Chauhan Dynasty of Rajasthan
In this article14
- The Chauhan states at a glance
- Origin of the Chauhans
- The early Chauhans (6th to 12th century)
- The age of Ajmer (1105–1163)
- Prithviraj III (1177–1192)
- After Tarain
- The Chauhans of Ranthambore
- The Chauhans of Nadol and Jalore
- The Hadas of Bundi, Kota and Jhalawar
- The Deoras of Sirohi
- Cultural contributions
- Timeline at a glance
- Conclusion
- Practice questions
The Chauhans (Chahamanas) built the first Rajput kingdom of Rajasthan to rule from Ajmer and Delhi, and their defeat at Tarain in 1192 changed the history of north India. This part follows the family from Vasudeva at Sambhar to Prithviraj III, then through the branches that outlived him: Ranthambore, Jalore, Bundi, Kota and Sirohi, with Jhalawar, the state carved out of Kota.
The Chauhan states at a glance
| State | Founder and period | Capital | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shakambhari (Sambhar and Ajmer) | Vasudeva, c. 551 CE | Shakambhari, then Ajmer (early 12th century) | Main line. Ended with Prithviraj III in 1192 |
| Ranthambore | Govindaraja, son of Prithviraj III, 1194 | Ranthambore | Last ruler Hammir fell in 1301 |
| Nadol and Jalore | Lakshmana (Nadol, c. 960). Kirtipala (Jalore, after 1160) | Nadol, then Jalore | Kanhad Dev fell in 1311 |
| Bundi and Kota (Hadas) | Deva Hada, 1342. Kota separated 1631 | Bundi, Kota | Hadoti region |
| Sirohi (Deora) | Sahastramal, 1425 | Sirohi | Deora branch from Nadol |
| Jhalawar | Madan Singh, 1838 | Jhalrapatan | A Jhala state, created from Kota |
Origin of the Chauhans
Chauhan is the vernacular form of the Sanskrit Chahamana. The origin of the clan is debated.
| View | Held by | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Agnikula | Later versions of the Prithviraj Raso, Muhnot Nainsi, Suryamal Mishran | The clan born from the fire-pit at Mount Abu. The earlier versions of the Raso do not carry the story |
| Solar (Suryavanshi) | Hammir Mahakavya, Prithviraja Vijaya, Gaurishankar Ojha | Descent from the sun |
| Lunar (Chandravanshi) | Achaleshwar (Abu) temple inscription | Descent from the moon |
| Brahmin (Vatsa gotra) | Dasharatha Sharma | The Bijolia inscription (1170) of Someshvara describes Samantaraja as born at Ahichchhatrapura, identified with Nagaur, in the gotra of the sage Vatsa |
The Chauhans seem to have begun as petty rulers of Ahichchhatrapura. As their territory grew, the whole region under them came to be called Sapadalaksha. Their kuldevi was Shakambhari Devi, and tradition says Vasudeva received the Sambhar salt lake as a gift from a vidyadhara.
The early Chauhans (6th to 12th century)
| Ruler | Key points |
|---|---|
| Vasudeva (c. 551 CE) | Earliest historical ruler. The Bijolia inscription and the Prithviraja Vijaya treat him as the founder |
| Guvaka I (Govindaraja I) | Freed the family from vassalage to the Gurjara-Pratiharas |
| Vakpatiraja I | A powerful early ruler who defeated the Pratiharas |
| Simharaja (944–971) | Took the title Maharajadhiraja as Pratihara power declined. Killed the Tomara chief Salavana |
| Vigraharaja II (c. 971–998) | The first truly independent Chauhan king. His Harsha inscription of 973 CE is the earliest extant inscription of the dynasty. Defeated Mularaja I of Gujarat |
| Govindaraja III (c. 1012–1026) | Called vairigatta, the destroyer of enemies. Farishta credits him with stopping Mahmud of Ghazni from entering Marwar |
The age of Ajmer (1105–1163)
| Ruler | Period | Key points |
|---|---|---|
| Ajayaraja II | 1105–1133 | Moved the capital from Sambhar to Ajayameru (Ajmer). Issued silver and copper coins, the Ajayapriya drumma, with the name of his queen Somalladevi. Defeated the Paramara king Naravarman. A devotee of Shiva who respected other faiths: allowed the Jains a temple at Ajmer and gave a gold pinnacle to the Parshvanatha temple |
| Arnoraja | 1133–1155 | Defeated Turkish invaders near Ajmer and built Anasagar Lake (1137), with the Varaha temple at Pushkar. Beaten by Kumarapala Chalukya of Gujarat. Killed by his own son Jagaddeva |
| Vigraharaja IV (Visaladeva) | 1158–1163 | The greatest Chauhan before Prithviraj III. See below |
Vigraharaja IV (1158–1163)
- Delhi. Took Delhi from the Tomaras, the first Chauhan to hold it. The Delhi-Shivalik pillar inscription (1164) records his conquests.
