2026-07-17 Fri

Chandragupta Vikramaditya (Chandragupta II) integrated Malwa into the Gupta Empire. Under Chandragupta II, the Western Kshatrapas were defeated, and Ujjain became an important cultural center in western area.

It is believed that they used the Malava Samvat in preference to the use of Gupta era in all of their inscriptions in spite of their first royal house being a feudatory of the Guptas, historian D C Sircar assumed them as a clan of the Malavas. This clan settled in the Dasheraka region i.e. western Malwa presently in the course of their migration from the Punjab. His view was supported by K K Dasgupta and K C Jain.

The First Aulikara Dynasty (C. 4th to the 5th century CE) primarily was feudatories to the Gupta sovereigns with their capital at Mandasaur. The more famous and illustrious rulers are known as:

Jayavarma: Founder of the dynasty.

Simhavarma: Expanded Jayavarma’s territories

Naravarma: Aulikara inscriptions in Mandsaur (around 404 CE)

Vishvavarma: Further expanded the dynasty's influence

Bandhuvarma: The last known ruler contemporary to Kumaragupta

Coins of Aulikara are very rare and found from in a very limited geographical context, especially the inscribed ones. Most of Aulikara coins are found in lead. The coins invariable carry the motifs or Bhrami legend associated with Vaishnavite leaning of the Guptas.

The coin above is the finest specimen with Lotus on obverse with Brahmi legend starting 4 o’clock “Jitam Bhagavata Vishnunam” (“Conquered by Lord Vishnu”) around. The reverse depicts ornate Shrivatsa symbol. The word Jitam may lead to some conquest may be of Yashodharman of the Aulikara dynasty who is known to have defeated the Hunas.