Visit to Narwar fort continues......

The great fortress of Narwar, or classically Nalapura is said to owe its name to Raja Nala, a descendant of Kusa, the son of Rama, from whom the bards of the present day derive the patronymic of Kushwaha, which they erroneously consider to be the same as Kacchwaha.

There were several strong reasons for the identification of Narwar with the great ancient city of Padmavati, which was the scene of Bhavabhuti’s drama of Malati and Madhava. Nalapura may also have been a synonym of Padmavati as Nala or the water lily is frequently used as an equivalent of Padma or the Lotus. In the Vishnu Purana it is stated that the nine Nagas will reign in Padmavati, Kantipuri and Mathura, and the Guptas of Magadha along the Ganges to Prayaga. This statement is corroborated by the Vayu Purana, which however gives a second dynasty of the Nagas. It mentions that the nine Naga kings will possess the city of Champavati, and the seven Nagas the city of Mathura. Princes of the Gupta race will possess all these countries, - the banks of the Ganga to Prayaga and Saketa and Magadha.

Padmavati was at first identified with some unknown city in Berar by HH Wilson, far to the south of the Narmada, and afterwards with Bhagalpur on the Ganga. But the mention of Mathura utterly precludes both these possibilities. As both Kantipuri and Padmavati should be located within some moderate distance from Mathura, Alexander Cunningham located Padmavati at Narwar supported by the references of Bhavabhuti and others.

To be continued.......