Dholka Ahmadabad

Ahmedabad district map

For clan see Dholka

---

Dholka is a town and tahsil in Ahmadabad district in Gujarat.

History

James Tod writes that By what route Kanaksen, the first emigrant of the solar race, found his way into Saurashtra from Lohkot (Lahore), is uncertain : he, however, wrested dominion from a prince of the Pramara race, and founded Birnagara in the second century (A.D. 144).

Four generations afterwards, Vijayasen, founded Vijayapur, supposed to be where Dholka now stands, at the head of the Saurashtra peninsula. Vijayapur has been doubtfully identified with Bijapur in the Ahmadabad district (BG, i. Part i. 110).

Vidarba was also founded by him, the name of which was afterwards changed to Sihor.

Dasharatha Sharma in book "Early Chauhan Dynasties" [Page-171] while discussing Udayasimha Chauhan of Jalor writes that Iltutmish pushed on, and managed to reach Udayasimha's desert capital. Udayasimha opened negotiations; and the Sultan though he could hardly have been satisfied with the token tribute of a hundred camels and two hundred horses offered by Udayasirhha, accepted it and confirmed Udayasimha in his possessions. Nearly five years later, perhaps in V. 1278 when Iltutmish once again assumed the offensive against Rajasthan, and after sacking Nagda advanced even upon Gujarat, Udayasirhha joined as already stated above, the league organised by Viradhavala Vaghela of Dholka and his minister Vastupala. The drama gives the name of the Muslim invader as Milachchhrikara (मीलच्छ्रिकार), which Dr. G.H. Ojha equates with Amir-i-shikar, a title once borne by Iltutmish. Drs.D.R. Barnett and H.C, Ray object to the identification, saying that Milachchhrikara cannot phonetically be the Sanskritised form of Amir-i-shikar. It is no doubt so; but it can be easily the Paisachi form of Mir-i-shikar. The Muslim ruler and his minister talk with each other in Paishachi; so it is only natural that he should have a Paisachi name. The dramatist changes Mir into Mila and shikar into chhrikara through the intermediate Sanskritised form Shrikara. The usual sandhi rules thereafter give us the Milachchhrikara, actually used in the drama. As regards the date of this expedition we put it about V. 1278 (1221 A.D.)

References

Back to Jat Villages