Harsha`s Campaign of Western India

After conquering Bengal and eastern India, Harsha had pursued the policy of Digvijay in western India. Firstly he had paraded against the kingdom of Valabhi. The kingdoms of Gujrat, Malava and Gurjaras were hostile towards Harsha`s father Prabhakarvardhana. Harsha, being the son and heir of Prabhakarvardhana of the Pushyabhuti House, had inherited the hostility of those states. The kingdom of Valabhi in Gujrat was an important power. Harsha had attacked the Valabhi king and defeated him. However the Valabhi chief had retrieved his position with the help of Dadda II, the Gurjara king of Bhrauch and other allies. The identity of this king of Valabhi however is not established properly, but according to general belief, it was Dhruvasen II or Dhruvabhatta. However antagonisms came to a close by matrimonial alliance established between the two houses.

Dhruvabhatta, the Valabhi chief held the hands of Harsha`s daughter and thus conflict between the two houses were terminated. However there is enough controversy regarding the inclusion of the territory of Valabhi under the direct control of Harsha. According to Dr. R.C. Majumdar, Valabhi never had become subordinate to Harsha. But Dr. D.C. Sirkar puts that Valabhi was a subordinate ally of Harshavardhana. Dr. R. K. Mukherjee has pointed out that some of the adjacent states of Valabhi were brought into Harsha`s suzerainty. They included Anandapura, Kutch, and Surat etc, which were originally part of western Malava.