- Titles. Jayanaka called him Kavibandhava. He was a poet himself and wrote the play Harikeli, and his court writer Somadeva composed Lalitavigraharaja.
- Learning. He founded a Sanskrit school at Ajmer with lines of Harikeli carved on its walls. It was later converted into the mosque Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra by Qutbuddin Aibak.
- Works. Founded Bisalpur (Tonk) and built Bisalpur Lake.
- Memory. Dasharatha Sharma regards his greatness as unquestionable, and his reign is called the golden age of Sapadalaksha.
His successors were Apara-Gangeya, Prithviraja II and Someshvara (1169–1178). The Bijolia rock inscription (1170), engraved by Lolak under Someshvara, is the best record of the dynasty’s early history.
Prithviraj III (1177–1192)
Prithviraj III, also called Rai Pithora, came to the throne at the age of eleven after Someshvara’s death. His mother Karpuradevi acted as regent, and the minister Kadambavasa (Kaimbasa) was responsible for the early victories.
| Event | Details |
|---|---|
| Nagarjuna’s revolt | His first success was against his cousin Nagarjuna, son of Vigraharaja IV, who had taken Gudapura. Prithviraj recaptured it |
| Bhadanakas (before 1182) | Destroyed the Bhadanaka raiders of the Delhi region |
| Mahoba (1182–83) | Defeated the Chandela king Paramardi. The Madanpur inscriptions of 1182 record the invasion. The ballads of Alha and Udal tell the story of the brothers who defended Mahoba |
| Kannauj | Rivalry with the Gahadavala king Jaichand. Tradition links it to Sanyogita |
| Delhi | Held a wide territory in Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi and parts of UP, MP and Punjab. Built the fort known as Qila Rai Pithora at Delhi |
The Battles of Tarain
| Battle | Details |
|---|---|
| First Tarain (1191) | Prithviraj defeated Muhammad of Ghor near Tarain (Taraori) in Haryana. Ghor withdrew |
| Second Tarain (1192) | Ghor returned with a stronger army of Persians, Afghans and Turks. A change in tactics confused the Rajput host and it was routed. Prithviraj was captured and executed |
The defeat marks the end of Chauhan supremacy and the rise of Turkish rule in north India. Qutbuddin Aibak took Ajmer, and in 1194 he ended the last Chauhan resistance in Ajmer.
The Sanyogita story
According to the Prithviraj Raso, Jaichand of Kannauj held a swayamvara for his daughter Sanyogita and left Prithviraj out. He placed a statue of Prithviraj as a gatekeeper at the gate. Sanyogita garlanded the statue, and Prithviraj carried her off. Historians are divided on whether it happened.
| View | Held by |
|---|---|
| A figment of imagination | Gaurishankar Ojha, Romila Thapar, R. S. Tripathi: the Sanskrit texts and Persian chronicles do not mention it |
| The core may be true | Dasharatha Sharma, C. V. Vaidya, Gopinath Sharma: omission in a text does not prove it did not happen |
Sources for Prithviraj III
| Source | Nature |
|---|---|
| Prithviraja Vijaya | A Sanskrit mahakavya by Jayanaka, a Kashmiri poet at Prithviraj’s court. The oldest and most reliable account, though it ends before Tarain |
| Prithviraj Raso | The epic attributed to Chand Bardai, his court poet. Popular and rich in legend. Historians use it with caution |
| Hammir Mahakavya | By Nayachandra Suri, a Jain poet, about a century after the events |
| Inscriptions | Madanpur inscriptions (1182) and coins |
After Tarain
- Govindaraja IV accepted Ghurid suzerainty and ruled at Ajmer as a vassal. His uncle Hariraja drove him out and tried to retake Ajmer, but Aibak’s army defeated him (1193–94). Govindaraja IV moved to Ranthambore and founded the Chauhan line there.
