''), a treatise on
Sanskrit grammar The grammar of the Sanskrit language has a complex verbal system, rich nominal declension, and extensive use of compound nouns. It was studied and codified by Sanskrit grammarians from the later Vedic period (roughly 8th century BCE), culminatin ...
. Impressed by this work, Jayasimha commissioned Hemachandra to write a simpler and more comprehensive treatise on grammar. Hemachandra completed the new treatise after consulting several other works, and included the king's name in the title of the new work, ''Siddha Hema Shabdanushasana''. Jayasimha had the treatise distributed all over India. Jayasimha was so pleased with the work that he ordered it to be placed on the back of an elephant and paraded through the streets of Anhilwad Patan. Jayasimha also patronized the Jain poet Sripala, who composed the
Vadnagar Vadnagar is a town and municipality in the Mehsana district of the state of Gujarat in India. It is located from Mehsana. Its ancient names include ''Anartapura'' (the capital of Anarta) and ''Anandapura.'' It was a location visited by Xuanz ...
''
prashasti ''Prashasti'' (IAST: Praśasti, Sanskrit for "praise") is an Indian genre of inscriptions composed by poets in praise of their rulers. Most date from the 6th century CE onwards. Written in the form of poetry or ornate prose, the ''prashastis'' s ...
'' inscription after his death. The poet described himself as the king's brother. This is corroborated by the chronicler Somaprabha who mentions that Jayasimha considered Sripala his brother, and bestowed the title of ''Kavindra'' upon him. Other poets and writers who flourished during Jayasimha's reign included Hemachandra's disciple Ramachandra, Acharya Jayamangala, (author of ''Kavi-shiksha''), the dramatist Yashahchandra (author of ''Mudrita-Kumudachandra''), the poet Vardhamana (author of ''Siddharaja-Varnana'').


Coins

The gold coins attributed to Siddharaja are found in Pandwaha near
Jhansi Jhansi ( ) is a historic city in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. (Toshan) Balwant Nagar was the old name of Jhansi. It lies in the region of Bundelkhand, on the banks of the Pahuj River, in the extreme ...
,
Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...
. The gold coins are round weights 65-66 grains and measures 0.8" to 0.9". It has legend ''Shri Siddharajah'' on reverse and obverse. The silver coins attributed to him are found at
Vanthali Vanthali is a city and a municipality in Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Demographics India census, Vanthali had a population of 21,891. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Vanthali has an average literacy ...
,
Junagadh Junagadh () is the city and headquarters of Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Located at the foot of the Girnar hills, southwest of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar (the state capital), it is the seventh largest city in the state. It i ...
and Pilwai in North Gujarat. On obverse of these silver coins, the three lines legend ''Shri Jayasimha'' in Nagari script appears; with one more word ''priya'' in some coins. On reverse there is an image of an elephant. These elephant either represents
Laxmi Lakshmi (; , , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, , ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, beauty, fertility, sovereignty, and abundance. She along with Parvat ...
or commemorates victory in war with Avanti in which his beloved elephant Yasahapatala which was killed. They are 20 grains (1.715 gram) in weight and 0.3" in measure. Some small copper coins are also reported.


Religion and constructions

File:Girnar Jain temple - Neminath temple.jpg, Neminath temple on Mount
Girnar Girnar is an ancient hill in Junagadh, Gujarat, India. It is one of the holiest pilgrimages of Jains, where the 22nd Tirthankara, Tirthaṅkar, Lord Neminath attained omniscience, and later nirvana at its highest peak (''Neminath Shikhar''), ...
File:Ruins of the Rudra Mala at Siddhpur, Gujarat, retouched.jpg, Ruins of the
Rudra Mahalaya Temple The Rudra Mahalaya Temple, also known as Rudramal, is a destroyed/desecrated Hindu temple complex at Siddhpur in the Patan district of Gujarat, India. Its construction was started in 943 CE by Mularaja and completed in 1140 CE by Jayasimha S ...
File:Jasmalnathji Shiva Temple, Asoda, Gujarat.jpg,
Jasmalnathji Mahadev Temple Jasmalnathji Mahadev Temple is a Hindu temple located at Asoda village in Vijapur Taluka, Mehsana district, Gujarat, India. It is locally known as Vaijnath Mahadev temple. The temple is dedicated to Shiva. The temple is built in the 12th century ...
