Chach of Alor

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Chach (632-671)[1] is the name of the Brahmin Chamberlain and Secretary to Rai Sahasi the Second, of the Rai Dynasty who succeeded him to the throne of Sindh.[2] The history of Chach is related in the Chach Nama as part of the history of Sind.

Contents

[edit] Rise to Power

Chach was a Brahmin who rose to a position of influence under the Rai Sahasi of the Rai Dynasty of Sindh as both Chamberlain and Secretary.[3] Chach developed illicit relations with the then Queen Suhanadi and upon the death conspired with the queen and became ruler of a Buddhist Sindh.[4]

Rana Maharath, the King of Chittor, who was the brother Rai Sahasi then claimed the throne and attacked Chach but the Rana was killed by strategem, in the war in 622.[5] The Chach Nama recounts the Ranas death as one in a single combat duel with Chach wherein Chach cheated and mounted to win.

Chach then enlisted his brother Chandra to help him administer the realm and set off with an army to bring the rest of the realm under his control. He is reported to have fought battles at Babiah on the south bank of the River Beas, at Iskandah and at Sikkah where "Chach Rai took possession of the fort (of Sikkah), and killed 5,000 warlike men who were in it, and made the other residents of the town prisoners, and secured a large booty and a great number of slaves."[6] After which he appointed a Thakur at Multan and rode unopposed to settle his boundary with Kashmir.

Later he expanded his rule subduing neighbouring Buddhist regions across the Indus River culminating in a battle at Brahmanabad. He stayed there for a year cementing his control by various means such as:

  • Marrying the widow of the local king Agham
  • Marrying his niece to Agham's son Sarhand
  • Taking hostages
  • Prohibiting the Jats and Luhanahs tribes from carrying weapons.

He further place upon the Jats and Luhanah restrictions such as:

  • Forbidding them riding horses with saddles
  • Forbidding them from wearing silk or velvet
  • Forbidding them from wearing headgear or footwear
  • Forcing them to wear black or red scarves

From there he then marched into Sassanid territory the town of Armanbelah, and through Turan to Kandahar from where he exacted tribute before returning.

In the 35th year of the reign of the Rai Chach, the Chach Nama reports the repulsion of a solitary Arab incursion. The force that arrived was ont that had pressed on from its campaign of the conquest of Bahrain launched in 632 AD under Mughaira bin A's, who died in this battle at Debal.

[edit] Succession

[edit] Chandar

Chandra (671-679)[7] succeeded by his brother. His dealings with the local Buddhists are described as such:

"After the death of Chach son of Selaij, his brother Chandar ascended the throne at the capital city of Alor. He strengthened and promulgated the religion of monks (nasik) and hermits (ráhib). He brought many people together with his sword, and made them turn back to his faith." ."[8]

Chandar had to also defend his realm from the Rana Sahiras of Kannauj and after a protracted siege of the capital Aror, the Rana was captured during a conflict at a parley and peace concluded by means of hostages. Chandra was reputed to have ruled for 8 years.

[edit] Dahir

Main Article: Raja Dahir

Chach's eldest son Dahir then succeeded his uncle Chandar.

[edit] Family

His father is reported as one Selaij and there are conflicting reports on when Chach married the Queen Suhanandi, who had no children from the Rai, on wether it was before or after the battle with the Rana Maharath. Chach had two sons (Dahir and Daharsiah) with the Queen Suhanandi and one daughter (Bai) from the widow of Argham.

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Wink pg. 153
  2. ^ Wink pg. 153
  3. ^ Chach-nama
  4. ^ Chach-nama
  5. ^ Wink pg. 153
  6. ^ The Chachnamah, An Ancient History of Sind, Giving the Hindu period down to the Arab Conquest. Translated by from the Persian by MIRZA KALICHBEG FREDUNBEG,Commissioners Press 1900. Section 10
  7. ^ Wink, pg. 153
  8. ^ The Chachnamah, An Ancient History of Sind, Giving the Hindu period down to the Arab Conquest. Translated by from the Persian by MIRZA KALICHBEG FREDUNBEG,Commissioners Press 1900. Section 12

[edit] References

  • Mirza Kalichbeg Fredunbeg: The Chachnamah, An Ancient History of Sind, Giving the Hindu period down to the Arab Conquest. Translated by from the Persian by, Commissioners Press 1900[1]
  • Thakur Deshraj: Jat Itihas, Delhi, 1934
  • Wink, Andre, Al Hind the Making of the Indo Islamic World, Brill Academic Publishers, Jan 1, 1996, ISBN 90-04-09249-8
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