- Aibak turned the Sanskrit school into the Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra around 1199.
The Chauhans of Ranthambore
| Ruler | Key points |
|---|---|
| Govindaraja | Founded the line (1194), son of Prithviraj III |
| Valhana, Prahlada, Viranarayana | Viranarayana died in a clash with Iltutmish |
| Vagbhata | Saved the kingdom from the Turks. The bards call him Bahar Deo |
| Jaitra Singh (Jaitrasimha) | Repulsed an attack by Nasiruddin Mahmud but had to pay tribute |
| Hammir (c. 1283–1301) | The last and most famous ruler |
Hammir (c. 1283–1301)
- Expansion. Hammir took an expansionist course against Abu, Pushkar, Dhar and other principalities and defeated Samar Singh of Mewar, according to the traditional account.
- Jalaluddin Khalji. Jalaluddin attacked Ranthambore in 1290–91 and again in 1292, without success.
- The Mongol rebels. In 1299 Hammir gave asylum to Muhammad Shah and Kehbru, Mongol rebels who had turned against Alauddin Khalji and killed his nephew. He refused to surrender them.
- Siege. Ulugh Khan and Nusrat Khan failed in 1299, and Nusrat Khan died. Alauddin took command himself in 1301. In the traditional account, Hammir’s commanders Ranmal and Ratipal went over to Alauddin’s side on the promise of the fort, and the defence collapsed.
- End. Hammir fell fighting on 10 July 1301, and his queen Rangadevi led the women in jauhar. Muhammad Shah too refused safe passage and died with him.
Hammir remains alive in folk memory. Nayachandra Suri’s Hammir Mahakavya, Jodhraj’s Hammir Raso and Chandrashekhar’s Hammir Hath celebrate his courage and his stubbornness.
The Chauhans of Nadol and Jalore
A younger branch, descended from Lakshmana (c. 960), ruled at Nadol. Kirtipala, a son of Alhana of Nadol, was given a few villages and made himself independent at Jalore (c. 1160–1182). The Jalore Chauhans are also called the Songaras, and their hill fort is Suvarnagiri.
| Ruler | Period | Key points |
|---|---|---|
| Kirtipala | c. 1160–1182 | Founder of the Jalore line |
| Samarasimha, Udayasimha, Chachigadeva | 1182–1282 | Udayasimha reigned over four decades |
| Samantasimha | 1282–1305 | A Gujarat army relieved Jalore when Jalaluddin attacked in 1291–92 |
| Kanhad Dev (Kanhadadeva) | 1292–1311 | Most powerful of the line |
Kanhad Dev (1292–1311)
- The quarrel. In 1299 Alauddin’s army under Ulugh Khan and Nusrat Khan marched to Gujarat through Jalore territory. Kanhad Dev refused it passage, and on its return, according to the Kanhadade Prabandha, his forces fell on it. He is credited with recovering the broken Somnath idol from the Delhi camp.
- A grievance. In 1305 Alauddin sent Ayn-ul-Mulk Multani to bring him to Delhi. Kanhad Dev found the atmosphere at court demeaning and left. Nainsi adds that his son Viram Dev refused to marry Alauddin’s daughter Firoza.
- Siwana and Jalore. Alauddin took Siwana in 1308 and later laid siege to Jalore. In 1311, after the treachery of a Dahiya sardar named Bika, the fort fell. Kanhad Dev died fighting, the women performed jauhar, and Alauddin renamed Jalore Jalalabad. Viram Dev, crowned during the siege, died within days.
- Literature. Kanhadade Prabandha (1455) by Padmanabha, a court poet of the later rulers of Jalore, hails him as a hero.
Jalore passed to Rao Maldeo of Marwar in the 16th century and later to Jodhpur (see Part 2).
