Tomara dynasty

Tomara dynasty
9th century–12th century
Capital		Not specified
Government		Monarchy
History
•	Established	9th century
•	Disestablished	12th century
Succeeded by Chahamanas of Shakambhari
Today part of		India

The Tomara were an Indian dynasty who ruled parts of present-day Delhi and Haryana during 9th-12th century. Much of the information about them comes from medieval bardic legends, which are not historically reliable. They were displaced by the Chahamanas (Chauhans) in 12th century.

Territory

Location of Haryana in present-day India

The Tomara territory included parts of the present-day Delhi and Haryana.^[1] A 13th century inscription states that the Tomaras ruled the Hariyanaka (Haryana) country before the Chauhans and the Shakas (the Muslims). A 14th century inscription states that they built the Dhillika (Delhi) city in the Hariyana (Haryana) country, and that their rule was followed by that of the Chahamanas (Chauhans) and the mlechchha Sahavadina (Shihab ad-Din).^[2]

History

The Tomaras are known from some inscriptions and coins. However, much of the information about the dynasty comes from medieval bardic legends, which are not historically reliable. Because of this, the reconstruction of the Tomara history is difficult.^[2]

As feudatories

The earliest extant historical reference to the Tomaras occurs in the Pehowa inscription issued during the reign of the Pratihara king Mahendrapala I (r. c. 885-910 CE).^[3] This undated inscription states that Jaula of the Tomara family became prosperous by serving an unnamed king. His descendants included Vajrata, Jajjuka, and Gogga. The inscription suggests that Gogga was a vassal of Mahendrapala I. It records the construction of three Vishnu temples by Gogga and his step-brothers Purna-raja and Deva-raja. The temples were located at Prithudaka (IAST: Pṛthūdaka; Pehowa), on the banks of the river Sarasvati.^[4]

No information is available about the immediate successors of Gogga.^[5]

As sovereigns

As the Pratihara power declined, the Tomaras established a sovereign principality around Delhi by the 10th century.^[6] The medieval bardic literature names the dynasty as "Tuar", and classifies them as one of the 36 Rajput clans.^[2] According to the bardic tradition, the dynasty's founder Anangapal Tuar (that is Anangapala I Tomara) founded Delhi in 736 CE.^[3] However, the authenticity of this claim is doubtful.^[2] A 1526 CE source names the successors of Anangapala as Tejapala, Madanapala, Kritapala, Lakhanapala and Prithvipala. The Dravya-Pariksha (1318 CE) of Thakkura Pheru mentions the coins of Madanapala, Prithvipala and another ruler, Chahadapala.^[7]

Soon after gaining independence, the Tomaras became involved in conflicts with their neighbours, the Chahamanas of Shakambhari. According to a 973 CE inscription of the Chahamana king Vigraharaja II, his ancestor Chandana (c. 900 CE) killed the Tomara chief Rudrena (or Rudra) in a battle.^[6] The Harsha stone inscription states that Chandana's descendant Simharaja (c. 944-971 CE) defeated a Tomara leader called Lavana or Salavana. Historian R. B. Singh identifies the defeated ruler as Tejapala.^[8] Another fragmentary Chahamana prashasti (eulogistic inscription), now at the Ajmer museum, mentions that the Chahamana king Arnoraja invaded the Haritanaka country. This country is identified with the Tomara territory. According to the inscription, Arnoraja's army rendered the waters of the Kalindi river (Yamuna) muddy and the women of Hartinaka tearful.^[9]

The writings of the medieval Muslim historians suggest that a king named Mahipala was ruling Delhi in the 11th century. Although these medieval historians do not mention the dynasty of this king, he is identified as a Tomara ruler by some modern historians. Some coins featuring crude depictions of a horseman and a bull, and bearing the name "Mahipala", have been attributed to this king. These coins are similar to those of Mawdud of Ghazni (r. 1041-50 CE), confirming that Mahipala must have ruled in the 11th century. The horseman-and-bull were a characteristic of the Kabul Shahi coinage; Mawdud probably adopted this style after capturing the Shahi territories. Mahipala probably imitated the same style after capturing Hansi and Thaneshvara regions from Mawdud. Some fragmentary Tomara inscriptions have been discovered from Mahipalpur near Delhi. Historian Y. D. Sharma theorizes that Mahipala established a new capital at Mahipalapura (now Mahipialpur).^[10]

