Bhoja II
Encyclopedia
Bhoja II was a ruler in medieval India
, the last of the Shilahara
dynasty of Kolhapur in Maharashtra
. He suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Singhana
, king of the Yadava Dynasty, in 1212 CE at Umalvad. He fled and his kingdom was annexed.
, Bhoja II was worshipped by kings: he was a Vikram of the Kaliyuga".
II was in possession of the country round Mirijaya (Miraj), as is proved by his Khedrapur inscription which records his grant of the village of Kudaladamavada, the modern Kurundavad, in Mirinji country. As inscriptions of Singhana
II are found at Kolhapur itself shortly after that date it would seem that Bhoja II was the last of his family, overthrown and dispossessed by Singhana
II in or soon after 1209-10 CE, the commencement of Singhana
's reign. One of Singhana
's inscriptions speaks of him as having been "a very Garuda in putting to flight the serpent which was the mighty king Bhoja, whose habitation was Panhala (Pannala-nilara-prabala-Bhojabhnpala-vyala-vidravana-Vihatngaraja).
An inscription of Saka 1194 indicates that the first king of the Yadava dynasty, Simha, had his original seat of power near Kolhapur at Miraj while two earlier inscriptions of the kings Mahadeva and Narayana, dated Saka 1162 and 1172 respectively, refer to the temple of Maha Lakshmi at Kolhapur and the district (Desa or Visaya) of the same name.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, the last of the Shilahara
Shilahara
The Shilahara Dynasty was a feudal clan that established itself in northern and southern Konkan and southern Maharashtra during the Rashtrakuta period...
dynasty of Kolhapur in Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
. He suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Singhana
Singhana
Singhana is a small town located in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan in India. It is located near Khetri Copper Limited, a government-owned company in copper production. Singhana is hometown of Singhania Family. Singhana is situated near a beautiful hill, it has good transport facilities buses are...
, king of the Yadava Dynasty, in 1212 CE at Umalvad. He fled and his kingdom was annexed.
Reign
He appears to have assumed the imperial titles from the beginning of his rule and was determined to retain the imperial glory won by his father. One of his own inscriptions reads; "fear of the edge of Bhoja's sword caused Cholaraja to take a spear on his head and frightened other kings; but by the favour of Maha LakshmiLakshmi
Lakshmi or Lakumi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity , light, wisdom, fortune, fertility, generosity and courage; and the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm. Representations of Lakshmi are also found in Jain monuments...
, Bhoja II was worshipped by kings: he was a Vikram of the Kaliyuga".
Eclipse
There remains no trace of the family after Bhoja II. In 1213-14 CE the Devgiri-Yadava king SinghanaSinghana
Singhana is a small town located in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan in India. It is located near Khetri Copper Limited, a government-owned company in copper production. Singhana is hometown of Singhania Family. Singhana is situated near a beautiful hill, it has good transport facilities buses are...
II was in possession of the country round Mirijaya (Miraj), as is proved by his Khedrapur inscription which records his grant of the village of Kudaladamavada, the modern Kurundavad, in Mirinji country. As inscriptions of Singhana
Singhana
Singhana is a small town located in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan in India. It is located near Khetri Copper Limited, a government-owned company in copper production. Singhana is hometown of Singhania Family. Singhana is situated near a beautiful hill, it has good transport facilities buses are...
II are found at Kolhapur itself shortly after that date it would seem that Bhoja II was the last of his family, overthrown and dispossessed by Singhana
Singhana
Singhana is a small town located in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan in India. It is located near Khetri Copper Limited, a government-owned company in copper production. Singhana is hometown of Singhania Family. Singhana is situated near a beautiful hill, it has good transport facilities buses are...
II in or soon after 1209-10 CE, the commencement of Singhana
Singhana
Singhana is a small town located in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan in India. It is located near Khetri Copper Limited, a government-owned company in copper production. Singhana is hometown of Singhania Family. Singhana is situated near a beautiful hill, it has good transport facilities buses are...
's reign. One of Singhana
Singhana
Singhana is a small town located in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan in India. It is located near Khetri Copper Limited, a government-owned company in copper production. Singhana is hometown of Singhania Family. Singhana is situated near a beautiful hill, it has good transport facilities buses are...
's inscriptions speaks of him as having been "a very Garuda in putting to flight the serpent which was the mighty king Bhoja, whose habitation was Panhala (Pannala-nilara-prabala-Bhojabhnpala-vyala-vidravana-Vihatngaraja).
An inscription of Saka 1194 indicates that the first king of the Yadava dynasty, Simha, had his original seat of power near Kolhapur at Miraj while two earlier inscriptions of the kings Mahadeva and Narayana, dated Saka 1162 and 1172 respectively, refer to the temple of Maha Lakshmi at Kolhapur and the district (Desa or Visaya) of the same name.
Further reading
- Bhandarkar R. G. (1957): Early History of Deccan, Sushil Gupta (I) Pvt Ltd, Calcutta.
- Fleet, J. F. (1896): "The Dynasties of the Kanarese District of The Bombay Presidency", written for The Bombay Gazetteer.
- Department of Gazetteer, Govt of Maharashtra (2002): Itihaas : Prachin Kal, Khand -1 (Marathi)
- Department of Gazetteer, Govt of Maharashtra (1960): Kolhapur District Gazetteer
- Department of Gazetteer, Govt of Maharashtra (1964): Kolaba District Gazetteer
- Department of Gazetteer, Govt of Maharashtra (1982): Thane District Gazetteer
- A. S. Altekar (1936): The Silaharas of Western India.