Fifteen miles from Anahilapataka (Patan). Of the larger temples, the temple
of Surya at Modhera near Baroda is a typical example. The Jaina temple of
Vimala at Mount Abu in Rajputana is one of the best specimens of Solanki
art.
Chahamanas
There were several branches of the Chahamana dynasty. The main branch
ruled in Sakambhari, modern Sambhar, in Jaipur and the others ruling in
different places, were collateral. Some of these were unquestionably the
feudatories of the Pratiharas.
Early Rulers Vasudadeva founded the main line in the middle of the 6th
century AD with Ahichchhatra as the seat of his power. Taking advantage of
the weakness of the Patiharas consequent to their struggle with the
Rashtrakutas, the next important ruler Vakpatiraja defied the authority of the
Pratiharas. During his reign the Chahamana family acquired a distinctly
higher status as is revealed by his assumption of the title maharaja. He built
at Pushkara a temple for Siva. Vakpati had three sons—Simharaja, Vatsaraja
and Lakshmana.
Simharaja and Vigraharaja II Simharaja was the first prince of the
family who assumed the title maharajadhiraja. This indicates that he made
himself independent of the imperial Pratiharas of Kanauj. Simharaja’s son
and successor Vigraharaja II was the real founder of the future greatness of
the family. He overran Gujarat, forced the Chalukya Mularaja to take refuge
at Kanthakot in Kutch. He extended his conquests as far south as the
Narmada.
Prithviraja I and Ajayaraja II Prithviraja I is reputed to have killed a
body of 700 Chalukyas who had come to Pushkara to rob the Brahmins.
From the time of his son and successor Ajayaraja II, the Chahamanas began
to pursue an aggressive imperial policy. He founded the city of Ajayameru or
Ajmer and enlarged and decorated it with magnificent palaces. Ajayaraja was
succeeded by his son Arnoraja. He had to acknowledge the suzerainty of his
Chalukya rival Siddharaja Jayasimha who gave his daughter in marriage to
him. The matrimonial alliance established peace for a short duration but
hostilities broke out afresh with