Side light on the History of the Kalacuris of Malava
Summary
D. C. Ganguly provides a brief history of the Kalacuri dynasty of Malava after the fall of the Imperial Guptas. A branch of the Kalacuris established a kingdom in Malava, Gujarat and the northern Deccan in the 6th century AD. The earliest known king, Krsnaraja, was succeeded by his son Sankaragana; inscriptions dated AD 595 show that Sankaragana controlled Ujjain and the Nasik district. His son Buddhraja ruled Anandapura, Bharukaccha and Vidiśa and was defeated by the Calukya Mangalesa between AD 595–602. Ganguly argues that Bana's account of Rijyavardhana defeating the king of Malava likely refers to Buddhraja. Coins found at Besnagar confirm Kalacuri occupation and suggest continuous control of eastern Malava from Krsnaraja to Buddhraja. The article concludes that Devagupta cannot be placed in Malava during this period and that the dynasty disappears from history after Buddhraja.
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Conclusion
The article concludes that inscriptions and coins reveal a brief but significant Kalacuri presence in Malava during the 6th and early 7th centuries. The evidence clarifies that Rijyavardhana's victory was over Buddhraja, not a ruler named Devagupta, refining our understanding of post‑Gupta political dynamics.