Bharuch

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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District Map of Bharuch

Bharuch (Hindi: भड़ूच),Gujarati: ભરૂચ) (Baroch) is a district in Gujarat in India.

Variants

• Bhadaunch भड़ौन्च दे. भृगुकच्छ (AS, p.654)
• Berigaja (बेरीगाजा) दे. Bhrigukachchha भृगुकच्छ (p.643)
• Bhrigukachchha भृगुकच्छ = Bhadaunch भड़ौंच, गुजरात, (AS, p.676)
• Bhrigurashtra भृगुराष्ट्र दे. Bharurashtra भरुराष्ट्र (AS, p.678)
• Bhrigupattana भृगुपत्तन = Bhrigukachchha भृगुकच्छ (भड़ौंच) (AS, p.678)
• Bharukachchha
• Bhragukutchh
• Bharakuccha, Bharukachha as found in the old inscriptions,
• Bhrigu Kaksha (the domain of Bhrigu, an ancient Indian sage),
• Bhroach, as well as Bhrauch.
• Barygaza, was called by the name of by Greeks/Romans.
• Broach - During the British Raj it was officially known as Broach.

• Bhrigukachchha (भृगुकच्छ) (Panini)
• Bhrigu-Kachha (भृगुकछ)
• Bhrigukachchha (भृगुकच्छ) - Jaina sources write it as Bhrigukachchha (भृगुकच्छ). This ancient port-city was associated with Jainism since pre-Christian times.As early as 2nd century AD two Buddhist monks were defeated in a debate by a shvetambar monk called Jinadeva, at this place.
• Po-lu-kie-che-po, or Barukachwa by Xuanzang in 640 AD

Location

Bharuch is a city at the mouth of the river Narmada in Gujarat in western India.

Tahsils in Bharuch district

• Ankleshwar,
• Hansot,
• Jambusar,
• Jhagadia,
• Amod,
• Valia
• Vagra

Mention by Panini

Bhrigukachchha (भृगुकच्छ) is mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi.

History

V. S. Agrawala writes that no examples of kachchha ending names found in Sutras and Patanjali, but there was a well known sea-port called Bhrigukachchha called Broach.

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Excavations near the banks of the river Narmada in Bharuch have revealed many archeological and architectural wonders, mostly temples. Later Bharuch was part of the Mauryan Empire (322–185 BC), the Western Satraps, the Guptas and the Gurjars. According to historical accounts, the kingdom with capital at Bhinmal (or Srimal) was established by the Gurjars (or Gujjars). The kingdom of Bharuch was the offshoot of this Kingdom.

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Bharuch is the oldest city of Gujarat. It is also the second-oldest city of India having continuous inhabitations, first being Kashi (Varanasi). Bharuch has a known history for about 8000 years. Bharuch was ruled over by too many emperors in the princely states era. Chandragupta Vikramaditya and other kings of the Gupta dynasty ruled over here up to 5th century and later it was ruled over by the kings of Gurjara tribe till 7th century. Solanki ancestry's great emperor Sidhdhraj Jaisinh had built up Kot (fortification) and darvaja (doors) around the whole Bharuch which was known as 'Malbari Darvaja'. These are renamed as 'Katopor Darvaja'and 'Zadeshwari darvaja' later. In the first half of 16th century, Bharuch was ruled over by Changez Khan. Then, Mughal king Humayu ruled over in 1534 AD.

BC era: Certainly by the 6th century BC, the city was known everywhere, and was readily accessible via land-sea routes reaching the Levant to the Arab and Ethiopian traders feeding goods westwards to the Egyptians, Greeks, Persians, Western Romans, Carthaginians, and eventually, the Eastern Roman Empires, and the Republic of Venice. It is likely even the Phoenicians knew of it and so it has acted since antiquity as a link port to the luxury goods trade from the Far East and the interior of the Indian sub-continent to the civilisations of South-west Asia, the Middle-East, the Mediterranean basin including Northern Africa and Europe.

During the Prarga–Maurya period in Gujarat, King Pradyot Mahaveer of the Pradyota dynasty of Ujjain ruled over Bhragukutchh in 550 BCE. He was a contemporary of Gautama Buddha. The Theragatha, part of the Pali Canon written down in Sri Lanka in the 1st century BC, mentions Vaddha Thera and Malitavamba Thera of Bharukaccha, as contemporaries of the Buddha, while the Therigatha of the same canon mentions Vaddhamta Theri of Bharukaccha. The ancient Sri Lankan chronicle, the Dipavamsa, mentions that the legendary king Vijaya stopped at Bharukaccha for three months c. 500 BC.

Excavations near the banks of the river Narmada in Bharuch have revealed many archaeological and architectural wonders, mostly temples. Later Bharuch was part of the Mauryan Empire (322–185 BC), the Western Satraps, the Guptas and the Gurjara-Pratiharas.

The Maurya period was between 322 and 185 BC. The post-Maurya period is mentioned between 185 BC and 23 AD. Princess of Sinhala, Sudarshana had built the Shakunika Vihara in the Bhragukutchh during the rule of Sampati (229–220 BC), and a Bharuch trader became responsible for the memories of the princess. This depicts trade relations between Laat and Ceylon.

