CHOWTA & CHOWDA DYNASTIES OF GURJAR ORIGIN: A detailed study reveals that there is a hidden history and relation between (i) the Chowta dynasty of Karnataka in South India and (ii)the Chowda dynsty of Gujarat in North India. The Chowtas of Karnataka were the Chowdas of Gujarat Rajputs who were driven out by Waghelas from Saurastra. Chowdas built the famous Somanath Temple in Gujarat. The Chowtas also built Somanatheswara temple at Ullal. Ullal is very famous for historic locations like Someshwara Temple, Summer Sands Beach Resort and Queen Abbakkas Fort at Ranipura. The family diety of Abbakka Rani of Jain Chowta dynsty was Somanathesvara. The remains of Rani Abbakkas fort can be seen in the vicinity of Someshwara Temple. Abbakka Queen of Ullala was an ardent devotee of Sri Somanatha. Villagers say that there are 5 Somanatha temples around the area - Ullala, Ammembala, Ira, Inoli, and Konaje. Out of these five temples, the last one at Konaje has also been destroyed and the exact location is not known. The temple at Inoli is being currently reconstructed with enthusiastic participation from the people of Inoli and surrounding areas. The Chowtas and the Chowdas are directly and indirectly related to the warrior community of Mudirajas of South India and the Kolis of North India. (I) CHOWTA DYNASTY After the fall of the Vijayanagar Empire, the Tulu region witnessed the arrival of rulers of small kingdoms, including the Alupas and the Chowtas, and regents such as the Ballals. In ancient days, Jains formed the administrative class with agrarian background. The Jain kings were Bairarasa of Karkala, Chowtas of Moodabidri, Samanthas of Moolky, Bangas of Bangavadi, Tholaharas of Sural and Ajilas of Venur. Queen Abbakka, who successfully checked the colonial powers like the Portuguese, belonged to the Chowta family. Chowti is one of the surnames of Telugu Mudiraj people today. Chowti seems to be a modification of the surname Chowta of Tuluva bunts, who are mostly jains. These chowti Mudiraj people could be the descendants of Chowta Tuluva Jain Bunts as it is a well known fact that Mudiraja / Muttarasa kings were jains in Karnataka. This surname Chowti seems to be closely related to Chowta surname of Tuluva Bunts. Mudiraj people are also known as bants in South Western part of Andhra Pradesh. The chowta surname can also be seen among Erukalas of Andhra pradesh who are supposed to be bracnch or variants of North Indian bhil-banjara tribes to which Ekalavya belonged and to which some sections of Mudiraj also belonged. This chowta surname among Telugu Erukala people once again confirms that Telugu bants ( Mudiraju Bantlu ) and Tuluva bunts are one and the same people. Chowta Chowti Chauta => Chowta => Chowti It is fact that balija / kapu caste, once represented the bant sections of Mudiraj community. There are several surnames of Tuluva bunts which are common to both Mudiraj and Balija communities today. This stands as a strong proof that Telugu Mudiraja bants and Tulu speaking bunts are one and the same people. For more details on common surnames of (i) Telugu Mudiraj bants & Tuluva bunts and (ii) Mudiraju and Balija please refer to chapter on Bant / Bunt origins in the webpage Origins in this website. The Chowta Jain dynasty ruled the Moodabidri region for several centuries. They moved to Moodabidri in the 17th century, where the last Chowta ruler died in 1833. The ornate Chowta Palace still exists and is occupied by the descendants of the Chowtas. The Chowta queen Abbakka Rani fought the Portuguese army during 1530-1599. her bravery, she came to be known as Abhaya Rani (The fearless queen). She was also one of the earliest Indians to fight the colonial powers and is sometimes regarded as the first woman freedom fighter of India. Moodabidri was the seat of the Chowtas, a Jain ruling family, who were originally located at Puthige, about 5 km from here. They moved their capital to Moodabidri in the 17th century. The remains of the 17th century Chowta Palace is known for its beautifully carved wooden pillars and ceilings. The ornate Chowta Palace still exists and is occupied by the descendants of the Chowtas. The Chowta palace itself looks imposing with its commanding view, situated as it is on a high-rise site. It stands frozen in time as a mute symbol of the regal style of the Chowta dynasty that ruled the area for over five centuries. The rulers were notable for their patronage of arts and architecture. Almost within sight of the Chowta palace is the renowned thouasnd-pillar temple that draws devotees from India and abroad. Moodabidri (also called Mudbidri), an ancient center of Jain learning, is a small town 37 km northeast of the Dakshin Kannada district headquarters, Mangalore, in Karnataka, India. During 14th - 16th centuries this town emerged as a center of Jain religion, culture, art and architecture. 