The Hadas of Bundi, Kota and Jhalawar
The Hadas claim descent from Bisaldev of the Shakambhari line and are Chauhans. Hadoti, the land of the Hadas, covers Bundi, Kota, Baran and Jhalawar.
Bundi
- Foundation. The area was held by the Meena chief Bunda Meena and was called Bunda-ka-Nal. Deva Hada took Bundi from Jaita Meena in 1342 (some chronicles give 1241–42) and named the region Hadoti.
- Under Mewar. For two centuries the Hadas of Bundi were vassals of Mewar.
- Surjan Hada (1544–1585). Surrendered Ranthambore to Akbar in 1569. Akbar gave him the title Rao Raja and the governorship of Benares, and Bundi became a Mughal tributary.
- Bhoj Singh (1585–1608). Served Akbar in Gujarat. The Bhoj Burj was built in his reign.
- Ratan Singh (1608–1632). With his son Madho Singh, he put down rebels for Jahangir.
- Chhattar Sal (1632–1658). Governor of Delhi under Dara Shikoh. He died fighting Aurangzeb at Samugarh (1658).
- Bhao Singh (1658–1682). Reconciled with Aurangzeb and made governor of Aurangabad.
- Budh Singh (1696–1735). Supported Bahadur Shah after Aurangzeb’s death, while Kota’s Ram Singh backed Azam, which began the rivalry between Bundi and Kota.
- Bundi’s succession and the Marathas. Sawai Jai Singh II, Budh Singh’s brother-in-law, put Dalel Singh on the Bundi throne in 1730. The dowager queen sought Maratha help, and in April 1734 Malhar Rao Holkar and Ranoji Scindia took Bundi. This was the first Maratha entry into Rajputana’s politics.
- British treaty. Bundi signed on 10 February 1818.
Kota
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1264 | Jaita (Jait Singh) of Bundi killed the Bhil chief Kotya and took the area |
| 1631 | Madho Singh, second son of Ratan Singh of Bundi, received Kota as a separate state. Jahangir divided Hadoti, and Shah Jahan confirmed it |
| 1658 | Mukund Singh of Kota was killed at Dharmat fighting for Dara |
| 1707–1713 | Ram Singh was killed at Jajau on Azam’s side. Bahadur Shah united Kota with Bundi. It was separated again under Bhim Singh I |
| 1761 | Battle of Bhatwara. Kota, under Zalim Singh Jhala, defeated Jaipur |
| 26 December 1817 | Treaty with the British, signed by Zalim Singh |
| 15 October 1857 | The Kota Contingent revolted and killed the Political Agent Major Burton. The revolt was led by Lala Jaidayal and Mehrab Khan |
| 25 March 1948 | Rajasthan Union formed with Kota as capital. Maharao Bhim Singh of Kota became Rajpramukh |
The Kota rulers used the title Maharao.
Zalim Singh Jhala and Jhalawar
Zalim Singh Jhala (1739–1824), the Diwan and later regent of Kota, ran Kota’s affairs for decades. He developed Chhaoni Umedpura, a cantonment and township, to shield Kota from the Marathas, and he made Kota one of the first states to sign with the British (1817). His family kept a permanent hold on Kota’s government.
In 1838, to end the quarrel between the Hada Maharao and the Jhala family, the British divided Kota. They created Jhalawar out of Kota for Zalim Singh’s descendants, and Madan Singh, his grandson, became its first ruler. Its rulers used the title Maharaj Rana, and the capital was Jhalrapatan with the new town of Jhalawar (Chhaoni Umedpura). The Jhalas are a different clan from the Chauhans. Jhalawar belongs in this story only because it was cut out of Kota.
The Deoras of Sirohi
The Deoras are a branch of the Chauhans of Nadol and take their name from Deoraj. Rao Lumba of the Nadol line took Chandravati, capital of the Paramaras of Abu, around 1311, and Chauhan power spread over Abu.
- Sobha Ji (sixth from Deoraj) founded Shivpuri on the Khuba slope of the Siranwa hills in 1405.
- His son Sahastramal founded Sirohi on the western slope and laid the foundation of the Sirohi fort in 1425.
- British treaty. Sirohi came under British protection by the treaty of 11 September 1823.
