🧵 ~Kayastha ladies as religious donors in epigraphs~

Kayastha women from aristocratic families enjoyed economic freedom. As a result, they have featured prominently as religious donors throughout history. We shall document some interesting examples here.

1. A Srivastava lady named Devalla Devi who was the daughter of Thakur Devadhara Srivastava, and the wife of Suhada Deva Srivastava who was the keeper of the Ajaigarh fort and also the minister and treasurer of Bhojavarman Chandela in the 13th century, caused to be made a large number of sculptures at the Ajayagarh fort, including Surabhi, Shiva, Gauri, Nandi, Ashtashalkti. 1/n


The sculpture of the female worshipper here has been identified as that of Devalladevi Srivastava. She is also the co-donor of several other sculptures with her husband Suhada Deva. 2/n

It seems that Kāyastha had almost a monopoly of sort over office of Sāndhivigrahin i.e. Minister of War and Peace.
The Dasapalla grant of Devānanda II (11 century AD) records gifting of village to Kāyastha Yaśodatta who was a Sāndhivigrahika and is said to be a śāstropādhyāya. Charter of Narasapalm plates of Vajrahasta (1055 AD) which records grant of land to Vajrahasta III relative were written by Kāyastha Dhavala,a Sandhivigrahin.

Mathur Kayasthas
-Footprints from Kushan to Paramars-

Art credits - @ravidraws for @historiakayasth Mathur Kayasthas likely derive their surname from geographical location of Mathura.
Early Kayasthas of Mathura were an elite group is indicated by the fact that they donated sculptures during Kushana period.Yasa wife of a kayastha is said to have donated this sculpture .

~Kayasthas and the cult of Sun worship ~ In Bhinmal Stone inscription of Udaysimhadeva VS 1306, we find reference to two sons of Thakkura Udaysimha of Mathur subcaste.The two brothers donated to treasure of Jagatswamin, Surya Divinity of Bhinmal.
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ॐ श्री चित्रगुप्ताय नमो नमः

We hereby start with a post citing references in scriptures to our ancestor and preceptor, Lord Chitragupta.