18 Jain temples, snown as Basadis, were constructed during this period. Moodabidri was the seat of the Chowtas, a Jain ruling family, who were originally located at Puthige, about 5 km from here. They moved their capital to Moodabidri in the 17th century. The remains of the 17th century Chowta Palace is known for its beautifully carved wooden pillars and ceilings. The Chowtas followed a matrilineal system by which Tirumala Raya, Abbakkas uncle, crowned her the queen of Ullal. He also forged a matrimonial alliance for Abbakka with Lakshmappa Arasa, the powerful king of neighbouring Mangalore. The marriage, however was short lived and Abbakka returned to Ullal. Her husband thus longed for revenge against Abbakka and was to later join the Portuguese in their fight against Abbakka. There were many women in history of ancient and medieval India who fought for freedom with their enemies on battlefield. Abbakka was bravest of them; most discussed in Europe at her time, yet less known to us. Abbakka defeated the mighty Portuguese army and navy again and again. The renowned Queen Abbakka Devi who ruled over the Ullal region of Dakshina Kannada during the medieval period has over the ages acquired undying fame for her brave defiance of Western invaders. She belonged to the Jain Dynasty of the Chowtas, who ruled over a wide domain with the temple town of Moodabidri as their headquarters. Their subsidiary capital was the port town of Ullal on the Arabian Sea Coast. Succession in the Chowta dynasty was through the maternal line. The heir-apparent ruled over the Ullal. It was a prosperous port of export of merchandise like pepper, cardamom and other spices grown in the littoral south of the Portuguese colony of Goa. The Poruguese, the Dutch and the British vied with one another for control of the region. Their aim was colonization through naval supremacy. But the local Chieftains were powerful enough to resist their incursions. They also forged alliances to prevent the foreigners from gaining control over the coastal stretch. The fertile coastal belt thus remained the last bastion of Independence on the West coast during the middle ages. Resistance to alien domination cut across the caste and community lines. There were a number of Beary muslim men served in the naval force, and also as soldiers and military commanders in the army of brave queen of Chowta dynasty, Rani Abbakka. The Chowta head of the dynasty Thirumala Raya had ensured Abbakkas proficiency in martial arts and combat strategies through her training before sending her to Ullal, he also taught her the nuances of diplomacy and State-craft. The Queens uncle, Thirumala Raya had forged matrimonial alliance with the powerful head of the Banga dynasty of Mangalore. Abbakka was married to Lakshmappa Arasa, the Mangalore monarch. Mangalore was strategically situated to the north of Ullal across the harbour. The Bangas ruled over a vast area that included Bangawadi at the foot of the Western Ghats and Nandavara on the Netravathi river. The Banga – Chowta alliance was designed as a ploy to deter any aggressors. Balijas who constituted the bant sections of Medieval Mudiraja community were the descendants of Banajigas who were in turn the descendants of Banjaras. The banga rajaras also belonged to the same bunt community of Tulunad. It also appears that Bangas and banas were one and the same people. For more details on Rani Abbakka, please see the chapter on rani Abbakka Devi Chowta in the webpage Queens in this website. Ganapati Rao Aigal in his account of the local history (Dakshina Kannada Jilleya Prachina Itihasa, published in 1928) was able to reconstruct in some detail the genealogy of Chauta rulers. Thirumala Raya III ruled from 1510 to 1544 and Abbakka Devi II from 1544 to 1582. She was