RAS question
Which Abu Paramara ruler led the Gujarat side against Muhammad Ghori and broke away from Solanki control?
Correct answer: (A) Dharavarsha.
In 1178 CE, Dharavarsha, the Abu Paramara ruler, commanded the Gujarati army against Muhammad Ghori and later freed himself completely from Solanki suzerainty.
Explanation
Dharavarsha is the answer because he belonged to the Abu branch of the Paramaras and was regarded as its most powerful ruler. In 1178 CE, Muhammad Ghori attacked Mularaja II, the Chalukya ruler of Gujarat. Nayika Devi defeated Ghori at the Battle of Kayandra, while Dharavarsha Parmar commanded the Gujarati army; Kelhana and Kirtipal Songara also fought as allies on the Gujarat side. Dharavarsha later freed himself completely from Solanki suzerainty. These two links—commanding the Gujarat side against Ghori and breaking from Solanki control—identify Dharavarsha rather than merely any Paramara ruler. The other names in the options belong to administrative, temple-building, or literary contexts, not this military-political role.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Vimal Shah is associated with Abu administration and the Vimalshahi Adinath Jain temple at Dilwara; he did not command the Gujarati army against Ghori in 1178 CE.
- (C) Tejpal served as Som Singh's minister and is associated with the construction of Lunavasahi, also known as the Vastupal-Tejpal temple; he was not the ruler who led the army in this battle.
- (D) Prahladan Dev was Dharavarsha's learned younger brother and is associated with literary works; he was not the Abu Paramara ruler who led the Gujarat side against Ghori.
Concept
The Abu Paramaras are important to the political history of medieval Rajasthan because they were at times feudatories under Chalukya-Solanki rulers and at times sought independence. Their history is also tied to regional resistance against Muslim invasions. RAS questions often connect dynasties, battles, suzerainty, royal patronage, and temple-building traditions.