Mediyaan YuvaMIGHTIEST LEGENDARY RANI DIDDA
– The Queen of Kashmir who ruled Powerfully despite her disabled legs
Anyone aspiring motivation in life can obtain it from the life of Rani Didda. The physically challenged Rani Didda was the most powerful female who ruled Kashmir for more than four decades as Regent and as sole Ruler. Despite her disabled leg since birth, she was a terror to rebels and invaders. Her administrative skills and war strategic tactics excelled in various capacities.
Kalhana wrote about Kashmir in ‘Rajatarangini’ – the Historical Text of Kashmir and although it was written almost 145 years after Rani Didda, it gives several details about Rani Didda and her rule.
In 924 CE, a beautiful Princess named as Didda was born as daughter of Simharaja, the King of Lohara Dynasty. She was the granddaughter (on maternal side) of the valorous Hindu-Afghan Shahi (King) of Kabul – Bheemadeva Shahi. Unfortunately, the child was physically challenged – disabled by a leg. She could not walk properly and when she was a child, she had to be carried by someone to move around. However, as she grew up, she never let difficulties take over her disabilities. Her determination was so strong that she took lessons on sword fighting and gained skills in weaponry.
At the age of 26 years Didda got married to Kshemagupta the son of Parvagupta – who was the ambitious King of the Parthagupta Dynasty of Kashmir. Didda’s marriage with Kshemagupta enabled the bridging of the Lohara and the Parthagupta Dynasties to give existence of a United Kashmir – United Kashmir and Kabul.
Kshemagupta was not a valiant king and was not serious too. He spent most of his time in drinking, entertainment, hunting and gambling. He least bothered about the welfare of the citizens of his kingdom. The rule of the weak King was susceptible to invasions and internal threats. Someone had to handle all these and protect the Kingdom. Rani Didda watched all these. She decided to take over the administration. Many of the Ministers were not happy about Rani Didda taking over the administration.
Rani Didda started governing the kingdom so well that Raja Kshemagupta was so pleased and he attested the name of the Queen to his name as ‘Di-Kshema’ which stands for ‘Didda-Kshemagupta Deva’. This has been traced from the coins of the period.
In 658CE, Kshemagupta died and Didda was left with her son Abhimanyu. Some of the cunning Ministers forced Didda to commit Sati because they didn’t want to be under Rani Didda. But, she refused. She opted to rule the Kingdom as the Regent of her minor son and ruled efficiently for almost 22 years when her son died of illness. Consequetively, she continued as Raja Mata – the Regent of her minor grandson Bheemagupta. Unfortunately the grandson also died under mysterious circumstances and Rani Didda became the sole Ruler of Kashmir.
Rani Didda ruled the Kingdom with great intellect and might. She fought destroyed all internal rebel aristocrats including her Chief Ministers who were a threat to her ruling the Empire. She did not spare rebels. As much as she countered the internal conspiracies, rebels, and threats from her Ministers with merciless hands, she equally drove away invaders with an iron fist. Her fighting skills and strategies were so intricate and powerful that even the strongest of the invaders turned back and ran away defeated. She was a terror on the invaders. These defeated Kings in the hands of a Queen and her Ministers who did not like to be ruled by a female, began calling her ‘witch’. None of the allegations and humiliations demoralized Rani Didda.
She applied the concepts of Arthashastra and used the classic Hindu principles of Sama, Dama, Dand, Bheda in dealing with people at various situations.
Rani Didda died in 1003 CE at the age of 79. She had been a legendary Queen worth to be remembered for during her reign, she neither allowed any invader to enter and capture Kashmir nor did any defeated invader have guts to face her valour again. Such a valorous queen was Didda Rani.
The beautiful, bold and brave Queen Rani Didda who did not yield to her physically challenged disability and rose to be the most powerful Queen of Kashmir; the intelligent and shrewd Queen who identified conspirers and uprooted all rebels within her kingdom; the strong and mighty Queen who defeated all her invading enemies with terrific power; how could she be brought down by humiliations calling her a ‘Witch’? There could be no match to her administrative skills, political strategies and fighting techniques. Such strong and able Queen was Rani Didda who ruled Kashmir and is a pride of Bharat.
Dr.M.VIJAYA