The construction of the Suraj Kund is attributed to a Tomara king

The Suraj Kund reservoir is said to have been commissioned by a Tomara king named Surajpala.^[11]

Multiple Tomara kings seem to have shared the name "Anangapala" (IAST: Anaṅgapāla). One of these is said to have established the Lal Kot citadel in the Mehrauli area. The construction of the Anang Tal tank and the Anangpur Dam is also attributed to him.^[11] His coins also feature the horseman-and-bull figure, and bear the title "Shri Samanta-deva". These coins are very similar to those of the Shakambhari Chahamana kings Someshvara and Prithviraja III, indicating that Anangapala was a contemporary of these 12th century kings.^[12] One of the several inscriptions on the Iron Pillar of Delhi mentions Anangapala. A medieval legend mentioned in a copy of Prithviraj Raso mentions a legend about the pillar: a Brahmin once told Anangapala (alias Bilan Deo) that the base of the pillar rested on the head of the Vasuki serpent, and that his rule would last as long as the pillar stood upright. Out of curiosity, Anangapala dug out the pillar, only to find it smeared with the blood of Vasuki. Realizing his mistake, the king ordered it to be re-instated, but it remained loose ("dhili"). Because of this, the area came to be known as "Dhilli" (modern Delhi). This legend is obviously a myth.^[11]

Decline

The bardic legends state that the last Tomara king, Anangpal Tomar (also known as Anangapala), handed over the throne of Delhi to his son-in-law Prithviraj Chauhan (Prithviraja III of the Chahamana dynasty of Shakambhari; r. c. 1179-1192 CE). However, this claim is not correct: the historical evidence shows that Prithviraj inherited Delhi from his father Someshvara.^[2] According to the Bijolia inscription of Someshvara, his brother Vigraharaja IV had captured Dhillika (Delhi) and Ashika (Hansi). He probably defeated the Tomara ruler Anangapala III.^[13]

List of rulers

Various historical texts provide different lists of the Tomara kings:^[14]

• Kharg Rai's history of Gwalior (Gopācala ākhyāna) names 18 Tomara kings, plus Prithvi Pala (who is probably the Chahamana king Prithviraja III). According to Kharg Rai, Delhi was originally ruled by the legendary king Vikramaditya. It was deserted for 792 years after his death, until Bilan Dev of Tomara dynasty re-established the city (in 736 CE).
• The Kumaon-Garhwal manuscript names only 15 rulers of "Toar" dynasty, and dates the beginning of their rule to 789 CE (846 Vikram Samvat).
• Abul Fazl's Ain-i-Akbari (Bikaner manuscript, edited by Syed Ahmad Khan) names 19 Tomara kings. It places the first Tomara king in 372 CE (429 Vikram Samvat). It might be possible that the era mentioned in the original source used by Abul Fazl was Vallabhi Era (Gupta Era), which starts from 318 CE; Abul Fazl might have mistaken this era to be Vikrama Samvat. If this is true, then the first Tomara king can be dated to 747 CE (429+318), which is better aligned with the other sources.