followed by a Thirumala Devi from 1582 to 1606. There was also one queen Abbakka Devi preceding the Rani and one followed her later. The genealogy of the Banga kings of Mangalore shows that Lakshmappa Banga-raja II was ruled from 1545 to 1556. His nephew, Kamaraya III, was in power from 1556 to 1612. The local legend also says that Rani Abbakka Devi was estranged from her husband, Lakshmappa Banga, who was said to have colluded with the Portuguese and fought against his wife. It is more probable that it was the nephew of her husband, Kamaraya III, who had fought against the queen. The sedition of Kamaraya III against his uncle had been supported by the Portuguese. Consequently he was able to supplant the king and rule Mangalore during the period when Abbakka Devi was opposing the Portuguese advances. Nellitheertha temple : Dating back to 1487AD, King Nellitheertharan used to held prayers here on daily basis. But as the Kingdom declined so did the existence of the cave. As per the books of history, this region was later on under the administration of Chowta Family. A very renowned family in Tulu Nadu, refurbished this temple and gave its forgotten name.Even today the descendants of the Chowta family give it a lot of respect. Historically, the Nellitheertha region was under the administration of the Chowta family. The chowtas are a famous name in Tulu Naadu and it is said that the Nellitheertha temple flourished under their administration and was a major center for religious and cultural activities under their reign. The holy place Nellitheertha and the temple have a long and glorious history. Although the first recorded material mentioning Nellitheertha dates back to 1487 A.D, there is ample evidence available at the place to suggest that the temple existed much before that. There are some artifacts and archeological evidence available at the temple which point to a Jain interest and influence at the temple. These are evidence to suggest that the temple and the region was probably under the administration of Jain kings of the region. Nellitheertha is a evergreen forest. Here in these wilds is this cave of Nellitheertha placed. It is supposed to be one of the holiest places of South India. Alive under the rule of the King Nellitheertha, this cave can be reached from Karnataka by tourist bus or by cabs. Webmaster Kokolu Anka Rao Date = 22/12/2007 Nagpur, Maharastra, India (II) CHOWDA DYNASTY : : The Chowdas were Rajputs of Saraswathi river basin in Rajastan. The dynasty rulers of Chowda ruled parts of Gujarat, Saurastra and Madhya Pradesh. They were originally staunch Hindus and later became jains. The Solanki Chalukyas were an extend branch of Chowdas after the laster ruler of Chavdas. Abbakka Devi belonged to jain royal dynasty of the chowtas (Karnataka) who also had Somanathesvara as their family diety. The famous Somanath temple in Gujarat was built by Chowda Rajputs of Gujarat. It appears that some of the Chowdas of Gujarat who migrated to South India became Chowtas of Karnataka. Both Chowtas and Chowdas patronised Jainism. It is a well known fact that the Muttarasa (Mudiraj) were also great patrons of Buddhism. There is a Chowta surname among of Tuluva bunts and Balijas. The Chowti surname of Telugu Mudiraj also seems to be related to Chowtas and Chowdas. It is also explained that Balijas formed the sections of Mudiraju Bantlu during medieval times. Chowda = Chauda = Chawda = Chavda = Chawada = Chavada The Somanath Temple was constructed around 10 th century by Alupa King Kulashekara. The entrance to this temple, which stands atop a 500ft tall monolithic rock, faces eastwards with the back towards the Arabian Sea . The legendary queen Abbakka constructed a fort aground this temple for its protection and also constructed watch towers at several places. It is said that the queen used to conduct discussions regarding all important administrative decisions under the temple tower. The 150 kms long coastline of undivided Dakshina Kannada district is home to hundreds of fishing villages. These villages have commonly come to be known as Mogaveera Patna. Mogaveeras are fishermen relating to kolis. Located close to Mangalore, this village is famous for places of worship like Sri Somanath Temple. When the Portuguese naval fleets resorted to mindless mid-sea extortion of