Trigarta Kingdom

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Trigarta (also known as Jalandhara) was an ancient Indo-Aryan kingdom based in the region of modern day Punjab. The focal point of its administration was situated in Jalandhar. However at its zenith it encompassed the hill territory extending from the Sutlej to the Ravi, with a secondary capital in Kangra. According to a genealogical record of the Kangra State, the first significant monarch is identified as Susarman, who is recognised for his participation in the Kurukshetra War based in the early Iron Age.[1] It was during this period that the Kingdom held Multan.[2]

Trigarta
1000 BCE–1200 CE
CapitalJalandhar
GovernmentKingdom
Historical eraAntiquity
• Established
1000 BCE
• Disestablished
1200 CE

Geography[edit]

Prior to the incursions by Muhammadan forces, Trigarta encompassed the territory situated between the Sutlej and Ravi rivers in the outer hills, extending to the Jalandhar Doab in the South, as outlined by J. Ph. Vogel.[3] Their territory held two principal capitals, Kangra and Jalandhar; however, during the Vedic period it included Multan as a third capital, a possession relinquished subsequent to the Kurukshetra War.[2]

The etymology of Trigarta has been understood to mean 'The land of the three rivers' comprising of the Sutlej, Ravi and Beas in modern day Punjab. However it has also been thought to represent the three tributaries of the Beas in the Kangra district.[4]

History[edit]

Vedic Trigarta[edit]

Trigarta was a kingdom mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. Mahabharata mentions two different Trigarta kingdoms, one in the west close to the Sivi Kingdom and the other north to the Kuru Kingdom. Modern Kangra is one of the ancient towns in North Trigarta, extending westward to the Punjab area. Multan was the capital of Trigarta, with its original being Mulasthan. The territory of Trigarta Kingdom is around the three rivers of Satluj, Beas, and Ravi. Trigarta kings were allies of Duryodhana and enemies of the Pandavas and Viratas. Their capital was named Prasthala. They attacked the Virata Kingdom aided by the Kurus to steal cattle from there. The Pandavas living there in anonymity helped the Viratas to resist the combined forces of Trigartas and Kurus. Trigarta kings fought the Kurukshetra War and were killed by Arjuna, after a ruthless and bloody conflict. Arjuna also annihilated an Akshouhini (a large military unit) of Trigarta warriors called the Samsaptakas. These warriors had vowed to either die or kill Arjuna as part of a larger plan by Duryodhana to capture Yudhishthira alive.[5]

First Written Reference[edit]

Historically, Trigarta first finds mention in the works of Panini from the 5th century B.C. who calls the inhabitants of Trigarta as "Ayudhjeevi Sangha" or a martial republic. It is also mentioned as a confederation of six states known as 'Trigarta-Shashthas'.

Mention in Mahabharata of Trigarta and Susarma[edit]

Trigarta next finds mention in the Mahabharata's Sabha Parv,[6] where it is included along with a number of other states of the time. According to the historical consensus, the Mahabharata was first penned down around the 4th century B.C. and continued to be written until the 4th century A.D. having existed in oral form prior to this.[7][8] The founder of Trigarta is mentioned as Susarma/Susharman in the Mahabharata.[9] He was credited with building the Nagarkot/Kangra fort.

Kangra being called Susarmapura and Kalindarine[edit]

Kangra was called Susarmapura by a variety of Sanskrit, Buddhist, Jain, and later Islamic scholars. In fact, the first mention of 'Nagarkot' comes from Islamic scholars documenting the region since they mainly referred to the fort. Prior to that, it was mainly documented as Susarmapur.[10][11] After that, they are mentioned in the works of the Greek geographer Ptolemy who calls Kangra as Kalindarine.

Alexander and Porus of Trigarta[edit]

As mentioned by the Greeks, the ruler of Trigarta at the time of invasion by Alexander were The Kshatriaioi (Kshatris). This is also verified from the fact that Alexander had altars near modern-day Indaura which lies in Kangra.[12]

Samudragupta's invasion[edit]

Along with the Greeks, the following were mentioned as vratya kshatriyas or mlechhas: Dravida, Abhira, Sabara, Kirata, Malava, Sibi, Trigarta, and Yaudheya. Historians provide multiple historical mentions during the period between when Pāṇini (5th Century B.C.) mentioned Trigarta and the 5th Century A.D. when Samudragupta invaded Trigarta and various other kingdoms.[13]

Hiuen Tsang visits Jallandhar[edit]

After Samudragupta, the next mention of Trigarta is from Hieun Tsang who mentions Jallandhar being ruled by Udito. Hiuen Tsang visited Jalandhara in 635 A.D. and gave details that it was a country 1000 li (about 267 km) in breadth from north to south.[14]

The Chamba Inscription and Invasion by Ghazni[edit]

Then, in the 8th century A.D, the Trigarta rulers acknowledged supremacy of the Karkota rulers of Kashmir. This is also mentioned in the Rajtarangini. From the 9th century to the 11th century, there are various mentions, one of the important ones being the 10th century Chamba inscription which mentions the Trigarta raja being subdued by Sahilavarman and then becoming an ally. It was also during this time that Mahmud of Ghazni entered the Kangra fort (1009 A.D.) while the Kangra forces were away at war. The ruler of the time was Jagdish Chandra. From that point on, save one or two rulers, all rulers of the Katoch dynasty vanshavali can be traced down to the last king.[15]

Shifting of Capital from Jalandhar to Kangra[edit]

The Trigarta capital was moved from Jalandhara to Nagarkot (Kangra) in 1070 A.D. due to constant contact in Jalandhar with various ambitious invading forces who usually were en route to central India.[16]

Ferishta's writings[edit]

