Hemādri Paṇḍita, popularly known as Hemāḍapanta, was a polymath and a prime minister from 1259 to 1274 CE during the reign of King Mahādev (1259–1271) and King Ramachandra (1271–1309) of the Seuna (Yadava) dynasty, which ruled the western and southern part of India. Hemadpant is also the creator of Hemadpanti architecture.

Origin

Hemadri Pandit was born in a Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmin (DRB) family that had its origin in the Hemadri village in the Dakshin Kannada District of Karnataka. As per other sources, Hemadri was born in the southern Kannada-speaking regions of the Yadava kingdom in a Kannada Madhyadina Shaka Brahmin family. His father, Kāmadeo, had brought him up in Maharashtra. On the other hand, in Hemadri's biography written by Keshav Appa Padhye, the author has mentioned that Hemadri was a Shukla Yajurvedi Vatsagotri (belonging to the Vatsa Gotra), Panchapravari (5 pravara) brāhmaṇa (५: जामदग्ना वत्सास्तेषां पञ्चार्षेयो भार्गवच्यावनाप्नवानौर्वजामदग्नेति, ref. आश्वलायनश्रौतसूत्र). Padhye has mentioned the reference for this information to be the book authored by Hemadri himself, the चतुर्वर्गचिंतामणि, or chaturvarga-chintāmaṇi.

Career

Hemadri was a diplomat, an administrator, an architect, a poet, and a theologian and scholar. During his prime ministership, the Yadav kingdom reached its zenith; soon after his tenure, the Turkic emperor of Delhi, Alāuddin Khalji, and his successors ended the Yadav rule in southwestern India.

Writings

Cultural contributions

Sources