Minal Devi History-You all must know the name of Rajmata Meenaladevi (Mayanalladevi). She was the queen of the Solanki king Karnadeva (reign: 1064–1094) and mother of Siddharaja Jayasimha (reign: 1094–1142). She was the daughter of King Jayakeshi of the Kadamba dynasty of Chandrapur (Konkan). Jayakeshi was a vassal of the Chalukya king of Karnataka.
Minal Devi History
She came to Patan determined to marry King Karnadev of Gujarat, but as he found her ugly, Karnadev showed alienation towards her. Dejected by this, Minaldevi decided to commit suicide by fire. Knowing this, Rajmata Udayamati also prepared to enter the fire. So, Karnadev married Meenaldevi to save his mother. However, alienation towards her continued. Once, the minister Munjal secretly sent her to Karna in seclusion in the place of Karnadev’s lover of a light clan. As a result of that union, she became the mother of Jaisingh Siddaraj.
As Jai Singh ascended the throne at a young age, his mother Meenal Devi held the reins of power. After Karnadeva’s death, Devprasad tried to claim the throne of Patan, but Meenal Devi, with the help of Mahamatya Santoo, failed that attempt. Meenaldevi worked tirelessly in the early years to protect her son and also did some public welfare works. She built the Malav Lake in Dholka and Munsar Lake in Veergam. A courtesan’s house used to come at one corner of Malav Lake, but she did not give that place in the house. So the round lake became scarce. This incident is significant for Meenaldevi’s righteousness.
Abolished pilgrim tax for Somnath pilgrimage
Rajmata Meenaldevi met some sadhus, saints, and sanyasis, as well as poor pilgrims near a place called Bahulod in Bholad village where a pilgrim tax was collected.
The pilgrims complained to Rajmata Meenaldevi that they were unable to pay the pilgrim tax and therefore could not perform the Lord Somnath pilgrimage.
Rajmata Meenaldevi could not bear this and returned without seeing Somnath herself. She told her son, King Jai Singh, about the situation.
Some say that when this matter came to Maharaj Jai Singh, he went directly to see Rajmata. In fact, it was Rajmata herself who told Maharaj Jai Singh about the situation.
At the request of his mother, Maharaj Siddharaj Jai Singh abolished the pilgrim tax for the pilgrimage to Somnath, resulting in the loss of an annual income of 72 lakh rupees from this tax.
which public welfare works were done by rajmata minal devi
Rajmata Minal Devi worked in the areas of healthcare, education, and women’s empowerment in Gujarat.
Who is Minal Devi?
Rajmata Minal Devi was the queen of the Solanki king Karnadeva and mother of Siddharaja Jayasimha. She was the daughter of King Jayakeshi of the Kadamba dynasty of Chandrapur (Konkan). Jayakeshi was a vassal of the Chalukya king of Karnataka.
Who stopped the pilgrim tax to Somnath?
Minaldevi ask her son Siddhraj jaysinh to waived the pilgrim tax
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