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The Print
22-05-2025
- General
- The Print
Who is the real Vikramaditya? Behind myth & legend is the story of a successful Gupta king
Historians generally agree that the name Vikramaditya could only have come from one man: Gangetic emperor Chandragupta II (c. 375-415 CE). The dominant ruler of the subcontinent in the 4th century CE, Chandragupta II was one of the most powerful men on the planet. A profusion of gold coins bearing his images and titles has been found across northern India, suggesting he ruled over a vast realm with a prosperous treasury. Legends about the king have been told quite literally from Kashmir (in the Vetala-Pancha-Vimsati of Somadeva) to Kanyakumari (in the Tamil Muppattirantu-pathumai-kathai ). Where did these stories come from, and why the newfound political interest in this ancient hero? About a month ago, the Madhya Pradesh government conducted a three-day celebration of the legendary King Vikramaditya at the Red Fort, as featured in ThePrint's Ground Report . Most of us may know him from the Vikram-Vetal stories, originally a 12th-century narration of Vikramaditya's noble attempts to capture a ghoul. But Vikramaditya has appeared in India's great tapestry of stories for over 1,500 years. As for Chandragupta's actual life, the picture is less clear. Numismatist Sanjeev Kumar assembled the most concrete evidence available—coins—in Treasures of the Gupta Empire. Kumar demonstrates, by analysing the find-spots of treasure hoards, that Chandragupta's father, Samudragupta (c. 335-375 CE), extended Gupta power from present-day eastern Bihar to eastern Madhya Pradesh. But Chandragupta was not his intended successor. The prestigious territory around Ujjain, the most culturally sophisticated city in North India at the time, was ruled by the heir apparent Ramagupta. After their father's death, Ramagupta quickly seized the imperial core territories and issued his own coins, however, these disappeared from the historical record within a year or two. They were replaced by Chandragupta's coinage. Some clues come from the Devi Chandraguptam, a Sanskrit drama composed about 200 years after the time of Chandragupta II. Though it survives only in fragments today, the play describes Ramagupta's defeat by a Shaka or Indo-Scythian king Rudrasimha III, ruler of present-day Gujarat. In the play, Rudrasimha III demands that Ramagupta hand over his wife, Dhruvadevi, in return for peace. Ramagupta accepts. His outraged younger brother, Chandragupta, decides to avenge this humiliation by disguising himself as the queen, entering the Shaka camp, and killing the king. Returning in triumph, he kills Ramagupta, takes the throne, and marries Dhruvadevi, his former sister-in-law. In reality, Chandragupta II did have a queen called Dhruvadevi; he did indeed defeat and conquer the Shakas. But he did so at the end of his reign, not the beginning. His brother Ramagupta does not seem to have been defeated by the Shakas: he issued bronze coins commemorating a horse sacrifice, suggesting the opposite. Most scholars of the Gupta period, including SR Goyal and KK Thaplyal, agree that the Devi Chandraguptam may reflect the official version of the brothers' fratricidal rivalry—which is to say, Chandragupta's version. This does not take away from Chandragupta's success as a ruler. His conquest of the Shakas extended Gupta power from India's West coast to the East, allowing for flourishing international trade. For nearly a century after Chandragupta II, his descendants dominated northern India. Gupta emperors battled the Alchon Huns and lavished patronage on religious institutions. Many bore titles ending with '-aditya', which may have inadvertently blurred them together in the popular imagination. In this time of literary and cultural ferment, various elements of Gupta history began to crystallise into a new, legendary figure: Vikramaditya. Also read: Medieval Kashmir was confidently multicultural. And dazzled the world with art and ideas Vikramaditya in the South The Gupta model of kingship involved martial, intellectual, and romantic connoisseurship, and a close relationship to the gods. The legendary Vikramaditya, representing all these values, could be picked up easily by composers and storytellers and adapted to new popular contexts. At the same time, the courtly ideas of the Guptas could be picked up by royals across the Indian subcontinent and beyond. Both these streams fed each other over the next 500 years. Historian DC Sircar, in his magisterial Ancient Malwa and the Vikramaditya Tradition (1966), notes that the heroic King Vikramaditya first appeared in Buddhist legends from the late 6th century CE, when the Gupta dynasty was on its way out. In Buddhist texts such as the Vasavadatta of Subandhu, Vikramaditya is shown handing out lakhs of gold coins to teachers. After the collapse of the Guptas, various other kingdoms picked up their ideas and titles, further enriching the evolution of Vikramaditya. Harshavardhana, king of Kannauj in the 7th century, spent his early career fighting the Alchon Huns, and used the title 'Shiladitya'. Simultaneously, as noted earlier in Thinking Medieval, various Shaivite sects were developing tantric rituals to guarantee a king's victory. Perhaps not coincidentally, a new wave of Vikramaditya legends developed by the 9th and 10th centuries, depicting him participating in tantric rituals and conquering foreign enemies. As state-builders, kings were also expected to display their ability to dispense justice; so Vikramaditya came to be involved in tricky, amusing challenges posed by ghouls. This figure, well-preserved in compendia such as the Kathasaritasagara of Somadeva, is much closer to the legendary Vikramaditya we know. Interestingly, Vikramaditya was not always seen as a perfect hero, but a man with flaws. The Jain Deccan king Amoghavarsha I (814-879), in his Sanjan copper plate inscription, referred to