The old names of Mandore, the ancient capital of Marwar, were
Maddodara, Mandowar and Mandavyapura-durga, believed to be derived from
the rishi Mandavya. This town was in existence in the fourth century
A.D. as revealed by early Gupta period inscriptions near the cave of
Mahadarao. Local traditions hold that Mandore was first held by the
Nagas, followed by the Pratiharas, the Chahamanas and the Muslim
Sultans of Delhi from whom it was wrested by the Rathores. The
excavations carried out in 1909-10 yielded two elaborately carved
monoliths of Krishna-lila scenes. On stylistic grounds, these
monoliths could be dated to early fifth century A.D. The Pratihara
rulers of Mandore constructed excellent Brahmanical and Jaina temples.
The Pratihara ruler Rajilla built the rampart of the fort in about the
sixth century A.D. The Brahmanical temple discovered in excavations
consists of sanctum perched on the summit of three high terraces which
diminish in size towards the top and are ascended by flights of steps
on east, north and south sides. The sanctum is datable to the seventh
or eighth century A.D. and was restored in the ninth and tenth century
A.D. and again in the twelfth century A.D. This temple was originally
consecrated to Vishnu. The Ghatiyala inscription of A.D. 861 reveals
that the Pratihara ruler Kakkuka constructed here a Jaina temple also.
