Ujjayini was the Capital of the Later Aulikaras
Summary
Challenging the view that the Later Aulikara dynasty ruled from Dasapura (Mandsaur), the author argues that their capital was Ujjayini (Ujjain). He analyses two recently discovered inscriptions of Maharaja Gauri, dated V.S. 547 (A.D. 491), and shows that they mention Adityavardhana as Gauri’s suzerain. Since Gauri ruled at Dasapura, his overlord must have been based elsewhere; the author identifies Adityavardhana as a member of the Aulikara dynasty and places him between Naravarman and Prakashadharma in the genealogy. He notes that Ujjayini is repeatedly associated with Aulikara rulers in the Brhatsamhita and other texts. Concluding that Ujjayini—not Dasapura—was the dynastic capital, the article refines the political geography of fifth‑century Malwa and corrects earlier assumptions about Aulikara history.
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Conclusion
By reassessing epigraphic evidence, the article posits that the Later Aulikaras ruled from Ujjayini rather than Dasapura. Identifying Adityavardhana as the suzerain of Gauri and situating him in the Aulikara genealogy, it shows that Gauri’s inscriptions from Dasapura reflect a provincial governor’s seat. This reinterpretation clarifies Malwa’s dynastic history and exemplifies how careful reading of inscriptions can overturn long‑held views.