It was known to the Greeks and Romans as Barygaza, and probably had a settlement of Greek traders. As one southern terminus of the Kamboja-Dvaravati Route, it is mentioned extensively as a major trading partner of the Roman world, in the 1st century Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. One of the Periploi describes numerous Greek buildings and fortifications in the area, although mistakenly attributing them to Alexander the Great who never reached this far south, as well as the circulation of Indo-Greek coinage in the region:

"The metropolis of this country is Minnagara, from which much cotton cloth is brought down to Barygaza. In these places there remain even to the present time signs of the expedition of Alexander, such as ancient shrines, walls of forts and great wells." Periplus, Chap. 41

"To the present day ancient Drachmae are current in Barygaza, coming from this country, bearing inscriptions in Greek letters, and the devices of those who reigned after Alexander the Great, Apollodotus and Menander." Periplus Chap. 47[10]

Kshatraya era (c. 23–400 AD): In the 1st century AD, kings of Shaka community established their rule in Gujarat. Nabhovaahan (Nahapana), the king of Bharukutchh was very prosperous. During the Kshatraya era Bharuch port was very prosperous. It was a gateway of trading through land and waters both routes. Like other ancient ports, trading of slaves also took place at the Bharuch port.

During the decade of 70–80 AD, coins of Greek writing were used in Bharuch. The activity region of Jain priest Arya Khapoot (1st century AD) was in the Aatapata region of Bharuch. He had released the Ashvaavabodh pilgrims in Bharuch out of the control of the Bauddhas.

King Nahapana (119 AD – 124 AD) of Kshatraya era: Seven caves have been discovered from Kadiyadungar near Jhajhapore, near Ankleshwar, of the Bharuch district. These caves seem as the Bauddha Vihaaras. It seems that they were sculpted in 1st or 2nd century.

Gupta era (c. 415–470 AD): During this time kings of Trekootaka dynasty ruled the north of the Konkan and south of the Laata. Trekootaka ruled over the Surat district but the border of their state could not be decided. In the lines of Daspur of the weavers of Laata (South Gujarat) it has been mentioned that Sun-Temple was built in 437.

Maitrak era (c. 470–788 AD): According to historical accounts, the kingdom with capital at Bhinmal (or Srimal) was established by the Gurjaras . The kingdom of Bharuch was the offshoot of this Kingdom.

It is known that in 540 AD which dynasty ruled over the Bharuch state in 540, a Mahasamant named Sangramsinh ruled over Bharukutchh, But nothing is known about the king. Chinese traveller Xuanzang crossed Narmada river in 640 AD and recorded that Bhrugukutch (Po Lu Ka Che Po) had around 10 Buddhist monasteries with around 300 monks. During this period Hakem Usmanbhai Hakem had attacked over Bharuch. In 648 AD, King Dhansen – four of Vallabhi had put winning camp in Bharukutchh. A Muslim traveller Al – Biladuri had written in his notes that in 713 – 714 AD.

Governor of Sindh, Hasam Bin Amru Tughlakhi came to Gandhar port by boat. He destroyed the idols and the temples and built Mosques in place of them in the time of 760 AD Arab Hakem Hisham of Sindh had attacked the Gandhar port near Bharuch. In the post Maitrak era during 788 – 942 AD Rashtrakuta kings of south Laata ruled over Bharuch.

Chaulukya era (942–1304 AD): In 942, Mularaja established the rule of Chaulukya (Solanki) dynasty in Anahilvaad Patan. Till this time the importance of Bharuch as the trade centre was continued. It was the capital of Laata region at the starting of the 11th century. It was the centre for the ships coming from China and Sindh in the 12th century minister Vastupala had established a library in Bharuch.

The Chakradhar Swami of Bharuch was during the era of Bhimdev 2nd. He established the Mahanubhava community which was spread in Maharashtra. One Madresa was built during the Solanki era in Bharuch.

Middle Ages era (1293–1872 AD): The middle era history of Bharuch district can be divided in three main parts, out of which, we can say that Sultanate era (1297–1572), Mughal era (1572–1736). Broach was a center of a prosperous merchant community, and was one of the chief ports of Gujarat from ancient times to the first half of the 16th century; the Portuguese had little contact with the port, until 1547 when Jorge de Menezes sacked Bharuch 1547, from which the city fell into insignificance. In the 17th century the Dutch and British made it a center of their cotton purchases in Gujarat,[12] and commercial warehouses were established in 1616 and 1618 by the British and Dutch (Valanda) respectively. After that, in 1675 and 1686, it was sacked by the Marathas. During this time period, Bharuch was handed over to Kutubuluddin. Mughal king Aurangzeb demolished the fortification and the fort in 1660 by attacking. Later on, he had built it again in 1686. In 1772, the Britishers again attacked on Bharuch with the help of 'Diwan Lallubhai' and they got succeed to take the power from 'Nawab Mojubb Khan'. Maratha era (1783–1802) were the eras of struggle. Bharuch was ruled by Delhi Sultanate for 94 years, Gujarat’s independent Sultanate for 181 years, Mughal Sultanate for 164 years, independent emirs for 36 years and Maratha rule for 19 years.

During these times, revenue was collected from Bharuch and hundreds of people, especially the rich people, were killed. Same way in the cities on the banks of river Kavi in Jambusar taluka there were many big and rich Muslim communities. They were mainly formed by the foreign traders.

As part of the Sultanate of Gujarat, it was subsequently annexed by the Mughals, and finally by the British. It is also situated near a small City called Halderva where two Islamic priests were found performing miracles.

On taking a bird’s eye view of the financial structure of the whole era of Gujarat’s sultanate, it can be seen that the area was cheaper and prosperous also when Akbar had won over Bharuch during Mughal era it had 12 Paraganas. The annual growth of all 559 City of the Bharuch, Hansot, Olpad, Mandvi, Galaa, Jambusar, Dahej, Koral, Ankleshwar and Tadakeshwar paraganas was Rs. 7.5 million. As given in the Tabakka – E – Akbari there is a description of severe draught and spread of contentious epidemic in Gujarat.

