Avantivarman
Topic: Early Medieval North India: Harsha to the Rajputs · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Avantivarman (r. c. 855–883 CE) was a king of Kashmir. He founded the Utpala dynasty, which came after the Karkotas. He is remembered for peace, public works and support for learning. He also founded the town of Avantipura on the Jhelum river.
Example
According to Kalhana's Rajatarangini, Avantivarman's engineer Suyya cleared rocks from the Jhelum river and built embankments. This drained marshes and controlled floods. More land could then be farmed, and grain prices fell. Avantivarman also built temples to Vishnu and Shiva at Avantipura, and their ruins still stand.