Maharaja Bisal Dev (8th century)
Warrior king of Ajmer
by Ajmer court artist
circa 1760 CE
Gouache on paper
12.6 x 8.7 in. (32 x 22.1 cm.)
Front: “Shri Bisal Devji Raja Ajmer ra”
Raja Bisal Dev (Vishal Dev Chauhan) of Ajmer is represented as a personification of a fierce demon on a killing spree. Vishal Dev Chauhan, also known as Bisal Dev or Bisaldev ruled Ajmer possibly in 8th century and is known to have started the Baisla gotra. Bisal Dev was brother of Mandalji, who founded the famous Mandal lake near Bhilwara district in Mewar and a popular semigod Devnarayan was born in the family of Mandalji. Bisal Dev is said to have successfully resisted an Arab intrusion and also helped Gurjar-Tomars to gain control over Delhi.