Bhinmal

History

Its older name was Srimal, from which Shrimali Brahmins took their name. Xuanzang, the Chinese Buddhist pilgrim who visited India between 631 and 645 AD during Harsha's reign, mentioned this place as Pi-lo-mo-lo. There are different views about the origin of its name. It is suggested that it may from its Bhil population, whereas Shrimalamahatmaya said the name arose because of the poverty caused by Islamic invaders, which caused most of its people to migrate from the area. It was the early capital of the kingdom of Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty. The dynasty is first mentioned in Banabhatta's Harshacharita in the seventh century AD. Its king is said to have been defeated by Harsha's father Prabhakaravardhana, who died 605 AD. The surrounding kingdoms were Sindha (Sindh), Lāta (southern Gujarat) and Malava (western Malwa), indicating that the region included northern Gujarat and southern Rajasthan. Xuanzang mentioned the Gurjara country (Kiu-che-lo) with its capital at Bhillamala (Pi-lo-mo-lo) as the second largest kingdom of Western India. He distinguished it from the neighbouring kingdoms of Bharukaccha, Ujjayini, Malava, Valabhi and Surashtra. The Gurjara dynasty was said to have measured 833 miles in circuit and its ruler was a 20-year old Kshatriya, distinguished for his wisdom and courage. It is believed that the king must have been the immediate successor of the Chavda dynasty ruler Vyāgrahamukha, under whose reign the mathematician-astronomer Brahmagupta wrote his treatise in 628 AD. The chroniclers of Sindh (an Arab province from 712 AD onward) narrated the campaigns of Arab governors on Jurz, the Arabic term for Gurjara. They mentioned it jointly with Mermad (Marumāda, in Western Rajasthan) and Al Baylaman (Bhinmal). The country was first conquered by Mohammad…

Geography

Bhinmal is located at .

Most-observed species

• Red-vented Bulbul

  Pycnonotus cafer (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  3
• Common Myna

  Acridotheres tristis (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  3
• Ashy Prinia

  Prinia socialis Sykes, 1832 · Aves
  3
• Asian Koel

  Eudynamys scolopaceus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3
• Red-wattled Lapwing

  Vanellus indicus (Boddaert, 1783) · Aves
  3
• White-eared Bulbul

  Pycnonotus leucotis (Gould, 1836) · Aves
  2
• Eurasian Collared-Dove

  Streptopelia decaocto (Frivaldszky, 1838) · Aves
  2
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2

Most recent

• M 4.4 — 2021-11-19
  20 km SSW of Jalor, India
• M 4 — 2019-06-05
  6 km SSE of ?bu, India