- Merger. From 5 January 1949 the Bombay government administered Sirohi, and in 1950 it merged with Rajasthan. The Abu Road and Delwara tehsils stayed with Bombay State and were returned to Rajasthan on 1 November 1956, which gave Sirohi its present shape.
Cultural contributions
| Work or monument | Details |
|---|---|
| Prithviraja Vijaya | Jayanaka, Prithviraj III’s court |
| Harikeli and Lalitavigraharaja | Vigraharaja IV and Somadeva |
| Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra | Vigraharaja IV’s Sanskrit school, converted to a mosque |
| Anasagar Lake | Arnoraja, 1137 |
| Ajayapriya drumma | Coin of Ajayaraja II with Somalladevi’s name |
| Hammir Mahakavya, Hammir Raso, Hammir Hath | Hammir of Ranthambore |
| Kanhadade Prabandha | Padmanabha, 1455, on Kanhad Dev |
Timeline at a glance
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| c. 551 CE | Vasudeva, earliest Chauhan ruler |
| 973 CE | Harsha inscription of Vigraharaja II |
| early 12th century | Ajayaraja II moves the capital to Ajmer |
| 1137 CE | Arnoraja builds Anasagar |
| 1158–1163 | Vigraharaja IV. Delhi taken from the Tomaras |
| 1170 CE | Bijolia inscription of Someshvara |
| 1177–78 CE | Prithviraj III comes to the throne |
| 1182–83 | Prithviraj defeats Paramardi at Mahoba |
| 1191 CE | First battle of Tarain |
| 1192 CE | Second battle of Tarain |
| 1194 CE | Ajmer taken by Aibak. Govindaraja founds the Ranthambore line |
| 1301 CE | Fall of Ranthambore, Hammir killed |
| 1311 CE | Fall of Jalore, Kanhad Dev killed |
| 1342 CE | Deva Hada takes Bundi |
| 1405–1425 | Sobha and Sahastramal found Sirohi |
| 1569 CE | Surjan Hada surrenders Ranthambore to Akbar |
| 1631 CE | Kota made a separate state |
| 1817–1823 | British treaties: Kota, Bundi (1818), Sirohi (1823) |
| 1838 CE | Jhalawar created |
Conclusion
The Chauhans rose from Sambhar as small chiefs under the Pratiharas, became independent under Vigraharaja II, and reached their height with Vigraharaja IV and Prithviraj III, who held Ajmer and Delhi together. Their record is not only military. Ajayaraja II’s coins, Arnoraja’s lake, Vigraharaja IV’s plays and Sanskrit school, and Jayanaka’s poem show a court that valued learning. After Tarain, the family did not disappear. It split into branches that took the fight on for a century, and the Turkish conquest that the main line could not stop was resisted at Ranthambore, Jalore and Chittor. Hammir and Kanhad Dev lost their forts but passed into the bardic memory of Rajasthan. Later, the Hadas and Deoras carried the Chauhan name into the Mughal and British periods, and the story of Kota, Jhalawar and Zalim Singh links the clan to the politics of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Practice questions
Q1. Consider the following statements about the early Chauhans of Shakambhari.
- The Bijolia rock inscription (1170 CE) traces the family to Samantaraja, born at Ahichchhatrapura in the Vatsa gotra.
- The Harsha inscription of 973 CE, of Vigraharaja II, is the earliest extant inscription of the dynasty.
- Ajayaraja II founded Shakambhari as the first Chauhan capital.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a). Ajayaraja II moved the capital from Shakambhari to Ajmer.
Q2. Assertion (A): Vigraharaja IV is regarded as the greatest Chauhan king before Prithviraj III.
Reason (R): He took Delhi from the Tomaras and patronised learning, writing the play Harikeli and founding a Sanskrit school at Ajmer.
- (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
- (b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
- (c) A is true, but R is false
- (d) A is false, but R is true
Answer: (a)
Q3. Match the work with its author.
| Work | Author |
|---|---|
| A. Prithviraja Vijaya | 1. Jayanaka |
| B. Hammir Mahakavya | 2. Nayachandra Suri |
| C. Kanhadade Prabandha | 3. Padmanabha |
| D. Prithviraj Raso | 4. Chand Bardai |
- (a) A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4
- (b) A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3
- (c) A-1, B-3, C-2, D-4
- (d) A-4, B-2, C-3, D-1
Answer: (a)
Q4. Consider the following statements about Prithviraj III.
