Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Mlechchha dynasty
The Mlechchha dynasty (c. 650 - 900) ruled Kamarupa from their capital at Harruppesvar in present-day Tezpur, Assam, after the fall of the Varman dynasty. According to historical records, there were twenty one rulers in this dynasty, but the line is obscure and names of some intervening rulers are not known. Like all other Kamarupa dynasties a semi-mythical lineage from Narakasura was constructed to accord legitimacy to their rule. The Mlechchha dynasty in Kamarupa was followed by the Pala kings. The dynasty is unrelated to the previous Varman dynasty.
Salasthambha is first mentioned in an inscription 175 years into the rule of the dynasty.
The Hayunthal Copper Plates, dated to the middle of 9th Century CE, mentions multiple kings from the dynasty in a chronological fashion — Salastamba, Vijaya, Palaka, Kumara, Vajradeva, Harsavarman, Balavarman, [unnamed], Harjaravarman, and Vanamala. The Tejpur Copper Plates (since lost), roughly dated to the same spans, primarily chronicles Vanamala — other rulers like Pralambha, and Harjaravarman are mentioned. The Parbatiya Copper Plates, again roughly dated to the middle of 9th Century CE, chronicles Vanamala.
It is not clear how Salasthambha, the first of this dynasty, came to power.
Suniti Kumar Chatterji as well Dineshchandra Sircar propose that Salastambha was a Bodo-Kachari chief of Mech, which was later sanskritized to Mleccha; an inscription from the reign of a king from the later Pala dynasty claims him to be a mlecchādhināth (Lord of The Mlecchas). An illegible explanation of theirs being called mlecchas was provided over the Hayunthal Plates, too. Symbolically, Mleccha designation could mean suppression of Vedic religion and the predominance of tantric vamacara practised by saivites and saktas. So, ethnic identity of Salastambha family could be same as Varmans but came to be known as mlecchas.
According to some historians, the remnant of the Mlechchha kingdom formed the later Kachari kingdom.
Some historians refer to other inscriptions for further insight into Bhaskaravarman's successor, such as the Sanskrit play Mudrārākṣasa by the poet Viśākhadatta, who is assumed to have lived in Kamarupa. This is because analysis of his name implies that he was among the colony of Brahmins settled by Bhutivarman and reissued by Bhaskavarman. The end of the play in the final verse references the patron king whose name is reconstructed in several forms but is surmised to be Avantivarma. By conjecture historians argue that Avantivarma was the final ruler of the Varman dynasty before being overthrown by Salasthambha within the five years of his rule and being killed by him.
May King Avantivarman with his prosperous connections and servants long protect the earth, he who is a kingly manifestation of that self-existent God, to whose tusk, when He had assumed the form of the Boar, fitted to grant protection, the Earth of yore clung amigst universal destruction and on whose arms she nows leans being frightened by the Mlechhas.
Hub AI
Mlechchha dynasty AI simulator
(@Mlechchha dynasty_simulator)
Mlechchha dynasty
The Mlechchha dynasty (c. 650 - 900) ruled Kamarupa from their capital at Harruppesvar in present-day Tezpur, Assam, after the fall of the Varman dynasty. According to historical records, there were twenty one rulers in this dynasty, but the line is obscure and names of some intervening rulers are not known. Like all other Kamarupa dynasties a semi-mythical lineage from Narakasura was constructed to accord legitimacy to their rule. The Mlechchha dynasty in Kamarupa was followed by the Pala kings. The dynasty is unrelated to the previous Varman dynasty.
Salasthambha is first mentioned in an inscription 175 years into the rule of the dynasty.
The Hayunthal Copper Plates, dated to the middle of 9th Century CE, mentions multiple kings from the dynasty in a chronological fashion — Salastamba, Vijaya, Palaka, Kumara, Vajradeva, Harsavarman, Balavarman, [unnamed], Harjaravarman, and Vanamala. The Tejpur Copper Plates (since lost), roughly dated to the same spans, primarily chronicles Vanamala — other rulers like Pralambha, and Harjaravarman are mentioned. The Parbatiya Copper Plates, again roughly dated to the middle of 9th Century CE, chronicles Vanamala.
It is not clear how Salasthambha, the first of this dynasty, came to power.
Suniti Kumar Chatterji as well Dineshchandra Sircar propose that Salastambha was a Bodo-Kachari chief of Mech, which was later sanskritized to Mleccha; an inscription from the reign of a king from the later Pala dynasty claims him to be a mlecchādhināth (Lord of The Mlecchas). An illegible explanation of theirs being called mlecchas was provided over the Hayunthal Plates, too. Symbolically, Mleccha designation could mean suppression of Vedic religion and the predominance of tantric vamacara practised by saivites and saktas. So, ethnic identity of Salastambha family could be same as Varmans but came to be known as mlecchas.
According to some historians, the remnant of the Mlechchha kingdom formed the later Kachari kingdom.
Some historians refer to other inscriptions for further insight into Bhaskaravarman's successor, such as the Sanskrit play Mudrārākṣasa by the poet Viśākhadatta, who is assumed to have lived in Kamarupa. This is because analysis of his name implies that he was among the colony of Brahmins settled by Bhutivarman and reissued by Bhaskavarman. The end of the play in the final verse references the patron king whose name is reconstructed in several forms but is surmised to be Avantivarma. By conjecture historians argue that Avantivarma was the final ruler of the Varman dynasty before being overthrown by Salasthambha within the five years of his rule and being killed by him.
May King Avantivarman with his prosperous connections and servants long protect the earth, he who is a kingly manifestation of that self-existent God, to whose tusk, when He had assumed the form of the Boar, fitted to grant protection, the Earth of yore clung amigst universal destruction and on whose arms she nows leans being frightened by the Mlechhas.