Tribal Ascendancy in Central India: The Gond Kingdom of Garha

This work throws light on a forgotten chapter of medieval Indian history and tries to reveal the proud past of the Gonds. The Gond Kingdom of Garha is mostly remembered with reference to the challenge put by Queen Durgawati before the powerful army of the Mughal emperor Akbar and the rest of the history of this kingdom is mostly obscure. It is surprising that little is known about the history of this spacious kingdom, though it went into oblivion just two hundred years ago. In this work the author has tried to present an authentic and chronological history of the Garha Kingdom on the basis of Persian, Sanskrit, Marathi, Hindi and English sources. Various links hitherto missing, have been restored. The book tells us that the kingdom established by Gond kings in Vindhya, Satpura and Vindhyachal ranges in the 15 Century, was, from time to time, known as Gadha, Gadha-Katanga and Gadha-Mandla respectively. Though in 16 century the Gond Kingdom of Gadha came under the Mughals, it existed till 18 century. Before it succumbed to the onslaught of the Mughals, the kingdom spread from Panna in North to Bhandara in South and Bhopal in West to Laphagarh beyond Amarkantak in East. When, in 1784 this kingdom was occupied by the Marathas, it held its sway over the present districts of Mandla, Dindori, Jabalpur, Katni and Narsinghpur. This kingdom remained in existence continuously for about three centuries, is of considerable significance. Along with political description this work also deals with cultural activities of that period and explains that, contrary to general belief, the Gond rulers were quite enlightened and patronized literature and art also.