Naiki Devi

Queen Naiki Devi (Sanskrit: नायिकी देवी, IAST: Nāyikī Devī ) was the regent queen of Chaulukya dynasty (Solanki Rajputs) [1][2] during her son Mularaja II's infancy from 1175. She was born in the family of Chandela Emperor Paramardi.[3] She was married to the Chaulukya King Ajayapala.[3] In 1178, queen Naiki Devi led the Rajput Confedration into the Battle of Kasahrada and defeated Muhammad Ghori at Gāḍarāraghaṭṭa pass. Muhammad Ghori forced to retreat to Afghanistan through desert after the destruction occurred in battle.[4]

Naiki Devi
Queen Naiki Devi
SpouseAjayapala
IssueMularaja II
DynastyChandel (By birth) Solanki (By marriage)
FatherParamardi
MotherMalhana Pratihara (According to Parmaal raso )
ReligionHinduism

Life

Her earlier life is not known, according to Prabandhachintamani of Merutunga, she was daughter of one Paramardi. This Paramardin was earlier wrongly speculated as the Kadamba king Permadideva, but according to noted historian Ashoke Kumar Majumdar, she was likely the daughter of Chandela Emperor Paramardi[3](Sanskrit: परमर्दि-देव) (reigned c. 1165-1203 CE).

She was married to Chaulukya ruler Ajayapala and had son named Mularaja, who later became king after his father's death. When her son succeeded his father as king in 1175, she became regent during the minority of her son.

During the infancy of her son, Naiki devi was the queen regent of the Chaulukya kingdom, and it is during that time Muhammad Ghori invaded Gujarat through Thar Desert in 1178 A.D. In the detailed description given by chronicler Merutunga, Naiki devi took her son Mularaja in her lap and marched at the head of the Chaulukya army and defeated the Ghurid forces at Gāḍarāraghaṭṭa pass and secured for her son title of "vanquisher of the king of Ghazni". The location of battle is identified as a village named Kayandra near foothills of Abu hills.[5][6][7][8]

The upcoming 2022 Gujarati historical film Nayika Devi: The Warrior Queen will star Khushi Shah as Naiki devi.[9]

References
  1. Hermann Kulke (2004). A History of India. Psychology Press. p. 117. ISBN 978-0-415-32919-4. When Gurjara Pratiharas power declined after sacking of Kannauj in early tenth many Rajput princes declared their independence and founded their own kingdoms, some of which grew to importance in next two centuries. The better known among these dynasties were Chaulukyas or Solankis of Gujarat and Kathiawar. The Chahamanas or Chauhans of eastern Rajasthan and Jodhpur
  2. David Ludden (2013). India and South Asia: A Short History. Simon and Schuster. pp. 88–89. ISBN 978-1-78074-108-6. By contrast in Rajasthan a single warrior group evolved called Rajput (Rajaputra-son of kings), they rarely engaged in farming, even to supervise from labour as farming was literally benath them, farming was for their peasent subjects. In ninth century separate clans of Rajputs Cahamanas (Chauhans), Paramaras (Pawars), Guhilas (Sisodias) and Caulukyas were spitting off from Gurjara Pratihara clans
  3. Asoke Kumar Majumdar 1956, p. 131.
  4. Wink 2002, p. 143.
  5. Majumdar, Asoke Kumar (1956). Chaulukyas of Gujarat: A Survey of the History and Culture of Gujarat from the Middle of the Tenth to the End of the Thirteenth Century. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. pp. 131–135. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
  6. Munshi, Kanaiyalal Maneklal (1957). Glory that was Gurjara Desa (A.D. 550-1300). Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. p. 298. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
  7. Majumdar, Ramesh Chandra (1977). Ancient India. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. p. 334. ISBN 978-81-208-0436-4.
  8. Sharma, Dasharatha (1975). Early Chauhan Dynasties: A Study of Chauhan Political History, Chauhan Political Institutions and Life in the Chauhan Dominions from 800 to 1316 A. D. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers (Pvt. Limited). pp. 157–158. ISBN 978-81-208-0492-0. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
  9. "'Nayika Devi: The Warrior Queen' Depicts Chunky Panday As Evil Antagonist". ABP Live. IANS. 2022-03-16. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
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