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Mathara dynasty
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Mathara dynasty
The Mathara (IAST: Māṭhara) dynasty ruled in the Kalinga region of eastern India during 4th and 5th centuries CE. They were one of the few royal families who were ruling Kalinga (others being Vasishtha and Pitrbhakta). Their territory was mainly confined between the southern part of Odisha and the river Godavari River. They appear to have been overthrown by the Pitrbhakta dynasty.
The following members of the Mathara family are known (IAST names in brackets):
The Mathara kings were devotees of Narayana (Vishnu).
The Mathara dynasty ruled Kalinga from the mid-4th century to the end of the 5th century, probably after the forces of the Gupta emperor Samudragupta withdrew from the region. They fought with the Vasisthas and the Pitrbhaktas for the control of Kalinga.
Shaktivarman is the earliest known ruler of the dynasty, and bore the title Kalingadhipati ("Lord of Kalinga"). His father was Shankaravarman, who did not bear any royal title.
A copper-plate inscription of Shaktivarman, dated to his 13th regnal year, gives describes him as Maharajasya-Shri Shaktivarmanah. It was composed by his minister (amatya) Arjunadatta. The inscription was issued at Pishtapura, which is identified with modern Pithapuram. It records the grant of Rakaluva area (modern Ragolu in Srikakulam district) to Brahmanas. The area is described as being located in the Kalinga vishaya (district).
The inscription describes Shaktivarman as the son of Vāsiṣṭhi. According to historian Snigdha Tripathy, this suggests that his mother came from the Vasishtha dynasty. Such matronymics were also used by the earlier dynasties such as the Satavahanas and the Ikshvakus. Pishtapura was originally under the control of the Vasishtha dynasty, and Shaktivarman probably inherited it from his mother. Some scholars believe that Pishtapura was the capital of the Matharas. However, none of Shaktivarman's descendants are known to have issued charters from Pishtapura.
The inscription suggests that Shaktivarman's Kalinga kingdom extended up to the Godavari River in the south. The Simhapura inscription of his son claims that Shaktivarman ruled the region between the Mahanadi and the Kṛṣṇavennā (Krishna) river. This claim seems to be an exaggeration: during 5th and the 6th centuries, the area between the Godavari and the Krishna rivers was controlled by the Shalankayanas and then the Vishnukundinas. Also, there is no evidence that the Matahara rule extended up to the Mahanadi River in the north. The "Mahanadi" mentioned in the inscription seems to be a different river in the present-day Ganjam district; it joins the Rushikulya River near Aska.
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Mathara dynasty
The Mathara (IAST: Māṭhara) dynasty ruled in the Kalinga region of eastern India during 4th and 5th centuries CE. They were one of the few royal families who were ruling Kalinga (others being Vasishtha and Pitrbhakta). Their territory was mainly confined between the southern part of Odisha and the river Godavari River. They appear to have been overthrown by the Pitrbhakta dynasty.
The following members of the Mathara family are known (IAST names in brackets):
The Mathara kings were devotees of Narayana (Vishnu).
The Mathara dynasty ruled Kalinga from the mid-4th century to the end of the 5th century, probably after the forces of the Gupta emperor Samudragupta withdrew from the region. They fought with the Vasisthas and the Pitrbhaktas for the control of Kalinga.
Shaktivarman is the earliest known ruler of the dynasty, and bore the title Kalingadhipati ("Lord of Kalinga"). His father was Shankaravarman, who did not bear any royal title.
A copper-plate inscription of Shaktivarman, dated to his 13th regnal year, gives describes him as Maharajasya-Shri Shaktivarmanah. It was composed by his minister (amatya) Arjunadatta. The inscription was issued at Pishtapura, which is identified with modern Pithapuram. It records the grant of Rakaluva area (modern Ragolu in Srikakulam district) to Brahmanas. The area is described as being located in the Kalinga vishaya (district).
The inscription describes Shaktivarman as the son of Vāsiṣṭhi. According to historian Snigdha Tripathy, this suggests that his mother came from the Vasishtha dynasty. Such matronymics were also used by the earlier dynasties such as the Satavahanas and the Ikshvakus. Pishtapura was originally under the control of the Vasishtha dynasty, and Shaktivarman probably inherited it from his mother. Some scholars believe that Pishtapura was the capital of the Matharas. However, none of Shaktivarman's descendants are known to have issued charters from Pishtapura.
The inscription suggests that Shaktivarman's Kalinga kingdom extended up to the Godavari River in the south. The Simhapura inscription of his son claims that Shaktivarman ruled the region between the Mahanadi and the Kṛṣṇavennā (Krishna) river. This claim seems to be an exaggeration: during 5th and the 6th centuries, the area between the Godavari and the Krishna rivers was controlled by the Shalankayanas and then the Vishnukundinas. Also, there is no evidence that the Matahara rule extended up to the Mahanadi River in the north. The "Mahanadi" mentioned in the inscription seems to be a different river in the present-day Ganjam district; it joins the Rushikulya River near Aska.