भरुकच्छ

विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर ने लेख किया है ...भरुकच्छ = भृगुकच्छ (AS, p.661) भड़ौंच का रूपांतरण है. महाभारत सभापर्व 51,10 में भरुकच्छ निवासियों का युधिष्ठिर की राजसभा में गांधार देश के बहुत से घोड़ों को भेंट में लेकर आने का वर्णन है--बलिं च कृत्सनमादाय भरुकच्छनिवासिन, उपनिन्युर्महाराज हयानमाघारदेशजान्' इसके आगे सभापर्व (51,10) समुद्रनिष्कुट प्रदेश के निवासियों का उल्लेख है. समुद्रनिष्कुट कच्छ का प्राचीन अभिधान था. इससे भरुकच्छ का भडौंच से अभिज्ञान पुष्ट हो जाता है. शूर्पारक जातक में भरुकच्छ को भरुराष्ट्र का मुख्य स्थान माना गया है. इस जातक में भरुकच्छ के समुद्र-व्यापारियों की साहसिक यात्राओं का वर्णन है. भरुकच्छ का उल्लेख (एक पाठ के अनुसार) रुद्रदामन् के गिरनार अभिलेख में है--'सुराष्ट्र श्वभ्रभरुकच्छ सिंधु सौवीर कुकुरापरान्त निषादादीनां...।'

भरुकच्छ - भृगुकच्छ

भड़ौंच नगर का प्राचीन नाम है। यहीं महर्षि भृगु का आश्रम था। भरूच प्राचीन काल में 'भरुकच्छ' या 'भृगुकच्छ' के नाम से प्रसिद्ध था। भरुकच्छ एक संस्कृत शब्द है, जिसका तात्पर्य ऊँचा तट प्रदेश है। भड़ौच प्राक् मौर्य काल का एक महत्त्वपूर्ण बन्दरगाह था। इसके बाद के कई सौ वर्षों तक इसका महत्त्व बना रहा और आज भी है। यूनानी भूगोलवेत्ता 'पेरिप्लस ऑफ द इरिथ्रियन सी' के लेखक टॉल्मी ने भरुकच्छ को बैरीगोजा कहा है। उसके अनुसार समुद्र से 3 मील दूर पर नर्मदा नदी के उत्तर की ओर स्थित बैरीगोजा एक बड़ा पुर था।

संदर्भ: भारतकोश-भृगुकच्छ

भरूच

भरूच गुजरात राज्य में स्थित एक ऐतिहासिक नगर है। भरूच प्राचीन काल में भरुकच्छ या भृगुकच्छ के नाम से प्रसिद्ध था। भरुकच्छ एक संस्कृत शब्द है, जिसका तात्पर्य ऊँचा तट प्रदेश है। भड़ौच प्राक् मौर्य काल का एक महत्त्वपूर्ण बन्दरगाह था, इसके बाद के कई सौ वर्षों तक महत्त्व बना रहा और आज भी है। यूनानी भूगोलवेत्ता पेरिप्लस ऑफ द इरिथ्रियन सी के लेखक टॉलमी ने भरुकच्छ को बैरीगोजा कहा है। उसके अनुसार समुद्र से 3 मील दूर पर नर्मदा नदी के उत्तर की ओर स्थित बैरीगोजा एक बड़ा पुर था।

रुद्रदामन के गिरनार अभिलेख (150 ई.) में भरुकच्छ का वर्णन है। जातक कथाओं में भरुकच्छ के समुद्र व्यापारियों की साहसिक यात्राओं का विशद् वर्णन है। दिव्यावदान के अनुसार भरुकच्छ घना बसा हुआ एक सम्पन्न नगर था। यह नगर समुद्री व्यापार एवं वाणिज्य का ईसा पूर्व से ही महत्त्वपूर्ण केन्द्र रहा। टॉलमी के अनुसार यह पश्चिमी भारत में व्यापार का सबसे बड़ा केन्द्र था। पाश्चात्य देशों वाले यहाँ से विलासिता के सामान ले जाते थे, जिनमें गंगा के निचले भागों की बनी सुन्दर मलमल भी थी। युवानच्वांग, जो सातवीं शताब्दी में यहाँ आया था, इसकी परिधि 2,400 या 2,500 ली बताई। यहाँ की भूमि लवणयुक्त थी। समुद्री जल को गरम करके नमक बनाया जाता था और लोगों की जीविका का आधार समुद्र था। उसने लिखा है कि यहाँ दस बौद्ध विहार थे, जिनमें महायान स्थविर सम्प्रदाय के 300 भिक्षु रहते थे।

पेरिप्लस में वर्णित है कि बन्दरगाह पर राजा के रनिवास के लिए सुन्दर स्त्रियाँ विदेशों से लायी जाती थीं। उम्मान और अपोलोगस से सोना और चांदी भड़ौंच लाई जाती थी। टिन, तांबा और सीसा भी विदेशों से भड़ौंच लाया जाता था। शीशे के बर्तन विदेशों से भड़ौंच ही लाए जाते थे। इसी ग्रंथ में यह उल्लेख है कि भृगुकच्छ के पास के समुद्र में ज्वार-भाटे के कारण कई नाविकों को भारी कठिनाइयों का सामना करना पड़ता था। यहाँ चीन और सिंध दोनों ओर से व्यापारिक जहाज़ आते थे।

यहाँ पर लगभग दस देव मन्दिर थे, जिनमें विविध सम्प्रदायों के मतावलम्बी रहते थे। मध्यकाल में भी भड़ौंच एक प्रमुख बन्दरगाह था।

