Indra Pala

History of Kamarupa
Part of a series on the

Rulers and Events

Rulers of Varman Dynasty (350 to 650 CE)

– Pushya Varman (350-374 CE)
– Samudra Varman (374-398 CE)
– Bala Varman (398-422 CE)
– Kalyana Varman (422-446 CE)
– Ganapati Varman (446-470 CE)
– Mahendra Varman (470-494 CE)
– Narayana Varman (494-518 CE)
– Bhuti Varman (518-542 CE)
– Chandramukha Varman (542-566 CE)
– Sthita Varman (566-590 CE)
– Susthita Varman (590-595 CE)
– Supratisthita Varman (595-600 CE)
– Bhaskar Varman (600-650 CE)

Rulers of Mlechchha Dynasty (650 to 900 CE)

– Salasthamba (650-670 CE)
– Vigrahastambha (670-680 CE)
– Palaka (680-695 CE)
– Kumara (695-710 CE)
– Vajra (710-725 CE)
– Harsha Varman (725-745 CE)
– Bala Varman II (745-760 CE)
– Salambha (795-815 CE)
– Harjjara Varman (815-832 CE)
– Vanamala Varman (832-855 CE)
– Jayamala (855-860 CE)
– Bala Varman III (860-880 CE)
– Tyagasimha (890-900 CE)

Rulers of Pala Dynasty (900 to 1100 CE)

– Brahma Pala (900-920 CE)
– Ratna Pala (920-960 CE)
– Indra Pala (960-990 CE)
– Go Pala (990-1015 CE)
– Harsha Pala (1015-1035 CE)
– Dharma Pala (1035-1060 CE)
– Jaya Pala (1075-1100 CE)

Major Events

– Establishment of first dynasty by Pushya Varman in 350 CE.
– End of Varman Dynasty in 655 CE.
– Establishment of aboriginal second dynasty by Salasthamba in 655 CE.
– End of Mlechchha Dynasty in 900 CE.
– Establishment of third dynasty by Brahma Pala in 900 CE.
– End of Pala Dynasty in 1100 CE.

Indra Pala (960-990) was ruler of Pala Dynasty (900–1100) of Kamarupa Kingdom.^[1]

Ratna Pala's son, Purandera Pala, predeceased him, and thus the later's son, Indra Pala, his grandson became successor. Indra Pala defeated King Kalyan Chandra (975-95 AD) of Vanga, who was the son of Sri Chandra (925-75 AD). He issued two copper plate grants in 8th year (Guwahati plates) and 28th year (Guwakuchi plates) of his reign. In these records the king is adorned in grandiose epithets. The epithet Varah(descendant of the Boar incarnation of Vishnu) is applied for the first time to Pragjyotisha king who is also described as Prachi-Pradipa (the light of the east) and a past master of grammar (Pada), Vakya (Mimamsa), logic (Tarka), and Tantra. The donee of Guwakuchi grant belongs to Deva family, which is now a non-Brahminical cognomen in Bengal. His family belonged to Vai village in the land called Savathi (Sanskrit, Sravasti); same as the modern Baigram near Hilly railway station in Bogra district of Bangladesh. The area was formerly known as Pahuni yojana which later came to be known as Sravasti, apparently, because a larger number of Brahmins had settled there from Sravasti, a well-known ancient centre of learning in UP. It was also the capital of old Kosala Janapada and an early centre of Buddhism and was situated at the site of modern Set-Mahet on the border of Gonda and Bahraich districts.

A unique and interesting feature of Guwakuchi grant is that after the details of gift land, there is enumeration of no less than 32 names of the Paramesvara i.e., the reigning monarch. Some of the serials are given here (1) Kirti-Kamalini-Martanda, (6) Arasika-Bhima, (28) Medini-Tilaka, (31) Turanga-Revanta, (32) Haragirija-Chasana-Pankaja-Rajo-Ranj itottamanga.

Indra Pala who was addicted more to study than to war, was succeeded by his son Go Pala (990-1015 AD) and the latter by his son Harsha Pala. Earlier there was no information about these two rulers, but copper plate grant issued by Go Pala and found at Gachtal, near Doboka in Nagaon district, has changed it all.^[2]

References

↑ Choudhury, P. C, The History of Civilisation of the People of Assam to the Twelfth Century A.D
↑ Prakash, Col Ved, Encyclopedia of North-East India

Indra Pala

References

Further reading