We had discussed in the previous episode that after Ajaydev Chauhan, his son Arnoraj became the lord of Ajmer. Arnoraj is also known as Anaji. Arnoraj ascended the throne of Chauhans around AD 1133 and ruled till AD 1155. He too became a powerful ruler like his ancestors. He assumed the titles of Maharajadhiraj Parameshwara and Param Bhattaraka Maharajadhiraja.
In the Narhad inscription of AD 1158, Parambhattaraka-Maharajadhiraj Parameshwara Shrimad is inscribed in front of the name of Vigraharaj (IV), and Devrajya behind the name. These titles were taken away from the Pratiharas by the Chauhans. It is also known from these titles that during this period Chauhan was the sovereign ruler of his vast empire.
In fact, the titles of Maharajadhiraja and Parambhattaraka were first adopted by the Gupta rulers in Indian history. After the disintegration of the power of the Guptas, the Pratihara rulers assumed the title of Parameshwara along with the titles of the Guptas. At that time the Chauhans were feudatories under the Pratiharas.
It was a practice in ancient India that when a king conquered another king, the victorious king assumed the titles of the defeated king. Since the Chauhans had defeated the Pratiharas, the Chauhans assumed the titles of the Pratiharas.
It is known from the citation available in the State Museum of Ajmer that Arnoraj defeated the Turks who had crossed the desert and reached Ajmer. The date of this invasion is estimated to be AD 1135. The Turkish army, which crossed the desert, destroyed Pushkar and after that it moved towards Ajmer.
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Arnoraj was fed up with the repeated Muslim invasions of Ajmer. So he gathered all his power and killed the Turks in a vast plain located a few kilometers away from Taragarh. Due to this massacre, the huge army of Turks shed so much blood that the whole field was covered in blood. Massive rot spread there from the lumps of meat.
King Arnoraj built a canal from the Chandra river originating from the hills of Pushkar and brought it towards this plain, from which all the dead bodies were washed away. Later, Arnoraj got this place excavated and got the soil removed and got the lake constructed by making a pucca ghat. King Arnoraj performed a havan to purify the place where the blood of the Yavanas had fallen and made Anasagar lake at that place.
Some historians mark the river brought into this Anasagar lake as Luni and some historians as Bandi which originates from the Nag hills near Ajmer. When this ground was cleared by flowing water for several days, then Arnoraj built a huge paved wall around it. He also took the help of the subjects in this work.
When this lake was ready, it was filled with pure water coming out of the Pushkar hills. From this lake drinking water became available for the people and animals of Ajmer. It also became possible to maintain a large army in this area for a long time. Due to this lake, Ajmer city developed rapidly.
Anasagar Lake is one of the most beautiful places in India. Much more credit for the prosperity and expansion of Ajmer city goes to this lake than to Taragarh fort. Enchanted by the beauty of this lake, the Mughals gave so much importance to Ajmer. Jahangir built Daulat Bagh near this lake which is now called Subhash Udyan. Shah Jahan built a marble baradari on the banks of Anasagar Lake.
It is mentioned in history that when Maharaja Ajit Singh of Jodhpur took control of Ajmer, he also lived in the palaces built on the banks of Anasagar lake. The British were crazy about this lake. Even today this lake remains the identity of Ajmer city.
King Arnoraj Chauhan defeated King Narvarman of Malwa and increased the importance of his dynasty by taking his victory flag to the regions of Indus and Saraswati river.
Arnoraj expressed his commitment to his ancestral conquest sentiments by leading the expedition to the country of Haritanaka. With these conquests, he annexed some of the eastern part of Punjab and the western part of the United Provinces to his empire. Arnoraj also took control of Haryana, Delhi and Bulandshahr district of present Uttar Pradesh, which was then called Varannagar.
King Arnoraj was a follower of Sanatan Dharma, but he did not have any narrowness towards other religions. He donated land to the followers of Khatragachchh and built the world famous temple of Varaha at Pushkar. At the time of Arnoraj, there were great scholars named Devbodh and Dharmaghosh, who were honored by Arnoraj.
Watch in the next episode- Chauhan and Chowlukya die each other for false pride!
-Doctor. Mohanlal Gupta