Vidyadhara (Chandela ruler)

Some later Muslim historians misread this name as "Nanda", based on which British-era scholars identified the killer of the Kannauj king as Vidyadhara's predecessor Ganda.

After sacking Bari, Mahmud encountered the army of Vidyadhara (variously named "Bida" or "Nanda" in Muslim chronicles).

After Vidyadhara's withdrawal, Mahmud's army sacked his camp, and procured a great amount of wealth, including 580 elephants.

Gardezi, in his Zayn al-Akhbar, states that the Chandela ruler (called "Ganda" in this account) had already deserted his camp by the time Mahmud's envoy reached there.

Ali ibn al-Athir offers a different account, stating that the two armies fought a battle before retreating at the nightfall.

[9] In 1022 CE, Mahmud invaded the Chandela kingdom again, besieging the Gwalior Fort (Gopadri), which was controlled by a Kachchhapaghata feudatory of Vidyadhara.

After a long siege, the Kalanjara ruler (called "Nanda" in this account), offered Mahmud a tribute of 300 elephants and "begged for safety".

[10] S. K. Mitra theorizes that the encounter between Vidyadhara and Mahmud ended with an "exchange of gifts", which must have been depicted as "tribute" by the Muslim historians.

[12] The fragmentary Mahoba inscription of the Chandelas states that Bhoja and Kalachuri-Chandra, like scared pupils, worshipped Vidhyadhara, a master of warfare.

[14] Epigraphic inscriptions on a pilaster of the mandapa in the temple mentions a king called "Virimda", which is interpreted as another name of Vidhyadhara.