Vikramaditya as 'the despised donor of Kaliyuga of Gupta lineage, [who] having killed his brother… seized his kingdom and also his wife.' (Epigraphia Indica XVIII p. 235) Amoghavarsha's descendant, Govinda IV, praised Vikramaditya's generosity and valour, but accused him of behaving cruelly with his brother, violating his brother's wife, and propitiating vampires. Evidently, Jains were not the biggest fans of Vikramaditya. But as Indian kingship continued to develop, so did the Vikramaditya legend. By the 11th and 12th centuries, palaces boasted large gatherings of poets, and kings patronised poets as much as priests. As such, Gujarati Jains recorded legends of Vikramaditya as the greatest of patrons, depicting their patron, the Chaulukya king Kumarapala (1143-1172), as a new Vikramaditya. The great polymath and patron, Bhoja of Dhara (1010-1055), also linked himself to Vikramaditya in his writings. In popular legend, the two were eventually conflated. The most impressive attempt to claim the legend came from the Deccan. The Chalukya king Vikramaditya VI (1076-1126) declared, in his inscriptions, that he was starting a new calendrical era, the Chalukya Vikrama era, to 'rub out' the legendary calendar said to have been established by Vikramaditya. Meanwhile, a vassal clan of his in North Karnataka renamed themselves the 'Guttas', declared their home 'Guttavolal', literally 'Place of the Guptas', called their chiefs 'Vikramaditya', and even claimed descent from 'King Vikramaditya of Ujjain'. (Bombay Karnatak Inscriptions, Volume III) Also read: Cholas and Chaulukyas understood tariffs and taxes better than Trump does Vikramaditya today In many ways, the figure of Vikramaditya shows us how the Sanskritic idea of kingship developed over the centuries. And he continued to have an appeal well after Muslim polities were established in the subcontinent. As Sircar points out, in the late 16th century, when North Indian Afghans attempted to drive out the Mughals, they were led by a Hindu bearing the name Hemu 'Vikramaditya'—a direct nod to a legendary king believed to have driven out foreigners. Immediately after, when Mughal Emperor Akbar reformed his court, he may have selected his 'Nine Gems' to absorb Vikramaditya's traditions. In the centuries after, Vikramaditya lost his political relevance, but flourished in popular imagination. If a royal deed needed doing, if curses needed to be undone, or riddles answered, Vikramaditya was your man. Vikramaditya today is a somewhat different figure. A few years ago, I was most amused by a new meme map which coloured a good chunk of Asia saffron, declaring it 'Vikramaditya's empire'. Many now take this at face value, claiming that Vikramaditya, in fact, ruled Arabia and Europe. It is one thing for a medieval storyteller to describe a legendary emperor as a world ruler; it is another thing entirely for an elected government to declare that Vikramaditya was a real figure who ruled over Iran, China and Turkey. While I sympathise with the need for deeper regional histories, this blind adulation of warrior kings actually erases these histories, substituting them for aggressively nationalist myths. The clever, just, tricky Vikramaditya of legend is being eclipsed by a louder, shallower, but much more politically profitable version. Paradoxically, it appears that the king continues to represent the evolution of Indian rulership. Anirudh Kanisetti is a public historian. He is the author of 'Lords of Earth and Sea: A History of the Chola Empire' and the award-winning 'Lords of the Deccan'. He hosts the Echoes of India and Yuddha podcasts. He tweets @AKanisetti and is on Instagram @anirbuddha. This article is a part of the 'Thinking Medieval' series that takes a deep dive into India's medieval culture, politics, and history. (Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)
IOL News
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Luyanda Zuma on joining the cast of season 2 of ‘Shaka iLembe'
Actress Luyanda Zuma is among the fresh faces that have joined the cast of "Shaka iLembe". Picture: Supplied Image: Supplied 'Shaka iLembe' returns for its highly anticipated second season with new additions to the cast. Actress Luyanda Zuma joins the cast as Liyana, a role that promises to shake things up and reveal a new side of the legendary Zulu king. Speaking to IOL, the vibrant young star expressed her excitement about joining the historical drama. 'I've been on a couple of other shows before this one, but I think this one is special,' she said. 'Anyone who speaks isiZulu dreams of being on 'Shaka iLembe'. I'm honoured to have a seat at this table.' Zuma's character will be introduced in the new season as King Shaka's love interest. 'She's a very strong, hot-headed individual who only stands for the truth and who she is — and she doesn't back down from that,' the actress explains. 'Her biggest idol is Queen Mkabayi, and that already tells you about the kind of woman she is.' This new romantic thread in Shaka's story adds emotional depth to a series known for its rich historical narrative. Zuma says viewers will get a rare glimpse into the human side of the warrior king. 'We get to see that it's not because he hated women, there were just certain promises he made to certain individuals,' she reflects. 'With Liyana, we see a side of him that lets a woman into his space, even if he has boundaries. If he could love his mother, what would stop him from loving someone else?' While Liyana's relationship with Shaka is central, the actress hints at deeper themes to be explored including legacy, power, and the complexities of leadership. She also acknowledges the weight of portraying such a layered narrative at a young age. 'It's a beautiful and overwhelming story to tell at the same time,' she says. 'But I'm grateful for the opportunity to help colour this man Shaka not just as a king, but as a person.' 'Shaka iLembe' debuts on Mzansi screens on June 15 on DStv channel 161.
