Lalitaditya Muktapiḍa was an emperor of the Kashmiri Karkoṭa dynasty, the youngest son of Pratapaditya. He is the hero of vast conquests. Kalhana shows him to be the universal monarch, moving round the earth like the Sun. He certainly subjugated parts of the Punjab and defeated and dethroned Yacovarman of Kanyakubja (Qannauj) in 740 A.C. He also brought the well known poet Bhavabhuti, who hailed from Vidarbha (Berar) to his court. Before this, he had led a successful expedition against the Bhauttas of Baltistan, whom he defeated on the banks of the Indus. In 733 A.C., he sent an embassy to the Chinese emperor, Husan-tsuang (713-755 A.C), to report his victories over the Tibetans, and also to solicit the establishment of a camp of Chinese troops by the banks of the Volur (Wular) Lake. Muktapida also applied to the Chinese emperor for aid against the Arabs who were advancing from their base in Sind and Multan and of whom we hear for the first time in connexion with the history of Kashmir. But the “divine Khan”contented himself with merely ordering a sumptuous entertainment for the ambassador and with investing Muktapida with the title of King. The chiefs of Jullundur, Kangra and Punch were among Muktapida’s feudatories. He is the most conspicuous figure in Kashmir history. He raised his country to a pitch of glory it had never reached before. The ruins of the temple of Martanda, about 5 miles from Anantnag or Islamabad, and of his city, Parihasapura, fourteen miles from Srinagar, bear eloquent testimony to his greatness.
Lalitaditya Muktapida moved his capital from Srinagar to Parihaspur (a small town near Srinagar in Kashmir Valley). Lalitaditya according to Kalhana built his residence and four temples in this area. The temples included one for Vishnu (Muktakeshva) where
according to Kalhana the emperor used 84,000 tolas of gold to make the image of Vishnu. In another temple he used as many Palas of silver for the image of Parihaskesana. He also had made a statue of Buddha in copper that according to Kalhana “reached up to the sky.” The main temple was larger than the famous temple that Lalitaditya built in Martand. Parihaspur lost its status as a capital after Lalitaditya’s death. His son moved the royal residence.
The celebrated temple of Martanda possesses far more imposing dimensions than any other existing temple, being 63 feet long. The Pillared quadrangle round the temple is 220 feet by 142 feet. The stone carving is very fine indeed. G.T. Vigne, the traveller says: “As an isolated ruin this deserves on account of its solitary and massive grandeur to be ranked, not only as the first ruin of the kind in Kashmir but as one of the noblest amongst the architectural relics of antiquity that are to be seen in any country.” This great temple of the Sun at Martanda became the model for all subsequent Brahmanical temples in Kashmir.
Extensive drainage works were also carried out under Muktapida’s orders, and vast areas were reclaimed and made fit for cultivation. Muktapida raised the number of court offices from 18-under Jaluka-to 23, the five new offices being those of High Chamberlain, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Master of the Horse, Keeper of the Treasury, and chief Executive Officer. His end is enveloped in mystery. He died probably during an expedition towards the north.
when engaged in his last expedition, Muktapida sent out a sort of instrument of instruction on the art of governance. He warned his Kashmiri subjects against internal dissension, and against neglecting the forts in respect of repair and provisions. Dwellers in mountains, he said, should be occasionally punished to prevent their becoming strong and troublesome. “Every care should be taken that there should not be left with the villagers more food supply than required for one year’s consumption, nor more oxen than were wanted for the tillage of their fields. Because if they should keep more wealth, they would become in a single year very formidable Damaras or feudal lords and strong enough to neglect the commands of the King.” The cultivator’s style of living must be lower than that of the city people. Offices should not be held by family cliques, and troops should not be raised from a single district. Lalitaditya’s rule ended in 753 A.C., and was followed by four short reigns.
Reference:
Sufi,G.M.D (1996). Kashmir Under The Mughals. Kashir: Being A History Of Kashmir(pp.52-54) Delhi:Capital Publishing House.
