Rukmi
Rukmi (रूक्मी) was Bhoja-Yadava king of Vidarbha Kingdom who ruled from his capital city viz Bhojakata and was the only ruler who did not take part in Mahabharata war neither with Kauravas nor with Pandavas. Bhojakata is situated to the western boundary of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra state of India.
Jat Gotras from Rukmi
Raikwar (रैकवार) - Raikwar gotra Jats are descendants of Maharaja Rukmi (रूक्मी). [1]
History
Rukmini was a royal princess of Vidarbha kingdom and sister of Rukmi. Rukmi, a powerful prince was an enemy of Krishna and did not want his sister to betroth his archerival. Instead, he wanted her to marry his dear friend, the mighty Sisupala, the King of Chedi.
Bhojakata was the capital of Rukmi a Bhoja-Yadava king of Vidarbha Kingdom. Rukmi wanted his sister Rukmini to be married by the Chedi king Shishupala. But she was in love with Vasudeva Krishna. Krishna abducted Rukmini against the will of Rukmi. Then king Rukmi left the capital of Vidarbha, viz Kundinapuri and chased Krishna. He pledged that he will not return to his capital without Rukmini. But he was defeated by Krishna's army. Rukmi kept his promise by constructing another capital for Vidarbha, to the west of Kundinapuri called Bhojakata. Since then he started ruling from this new capital. He never returned to Kundinapuri.
Chammak Plates of 18th year of Pravarasena II
Chammak Plates of 18th year of Pravarasena II [2] were issued by Pravarasena II of the Vakataka dynasty from Pravarapura. The object of the inscription is to record the (p.22) grant, by Pravarasena II, of the village Charmanka situated on the bank of the Madhunadi in the rājya (division) of Bhojakata.
Pravarapura, which finds a mention here for the first time, was evidently the later capital of Pravarasena II. His earlier capital was Nandivardhana from which his two earlier grants were issued. Pravarapura was evidently founded by Pravarasena II and named after himself. He appears to have shifted his seat of government there some time after his eleventh regnal year. The exact location of Pravarapura was long uncertain; but the recent discovery of several sculptures of the Gupta-Vakataka period at Pavnar, 6 miles from Wardha, has rendered it probable that the village marks the site of ancient Pravarapura.
Charmanka is, of course, Chammak where the plates were discovered.
The Madhunadi on the bank of which it was situated is now called Chandrabhaga.
Bhojakata, the headquarters of the division (rajya) in which Charmanka was included, is an ancient city. It was founded by Rukmin, the brother-in-law of Krishna. When the latter abducted his sister Rukmini, he vowed that he would not return to Kundinapura, the capital of Vidarbha, unless he killed Krishna and rescued his sister. As he did not succeed in this, he refused to return to Kundinapura, but founded a new city named Bhojakata where he fixed his residence[3]. Bhojakata is usually identified with Bhatkuli (भाटकुली), a village about 8 miles from Amaravati where there is still a temple of Rukmin. (p.23)
In Mahabharata
Rukmi (रुक्मि) is mentioned in Mahabharata (3-255-15a)
Vana Parva, Mahabharata/Book III Chapter 255 describes Karna's victory march and countries subjugated. Rukmi (रुक्मि) is mentioned in Mahabharata (3-255-15a)[4].....
Having met with Rukmi (रुक्मि) (3-255-14a), Karna (कर्ण) (3-255-14a), repaired to Pandya (पाण्ड्य) (3-255-14a) and the mountain, Shri (Shrishaila) (श्रीशैल) (3-255-14a). And by fighting, he made Kevala (केवल) (3-255-15a), king Nila (नील) (3-255-15a), Venudari's (वेणुदारि) (3-255-15b) son, and other best of kings living in the southern direction pay tribute.
References
- ↑ Dr Mahendra Singh Arya, Dharmpal Singh Dudee, Kishan Singh Faujdar & Vijendra Singh Narwar: Ādhunik Jat Itihas (The modern history of Jats), Agra 1998, p. 278
- ↑ Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum Vol.5 (inscriptions Of The Vakatakas), Edited by Vasudev Vishnu Mirashi, 1963, Archaeological Survey of India, p.22-27
- ↑ अनानीय स्वसारं तु रूक्मी मानमदान्वित:। हीनप्रतिज्ञो नैच्छ्त्स प्रवेष्टुं कुण्डिनं पुरम् ॥ विदर्भेषु निवासार्थ निर्ममेSन्यत्पुरं महत् । तद्भोजकटमित्येव बभूव भुवि विश्रुतम् ॥ Harivansha, II, 60, 31-32
- ↑ स केवलं रणए चैव नीलं चापि महीपतिम् (3-255-15a)
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