संदर्भ: भारतकोश-भरूच

भरुराष्ट्र

विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर ने लेख किया है ...भरुराष्ट्र (AS, p.661) भृगुकच्छ या भड़ौन्च जनपद का नाम है. शूर्पारक-जातक में भरुरट्ठ (=भरुराष्ट्र) का नमोल्लेख इस प्रकार है-- 'अतीते भरुरट्ठे भरुराजा नाम रज्ज कारेसी, भरुकच्छ नाम पट्टनगामो अहोसी'-- अर्थात भरुराष्ट्र में भरुराजा राज करता था जिसकी राजधानी भरुकच्छ में थी. इस प्रदेश के समुद्रवणिकों की साहस यात्राओं का रोमांचकारी वृतांत शूर्पारक जातक में वर्णित है. (देखें भृगुकच्छ)

अग्निमाली

विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर ने लेख किया है ...अग्निमाली (AS, p.10) शूर्पारक-जातक में वर्णित एक सागर-'यथा अग्गीव सुरियो व समुद्दोपति दिस्सति, सुप्पारकं तं पुच्छाम समुद्दो कतमो अयंति। भरुकच्छापयातानं वणि-जानं धनेसिनं, नावाय विप्पनट्ठाय अग्गिमालीति वुच्चतीति।'

अर्थात् जिस तरह अग्नि या सूर्य दिखाई देता है वैसा ही यह समुद्र है; शूर्पारक, हम तुमसे पूछते हैं कि यह कौन-सा समुद्र है? भरुकच्छ से जहाज़ पर निकले हुए धनार्थी वणिकों को विदित हो कि यह अग्निमाली नामक समुद्र है।

इस प्रसंग के वर्णन से यह भी सूचित होता है कि उस समय के नाविकों के विचार में इस समुद्र से स्वर्ण की उत्पत्ति होती थी। अग्निमाली समुद्र कौन-सा था, यह कहना कठिन है। डॉ. मोतीचंद के अनुसार यह लालसागर या रेड सी का ही नाम है किंतु वास्तव में शूर्पारक-जातक का यह प्रसंग जिसमें क्षुरमाली, नलमाली, दधिमाली आदि अन्य समुद्रों के इसी प्रकार के वर्णन हैं, बहुत कुछ काल्पनिक तथा पूर्व-बुद्धकाल में देश-देशांतर घूमने वाले नाविकों की रोमांस-कथाओं पर आधारित प्रतीत होता है। भरुकच्छ या भडौंच से चल कर नाविक लोग चार मास तक समुद्र पर घूमने के पश्चात् इन समुद्रों तक पहुंचे थे। (दे. क्षुरमाली, बड़वामुख, दधिमाली, नलमाली, कुशमाल)

भृगुकच्छ = भड़ौंच (गुजरात)

विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर ने लेख किया है ...भृगुकच्छ = भड़ौंच (AS, p.676) गुजरात में खंभात की खाड़ी के निकट, और नर्मदा के दाहिने तट पर नदी के मुहाने से लगभग 30 मील दूर बसा है. किवदंती के अनुसार इस स्थान को जिसे शूर्पारकक्षेत्र भी कहा जाता था भृगु ऋषि ने बसाया था. सन् 60 से 210 ई. तक रोमन इतिहास लेखकों-- प्लिनी आदि ने इस व्यापारिक नगर को बेरीगाज़ा नाम से अभिहित किया है जो भृगुकच्छ का का ही लेटिन रूपांतर है.

पौराणिक कथा में यह वर्णित है की भृगु-वंशी परशुराम ने अपने परशु द्वारा इस स्थान से समुद्र को पीछे हटा कर इससे मनुष्यों के बसने योग्य बनाया था. नर्मदा के तट पर भृगु का मंदिर है और नदी तट पर लगभग 100 फुट से अधिक ऊंची पहाड़ी पर प्राचीन दुर्ग अवस्थित है. भृगुकच्छ को शूर्पारक जातक में भरुकच्छ कहा गया है और इसकी स्थिति भृगुराष्ट्र में बताई गई है तथा महाभारत में भी इसका भरुकच्छ नाम से उल्लेख है (देखें: भरुराष्ट्र, भरुकच्छ). शूर्पारक जातक में भरुकच्छ के वनिकों की अनजाने समुद्रों में साहस-यात्राओं का अनोखा [p.677]] और रोमांचकारी वर्णन है जिसमें, 'भरुकच्छापयातानं वणि-जानं धनेसिनं, नावाय विप्पनट्ठाय खुरमालीति वुच्चतीति।' (अर्थात भरुकच्छ से जहाज पर निकले हुए धनार्थी वनिकों को यह विदित हो कि इस समुद्र का नाम क्षुरमाली है) इस वर्णन के प्रसंग में भृगुकच्छ के पोत-वणिकों या समुद्र-व्यापारियों का बार-बार उल्लेख है. इसमें पांचवी-छठी सदी ई.पूर्व में भृगुकच्छ के बंदरगाह की एक व्यापारिक नगर के रूप में ख्याति प्रमाणित होती है. उस समय यह नगर समुद्र तट पर ही स्थित था. कालांतर में इसका बंदरगाह नर्मदा की लाई हुई मिट्टी से अंटकर बेकार हो गया.

भृगुपत्तन = भृगुकच्छ (भड़ौंच)

भृगुपत्तन = भृगुकच्छ (भड़ौंच) (AS, p.678): जैन तीर्थ माला चैत्यवंदन में उल्लिखित है 'श्री शत्रुंजय रैवताद्रिशिखर द्वीपे भृगो:पत्तने'.

रायसल

रायसल दीर्घ देह का बलशाली पुरुष था जिसने गढ़ गागरोन, भटनेर, नागौर, भडोंच, जूनागढ़, पाटन आदि के युद्ध में अपनी वीरता का प्रदर्शन किया था. शेखावतों में यह सबसे प्रबल सरदार था. बादशाह अनेकों मुहिमों पर इसे भेजा करता था. रायसल ने शेखावाटी के पास तोरावाटी प्रदेश के तंवरों को भी हराकर पहाड़ की कंदराओं में छुपने को बाध्य किया था.