, Asoda File:Munsarlake.jpg, Shrine on the banks of Munsar Lake,
Viramgam Viramgam is a town and former princely state in the Indian state of Gujarat. The town is located in the Ahmedabad district, which contains the city of Ahmedabad, the state's largest city. Gateway Distriparks notably flagged off the first ex ...
File:Madapol Gate.jpg, Madapol gate of
Jhinjhuwada Zinzuwada, also spelled Jhinjhuvada or Jhinjhuwada is a town in Dasada Taluka of Surendranagar district, Gujarat, India. History According to a legend the town was founded by Zanz Lambariya. He had advised Mayanalla Devi, wife of Chaulukya ...
fort File:Ruins of Shiva temple, Sejakpur, Kathiawar.jpg, Ruins of Shiva temple, Sejakpur File:Sejakpur - Navlakha Temple.jpg, Navlakha temple, Sejakpur File:Brahma Kund.jpg,
Brahma Kund Brahma Kund is a Temple tank, stepped temple tank in Sihor town of Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, India. It is located near the southern wall of the old town. It believed that it was constructed by Jayasimha Siddharaja. History The exact dates of ...
, Sihor Jayasimha was a
Shaivite Shaivism (, , ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the supreme being. It is the second-largest Hindu sect after Vaishnavism, constituting about 385 million Hindus, found widely across South Asia (predominantly in ...
, but he showed tolerance to other sects and religions. It is believed that people of 98 different faiths and creeds were living peacefully in his capital. According to Someshvara's ''Surathotsava Mahakavya'', his ancestor Kumara served as a priest (''purohita'') to Jayasimha Siddharaja. Someshvara states that Kumara's blessings helped Jayasimha subjugate the rulers of Sindhu-desha, Malava, and Sapadalaksha. The king's religious perceptor was Bhava Brihaspati, who originally lived in
Malwa Malwa () is a historical region, historical list of regions in India, region of west-central India occupying a plateau of volcanic origin. Geologically, the Malwa Plateau generally refers to the volcanic plateau, volcanic upland north of the ...
, and had been brought to Gujarat after Jayasimha's victory over the Paramaras. Jayasimha either renovated or rebuilt the
Rudra Mahalaya Temple The Rudra Mahalaya Temple, also known as Rudramal, is a destroyed/desecrated Hindu temple complex at Siddhpur in the Patan district of Gujarat, India. Its construction was started in 943 CE by Mularaja and completed in 1140 CE by Jayasimha S ...
at Siddhapura (modern Siddhpur). It was the greatest temple of his period, of which only some pillars, shrines and arches survives today. It was completed in 1142 CE. He renovated a lake built by his ancestor Durlabha in Patan, and named it Sahastralinga ("1000
linga A lingam ( , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. The word ''lingam'' is found in the Upanishads and epic literature, wher ...
s"). The lake was surrounded by 1008 small shrines, each of which housed a linga (symbols of Shiva). Jayasimha diverted the flow of the entire Saraswati River into the lake. Many artificial islands were created on which many temples, palaces, and gardens were built. On the banks of this lake were thousands of temples to Shiva. Apart from these, there were 108 temples to Devi, Yagnashala and Matha for pupils. Jayasimha invited 1001 Brahmans from
Varanasi Varanasi (, also Benares, Banaras ) or Kashi, is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.* * * * The city has a syncretic tradition of I ...
at the time of the renovation of Sahastralinga lake; their successors are known as Audichya Brahmin. There is a legend of
Jasma Odan Jasma Odan is a folk deity from medieval Gujarat about a woman who committed '' sati'' to protect her honor after her husband was murdered by Siddharaj Jaisinh, a king of Chaulukya dynasty. Legend Jasma was a wife of Rooda who was a pond digger ...
associated with the lake who had cursed Jayasimha to remain childless. According to Jain sources, he also built Siddhavihara at Siddhpur. The stepwell in Dhandhalpur is also ascribed to Jayasimha Siddharaja. His mother Mayanalladevi is credited for building lakes at
Viramgam Viramgam is a town and former princely state in the Indian state of Gujarat. The town is located in the Ahmedabad district, which contains the city of Ahmedabad, the state's largest city. Gateway Distriparks notably flagged off the first ex ...
and
Dholka Dholka is a city and municipality in the Ahmedabad District of the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the headquarters of Dholka Taluka, and is 48 km by road via National Highway 8A southwest of the city of Ahmedabad. Dholka has an average ...
