Context: Following the unveiling of the statue of 9th-century king Mihir Bhoja as ‘Gurjar Pratihar Samrat Mihir Bhoja’ by district party leaders, leaders in Haryana’s Kaithal expressed their protest by offering to resign. The controversy surrounding Mihir Bhoja’s lineage has arisen before in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, with both Gurjaras and Rajputs laying claim to his belonging in their respective communities.

About Mihir Bhoja 

• Mihir Bhoja (836 to 885 CE), was a highly successful and ambitious ruler in ninth-century India. At that time, the Gurjara-Pratiharas held dominion over a vast empire, stretching from Kashmir to Gujarat.
• Mihir Bhoj ascended to power after succeeding his father, Ramabhadra. He also expanded his influence by conquering regions in the Deccan and Malwa.
• Tripartite Struggle:
  • During the ninth century, a major political struggle centered around gaining control of Kannauj, as it was believed that whoever ruled there would become the emperor of the country.
  • This led to a tripartite conflict among the powerful entities of the time—the Gurjara-Pratihara, the Rashtrakutas of Deccan, and the Palas of Bengal. Among them, Mihir Bhoj emerged as the most successful.
  • He secured territories of Gujarat and Malwa from the Gujarat-Rashtrakutas and further expanded his realm by conquering areas of Gorakhpur from the Palas of Bengal.

• He was a devout follower of Vishnu and used the title of Adivaraha, which was inscribed on some of his coins.
• His rule spanned a vast territory, from the foothills of the Himalayas to the Narmada River, which included the present district of Etawah in Uttar Pradesh. Kannauj, which served as his capital during his reign, was known as Panchala. 
• Mihir Bhoja was a staunch adversary of the Arab invaders and maintained a formidable army, particularly renowned for its skilled cavalry. Following his rule, his son Mahendrapala I succeeded him.
• Lineage:
  • Originally, the Gurjars were a nomadic tribe in ancient India, initially spread across the regions of Rajasthan and Gujarat, and it is believed that Mihir Bhoja belonged to this tribe.
  • However, historical records also suggest that he asserted Kshatriya status for himself. It was a common practice in ancient India for kings to claim Kshatriya lineage, as it was considered that only a Kshatriya (warrior) could rightfully ascend to the throne. 
  • The controversy surrounding the castes of ancient rulers in recent times is primarily a product of modern-day politics and does not have any direct bearing on historical accuracy.
  • It is essential to approach these historical accounts with a critical perspective, considering the societal context and the evolution of social identities over time.

Military Career

• Mihira Bhoja first consolidated his territories by crushing the rebellious feudatories in Rajasthan, before turning his attention against the old enemies the Palas and Rastrakutas.
• He invaded the Pala Empire of Bengal but was defeated by Devapala. He then launched a campaign to conquer the territories to the south of his empire and was successful, thus Malwa, Deccan, and Gujarat were conquered.
• The Pratiharas were defeated in a large battle in Ujjain by Rastrakutas of Gujarat however, retribution followed on the part of the Pratiharas, and by the end of his reign, Bhoja had successfully destroyed the Gujarat Rashtrakuta dynasty.
• Bhoja’s feudatory, the‌ Guhilas chief named Harsha of Chatsu, is described as defeating the northern rulers with the help of the mighty elephant force, and loyally presenting to Bhoja the special ‘Shrivamsha’ breed of horses, which could easily cross seas of sand.
• Besides being a conqueror, Bhoja was a great diplomat. The Kingdoms which were conquered and acknowledged his suzerainty include Travani, Valla, Mada, Arya, Gujaratra, Lata Parvarta, and Chandelas of Bundelkhand.
• Bhoja’s Daulatpura-Dausa Inscription, confirms his rule in the Dausa region. Another inscription states that ‘Bhoja’s territories extended to the east of the Sutlej River.’
• Kalhana’s Rajatarangini states that the territories of Bhoja extended to Kashmir in the north, and Bhoja conquered Punjab by defeating the ruling ‘Thakkiyaka’ dynasty.

Coins of Mihira Bhoja 

• Mihira Bhoja was commonly known by the epithet ‘Srimad-Adivaraha’, which refers to the fortunate primeval boar incarnation of Vishnu.
• These coins feature a depiction of Adivaraha on the obverse side, where the God holds a solar wheel with spokes in his right hand, while in his left hand, there are other emblems such as a mace, lotus flower, and conch shell.
• Additionally, under the feet of God, there is likely a two-headed serpent. According to Alexander Cunningham, these types of coins are found in both silver and copper.
• It is believed that copper coins were originally coated with silver to circulate as silver coins. The presence of Adivaraha coins was noted by Thakkar Pheru in the 13th-century text ‘Dravya-Pariksha,’ who served as a mint master under Alauddin Khilji.

Gurjara-Pratihara Empire

• The Gurjara-Pratiharas, also known simply as the Pratiharas, ruled over western and northern India from the 8th century CE to the 11th century CE.
• This dynasty witnessed a significant rise in its fortunes under the rule of Nagabhata I (730–760 CE), who successfully repelled Arab invaders.
• The Pratiharas were particularly known for their generous patronage of art, sculpture, and temple construction.