The Gahadavalas occupy a very important place in Indian history. They ruled for over a century (ad 1089-1097), over a vast region of North India, which extended from the western bank of Yamuna in the west to Patna, Monghyr and Bodh Gaya in Bihar in the east. It extended from the foothills of the Himalayas in the north to Baghelkhanda in Madhya Pradesh in the south.
The question of the inscriptions of the Gahadavalas and their times has been summarily dealt within the works on Indian Epigraphy and a few other writings, but so far there is no independent work dealing with the subject in scientific perspectives, and the present work aims at meeting this long-felt desideratum.
The present work is divided into two parts. The first part of the book is concerned with the studies, divided into seven chapters, dealing with the Gahadavala inscriptions, political history, administration, religion and society, dana and gift, and writer and engravers. The second part deals with the text of the inscriptions and facsimiles of some of them are given. In this collection there are 109 inscriptions in all, mostly copperplates issued by the Gahadavala kings of Varanasi and Kanauj. These have been arranged in three groups. The first group forms the inscriptions of the Imperial Gahadavalas. In the second group the inscriptions of the Feudatories and Minor Dynasties are listed. The third group forms miscellaneous inscriptions issued by private individuals.
The work would prove to be an indispensable source-book for the students of epigraphy and Indian history. Hopefully it would be found interesting and thought-provoking by discerning readers. |