- He came to the throne as a boy around 1177–78 and defeated the Chandela ruler Paramardi in 1182–83.
- He defeated Muhammad of Ghor at the first battle of Tarain (1191) and lost the second (1192).
- The Prithviraja Vijaya, composed by Chand Bardai, is the most reliable contemporary source for his reign.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a). The Prithviraja Vijaya was written by Jayanaka. Chand Bardai is credited with the Prithviraj Raso.
Q5. Consider the following statements about Ranthambore.
- Hammir gave asylum to the Mongol rebels Muhammad Shah and Kehbru and refused to surrender them to Alauddin Khalji.
- The fort fell in 1301 after a siege in which Alauddin took command himself, and the women performed jauhar under Rangadevi.
- Hammir was the son of Prithviraj III.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a). Hammir was a son of Jaitra Singh. The Ranthambore line was founded by Govindaraja, a son of Prithviraj III.
Q6. Arrange the following events in chronological order.
- Second battle of Tarain
- Fall of Jalore
- Death of Vigraharaja IV
- Fall of Ranthambore
- (a) 3, 1, 4, 2
- (b) 1, 3, 4, 2
- (c) 3, 1, 2, 4
- (d) 1, 3, 2, 4
Answer: (a)
Q7. Which of the following statements about the Hadas is NOT correct?
- (a) Deva Hada took Bundi from the Meena chief Jaita Meena.
- (b) Surjan Hada surrendered Ranthambore to Akbar in 1569 and received the title Rao Raja.
- (c) Kota was made a separate state for Madho Singh in 1631.
- (d) Jhalawar was carved out of Bundi in 1838 for the descendants of Zalim Singh.
Answer: (d). Jhalawar was carved out of Kota.
Q8. Match the event with its year.
| Event | Year |
|---|---|
| A. Kota made a separate state | 1. 1631 |
| B. Jhalawar created | 2. 1838 |
| C. Sirohi fort founded by Sahastramal | 3. 1425 |
| D. Treaty between Kota and the British | 4. 1817 |
- (a) A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4
- (b) A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3
- (c) A-1, B-3, C-2, D-4
- (d) A-4, B-2, C-3, D-1
Answer: (a)
Q9. Examine the causes of Prithviraj III’s defeat at the second battle of Tarain (1192) and assess its consequences. (250 words)
Answer pointers: the victory of 1191 and Ghor’s return with a larger army; Ghurid tactics against the Rajput host; Prithviraj’s isolation after his quarrels with Jaichand and the Chandelas; the capture and execution; Aibak’s capture of Ajmer and the fall of Delhi; the end of Chauhan supremacy and the beginning of Turkish rule; the limits of the Prithviraj Raso as a source.
Q10. Compare Alauddin Khalji’s conquest of Ranthambore (1301) with that of Jalore (1311). (250 words)
Answer pointers: Hammir’s asylum to the Mongol rebels and Kanhad Dev’s refusal of passage; Jalaluddin’s earlier failures; Alauddin taking command at Ranthambore; the betrayal of Ranmal and Ratipal and of the Dahiya sardar Bika; jauhar at both forts; Kanhadade Prabandha and Hammir Mahakavya as sources; the place of both kings in Rajasthani memory.
Q11. Discuss the role of Zalim Singh Jhala in the history of Kota and the creation of Jhalawar. (150 words)
Answer pointers: his role as regent and Diwan; the battle of Bhatwara (1761); Chhaoni Umedpura as a shield against the Marathas; the treaty of 1817; the quarrel between the Hada and Jhala houses; the division of 1838 and the first ruler, Madan Singh.
Q12. Evaluate the contribution of the Chauhans to art, literature and learning, with reference to Vigraharaja IV. (150 words)
Answer pointers: Harikeli and Lalitavigraharaja; the title Kavibandhava; the Sanskrit school at Ajmer and its conversion into Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra; Anasagar and Bisalpur; Ajayaraja II’s coins and religious tolerance; Jayanaka’s Prithviraja Vijaya; the later literature on Hammir and Kanhad Dev.
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