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Mlechchha dynasty

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(Redirected from Salasthamba dynasty) Medieval dynasty from Kamarupa, Assam For the ancient pejorative term for foreign people in India, see Mleccha.

Kamarupa KingdomMlechchha dynasty
650 CE–900 CE
Kamarupa MapKamarupa Map
CapitalHarruppesvar (present-day Tezpur)
Religion Shaktism, Polytheism
GovernmentMonarchy
Maharajadhiraja 
• c. 650 - c. 670 Salasthamba
• c. 815 – c. 832 Harjjaravarman
• c. 890 – c. 900 Tyagasimha
Historical eraClassical India
• Established 650 CE
• Disestablished 900 CE
Preceded by Succeeded by
Varman dynasty
Pala dynasty (Kamarupa)
Part of a series on the
History of Kamarupa
Ruling dynasties
Varman dynasty (350–650 CE)
Pushyavarman 350–374
Samudravarman 374–398
Balavarman 398–422
Kalyanavarman 422–446
Ganapativarman 446–470
Mahendravarman 470–494
Narayanavarman 494–518
Bhutivarman 518–542
Chandramukhavarman 542–566
Sthitavarman 566–590
Susthitavarman 590–595
Supratisthitavarman 595–600
Bhaskaravarman 600–650
Avantivarman Unknown
Mlechchha dynasty (650–900 CE)
Salasthamba 650–670
Vigrahastambha 670–680
Palaka 680–695
Kumara 695–710
Vajra 710–725
Harshavarman 725–745
Balavarman II 745–760
Salambha 795–815
Harjjaravarman 815–832
Vanamalavarman 832–855
Jayamala 855–860
Balavarman III 860–880
Tyagasimha 890–900
Pala Dynasty (900–1100 CE)
Brahma Pala 900–920
Ratna Pala 920–960
Indra Pala 960–990
Go Pala 990–1015
Harsha Pala 1015–1035
Dharma Pala 1035–1060
Jaya Pala 1075–1100
Part of a series on the
History of Assam
Proto-historic
Medieval
Late Medieval
Modern
Contemporary
Sources
Categories
Kamakhya Temple is the central shrine of Kamarupa

The Mlechchha dynasty (c. 650 - 900) ruled Kamarupa from their capital at Harruppesvar in present-day Tezpur, Assam, after the fall of the Varman dynasty. According to historical records, there were twenty one rulers in this dynasty, but the line is obscure and names of some intervening rulers are not known. Like all other Kamarupa dynasties a semi-mythical lineage from Narakasura was constructed to accord legitimacy to their rule. The Mlechchha dynasty in Kamarupa was followed by the Pala kings. The dynasty is unrelated to the previous Varman dynasty.

Sources

Salasthambha is first mentioned in an inscription 175 years into the rule of the dynasty.

The Hayunthal Copper Plates, dated to the middle of 9th Century CE, mentions multiple kings from the dynasty in a chronological fashion — Salastamba, Vijaya, Palaka, Kumara, Vajradeva, Harsavarman, Balavarman, , Harjaravarman, and Vanamala. The Tejpur Copper Plates (since lost), roughly dated to the same spans, primarily chronicles Vanamala — other rulers like Pralambha, and Harjaravarman are mentioned. The Parbatiya Copper Plates, again roughly dated to the middle of 9th Century CE, chronicles Vanamala.

Origins and etymology

It is not clear how Salasthambha, the first of this dynasty, came to power.

Suniti Kumar Chatterji as well Dineshchandra Sircar propose that Salastambha was a Bodo-Kachari chief of Mech, which was later sanskritized to Mleccha; an inscription from the reign of a king from the later Pala dynasty claims him to be a mlecchādhināth (Lord of The Mlecchas). An illegible explanation of theirs being called mlecchas was provided over the Hayunthal Plates, too. Symbolically, Mleccha designation could mean suppression of Vedic religion and the predominance of tantric vamacara practised by saivites and saktas. So, ethnic identity of Salastambha family could be same as Varmans but came to be known as mlecchas.

According to some historians, the remnant of the Mlechchha kingdom formed the later Kachari kingdom.

Rulers

The grants of Ratnapala give the list of 21 kings from Salastambha to his line.

  • Salastamba (650-670)
  • Vijaya alias Vigrahastambha
  • Palaka
  • Kumara
  • Vajradeva
  • Harshadeva alias Harshavarman (725-745)
  • Balavarman II
  • Jivaraja
  • Digleswaravarman
  • Pralambha
  • Harjjaravarman (815-832)
  • Vanamalavarmadeva (832-855)
  • Jayamala alias Virabahu (855-860)
  • Balavarman III (860-880)
  • Tyagasimha (890-900)

References

  1. (Shin 2010:8):"Along with the inscriptional and literary evidence, the archaeological remains of the Kamakhya temple, which stands on top of the Nilacala, testify that the Mlecchas gave a significant impetus to construct or reconstruct the Kamakhya temple."
  2. (Sen 1999:P.304)
  3. ^ (Ray 1931:242)
  4. Shin 2011, p. 183.
  5. (Shin 2016:127):"From a close reading of the royal genealogy, it is apparent that there was no unilineal development of dynasties and definite connection among them. In fact, the Mlecchas and the Pālas denied the validity of previous dynasty for claiming their own legitimacy and the character and identity of progenitor, Naraka, were continuously re-formulated according to the socio-political changes."
  6. (Sircar 1990:125)
  7. ^ Sharma 1978, pp. 89, 93.
  8. "(W)hen exactly Salasthambha occupied (the throne of Kamarupa) and under what circumstances cannot be determined in the present state of insufficient information." (Sircar 1990:122)
  9. (Chatterji 1951:97)The distinct mention of Sala-stambha as being a lord of the Mlecchas, as in the Bargaon copper-plate of the 19th century, would appear to make it clear that he was a Bodo chief of the Mèch tribe (Sanskritised as Mlēccha), who followed Bhaskara-varman in assuming the rulership of Assam
  10. (Shin 2011:178) According to D.C. Sircar, 'Mleccha' may be sanskritized form of tribal name 'mech'
  11. "Salasthambha is called mlecchādhinath or lord of the Mlecchas in Ratnapalal's grant of the first half of the 10th century." (Sircar 1990:124)
  12. Sharma 1978, p. 35.
  13. (Bhattacharjee 1992:393)
  14. Pralambha, read from the Tezpur plates, can be corrected to Salambha, in light of the Parbatiya plates, (Sarma 1978, p. 105) harv error: no target: CITEREFSarma1978 (help)

Bibliography

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