Ferishta mentioned another account of the 1st century A.D. when the king of Kanauj, Raja Ram Deo, went on conquest and overran the hills. He spared Kumaon raja after getting his daughter in marriage, then he spared Nagarkot raja after the ruler offered his daughter in marriage.[17]

Antiquity of Katoch Rulers and Nagarkot[edit]

Nagarkot (Kangra fort) was the citadel of Katoch lords who ruled Trigarta for thousands of years, right from Mahabharata period till pre-independent era. In modern times, Trigarta Rulers have belong to these clans: Katoch, Guleria, Jaswal, Sibaia, Chib and Dadwal.[18]

Katoch dynasty[edit]

The Katoch dynasty is an offshoot of Trigratraje Dynasty. It claimed to have ruled this area and the above story from the Mahabharata is recorded in their history. Maharaja Susharma Chand had fought against Arjuna. His son built the Kangra Fort.[19]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Hutchison, John; Vogel, Jean Philippe (1994). History of the Panjab Hill States. Asian Educational Services. p. 104. ISBN 978-81-206-0942-6. The first name which may be regarded as possibly historical is that of Susarma-Chandra, the 284th from the founder, called Susarman in the Mahabharata, who is believed to have reigned at the time of the Great War and figures as an ally of the Kauravas.
  2. ^ a b Hutchison, John; Vogel, Jean Philippe (1994). History of the Panjab Hill States. Asian Educational Services. p. 105. ISBN 978-81-206-0942-6. The original seat of the family is said to be Multan... After the great war they lost their lands in Multan
  3. ^ Hutchison, John; Vogel, Jean Philippe (1994). History of the Panjab Hill States. Asian Educational Services. p. 99. ISBN 978-81-206-0942-6. The kingdom of Jalandhara or Trigarta, at the time of its greatest expansion, previous to the Muhammadan invasions in the beginning of the eleventh century, probably comprised almost all the country between the Satluj and the ravi in the outer hills, except Kulu, and also the Jalandhar Doab on the plains. At that early period the State seems to have included two great provinces, under the above names, of which the capital was at Jalandhara, with a subordinate capital at Nagarkot or Kangra.
  4. ^ Hutchison, John; Vogel, Jean Philippe (1994). History of the Panjab Hill States. Asian Educational Services. p. 102. ISBN 978-81-206-0942-6. The alternative name for the kingdom of Jalandhara in the ancient documents is Trigarta, meaning the land of the three rivers, but the common interpretation of the name, as referring to the Bavi, Bias and Sutlej, is open to question. In those documents the name Trigarta is always applied to the Lower Bias Valley that is, Kangra Proper and on the whole it seems much more probable that the reference is to the three main tributaries of the Bias, which water the Kangra District. These are, the Banganga, Kurali and Nayagul, which unite at Haripur, under the name of Trigadh, wnicn is the same as Trigar, and fall into the Bias opposite Siba Fort.
  5. ^ Narayan, R. K. (2000). The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. University Of Chicago Press. pp. 151–166.
  6. ^ Gadkari, Jayant (1 October 1996). Society and Religion: From Rugveda to Puranas. Popular Prakashan. p. 65. ISBN 9788171547432. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  7. ^ Hopkins, Edward Washburn (1 June 1968). Epic Mythology. Biblo & Tannen Publishers. p. 1. ISBN 9780819602282. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  8. ^ Hiltebeitel, Alf (30 October 2001). Rethinking the Mahabharata: A Reader's Guide to the Education of the Dharma King. University of Chicago Press. p. 15. ISBN 9780226340531.
  9. ^ Saklani, Dinesh Prasad (20 March 1998). Ancient Communities of the Himalaya (1998 ed.). Indus Publishing. p. 45. ISBN 9788173870903. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  10. ^ Kapoor, Subodh. Encyclopaedia of Ancient Indian Geography, Volume 2 (2002 ed.). Genesis Publishing Pvt Ltd. p. 633. ISBN 9788177552997.
  11. ^ Deambi, Bhushan Kumar Kaul. Corpus of Śāradā Inscriptions of Kashmir: With Special Reference to Origin and Development of Śāradā Script (1982 ed.). Agam Kala Prakashan. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  12. ^ Samad, Rafi U. The Greeks in ancient Pakistan (2002 ed.). Indus Publications. p. 104. ISBN 9789695290019. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  13. ^ Thapar, Romila (20 March 1971). "The Image of the Barbarian in Early India". Comparative Studies in Society and History. 13 (4) (1971 ed.). Cambridge University Press: 420. doi:10.1017/S0010417500006393. JSTOR 178208.
  14. ^ Jeratha, Aśoka (20 March 2024). Forts and Palaces of the Western Himalaya (2000 ed.). Indus Publishing. p. 21. ISBN 9788173871047. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  15. ^ Deambi, BK Kaul (20 March 1990). History and Culture of Ancient Gandhara and Western Himalayas (1985 ed.). Ariana Publishing House. p. 47. ISBN 9788185347066. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  16. ^ Singh, Mian Goverdhan (20 March 1999). Wooden Temples of Himachal Pradesh (1999 ed.). Indus Publishing. p. 34. ISBN 9788173870941.
  17. ^ Charak, Sukh Dev Singh (1978). Indian Conquest of the Himalayan Territories (1978 ed.). Ajaya Prakashan. p. 19.
  18. ^ Jeratha, Aśoka (20 March 2024). Forts and Palaces of the Western Himalaya (2000 ed.). Indus Publishing. p. 5. ISBN 9788173871047.
  19. ^ Charak, Sukh Dev Singh (20 March 1994). History and culture of Himalayan states Himachal Pradesh Volume I (1978 ed.). Light & Life Publishers. p. 17. ISBN 978-81-206-0942-6. Retrieved 10 January 2017.

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