In Mahabharata

Sabha Parva, Mahabharata/Book II Chapter 28 mentions Sahadeva's march towards south, kings and tribes defeated. Bharukachchha (भरुकच्छ) is mentioned in Mahabharata (2.28.50). .... the virtuous and intelligent 'son of Madri' (Sahadeva) having arrived at the sea-shore, then despatched with great assurance messengers unto the illustrious Vibhishana, the grandson of Pulastya....

Mention by Periplus

A map showing the ancient western trade routes serviced by this ancient and historical port. The gateway city of Bharakuccha is named on the map as Barigaza on the Gulf of Khambhat. The inhospitable mountains and deserts to the north of the Erythraean Sea suggests its importance in trade with ancient Axum, Egypt, Arabia and the sea-land trade routes via the Tigris-Euphrates valley and Ancient Rome.

Bharuch was called by the name of Barygaza by Greeks/Romans. North India also traded with western and southern nations via Ujjain and Bharuch. Trade with the Indian harbour of Barygaza is described extensively in the Periplus. Nahapana, ruler of the Indo-Scythian Western Satraps is mentioned under the name Nambanus,as ruler of the area around Barigaza:

41. "Beyond the gulf of Baraca is that of Barygaza and the coast of the country of Ariaca, which is the beginning of the Kingdom of Nambanus and of all India. That part of it lying inland and adjoining Scythia is called Abiria, but the coast is called Syrastrene. It is a fertile country, yielding wheat and rice and sesame oil and clarified butter, cotton and the Indian cloths made therefrom, of the coarser sorts. Very many cattle are pastured there, and the men are of great stature and black in color. The metropolis of this country is Minnagara, from which much cotton cloth is brought down to Barygaza."

—Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, Chap. 41[10]

Gurjara-Pratiharas of Bharuch (580-738 CE)

List of rulers

• Dadda I. (585–605 CE)
• Jayabhaṭa I. Vītarāga, (605–620 CE)
• Dadda II. Praśāntarāga, (620–650 CE)
• Jayabhaṭa II. (650–675 CE)
• Dadda III. Bāhusahāya, (675–690 CE)
• Jayabhaṭa III. (690–710 CE)
• Ahirole (710–720 CE)
• Jayabhaṭa IV (720–737 CE)

The Gurjaras of Lata, also known as Gurjaras of Nandipuri or Bharuch Gurjaras, were a dynasty which ruled Lata region (now South Gujarat, India) as a feudatory of different dynasties from c. 580 CE to c. 738 CE.

Sources of information: All the available information regarding the Bharuch Gurjaras comes from copperplates, all obtained from South Gujarat. Like the grants of the contemporary Chalukyas all the genuine copperplates are dated in the Traikúṭaka era which begins in 249–50 CE. The Gurjara capital seems to have been Nāndīpurī or Nāndor, the modern Nandod near Bharuch. Two of their grants issue Nāndīpurītaḥ that is 'from Nāndīpurī’, a phrase which seems to show the place named was the capital since in other Gurjara grants the word vāsaka or camp occurs.

Rule

These copperplates limit the regular Gurjara territory to the Bharuch district between the Mahi and the Narmada rivers, though at times their power extended north to Kheḍā and south to the Tāpti river.

Though the Gurjaras held a considerable territory in South Gujarat their plates seem to show they were not independent rulers. The general titles are either Samadhigata-panchamahāśabada 'He who has attained the five great titles,’ or Sāmanta Feudatory. In one instance Jayabhaṭa III who was probably a powerful ruler is called Sāmantādhipati Lord of Feudatories. It is hard to say to what suzerain these Bharuch Gurjaras acknowledged fealty. Latterly they seem to have accepted the Chalukyas on the south as their overlords. But during the greater part of their existence they may have been feudatory of the Maitraka dynasty.

History

The origin of dynasty is not known. They probably originated from the neighboring dynasty, Gurjaras of Mandor or Bhinmal.

Early history

A grant made by Nirihullaka, the chieftain of a forest tribe in the lower valley of the Narmada, shows that towards the end of the sixth century CE that region was occupied by forest tribes who acknowledged the supremacy of the Kalachuri dynasty; a fact which accounts for the use of the Chedi or Traikúṭaka era in South Gujarāt. Nirihullaka names with respect a king Śaṅkaraṇa, identified with Śaṅkaragaṇa (r. c. 575-600 CE) of Kalachuri dynasty and the Gurjara conquest must be subsequent to this date. Another grant, which is only a fragment and contains no king's name, but which on the ground of date (Samvat 346 = 594–5 CE) and style may be safely attributed to the Gurjara dynasty, shows that the Gurjaras were established in the country within a few years of Śaṅkaragaṇa's probable date.

A still nearer approximation to the date of the Gurjara conquest is suggested by the change in the titles of Dharasena I of Maitraka dynasty, who in his grants of Saṃvat 252 (571 CE) calls himself Mahārāja, while in his grants of 269 and 270 (588 and 589 CE), he adds the title of Mahāsāmanta, which points to subjection by some foreign power between 571 and 588 CE. It seems highly probable that this power was that of the Gurjaras of Bhīnmāl; and that their successes therefore took place between 580 and 588 CE or about 585 CE.

Dadda I

The above-mentioned anonymous grant of the year 346 (CE 594–95) from Sankheda is ascribed with great probability to Dadda I. who is known from the two Kheḍā grants of his grandson Dadda II. (C. 620–650 CE) to have uprooted the Nāga who may be the same as the forest tribes ruled by Nirihullaka (possibly later represented by the Nāikdās of the Panchmahāls and the Talabdas or Locals of Bharuch).

