Skip to content
AC
Browse articles

The Ancient Malavas: Some New Royal Names

By M. Venkataramayya

Vol. 29 · No. 1March - 1953pp. 80–83English

Summary

Through a careful re‑reading of the Nindsa (or Nandsa) inscription dated Vikrama year 282 (A.D. 226), this article introduces new royal names of the Malava tribe. The damaged inscription, previously misunderstood, is reinterpreted to reveal clearer readings for a series of chiefs. The author proposes the names Jayatsena, Bhrguvarddhana, Jayasoma and Nandisoma as members of a ‘Malava‑vamsa’ – a royal family within the Malava republic. The article argues that the Malavas were not a homogeneous republic but had aristocratic lineages that maintained continuity, and that the newly deciphered names help reconstruct their genealogy. By comparing titles and epithets, the essay suggests that these chiefs enjoyed authority over different sub‑clans and were linked through kinship. The piece also discusses the political organisation of the Malavas in the early centuries A.D., noting that they occupied territories in central India and interacted with neighbouring powers. This reinterpretation challenges earlier assumptions about Malava history and emphasises the value of epigraphic evidence for understanding tribal states.

AI-assisted summary, not yet checked. Consult the original PDF before citing.

Conclusion

By extracting new names from a damaged inscription, the article sheds light on the hierarchical structure of the Malava republic. It reveals that aristocratic families held power and contributes to a more nuanced reconstruction of Malava political history.

Key passages

Chosen by AI from the article's text. Each one is checked word for word against the text before it is shown.

  • “Lately were discovered two inscriptions, actually two copies of one of the same inscription, of a chief of a dynasty of rulers known as the Malava-vaméa engraved ona yépa pillar at Nandsa in the Sahaza District of the Udaipur State, Rajasthan.”
  • “Thus the eleven letters read by Prof, Altekar as Ja ya na rta na pu(pra) rbha(bha) gra (?) va rddba na are read by me as Ta ya tsé na na pta rbbri gu va rddba na”
  • “The revised text herein given would thus bring to light for the first time some names in the ancient Malava stock.”

Works cited in this article

  1. Epigrapbia Indica, vol. XXVII, pp. 252 ff.
  2. Epigrapbia Indica, vol. XXVII, p. 259.
  3. Annual Report of the drebeological Department, Gwalior State far 1925-26, p. 12

Discussed in this article

People

  • Jayatséna
  • Prof. Altekar
  • Jayaséma
  • Nathdi-Soma
  • Sri (?) Séma
  • Prabhagra(?)varddhana

Texts & works

Dynasties, sects & groups

AI guide

Discuss this record

Ask about the article, its topics, issue context, selected passages, or reading strategy.

Start with the record

I can unpack the summary, turn it into study questions, explain a selected passage, or compare it with the other articles in this issue.

Article order

In this issue

Vol. 29 · No. 1
1–34Geographical Data in PaniniVasudeva S. Agrawala35–49Buddhism and VedantaBratindra Kumar Sengupta50–55Social Reforms of AkbarS. K. Banerjee56–63Concordance of the Fauna in the RamayanaSibadas Chaudhuri64–71On some recent discussions relating to Ancient Indian Political IdeasU. N. Ghoshal72–79Harsa’s Accession and EraDineshchandra Sircar80–83The Ancient Malavas: Some New Royal NamesM. VenkataramayyaCurrent article84–87Jivadaman‑Rudrasimha Problem ReviewedParmeshwari Lal Gupta88–93The Conquest of Gopadri by the KacchapaghatasSisirkumar Mitra94–96Select Contents of Oriental Journals

Original PDF

Inline viewer

Checking source PDF

The viewer will load here if the archive file is reachable.