Kanhad Dev

Kanhad Dev Sonigara was a Rajput Maharaja who ruled Jalore in the 13th century CE, in the present-day Indian state of Rajasthan.

In 1298, Ala ud din Khilji's Mongol general Ulugh Khan asked permission of Kanhad Dev to march through Jalore to conquer Gujarat and destroy the temple at Somnath. Kanhad Dev refused and denounced Khilji's actions. Due to the risk of an attack Ulugh Khan had to take a longer route to Gujarat.^[1] In 1299 Ala ud din sacked the temple and broke the Shiva lingam that had been worshipped there. He was carrying the broken pieces back to Delhi when he was attacked and defeated by Kanhad Dev Sonigara's armies. Kanhad Dev's son Biramdeo (Viramdev) and trusted general Jaitra Deora were in charge of his army. The broken pieces of the Shiva lingam were recovered and 20,000 hindu prisoners were freed . Kanhad had the shivling washed in water from the Ganges river, which is regarded as sacred, and then placed within various Shiva temples in and around Jalore. The enraged Ala ud din Khilji attacked Jalore with a huge force of 50,000 men Kanhad Dev with an army of 5,000 men defended Jalore until he and his son Viramdev were both killed. Ala ud din Khilji later plundered the city and enslaved the populace but could not find the Somnath Shiva lingam as it was secretly sent away with trusted Brahmans of the kingdom. This story is recounted in the 16th century ballads Padmanabhama and Kanhad Dev.^[2]

References

1. Maheshwari, Hiralal (1980). History of Rajasthani Literature. Sahitya Akademi. p. 17.
2. Panhwar, M. H. (1984–85). "The development in the study of history and archaeology of Sindh" (PDF). Sindhological Studies 8–9. Retrieved 2008-03-31.