The northern limit of Dadda's kingdom seems to have been the Vindhya, as the grant of 380 (CE 628–29) says that the lands lying around the feet of the Vindhya were for his pleasure. At the same time it appears that part at least of Northern Gujarāt was ruled by the Mahāsāmanta Dharasena of Maitraka dynasty, who in Val. 270 (589–90 CE) granted a village in the āhāra (province) of Kheṭaka (Kheḍā). Dadda is always spoken of as the Sāmanta, which shows that while he lived his territory remained a part of the Gurjara kingdom of Bhīnmāl. Subsequently, North Gujarāt fell into the hands of the Mālava kings, to whom it belonged in Hiuen Tsiang’s time (c. 640 CE). In Tsiang's accounts, Po-lu-ka-cha-po (Bharigukacchapa or Bhrigukaccha, i.e., Bharuch) is mentioned. Dadda I is mentioned in the two Kheḍā grants of his grandson as a worshipper of the sun: the fragmentary grant of 346 (594–95 CE) which is attributed to him gives no historical details.

Jayabhata I

Dadda I was succeeded by his son Jayabhaṭa I who is mentioned in the Kheḍā grants as a victorious and virtuous ruler, and appears from his title of Vītarāga the Passionless to have been a religious prince.

Dadda II

Jayabhaṭa I was succeeded by his son Dadda II who bore the title of Praśāntarāga, the Passion-calmed. Dadda was the donor of the two Kheḍā grants of 380 (628–29 CE) and 385 (633–34 CE), and a part of a grant made by his brother Raṇagraha in the year 391 (639–40 CE) has been recorded. Both of the Kheḍā grants relate to the gift of the village of Sirīshapadraka (Sisodra) in the Akrúreśvara (Ankleshwar) vishaya to certain Brāhmans of Jambusar and Bharuch. In Raṇagraha's grant the name of the village is lost.

Dadda II’s own grants describe him as having attained the five great titles, and praise him in general terms: and both he and his brother Raṇagraha sign their grants as devout worshipers of the sun. Dadda II heads the genealogy in the later grant of 456 (704–5 CE), which states that he protected "the lord of Valabhi [Dhruvasena II] who had been defeated by the great lord the illustrious Harshadeva." The event referred to must have been some expedition of Harsha of Kanauj (Vardhana dynasty) (607–648 CE), perhaps the campaign in which Harsha was defeated on the Narmada by Pulakeshin II of Chalukya dynasty (which took place before 634 CE). The protection given to the Valabhi king is perhaps referred to in the Kheḍā grants in the mention of "strangers and suppliants and people in distress." If this is the case the defeat of Valabhi took place before 628–29 CE, the date of the earlier of the Kheḍā grants. On the other hand, the phrase quoted is by no means decisive, and the fact that in Hiuen Tsiang's time Dhruvasena II of Valabhi was son-in-law of Harsha's son, makes it unlikely that Harsha should have been at war with him. It follows that the expedition referred to may have taken place in the reign of Dharasena IV who may have been the son of Dhruvasena by another wife than Harsha's granddaughter.

To Dadda II's reign belongs Hiuen Tsiang's notice of the kingdom of Bharuch (C. 640 CE). He says "all their profit is from the sea" and describes the country as salt and barren, which is still true of large tracts in the west and twelve hundred years ago was probably the condition of a much larger area than at present. Hiuen Tsiang does not say that Broach was subject to any other kingdom, but it is clear from the fact that Dadda bore the five great titles that he was a mere feudatory. At this period the valuable port of Bharuch, from which all their profit was made, was a prize fought for by all the neighbouring powers. With the surrounding country of Lāṭa, Bharuch submitted to Pulakeśin II. (610–640 CE), it may afterwards have fallen to the Mālawa kings, to whom in Hiuen Tsiang's time (640 CE) both Kheḍā (K’i.e.-ch’a) and Ánandapura (Vadnagar) belonged; later it was subject to Valabhi, as Dharasena IV made a grant at Bharuch in VS 330 (649–50 CE).

The knowledge of the later Gurjaras is derived exclusively from two grants of Jayabhaṭa III dated respectively 456 (704–5 CE) and 486 (734–5 CE). The later of these two grants is imperfect, only the last plate having been preserved. The earlier grant of 456 (704–5 CE) shows that during the half century following the reign of Dadda II the dynasty had ceased to call themselves Gurjaras, and had adopted a Purāṇic pedigree traced from Karna of Mahabharata. It also shows that from Dadda III onward the family were Śaivas instead of sun-worshipers.

Jayabhata II

The successor of Dadda II was his son Jayabhaṭa II who is described as a warlike prince, but of whom no historical details are recorded.

Dadda III

Jayabhaṭa's son, Dadda III Bāhusahāya is described as waging wars with the great kings of the east and of the west (probably Mālava and Valabhi). He had received title of Bāhusahāya to for showing valour of his arms in fights with suzerain of east and west. He was Śaiva. Like his predecessors, Dadda III was not an independent ruler. He could claim only the five great titles, though no hint is given who was his suzerain. His immediate superior may have been Jayasimhavarma, who received the province of Lāṭa from his brother Vikramaditya I of Chalukya dynasty. During his rule Jayasimhavarma had defeated Vajjada between Mahi and Narmada rivers. Vajjada may be another name of Dadda III or another king of that name had invaded his state and was defeated by Jayasimhavarma.