. The Minal stepwell in Balej village in
Sabarkantha district Sabarkantha district is one of the 33 districts of Gujarat state of India, located in the Northeast India, northeastern part of the state. The administrative headquarters of the district are located in Himatnagar and the National Highway no. 48 pa ...
are ascribed to her and was built in 1095 CE. A stepwell in
Nadiad Nadiad is a city in the state of Gujarat, India and the administrative centre of the Kheda district. It is known for the Santram Mandir, the Mai Mandir,
and Minaldevi Vav in
Virpur Virpur may refer to the following places in the state of Gujarat, western India: * Virpur (Rajkot), in Rajkot district ** Virpur-Kherdi State, former Indian princely state with seat in the above town ** Virpur railway station * Virpur (Mahisagar), ...
in
Rajkot district Rajkot district is one of the 33 districts of the Indian state of Gujarat. Located in Saurashtra (region), Saurashtra peninsula, Rajkot city is the administrative headquarters of the district. It is the third-most advanced and the fourth-most po ...
are also ascribed to her and has stylistic affinities to Chaulukya architecture. The fort of
Jhinjhuwada Zinzuwada, also spelled Jhinjhuvada or Jhinjhuwada is a town in Dasada Taluka of Surendranagar district, Gujarat, India. History According to a legend the town was founded by Zanz Lambariya. He had advised Mayanalla Devi, wife of Chaulukya ...
with its well-carved gates as well as the five ''kund''s at
Sihor Sihor (Gujarati language, Gujarati: સિહોર ) is a town, a municipality in Bhavnagar district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Gujarat. Placed along the river Gautami, this erstwhile capital of the Gahlot, Gohil ...
were built during his period. Jayasimha patronized several Jain scholars, and the Jains occupied important positions in his kingdom. The Jain authors show him treating all the different religious communities impartially. According to
Hemachandra Hemacandra was a 12th century () Śvetāmbara Jaina acharya, ācārya, scholar, poet, mathematician, philosopher, yogi, wikt:grammarian, grammarian, Law, law theorist, historian, Lexicography, lexicographer, rhetorician, logician, and Prosody ...
's ''Dvyashrya-Kavya'', Jayasimha made arrangements for the maintenance of Jain monks, and also visited the shrine of
Neminatha Neminātha (Devanagari: नेमिनाथ) (Sanskrit: नेमिनाथः), also known as Nemi and Ariṣṭanemi (Devanagari: अरिष्टनेमि), is the twenty-second tirthankara of Jainism in the present age (). Nemina ...
on his way to Somanatha. The Jain chronicles state that Sajjana, the governor of Saurashtra, appropriated the state funds to build a temple of Neminatha. However, Jayasimha was so impressed by the temple's beauty that he forgave Sajjana. Some later Jain chronicles claim that Hemachandra convinced Jayasimha that Jainism was superior to Shaivism, and that the king banned animal slaughter for 8 days in each year. However, these stories are apocryphal in nature and were invented several centuries after Jayasimha's death. The 14th century chronicler
Merutunga Merutuṅga was a medieval scholar from present-day Gujarat in India and was a Śvētāmbara Jain monk of the Achal Gaccha. He is presently most well-known for his Sanskrit text, the '' Prabandhacintāmaṇi'', composed in 1306 CE. He also ...
states that Jayasimha once banned the Jain temples from hoisting their banners, but later revoked it, acknowledging it as a mistake. In Patan, Jayasimha built Rayavihara or Rajavihara, the great temple commemorating victory of Shwetambara Jain Acharya Vadi Devsuri over
Digambara ''Digambara'' (; "sky-clad") is one of the two major Jain schools and branches, schools of Jainism, the other being ''Śvetāmbara'' (white-clad). The Sanskrit word ''Digambara'' means "sky-clad", referring to their traditional monastic pract ...
