Paramara Dynasty

Paramara or Parmar were a prominent Gurjar clan of medieval India. They were established as feudatories of Pratihara Kingdom from their capital at Dhar in Madhya Pradesh. The founder of this dynasty was Upendra. Bhoja I was one of the most the most noteworthy ruler of Paramara dynasty. The seat of the Paramara kingdom was Dhara Nagari. The Navasahasankacharita of Padmagupta and the Udaypur Prashasti are the main sources for the history of the Paramara dynasty. They are descendants of gurjars and later were elevated to Agnikula Kshatriyas.

Paramaras were descendents of the Gurjars. Although the earlier tradition relates them to Rashtrakutas, later tradition provides an interesting narrative regarding the origin of the name, Paramara. According to this tradition, the Kamadhenu (a cow which grants all wishes of one) of the sage Vasishtha was stolen by another sage Vishwamitra. Vasishtha therefore made an offering to the sacrificial fire at Mount Abu. A hero sprang out from the sacrificial fire and brought back the cow to the sage Vasishtha, who bestowed the name Paramara (slayer of the enemy) on him

The rulers of this dynasty are Upendra, Vairisimha I, Siyaka I, Vakpatiraja I, Vairisimha II, Siyaka II, Vakpatiraja II, Sindhuraja, Bhoja I, Jayasimha I, Udayaditya, Lakshmanadeva, Naravarman, Yasovarman, Jayavarman I, Vindhya Varman, Subhatavarman, Arjunavarman I, Devapala, Jaitugideva, Jayavarman II, Jayasimha II, Arjunavarman II, Bhoja II and Mahlakadeva.

Upendra was the first known ruler of this dynasty. His elder son, Vairisimha succeeded him. Siyaka II succeeded his father Vairisimha II. His elder son Vakpatiraja succeeded him. He defeated the Kalachuri king Yuvaraja II and captured his capital Tripuri. He also defeated the Guhilas of Mewar and plundered the capital Aghata. He defeated the Chalukya ruler Mularaja of Anahilapataka. Sindhuraja succeeded his elder brother Vakpatiraja II. He helped a Naga king, Shankhapala of the Barsur against Vajrankusha, a ruler of Vairagad and married his daughter Shashiprabha. His son Bhoja I had succeeded his father. He was a scholar and established a centre for Sanskrit studies in his capital Dhara Nagari. Under his rule, Malwa became an intellectual centre of India. He also founded Bhopal in order to secure the eastern part of his kingdom. The Paramas ruled until 1305, when the Malwa was conquered by Ala-ud-din Khilji, Sultan of Delhi.