Queen Didda and the Last Utpalas

Didda (958 to 1003) is the most famous queen in the history of Kashmir.

Her background

• She was the daughter of Simharaja of Lohara (in the Pir Panjal, near Poonch) and the granddaughter of the Hindu Shahi king of Kabul, Bhima.
• She married Kshemagupta (950 to 958). People mocked him as "Diddakshema", because Didda ruled in his name. Coins in the name Diddakshema have been found.
• She is said to have been lame, but sharp, brave and a good statesperson.

Her rule

• After Kshemagupta's death (958), she ruled as regent for her young son Abhimanyu II (958 to 972), then for his sons, and from about 980 as queen in her own name (till 1003).
• She put down revolts by the Damaras and the army, used spies and gifts and balanced her ministers against each other. She also built temples and monasteries.
• Kalhana is both admiring and harsh: he praises her courage and condemns her cruelty, since three of her grandsons died during her years of rule.

The end of the Utpalas

• Having no heir, she chose her nephew Sangramaraja, son of her brother Udayaraja of Lohara, as successor (1003).
• So the Utpala dynasty ended and the Lohara dynasty began.

The Guptakula dynasty (948 to 1003)

Parvagupta (948 to 950)

• Founder of the Gupta Kula. He oppressed the people and extorted money by all means.
• He built a Shiva temple, Parvagupteshwara. He died in 950 and his son Kshemagupta followed.

Kshemagupta (950 to 958)

• An unable ruler who lived in luxury. He plundered the Jayendra Vihara and used molten gold and silver Buddha images to make his own deities in his temple Kshemagaurisha.

Didda: more details

• Didda, daughter of Simharaja, ruler of Lohara (Poonch), married Kshemagupta (the exam notes say at the age of 26). She is called the "Catherine of Kashmir". She dominated the scene for more than half a century as queen, queen mother and ruler.

As queen

• The real power was hers, and her husband was a puppet. Coins carried both names (Didda and Kshemagupta).
• She built a Shiva temple, Bhimakeshwara, named after her mother's father.
• Kshemagupta died in 958.

As queen mother (958 to 980)

• She was guardian of her infant son Abhimanyu, and took revenge on those she was jealous of.
• She retired the prime minister Phalguna to Prontsa (Poonch). He was the father of Chandralekha, another wife of Kshemagupta.
• The commander-in-chief Yashodhara was executed by Didda. She improved some administration.
• When Abhimanyu died, her grandson Nandigupta was put on the throne. She built Abhimanyupura.

Her works of mercy

• She built the Vishnu temple Diddaswamin, the towns Diddapura and Kankanapura (modern Kangan, Ganderbal), and the Didda math in Srinagar.
• After a year her nature changed and she began a life of pleasure. She is said to have killed Nandigupta by witchcraft, then another grandson Tribhuvana, and openly lived with her lover Tunga.
• After the death of the last grandson Bhimagupta, she crowned herself ruler.

As sovereign queen (about 25 years)

• She issued coins in her own name, and made Tunga prime minister.
• There were revolts, among them that of Prithvipala of Rajauri. Tunga put them down.
• With no heir, she gave the throne to Sangramaraja, her brother's son. This ended the Gupta Kula.