Jain pontiff Kumudchandra. It was constructed under Minister Ashuka and consecrated in 1127 CE. His minister Udayana built Udayana-vasatika at
Khambhat Khambhat (, ), also known as Cambay, is a city and the surrounding urban agglomeration in Anand district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It was once an important trading center, but its harbour gradually silted up, and the maritime trade moved ...
mentioned by Kavi Dungara's ''Khambhayat-chaitya-paripati''. Minister Solaka built Solaka-vasati at Patan before 1112 CE. Another Shantinath Jain temple was built in Patan somewhere before 1125 CE. His minister and later governor of Sorath, Sajjana built Neminath temple on Mount
Girnar Girnar is an ancient hill in Junagadh, Gujarat, India. It is one of the holiest pilgrimages of Jains, where the 22nd Tirthankara, Tirthaṅkar, Lord Neminath attained omniscience, and later nirvana at its highest peak (''Neminath Shikhar''), ...
which was consecrated in 1129 CE according to Jinaprabha and other sources. Hemchandra also mentions his erection of Mahavira temple at Siddhpur which appears same as the Siddhavihara mentioned in ''Kumarapalapratibodha'' (1185 CE). It was also known as Rai-vihara. This ''chaturmukha'' temple was supervised by Minister Aliga and consecrated by Vadi Devasuri in 1142 CE. Later it was used as a model for Dharana-vihara temple at Ranakpur. Other temples mentioned are Ukesha-vasati (before 1109 CE) at Patan, Parshwanath temple (after 1118 CE) by Nittala Devi at Patadi, the Jain temple (1119 CE) at Patan by Dandanayaka Kapardi and installed by Jayasimhasuri,
Simandhara Simandhar or Simandhara is a ''Tīrthaṅkara'', an arihant, who is said to be currently living in another world in the Jain cosmological universe. Residence in Jain cosmology Simandhar resides at ''Mahavideh Kshetra'', another land within ...
temple (1119 CE) at
Dholka Dholka is a city and municipality in the Ahmedabad District of the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the headquarters of Dholka Taluka, and is 48 km by road via National Highway 8A southwest of the city of Ahmedabad. Dholka has an average ...
by Minister Udayana and installed by Vadi Devasuri,
Munisuvrata Munisuvrata or Munisuvratanatha (IAST: ) (Devanagari: मुनिसुव्रतनाथ) (Sanskrit: मुनिसुव्रतः) was the twentieth ''Tirthankara'' of the present half time cycle (''avasarpini'') in Jain cosmology. He ...
temple (1137 CE) at Dholka by Shreshthi Dhavala. The Neminatha temple at Kumbhariya was consecrated in 1137 CE by Vadi Devasuri. The Bhattarika Temple with Vinayaka-kulika at Gala in Saurashtra as well as Udaleshwara and Kurpaleshwara temples in Bhadravati (
Bhadreshwar Bhadresar or Bhadreshwar is a village in Mundra Taluka, Kutch district of Gujarat, India. It is about 27 km from Taluka headquarters Mundra and barely a kilometer away from the seashore. History Bhadreshwar is the site of the ancient cit ...
) were erected in 1137 CE. The Dahod inscription mentions Goga Narayan temple built by Senapati Keshava in memory of his mother in 1140 CE. Koka-vasati mentioned in ''Vividha-tirthakalpa'' as well as the Jain temple at Bhalej by Shreshti Yashodhana were built during this period. The extant temples of his period include Parshwanath Jain temple at Kumbhariya, Shrikrishna temple at Valam,
Jasmalnathji Mahadev Temple Jasmalnathji Mahadev Temple is a Hindu temple located at Asoda village in Vijapur Taluka, Mehsana district, Gujarat, India. It is locally known as Vaijnath Mahadev temple. The temple is dedicated to Shiva. The temple is built in the 12th century ...
at Asoda near
Vijapur Vijapur is a city and a municipality in the Mehsana district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Gujarat. Notables 1.Vijapur heritage sahi Eidgah mosque years 1602 , Vijapur 2.Vijapur is the birthplace of Jain monk Buddh ...
, Shitalamata temple at Piludra, small double shrine at Khandoran, the shrines at Munsar Lake at
Viramgam Viramgam is a town and former princely state in the Indian state of Gujarat. The town is located in the Ahmedabad district, which contains the city of Ahmedabad, the state's largest city. Gateway Distriparks notably flagged off the first ex ...
