History of Chandela Dynasty and List of Important Facts:

Chandela Dynasty:


The Chandel dynasty was a famous Rajput dynasty of Gond tribal origin, which ruled independently from the 8th to the 12th century. The Chandelas came to power in the 9th century with the decline of the Pratiharas. The rulers of the Chandela dynasty have made a special contribution to the history of Bundelkhand. He ruled Bundelkhand for almost four centuries. His empire extended from the Yamuna River in the north to Sagar (Madhya Pradesh, Central India) and from the Dhasan River to the Vindhya hills. The famous Kalinjar Fort, Khajuraho, Mahoba and Ajaygarh were their main strongholds. The Chandela architecture influenced the whole world, during which time architecture and sculpture were at their peak. The temples of Khajuraho are the biggest example of this.

History of Chandela Dynasty (Empire):


The Chandela dynasty was a Rajput dynasty of Gond tribal origin, which ruled Bundelkhand in north-central India for a few centuries. The Gonds (tribes) are a major tribe of India. Australoid race and a tribe of the Dravidian family living in the Kati region of India - the Vindhyaparvat, the Satpura plateau, the Chhattisgarh plain extending to the Godavari river in the south and south-west, and a tribe of the Dravidian family. Capturing the banks of the Godavari from the south, it spread to the mountains and forests of central India. Even today, there are groups like the Modiyal Gonds who roam barefoot in the forests and depend on hunting and wild fruit origin for their livelihood. The ethnic language of the Gonds is Gondi which belongs to the Dravidian family and is related to Telugu, Kannada, Tamil etc.

Establishment and Ruler of Chandela Dynasty:


The early rulers of Jejakabhukti were feudatories of the Gurjara Pratihara rulers. He made Khajuraho his capital. Nannuk was the first king of the Chandela dynasty. Apart from him, other feudatories were – Vakpati, Jayashakti (probably after this the name of Bundelkhand got Jejak Bhukti), Vijay Shakti, Rahil and Harsha.

List of Rulers of Chandela Dynasty:

  • Nannuk (831 - 845 AD) (Founder)
  • Vakpati (845 - 870 AD)
  • Jayshakti Chandela and Vijayshakti Chandela (870 - 900 AD)
  • Rahil (900 - ?)
  • Harsh Chandel (900 - 925 AD)
  • Yashovarman (925 - 950 AD)
  • Dhangadeva (950 - 1003 AD)
  • Gandadeva (1003 - 1017 AD)
  • Vidyadhar (1017 - 1029 AD)
  • Vijayapala (1030 - 1045 AD)
  • Devvarman (1050-1060 AD)
  • Kirtavarman or Kirtivarman (1060-1100 AD)
  • Sallakshanavarman (1100 - 1115 AD)
  • Jayavarman (1115 - ?)
  • Prithvivarman (1120 - 1129 AD)
  • Madanavarman (1129 - 1162 AD)
  • Yashovarman II (1165 - 1166 AD)
  • Parmardideva or Parmal (1166 - 1203 AD)

Nagar-style temples and art of Khajuraho:

The Chandela rule was based on traditional ideals. The Chandelas are known for their art and architecture. He established many temples, water bodies, palaces and forts at different places. The most famous examples of his cultural achievements are the Hindu and Jain temples at Khajuraho. Three other important Chandela strongholds were Jaipura-Durga (modern Ajaigarh), Kalanjara (modern Kalinjar) and Mahotsav-nagar (modern Mahoba). Hammirvarman was succeeded by Viravarman II, whose titles do not indicate high political status.

A smaller branch of the family continued to rule Kalanjara: its ruler was executed by Sher Shah Suri's army in 1545 AD. Another minor branch ruled in Mahoba: Durgavati, one of its princesses married into the Gond royal family of Mandla. Some other ruling families also claimed the Chandela dynasty. Below is a list of the Nagara-style temples and art of Khajuraho-

  1. Kandariya Mahadev Temple
  2. Laxman Mandir
  3. Vishwanath Temple
  4. Kandariya Mahadev Temple
  5. Parshvanath Temple, Khajuraho
  6. Dulhadev Temple of Khajuraho
  7. Ajaygarh Palace
  8. Pratapeshwar Temple of Khajuraho
  9. Ajaygarh Temple
  10. Kulpahad's Yagya Mandap etc.

End of Chandela Dynasty (Empire):

The Chandela king Nanda or Gand helped another Rajput chieftain, Jaipal, in his campaign against the Turks at Lahore, but was defeated by Mahmud of Ghazna (Ghazni). In 1023 AD, the Chandelas were replaced by the Bundelas. In 1203 AD, Qutbuddin Aibak defeated Parmaddev and took control of Kalinjar and finally in 1305 AD the Chandela kingdom was merged with Delhi.

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  Last update :  Tue 13 Sep 2022
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  Post Category :  Ancient Dynasties of India