As stated earlier, the historians doubt the claim that the Tomaras established Delhi in 736 CE.^[2]

List of Tomara rulers according to various sources^[15][16]

#	Abul Fazl's Ain-i-Akbari / Bikaner manuscript	Gwalior manuscript of Kharg Rai	Kumaon-Garhwal manuscript	Ascension year in CE (according to Gwalior manuscript)	Length of reign
					Years	Months	Days
1	Ananga Pāla	Bilan Dev		736	18	0	0
2	Vasu Deva			754	19	1	18
3	Gangya	Ganggeva		773	21	3	28
4	Prithivi Pāla (or Prithivi Malla)	Prathama	Mahi Pāla	794	19	6	19
5	Jaya Deva	Saha Deva	Jadu Pāla	814	20	7	28
6	Nīra Pāla or Hira Pāla	Indrajita (I)	Nai Pāla	834	14	4	9
7	Udiraj (or Adereh)	Nara Pāla	Jaya Deva Pāla	849	26	7	11
8	Vijaya (or Vacha)	Indrajita (II)	Chamra Pāla	875	21	2	13
9	Biksha (or Anek)	Vacha Raja	Bibasa Pāla	897	22	3	16
10	Rīksha Pāla	Vira Pāla	Sukla Pāla	919	21	6	5
11	Sukh Pāla (or Nek Pāla)	Go-Pāla	Teja Pāla	940	20	4	4
12	Go-Pāla	Tillan Dev	Mahi Pāla	961	18	3	15
13	Sallakshana Pāla	Suvari	Sursen	979	25	10	10
14	Jaya Pāla	Osa Pāla	Jaik Pāla	1005	16	4	3
15	Kunwar Pāla	Kumara Pāla		1021	29	9	18
16	Ananga Pāla (or Anek Pāla)	Ananga Pāla	Anek Pāla	1051	29	6	18
17	Vijaya Pāla (or Vijaya Sah)	Teja Pāla	Teja Pāla	1081	24	1	6
18	Mahi Pāla (or Mahatsal)	Mahi Pāla	Jyūn Pāla	1105	25	2	23
19	Akr Pāla (or Akhsal)	Mukund Pāla	Ane Pāla	1130	21	2	15
	Prithivi Raja (Chahamana)	Prithvi Pala		1151

References

1. Upinder Singh 2008, p. 571.
2. D. C. Ganguly 1981, p. 704.
3. Sailendra Nath Sen 1999, p. 339.
4. Dilip Kumar Ganguly 1984, pp. 116-117.
5. D. C. Ganguly 1981, p. 705.
6. Swati Datta 1989, p. 102.
7. Buddha Prakash 1965, p. 182.
8. R. B. Singh 1964, pp. 100-102.
9. H. A. Phadke 1990, p. 87.
10. P. C. Roy 1980, pp. 93-94.
11. Upinder Singh 2008, p. 570.
12. P. C. Roy 1980, p. 95.
13. Dilip Kumar Ganguly 1984, p. 117.
14. Alexander Cunningham 1871, p. 141-145.
15. Alexander Cunningham 1871, p. 149.
16. Jagbir Singh 2002, p. 28.

Bibliography

• Alexander Cunningham, ed. (1871). Archaeological Survey of India: Reports 1862-1884. I. Archaeological Survey of India. OCLC 421335527.
• Buddha Prakash (1965). Aspects of Indian History and Civilization. Shiva Lal Agarwala. OCLC 6388337.
• D. C. Ganguly (1981). R. S. Sharma, ed. A Comprehensive History of India (A. D. 300-985). 3, Part 1. Indian History Congress / Orient Longmans.
• Dilip Kumar Ganguly (1984). History and Historians in Ancient India. Abhinav. ISBN 978-0-391-03250-7.
• H. A. Phadke (1990). Haryana, Ancient and Medieval. Harman. ISBN 978-81-85151-34-2.
• Jagbir Singh (2002). The Jat Rulers of Upper Doab: Three Centuries of Aligarh Jat Nobility. Aavishkar. ISBN 9788179100165.
• P. C. Roy (1980). The Coinage of Northern India. Abhinav. ISBN 9788170171225.
• R. B. Singh (1964). History of the Chāhamānas. N. Kishore. OCLC 11038728.
• Sailendra Nath Sen (1999). Ancient Indian History and Civilization. New Age. ISBN 9788122411980.
• Swati Datta (1989). Migrant Brāhmaṇas in Northern India. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-0067-0.
• Upinder Singh (2008). A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century. Pearson Education India. ISBN 978-81-317-1120-0.