merchant vessels, Rani Abbakka fought valiantly against the Portuguese with the help of Mogaveera youth. Chowtas could be related to Chowda Rajputs of North India : Chowtas were Tuluva bunts who ruled parts of western coast of India. They became rulers of Western coast after gradually migrating to Western Coast from Bellary & Rayalaseema. They were the same people who belonged to king race of Vijayanagar kingdom. These chowtas seems to be related to Chowda rajputs. Chowda dynasty kings were subordinates to Western Chalukyas ( solankis ) at one time. It appears that the Chowda rulers came to South India and became part of Telugu Bantlu during the reign of Chalukyas. Chowda surname is seem among Telugu Reddys. Reddy title is also prevelent among Mudiraju and Kapu communitie. Chavda kings were related to Chalukyas and they were also jain followers similar to the Chowta kings. Somnath-Veraval is an assembly constituency in Guijarat. Veraval is the largest fish-processing zone in Gujarat. Premji Munja Chawda is a Koli farmer with five bighas of land in this constituency. Laxmanbhai Chawda is a owner of fishing trawler in Veraval. This Chawda surname among kolis of Gujarat gives us a clue that Chowda rajputs could be from Koli community of Gujarat - Rajastan. Hence the Chowta bunts were most probably related Chowda Rajaputs. We know that some sections of Mudiraj people are kolis or variants of kolis. The Mudiraj people having Chowti surname too could be related to Chowda Rajaputs. Chawda surname is also seen among Gurjar Kshatriy and Vankar communities of Gujarat. Chowdas seems to be mixed race having blood of kolis, Gurjars and other warrior communities. Chauda = 14 = Stands for Fourteen Gurjats that were ceeded to Marathas Chawda = Chavda = Chauda Chawda => Chowda Chowda => Chowta => Chowti It is said that Chavadas belong to both Agnikula and Odak lineages. The sub-castes of Agnikula (the Fire lineage) Kshatriyas are Kala, Kalam, Kher, Chavada, Chad, Mori, Mahipal, Rehvar, Survar, Hada, Solanki etc. The sub-castes of Odak Kshatriyas included Kamad, Jethwa, Chavada, Dabhi, Makwana, and Zala; these are the chief ones that first settled in Gujarat and later moved to other places. There are said to be 36 families of the Odak lineage. From the 8th to13th century, Daman and Diu, which was a part of Goa was a stronghold of the Chowda Rajputs who were ousted by the Waghalas who in turn were expelled by Muslims in1330. It continued under Muslims rule for another two hundred years when it was conquered by the Portuguese, who ruled Goa for 451 years (1510-1961). Over the years, Diu was variously a trading center for the Mauryans, a capital for the Chavada dynasty, a refuge for Rajput rajas and a military outpost for the Ottoman Turks. The Chavdas ruled over the Somnath patan & Diu under the Chalukya as local chieftains. In 1020 A.D., Sultan Mohammed Ghazni attacked the chalukyas and came up to Diu and rocked them. But in 1064 A.D, the chalukyas came back again to power and Diu was successively under the sway of Chavda and Vaghela Rajputs, who build a fort here. The Chavda Rajputs first established kingdom at Anhilpur Patan( at present a district in northern Gujarat ) in around 745 AD. Anhilpur Patan remained capital of Gujarat) for many centuries. They gradually moved from Patan and established their kingdom at other locations like Mehsana, Mansa, Varsoda etc. Champaner town set up in the 8th century A.D by the Chauda dynasty, remained the political capital of Gujarat till 1536. Pawagadh-Champaner is located near Vadodara city at a distance of 46 km. Pawagadh is located on the hill surrounded by fort. Whole area is scattered with structures of archeological importance and it was declared as protected area by the Archeological Survey of India. Mehsana was founded in the 12th to the 14th century by the Chavada Rajputs, the old town is believed to have had four gates, of which only one remains. The district owes its name to the town of Mehsana founded by Mahesaji or Masaji - a ruler of Chavada dynasty in 12th/13th century AD. This town is now an administrative headquarters of Mehsana district, Gujarat state, west central India, in the lowlands between the Aravalli Range and the Little Rann of Kutch. The city of Patan located in Gujarat, was formerly called Anhilvada or Anhilpur and