Chandwasa

Location of Garoth in Mandsaur district

Chandwasa (चंदवासा) is a village in Garoth tahsil of Mandsaur district in Madhya Pradesh.

Origin

Chandvasa may get name from sage Candavajji or Chandavajji mentioned in Mahavansa/Chapter 5.

History

Dharmrajeshwar (धर्मराजेश्वर) , locally known as Dharnrad or Dhamnar (धमनार), is an ancient Buddhist and Hindu cave temple site of 4th-5th C / 8th~9th C in Mandsaur. Its geographical coordinates are 24° 11' 0" North, 75° 30' 0" East and its original name is Dhamnār. Dharmrajeshwar is situated in Garoth tahsil of mandsaur district at a distance of 4 km from Chandwasa town and 106 km from Mandsaur city. Nearest railway station is Shamgarh about 22 km.

James Todd Annals/Personal Narrative mentions ....Puchpahar, 10th December, 1821. — We returned to Gurrote yesterday, whence we marched ten miles north-north-east this morning over memorable ground. It was from Gurrote that the retreat of Monson commenced, an event as remarkable in the history of British India as the retreat of Xenophon in that of Greece. The former has not been commemorated by the commander, though even the pen of Xenophon himself could not have mitigated the reproach which that disastrous event has left upon our military reputation. Holcar was at Pertabgurh, when, hearing of the advance of the English army, he made direct on Mundisore, where he halted merely to refresh his horses, and crossing the Chumbul at the Aora ford, he pushed direct on Gurrote, a distance of nearly fifty miles. Local report states that Monson, in utter ignorance of the rapid advance of Holcar, had that morning recommenced his march for Chandwasso, with what object is unknown ; but as soon as he learned the vicinity of the foe, without awaiting him, he ordered a retrograde movement to gain the Mokundurra pass, leaving Lucan with the irregular horse and the Kotah auxiliaries, chiefly Hara Rajpoots, to secure his retreat.

In Mahavansa

Mahavansa/Chapter 5 tells that ....Siggava was a sage, son of a minister, mentioned in Mahavansa/Chapter 5. ...In the city that bears the name of the patali flower there lived the wise Siggava, son of a minister. He, when eighteen years old and dwelling in three palaces fitted for the three seasons of the year, went, in company with his friend Candavajji, a minister's son, and surrounded by five hundred followers, to the Kukkutarama, and visited the thera Sonaka.....Then, with their parents' leave, the young Siggava and Candavajji and their five hundred followers likewise received the pabbajja and (afterwards) the upasampada-ordination from the thera Sonaka. With him as their master the two eagerly studied the three pitakas and attained to the six supernormal powers. (Candavajji→Chandwasa)

Monument

• Dharmrajeshwar

References

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