Jayabhata III

The son and successor of Dadda III was Jayabhaṭa III whose two grants of 456 (704–5 CE) and 486 (734–5 CE)[22] must belong respectively to the beginning and the end of his reign. He attained the five great titles, and was therefore a feudatory, probably of the Chālukyas: but his title of Mahāsāmantādhipati implies that he was a chief of importance. He is praised in vague terms, but the only historical event mentioned in his grants is a defeat of a Maitraka ruler of Valabhi, noted in the grant of 486 (734–5 CE). The Maitraka king referred to must be Śīlāditya IV (691 CE).

Ahirole

Jayabhata III was succeeded by Ahirole. He ruled till c. 720 CE.

Jayabhata IV

Ahirole's son Jayabhata IV's copperplate states that he defeated the Arabs fighting for the Umayyad Caliphate at Valabhi, the capital of his probable overlords, the Maitrakas, in the year 735-36 CE. He assumed title of Mahasamanradhipati. He must be feudatory of Maitraka ruler Shiladitya IV or Shiladitya V as he had helped his suzerain Maitrakas in battle. Majumdar had suggested that he may have helped as a feudatory of Chalukyas.Bharuch may have finally destroyed by the Arabs and the Gurjara principality overtaken by them. The Arab were severely defeated and repulsed by Chalukya governor Avanijanashraya Pulakeshin in 738-39 at Navsari. He may have annexed the Gurjara kingdom to the Chalukya territory after evicting the Arabs. Alternatively, the state may have been absorbed under Dantidurga of Rashtrakuta dynasty.[2][16]

Religion

The rulers till Dadda III were worshipers of Surya (sun) but after Dadda III they are identified as Shaiva. Jayabhata I and Dadda II, are given the epithets 'Vitarāga' and 'Prasāntarāga’ in their grants—words which indicate that they may have patronized Jainism though they themselves were not converts.

प्रतिहारों की भृगुकच्छ शाखा भड़ौच

डॉ. अनुपम सिंह ने लिखा है....

प्रतिहारों की भृगुकच्छ शाखा भड़ौच: नौसेरी ताम्रपत्र के अनुसार प्रतिहारों की भृगुकच्छ (भड़ौच) शाखा का संस्थापक द्दद प्रथम था. उसने लगभग 580 - 605 ई तक राज्य किया. इस शाखा के शासको को सामंत कहा गया है. भृगुकच्छ शाखा के दद्द प्रथम का शासन काल हरिश्चंद्र का समकालीन है. प्रतीत होता है कि हरिचंद्र के पुत्र रज्जिल ने अपने अनुज दद्द को भड़ौच में बलभी तथा चालुक्यों के आक्रमणों को रोकने के लिए अपने सामंत के रूप में नियुक्त किया. रज्जिल का अनुज द्दद प्रथम ही वास्तव में भृगुकच्छ शाखा का संस्थापक था. दद्द प्रथम के बाद जयभट्ट प्रथम (605-629) में गुजरात काठियावाड़ में बल्लभी सेनाओं को पराजित किया. जयभट्ट प्रथम के उत्तराधिकारी दद्द द्वितीय को लगभग (629-654) को चालुक्य पुलकेशिन द्वितीय ने से युद्ध करना पड़ा. उसने बल्लभी नरेश ध्रुवासेन द्वितीय तथा धारसेन चतुर्थ को संकट काल में शरण दी थी. इसके उत्तराधिकारी जयभट्ट द्वितीय को चालुक्य शासक जयसिंह वर्मा ने पराजित किया था. जय भट्ट द्वितीय के उपरांत क्रमशः दद्द तृतीय और जयभट्ट तृतीय गद्दी पर बैठे. अंतिम शासक जयभट्ट तृतीय बल्लभी पर आक्रमण करने वाले अरबों के विरुद्ध बल्भी नरेश शिलादित्य पंचम की सहायता 734 ईस्वी में की. किंतु अरबों ने दोनों राजाओं की सम्मिलित शक्ति को पराजित किया. इस घटना के बाद गुर्जरों की इस शाखा का अस्तित्व समाप्त हो गया.

Broach dynasty of the Chauhans

Chauhans of Bharuch

Reference - This sectionis mainly from "Early Chauhan Dynasties" by Dasharatha Sharma, pp. 15-19

To the Chauhans of Broach belongs the earliest of the Chauhan inscriptions discovered so far, viz., the Hansot Plates of V. 813=756 A.D. which refer themselves to the reign of the illustrious Nagavaloka and record the gift of a village in the Akruresvaravishaya (modern Ankalesvar taluka) by Bhartrivaddha II, the Chauhan chief of Bhrigukachchha.

The donor's genealogy has been given as follows:-

In the Chauhan family:-

Rajan Maheshvaradama (राजन महेश्वरदाम)

↓

Bhimadama (भीमदाम)

↓

Bhartrivaddha I (भर्तृवड़्ढा I)

↓

Paramamaheshvara Haradama (परममहेश्वर हरदाम)

↓

Dhrubhatadeva (ध्रुभटदेव)

Paramamaheshvara-samadhigatapanchamahashabda-mahasamantadhipati

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Bhartrivaddha II (भर्तृवड़्ढा II)

