Gangeyadeva

Gangeyadeva (IAST:Gaṅgeyadeva, r. c. 1015–1041 CE) was a ruler of the Kalachuri dynasty of Tripuri in central India.

The triple alliance of Bhoja, Gangeyadeva and Rajendra Chola engaged the Chalukya king Jayasimha II at multiple frontiers.

[3] The Kalachuri inscriptions boast that the king of Kuntala (that is, Jayasimha) abandoned his spear while wanting to run away from Gangeyadeva.

A verse engraved on a stone slab in Bhoj Shala also suggests that Bhoja defeated Gangeyadeva of Tripuri.

In his 1037-38 CE Piawan rock inscription, Gangeyadeva assumes the imperial titles Paramabhattaraka Maharajadhiraja Parameshvara.

The Persian writer Al-Biruni mentions him as the ruler of the Dahala country, and names his capital as "Tiauri" (Tripuri).

[9] Gangeyadeva invaded the Utkala region in the east, where he is said to have "raised his own arm as a pillar of victory" on the eastern coast.

It is possible that Karna inherited this title from his father, who might have assumed it after his successful campaign in the east (that is, the Kalinga region).

[11] A fragmentary Mahoba inscription of the Chandelas claims that their king Vijayapala broke the pride of Gangeyadeva in a battle.

[13] Varanasi had earlier been under the Pala rule, at least until 1016 CE (the Sarnath stone inscription from Mahipala is dated to this year).

According to the Muslim chronicle, when Ahmad Niyaltigin (the Ghaznavid governor of Punjab) invaded Varanasi in 1033 CE, the city was under the rule of Ganga (that is, Gangeya-deva).

Historian V. V. Mirashi theorizes that the Gangeyadeva mentioned in the colophon was not a Kalachuri king at all: he belonged to a Rashtrakuta branch.

[17] Kalachuri records state that Gangeyadeva attained salvation under the Akshayavata (sacred banyan tree) at Prayaga.

A statue of Gangeyadeva (circa 1015–1041) and his successors until 1211 of the Kalachuri (Haihaya or Chedi) empire (capital: Tripuri) in central India (Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh). Dimension: 19 mm Weight: 3.84 g Material: Gold Rev: The inscription gives the name of the sovereign. Obv: Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune, in a sitting position. She has four arms.