Katyuri kings
Katyuri Kings (कत्यूरी नरेश) were a medieval ruling clan of Uttarakhand, who called their state Kurmanchal, the land of Kurma avatar, which gives the region its present name, Kumaon.
The Katyuri dynasty was of Khas origin and was founded by Vashudev Katyuri[1], who displaced the earlier, Doti kings of Nepal from the region.
During their reign they dominated lands of varying extent from the 'Katyur' (modern day Baijnath) valley in Kumaon, between 7th and 11th centuries AD. Their capital, the modern day Baijnath in Bageshwar district, was then known as Kartikeyapura and lies in the centre of 'Katyur' valley [2], and their peak, the Katyuri kingdom extended from Nepal in the east to Afghanistan in the west [1]. They were displaced by the Chand Kings in 11th century AD.
The Katyuri kings were great patrons of arts and as result even today the area around Almora district and Bageshwar district is dotted with hundreds of stone temples, most important being the temples at Baijnath, Jageshwar, and Katarmala, 15 km from Almora [3][4]. After their decline the Chand Kings continued the tradition of patronizing royal arts in the region, chief example of the tradition is the Pahari school of painting.
Legend
One of the Katyuri kings, is still venerated all over the state, as Golu Devata, who is considered to be the son of King Jhal Rai, and his temples are spread all over the state, in Chitai, Champawat, and at Ghorakhal, near Bhimtal.
Another popular legend of Rajuli-Malusahi relates to Rajuli, daughter of Sunpati Shauka, a local king of Johar, and Malusahi, son of the Katyuri Kings of Bageshwar.
Further reading
- Malushahi: The Ballad of Kumaon by Mohan Upreti. New Delhi, Sangeet Natak Akademi, 1980.
References
- ^ a b Katyuri dynasty
- ^ Kartikeyapura The Imperial Gazetteer of India 1909, v. 6, p. 217.
- ^ History of Uttaranchal
- ^ Temples of Kumaon
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