The Ancient Malavas: Some New Royal Names
By M. Venkataramayya
Summary
Through a careful re‑reading of the Nindsa (or Nandsa) inscription dated Vikrama year 282 (A.D. 226), this article introduces new royal names of the Malava tribe. The damaged inscription, previously misunderstood, is reinterpreted to reveal clearer readings for a series of chiefs. The author proposes the names Jayatsena, Bhrguvarddhana, Jayasoma and Nandisoma as members of a ‘Malava‑vamsa’ – a royal family within the Malava republicfile:///home/oai/share/563029_compressed-5-102.pdf. The article argues that the Malavas were not a homogeneous republic but had aristocratic lineages that maintained continuity, and that the newly deciphered names help reconstruct their genealogy. By comparing titles and epithets, the essay suggests that these chiefs enjoyed authority over different sub‑clans and were linked through kinship. The piece also discusses the political organisation of the Malavas in the early centuries A.D., noting that they occupied territories in central India and interacted with neighbouring powers. This reinterpretation challenges earlier assumptions about Malava history and emphasises the value of epigraphic evidence for understanding tribal states.
Conclusion
By extracting new names from a damaged inscription, the article sheds light on the hierarchical structure of the Malava republic. It reveals that aristocratic families held power and contributes to a more nuanced reconstruction of Malava political history.