News24
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
Nandi Madida creates safe haven for women on The Motherhood Network podcast
Motherhood is no walk in the park. Every stage of it brings different challenges and struggles just as it brings out-of-this-world joy. Many women wear the title with pride while others even draw strength from it. One best known to slay motherhood is media personality and mother of two, Nandi Madida. To her, motherhood is 'humanity'. 'It's knowing that you have a contribution to create what hopefully will be incredibly human beings in this earth and that responsibility is an honour. We really hold humanity, we give birth to humanity, it's everything.' Contrary to what's dominating in the public domain currently, Nandi has always wanted to be a mother. 'I loved journaling growing up and I recently found the journal I used when I was in grade 11, 21 years ago. I was going through it with my husband, and it was so funny because I came across a part where I said I'd like to have a son called Shaka.' She chuckles as she tells Drum that years later, like Queen Nandi of the Zulu kingdom, she has a Shaka who's almost nine years old, just as she manifested it. With both her pregnancy with Shaka and Nefertiti, she admits that her life has changed for the better. Although they both came as surprises, she was ecstatic about carrying her blessings. Reminiscing on her pregnancy with Nefertiti, she shares with Drum how she was in the bathroom in her old house when her husband, Zakes Bantwini gave her the biggest hug and told her how he wishes it would be a girl so that they wrap up the package of blessings. Her biggest challenges on her motherhood journey have included digging deep within herself to work on her emotional intelligence while trying as much as possible to keep the romantic spark alive with her spouse, especially in the early stages, just after birth. 'After finding that rhythm, you feel like a winner. From a medical perspective, there's having to seek advice when you realise that you have a child who has a different way of thinking and doing things. I wouldn't say it's a challenge, but it is more of an awakening,' she adds. Having been someone who's lived with ADHD, she's learned a lot about neurodivergence and was more than happy to take on the task of mothering children living with autism and ADHD. 'I've always been transparent about my daughter mainly because I also wanted to normalise it. You'd be shocked to learn that a lot of people are undiagnosed neurodivergent. There's a whole world of people who haven't been diagnosed and there's a whole lot of diagnoses now with more information at their disposal. Me opening up, unintentionally made a lot of other parents comfortable with opening up about their journeys.' That brought a sense of comfort as she became a haven and sounding board for a lot of parents out there. Despite being the one leading the conversation about her children's conditions, there's nothing she wants more than for both of them to own their stories one day and tell them to inspire people. Through it all, her own mother, Thandeka Mngoma poured into her cup. 'She has naturally been a key figure in my life and I'm forever grateful for that. I love how honest she was about both the negative and positive sides of motherhood. She always provided a space for us to have uncomfortable conversations, and I really appreciated that.' It is from this that she saw it befitting to launch a podcast focused on motherhood, titled The Motherhood Network which premiered on Mother's Day, 11 May with media mogul, Basetsana Kumalo joining her as the first guest. 'It's long overdue from my side. I was interested in launching something during covid, but I felt like I hadn't been a mother long enough. I just wanted to experience longer and have a sense of comfort in being able to impart knowledge from not only my experiences but also other people's experiences, in a more mature, motherly perspective. 'As much as we're celebrating mothers, we'll also speak about the reality that comes with having triggers like not having a mother who was healthy for them, who was there for them, so we speak about the mother wound as well. I'm passionate about that as much as I am about celebrating incredible mothers who've been able to inspire the next generation as well,' she adds. Dr. Judy Dlamini, Chancellor of Wits University and author and Dr. Nellie Balfour, one of South Africa's leading paediatricians are some of the guests that will be coming up on the podcast as people embrace the navigation of motherhood on the podcast.