was established in 765 by Vanaraja, the first king of the Chavada dynasty. Patan was once the capital of the Chavada and Solanki dynasties (720–1242), it was sacked in 1024 by Mahmud of Ghazna. The town is located in northern Gujarat state, west-central India. It is situated on the Saraswati River in the lowlands between the Aravalli Range and the Gulf of Khambhat (Cambay). The land of River Sarswati is known to be the home land of kolis and Rajputs, who migrated to all parts of India. The city of Anhilvada was named after a Bharwad shepherd, Anhila, who assisted Vanaraja in finding a site for it. The early history of the kingdom is somewhat obscure; but it seems certain that Vanaraja ruled till 780, and was succeeded by eight rulers of his line, the last of whom died in 961. In that year the Chavada dynasty was replaced by the Solankis or Chalukyas, of whom the first, Mularaja (941-96), is the most famous. Chavada Dadda, the founder of Pratihara dynasty, established the Gurjar rule at Nandipur (Nandol). Dadda III wrested Broach from the Maitraks whose citadel had started shaking.As vassals of the Valabhis, Chavadas held their sway over parts of north Gujarat. They assumed independent control after the fall of Valabhi. Vanraj Chavda, the most prominent of the eight Chavada kings, founded a new capital at Anhilpur Patan. He reconquered his fathers lost territories and founded the Chavada dynasty which lasted a shade under a century. Patan was founded in 746 A.D. by a Jain hero, Vanaraj Chavda, who built the Panchasara Parshvanath temple. The Chavda dynasty came to an end in 942 A.D. The end of Pratihar rule was the beginning for Chawda dynasty. Their capital Ahilyapatak (Ahilyavaad was established under new name as New Pattan (presently Patan). Before that during Maitrak period, Chaap dynasty (another name of chawda) ruled over Gurjardesh. Even in Vadhvan Diu & Dwarka there were few rulers of same dynasty. They were also known as Chapotkat or Chawda. In addition to this there was Chawda rule in Saurashtra and Kachchh. Thus rulers of Chawda dynasty played an important role in the history of Gujarat, during Maitrak and post Maitrak era. Description of Vanraj Chawda is found in the literature of Solanki dynasty. But no description of ancestors of Vanraj Chawda is found in any ancient literature. Although Jaishikhari, father of Vanraj has been described in Krishna Kavis Hindi composition Ratnamala written during 17th - 18th century. The Chavda clan settled down in Gujarat and later Saurashtra. The first Rajput king of the Chavda Kingdom was Jayshikhari Chavda, who was assassinated before his son Vanraj Chavda was born. Vanraj Chavda went on to be the most successful Chawda ruler, founding historical cities such as Anhilpur Patan and Champaner. After Vanraj came Yograj, and then the last chavada king was Samantsinh. There were five Chavda kings after Vanraj, the last of whom, Samantsinh Chawda, did not have any children. The five Chavdas were - Jayshikhari Chavda , Vanraj Chavda, Kshemraj Chavda , Bhuvad Chavda, Bajrasingh Chavda and Ratnaditya Chavda. Vanaraja : Vanraj Chavdas father was Jayshikhari Chavda, a king of northern Gujarat, who was assassinated before Vanraj was born. Vanrajs mother fled to the forests of Radhanpur where she gave birth to a boy, who was named Vanraj (King of the forest). The young Vanraj was educated by Jain priests and gained an academic as well as a military education. He eventually raised an army of Bhil tribals and helped by his friend and lieutenant Anhil, regained his fathers lost kingdom.Vanraj Chavda founded the city of Anhilpur Patan, naming it in honour of Anhil, and made it the capital of his kingdom. It went on to be the most prosperous city of its time in India. He also founded the city of Champaner, in honour of his general Champa.Vanraj Chavda was succeeded by his son Kshemraj Chavda. Solankis came into existence from Chowda rulers : Samantsinh, the last Chavada ruler, did not have an issue and he adopted Mulraj who came in 942 AD and set up what came to be known as the Solanki dynasty. Mulraj Solankis reign marked the start of the most glorious period in the history of Gujaratand it is described as the golden period in Gujarat chequered history. Mulraj himself adopted the title of Gurharesh (King of Gurjardesh). Important Solanki