Draft:Chudasama

The Chudasama are a Abhira (Ahir)     clan found in the state of Gujarat in India. Indian archaeologist and scholar Bhagwan Lal Indraji held that the Chudasamas were originally of the Ahir tribe, as their traditions attest connexion with the Ahirs and as the description of Graharipu one of their kings by Hemachandra in his Dvyashraya Kavya points to his being of some local tribe and not of any ancient Rajput lineage. Further in their bardic traditions as well as in popular stories the Chudasamas are still commonly called Ahir-Ranas. The position of Aberia in Ptolemy (A.D. 150) seems to show that in the second century the Ahirs were settled between Sindh and the Punjab. Ra Graharipu the Ahir of Junagarh who fought Mularaja Solanki in A.D 961 was later identified as a Chudasama.

Origin
The Chudasama dynasty, originally of Abhira clan from Sind wielded great influence around Junagadh from the 875 A.D. onwards when they consolidated themselves at Vanthali (ancient Vamanasthali) close to Girnar under their - King Ra Chuda.

The Abhiras began to rule in Southern and western Sourashtra from the second half of the 10th century A.D their capital was vamanshtali, modern vanthali nine miles west of Junagadh. They became very powerful during the reign of Graharipu who defeated the Saindhavas and the Chaulukyas.

A Chudasama prince styled Graharipu and ruling at Vanthali near Junagadh is described in the Dyashraya-Kavya of Hemachandra as an Abhira and a Yadava.