Kambojas in Indian Literature - Rajatarangini of Kalhana

Rajatarangini of Kalhana

Rajatarangini of Kalhana, a Sanskrit text from the north, states that king Lalitaditya Muktapida of Kashmir (724 AD to 760 AD) undertakes to reduce his neighbing nations. He launches war expedition onto the region of north from Kashmir and first he fights with the Kambojas and deprives them of their horses. Immediately after the Kambojas, he meets the Tukharas. The Tukharas do not give him fight, but run away abandoning even their war horses in the field. Thereafter, Lalitaditiya meets the Bhauttas (Tibetans) in Baltistan, in western Tibet, north of Kashmir ), then the Daradas in Karakoram/Himalaya, the Valukambudhi, Strirajya, the Uttarakurus and the Pragjyotisha, respectively. Based on this trail of victories of Lalitaditiya, numerous scholars have located the Kambojas in the eastern Oxus country as immediate neighbors to the Tukharas who were at this time located in western Oxus country including the Bahlika (Bactria).

Sircar observes: 'Rajatrangini places the Kambojas along with the Tukharas in the upper Oxus valley including the Balkh and Badakshan'.

Besides above, there are numerous other ancient sources containing references to the Kambojas. In fact, the Kambojas loom quite large in ancient Indian literature and inscriptions.

Read more about this topic:  Kambojas In Indian Literature