kings after Mulraj included Bhimev I, Sidhraj Jaisinh, Kumarpal and Tribhuvanpal-the last in the solanki dynasty. Two mames stand our in the Solanbki dynasty. The fiest is that of Sidhraj Jayasinh who ruled for 47 years from 1094 A.D. and the second prominent Solanki King Kumarpalas reign lasted for 31 years from 1143 to 1174 AD Apart from Saurashtra and Kachchh, Sidhraj Jaysinh also conquered Malwa. The Solanki are a Hindu Rajput dynasty of India, who ruled the kingdom of Gujarat from the 9th century to the 13th century. Anhilwad (Siddhpur Patan) served as their capital. The Solankis were patrons of the great seaside Shiva Temple at Somnath in Kathiawar. The guardian family deity of the Solankis was Somnath at Prabhas. Ironically, it was during the Solankis rule that the scared shrine was sacked by Mahmud Ghazni who defiled and despoiled the fabulously rich shrine and put 50,000 Hindus to sword. Bhimdev-I helped rebuild the temple after it was sacked by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1026. Descendants of the Anhilwad Solankis, Vyaghra Dev, brother of the Solanki King of Gujarat, moved to and ruled the state of Rewa, in Bagelkhand (eastern Madhya Pradesh) in the middle of the twelfth century, and obtained the fortress of Marpha. His son Karandev married a Kalchuri (Haihaya) princess of Mandla, and received the fortress of Bandogarh which served as the seat of the Solankis of Bagelkhand until its destruction by the Mughal emperor Akbar in 1597. Varsoda was a princely state before Indian Independence (1947) and was ruled by Chavda dynasty (one of the major Rajput clan of Gujarat) under British dominion. The former princely state was established by Chavda dynasty. Varsoda is a small village located in northern part of Gujarat, India on the bank of river Sabarmati. It is approximately 25 km away from Gandhinagar, the state capital of Gujarat. The town of Arjya in Bhilwara District, 150 km. from Udaipur; was ruled by the Chavda clan. Chavdas seems to be related to Maharanas of Udaipur. Ancestor of Arjya Jagir near Udaipur, Bhilwara District was Jagat Singh Chavda of Barsora in Mahikantha of Gujarat. Jagat Singh was maternal uncle of Maharana Jawan Singh of Udaipur. Had two sons, Kuber Singh and Jalam Singh came to Udaipur with Maharana Jawan Singh and were granted, jointly, the jagirs of Aarjya and Kaladwas. Rulers were (1) Kuber Singh, jointly with his brother, following, (2) Jalam Singh, jointly with his brother, (3) Fateh Singh, (4) Pratap Singh, (5) Jorawar Singh, (6) Amar Singh and (7) Nahar Singh. The greatest Rana of Udaipur was Maha Rana Pratap Singh who belonged to Sri Ramas Suryavamsi lineage. It is understood that the Chudasamas, Abhiras, Yadhavas and others - attacked the pilgrims and looted them of their donations intended for the Somanatha temple. In addition, there was heavy piracy in the coastal areas indulged in by the local Chavda rajas and a variety of sea brigands referred to as the Bawarij. As with many areas generating wealth in earlier times, this part of Gujarat was also subject to unrest and the Chaulukya ( Solankis ) administration spent much time and energy policing attacks on pilgrims and traders. Chowda rulers of Gujarat were jains similar to Chowta rulers of Karnataka : Jainism flourished in Gujarat during the days of Rastrakuta monarchs, many of whom were devout Jainas, and it received a further fillip at the hands of that veteran Jaina ruler Vanaraja of Chavada family. About 1100 A.D., Jainism gained a great ascendancy when the Chalukya ( Solanki ) king Siddharaja and his successor Kumarapala openly professed Jainism and encouraged the literary and temple building activities of the Jainas. Chavdas became Jains and patronised jainism. The Vadipura - Parsvanatha Jain temple at Patan is decorated with carved-wood ceiling. The Jain temple of Vadipura-Parsvanatha was built in 1594. These are the same Chalukyas who established Western Chalukya kingdom in Karnataka and Easter Chalukya kingdom in Vengi of Andhra Pradesh. Further the Vengi Chalukyas developed matrimonial relations with Tanjavour cholas leading to formation of a political front of Chalukya- Vengi cholas against Western Chalukyas.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Nov 2014 11:01:58 +0000
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