The Citizen
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Thembinkosi Mthembu: From DUT student to one of SA's leading men on screen
'I used to dream and say that I wish to get to where I am, but I never expected it would happen so fast,' said Mthembu. Ten years ago, Thembinkosi Mthembu was still based in KwaZulu-Natal, completing his Drama and Production Diploma at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). Mthembu recalls murmurs that there will be auditions for a TV series on a historical figure, Shaka Zulu. 'Watching iSibaya, knowing that there will be auditions [for Shaka iLembe], you know obviously that you're not gonna be part of it because you're still a student and my parents won't allow me to go to Joburg and go shoot-it was never gonna happen because I know how strict they are at home,' Mthembu tells The Citizen. However, it did happen. Mthembu is one of the leading characters in the TV series, and it returns to screens for a second season next month. He portrays the character of King Dingiswayo (formerly Godongwana kaJobe). 'I didn't think that, at this time, I'd be part of uShaka [iLembe] because the conversation about being on Shaka started when I was doing my first year at DUT.' ALSO READ: 'Most are excited about the Shaka guy, in theatre I'm a different guy' – Calvin Ratladi after winning award Thembinkosi the leading man Today, at 30 years old, Mthembu is one of the country's most in-demand leading men on screen. In a short time, Mthembu has played some of the most memorable characters on screen in recent times. From being the villainous Mabutho Dimba on The River, to being the young married Bandile Biyela on Outlaws, who is a womaniser, to portraying the high-achieving corporate maverick Bonga Tembe on Adulting, his catalogue is thicker than his years in the industry suggest. 'Fast-forward to now… I always say that I'm grateful. I used to dream and say that I wish to get to where I am, but I never expected it would happen so fast.' The multi-award winner says he had given himself at least 10 to 15 years to reach the heights he's already reached. 'It's not of my own doing…it's my family, my ancestors and my God. I also think the productions that I've worked with as well,' he says. He says being involved in the TV series The Republic, produced by Tshedza Pictures, was his big break. 'I've done five shows with Tshedza [Pictures]. It was a blessing to meet them,' he shares. Mthembu said that from the one audition he did with Tshedza for his role as Junior on The Republic, other doors opened. 'I auditioned for that character, and they gave me other characters because it was easier because I've worked with them.' Tshedza has produced three of Mthembu's most significant works: The River, The Republic and Adulting. ALSO READ: Lemogang Tsipa on 'deep-found respect' for Shaka Zulu after filming S2 of 'Shaka iLembe' Being on Shaka iLembe Shaka iLembe is produced by The Bomb Shelter, and he says working with them,too, has been a joy. He portrays King Dingiswayo (formerly Godongwana kaJobe), who played a crucial role in Shaka Zulu's life as a mentor and a respectable male figure. Mthembu says portraying himself as a revered monarch made him look at himself as a man and a role model to others. 'It made me look at myself and ask if I'm actually like this, maybe towards my friends…because it's hard to say if I'm like that [a role model figure] as I'm the last born at home. I'll see when my nieces, nephews and my own children are older, if I can be that sort of role model.' Shaka iLembe ignited a sense of pride among Africans, such that after each episode the show would trend and people from other ethnic groups would ask wonder about when whether stories of their own people be told on screen. Mthembu says all ethnic groups' stories must be told. 'We want stories about the BaPedi or other tribes because at the end, I don't only want to learn about Shaka Zulu. Even my child has to learn about the Xhosa people. My wife is Xhosa, so I would like for a show about Xhosas, about the Pedi, the Venda people, Tsonga…because it's beautiful to watch,' Mthembu shared. NOW READ: Nandi Madida creating a village for moms with new podcast 'The Motherhood Network'
The Citizen
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
VIDEO: Musician and actor Sjava on the accuracy of ‘Shaka ilembe'
'Honestly speaking, people will always have complaints because everyone has opinions about how the story should have been told.' Season 2 of the hit series Shaka ilembe is set to premiere on Sunday, 15 June, at 8pm on Mzansi Magic. We had an opportunity to chat to musician and actor Jabulani Hadebe, also known as Sjava, who played a role in season one of the show as King Dingiswayo. King Dingiswayo is an important historical figure who was the leader of the Mthethwa Paramountcy and played a crucial role in the early life of Shaka Zulu. 'People don't understand that just because we played roles on 'Shaka' means we know everything about his story,' said Sjava. 'Honestly speaking, people will always have complaints because everyone has opinions about how the story should have been told. 'That's why so many shows based on his story exist. You can even make your own if you want, depending on how you think the story went,' Sjava said. ALSO READ: VIDEO: Celebrities share thoughts on what made the Metro FM Music Awards stand out
