Chudasama dynasty

The Chudasama dynasty 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 Vamanasthali, and they were later classified among the Rajput clans. They claimed to be of Lunar race from which the deity Krishna sprung. The early history of the Chudasama dynasty is almost lost. The bardic legends differ very much in names, order and numbers and so are not considered reliable. Traditionally, the dynasty is said to have been founded in the late 9th century by Chudachandra. Subsequent rulers such as Graharipu, Navaghana and Khengara were in conflict with Chaulukya rulers Mularaja and Jayasimha Siddharaja. Thus they are mentioned in contemporary and later Jain chronicles. After the end of Chaulukya rule and that of their successor Vaghela dynasty, the Chudasamas continued to rule independently or as vassals of the successor states, the Delhi Sultanate and Gujarat Sultanate. The first known Chudasama ruler recorded in inscriptions was Mandalika I, during whose reign Gujarat was invaded by the Khalji dynasty of Delhi. The last king of the dynasty, Mandalika III, was defeated and forcibly converted to Islam in 1472 by Sultan Mahmud Begada, who also annexed the state. Chronology of Chudasama dynasty The Chudasama kings of Junagadh, Navaghana and Khengar, were described as Ahir Rana and Abhira Ranaka, Shepherd Kings, in Hemchandra's Dvyashraya and Merutunga's Prabandha-Chintamani. Several inscriptions link the Chudasamas to the legendary lunar dynasty; later inscriptions and the text Mandalika-Nripa-Charita link them to the Yadava family of the Hindu deity Krishna. For example, the inscriptions at Neminath Temple (c. VS 1510/c. 1454 CE) on Girnar describes them as being of Yadava origin. The Dhandusar inscription (VS 1445) says that the founder of the dynasty was Chudachandra. According to a legend, the father of Ra Chuda (that is, Chudachandra) was a Samma chief of Sindh; his mother was the sister of Wala Ram (c.