, two temples at Chaubari in Saurashtra, Chandramauli temple at Kamboi, the shrines in compound old Limboji Mata temple and some other shrines in and around Delmal, old Shiva temple at Ruhavi, the triple shrine at Kasara; many of them are in north Gujarat. Other temples include the best surviving Navlakha temple, Shiva shrine opposite it and a small Jain temple at Sejakpur as well as the Navlakha temple at Anandpur. Jayasimha extended his religious tolerance to
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
as well, and the Muslim historian
Muhammad Aufi Sadīd ud-Dīn Muhammad Ibn Muhammad 'Aufī Bukhārī (; ), also known under the laqab Nour ud-Dīn, was a Persian historian, philologist, and author. Biography Born in Bukhara, Aufi claimed descent from Abd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf (d. 654) a c ...
has recorded stories about his impartiality. During his rule,
Parsis The Parsis or Parsees () are a Zoroastrian ethnic group in the Indian subcontinent. They are descended from Persian refugees who migrated to the Indian subcontinent during and after the Arab-Islamic conquest of Iran in the 7th century, w ...
had incited some Hindus to destroy a mosque and kill eighty Muslims. A survivor then petitioned to Siddharāja, who then personally made an inquiry at Khambhat. Siddharaja declared it was his duty as king to let his subjects live in peace and practice their religion, and paid 1 lakh of Balotras to rebuild the mosque. According to a legend, a
da'i A da'i (, ) is generally someone who engages in Dawah, the act of inviting people to Islam. See also * Dawah * Da'i al-Mutlaq, 'the absolute (unrestricted) missionary' * Hujja * List of converts to Islam The following is a list of notabl ...
named Ahmad once took two Gujarati orphans (Abdullah and Nuruddin) to
Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
, trained them in the
Ismaili Ismailism () is a branch of Shia Islam. The Isma'ili () get their name from their acceptance of Imam Isma'il ibn Jafar as the appointed spiritual successor ( imām) to Ja'far al-Sadiq, wherein they differ from the Twelver Shia, who accept ...
doctrine, and sent them back to Gujarat as missionary. Abdullah laid the foundation of the
Bohra Bohra or Bora may refer to: Groups of people * Bohras, several groups in Tayyibi Isma'ilism *Alavi Bohras, a Tayyibi Isma'ili community in Gujarat, India *Dawoodi Bohra, a religious denomination within the Ismā'īlī branch of Shia Islam *Sulaym ...
community. According to the Bohra myths, Jayasimha sent an army to capture Abdullah, but Abdullah converted him to Islam by performing miracles and by exposing the purported miracles of Hindu
pandit A pandit (; ; also spelled pundit, pronounced ; abbreviated Pt. or Pdt.) is an individual with specialised knowledge or a teacher of any field of knowledge in Hinduism, particularly the Vedic scriptures, dharma, or Hindu philosophy; in colonial-e ...
s as fake. There is no evidence that Jayasimha ever gave up Shaivism, but several of the Bohra Walis and Da'i al-Mutlaqs claimed descent from him. These included Syedna Ismail, the 34th
Da'i al-Mutlaq (; pl. , ) is the most senior spiritual rank and office in Tayyibi Isma'ilism. The Da'i al-Mutlaq has headed the Tayyibi community since the occultation (Islam), seclusion of the 21st Tayyibi Imamate in Ismaili doctrine, Imam, at-Tayyib Abu'l-Q ...
. In another Ismaili tradition called
Satpanth Satpanth is a Sanskrit term, given to a diverse group of individuals who follow Pir Sadardin. Pir Sadardin Imamshah Bawa, was a Shia Ismaili Da'i who founded the Satpanth Tariqa around 600 years ago, and taught tolerance, perennialism and syncr ...
, it is claimed that Jayasimha was converted to their tradition by their allegedly the first leader, Pir Satgur Nur.


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Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * {{Chaulukya dynasty Kings of Gujarat 12th-century Indian monarchs Chaulukya dynasty 11th-century Indian monarchs 11th-century maharajadhirajas 12th-century maharajadhirajas