It is obvious from the donor's titles that he was a feudatory of Nagavaloka (Nagabhata I of the Imperial Prathihara dynasty) to whose reign the grant has been referred. That the termination avaloka was not confined to the Rashtrakutas is shown by Nagabhata II of the Imperial Pratihara dynasty being called Nagavaloka in the Pratihari inscription of Parabala (EI, IX. pp. 252ff) and the Harsha inscription of Vigraharaja II of Shakambhari and in the Prabhavakacharita (p.109 of Nirnayasagar Edition, Bombay). The five members of Bhartrvaddha II's family, who preceded him, have been given a good deal of conventional praise. But as the first of them bears merely the colourless title rajan and the others do not enjoy even this distinction, they probably were no more than petty chieftain. Broach, at least, could not have been under them, for we find the Gurjara ruler Jayabhata III ruling there up to 736 A.D. Bhartrivaddha II was, probably, the first Chauhan ruler of Lata, and his rise to power was, in all likelihood, due to the incursions of Junaid, the Governor of Sind under Caliph Hisham (724-743 A.D.), whose armies are known to have raided Broach, and advanced even further to the south towards Nausari where their further progress was barred by strong Chalukya forces led by Avanijanasraya Pulakeshin of Lata. The Arabs retired from there. But we hear no more after this of the Gurjara kingdom of Broach. Its place was taken, perhaps, immediately, or shortly after, by the principality founded by the Chauhan chief Bhartrivaddha II who is believed to have been related in some way or other to the rulers of Valabhi and was, one might reasonably feel sure, helped in rising to this new dignity by his overlord Nagabhata I, the Gwalior inscription of whose descendant Mihira Bhoja [EI XVIII, pp. 107ff.] describes him (Nagabhata I) as a defeater of the big army of the lord of Mlechchhas.[Ibid., Verse-4] The destruction of the Gurjara kingdom of Broach took place somewhere between 736 A.D., the last date known for Jayaabhata III, and 738 A.D., the year of Pulakeshin's Nausari grant mentioned above. Bhartrivaddha II's principality must, therefore, have come into existence between this slightly uncertain date and 756 A.D., the year of the Hansot Plates. Tammim, the successor of Junaid, is known to have been a weak Governor during whose time the Arabs had to retire from many places that they had previously occupied. Broach was obviously one of the places they had to be evacuated. We have no information about the successors of Bhartrivaddha II. Probably the dynasty ended with him, because within one year of his Hansot Plates we find the Rashtrakuta Governor Kakka II granting lands to a brahmana from Jambusar which is not more than 25 miles or so from Bhrigukachchha. The Ellora Dashavatara inscription ascribes some victories in Lata to Dantidurga, the founder of the Rashtrakuta line of the Deccan. As he was a contemporary of Bhartrivaddha II, both the establishment of the governorship of Kakka Rashtrakuta in Gujarat and the disappearance of the Lata kingdom of the Chauhans within the short period intervening between the Hansot and Antroli-Chharoli grants may be ascribed to the brilliant military achievements of Dantidurga.

Later Chauhans of Bhrigukachha.

Nearly four centuries later, we once more come across a Chauhan dynasty ruling in this tract with its headquarters at Broach. A little before V. 1279, the important port of Cambay also had belonged to it. It had been in the bhukti of the Sindhuraja, the younger brother of Simha, the Chauhan ruler of Broach, and had been captured by Lavanyaprasada Vaghela of Dholka as the result of a battle in which the Chauhan forces had been decisively beaten. And then closely in the wake of this event had followed another defeat. Simhana, the Yadava ruler of Devagiri, slew Sindhuraja on the banks of the Narmada and put his son Sankha into captivity. But for the help of their erstwhile enemy Lavanyaprasada who not liking any increase in the power of his rival Simhana came to the Chauhans' rescue while their professed ally Devapala of Malwa hung back for sheer fear, Bhrgukachchha and its adjoining territories would have passed into the hands of the Yadavas. This act of political generosity turned Simha, the Chauhan ruler of Broach, into a friend of Lavanyaprasada. But Simha does not appear to have lived long after this event. About V. 1280, he was succeeded by his nephew Sankha who had been released from Yadava captivity with a view, perhaps, to fomenting trouble against Chalukyas.

Jayatsimha Sankha probably lost Broach soon after his second fight for we find it being ruled in V. 1298-1241 A.D. by Vastupala's nephew Lavanyasimha. The Broach dynasty of the Chauhans thus most probably ended with Sankha.

Sankha was a well-known warrior and obviously a good diplomat. His attacks on the Vaghelas were well-timed, though they miscarried, because he had insufficient resources at his command and could not, with his position as a mahamandelaleshvara, direct the policy of stronger and more influential rulers like Devapala. His was not, at least, an inglorious failure.

The relationship between the family of Sankha and Bhartrivaddha II is unknown. But it is not unlikely, as surmised by Dr. H.C. Ray, that they might have been related, for both are known to have belonged to Broach.

Visit by Xuanzang in 640 AD

Alexander Cunningham writes that In the seventh century the district of Po-lu-kie-che-po, or Barukachwa, was from 2400 to 2500 li, or from 400 to 417 miles, in circuit; and its chief city was on the bank of the Nai-mo-tho, or Narmmada river, and close to the sea. With these data it is easy to identify

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[p.327]: the capital with the well-known seaport town of Bharoch, under its Sanskrit name of Bhrigu-Kachha as written by the Brahmans, or Bharukachha as found in the old inscriptions. The latter was no doubt the more usual form, as it is almost literally preserved in the ΒαρύΎαξα of Ptolomy, and the 'Periplus'. From Hwen Thsang's measurement of its circuit, the limits of the district may be determined approximately as extending from the Mahi river on the north, to Daman on the south, and from the Gulf of Khambay on the west to the Sahyadari mountains on the east.

According to the text of Hwen Thsang, Bharoch and Balabhi were in Southern India, and Surashtra in "Western India ; but as he places Malwa in Southern India, and Ujain in Central India, I look upon these assignments as so many additional proofs of the confusion which I have already noticed in the narrative of his travels in Western India. I would therefore assign both Balabhi and Bharoch to Western India, as they formed part of the great province of Surashtra. The correctness of this assignment is confirmed by the author of the 'Periplus,' who notes that below Barygaza the coast turns to the south, whence that region is named Dakhinabades, as the natives call the south Dakhanos.

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