Nagpur probably formed part of territories of the Vakataka Rajput kings, whose dominions included the Satpura plateau and Berar. Little is known of this dynasty except the names of ten kings, and the fact that they contracted alliances with other and better-known ruling houses. Their period may have extended from the third to the sixth century and the names of the perhaps semi-mythical who founded the dynasty were Vindhya-Sakti. A copper-plate grant has recently been discovered at Ragholi in the Balaghat District by the Mr. CE. Low, Deputy Commissioner and a translation and on this has been published by Mr. Hira Lal, Assistant Gazetteer Superintendent. This grant speaks of a line kings who possessed the whole of the Vindhya a name which formerly included the Sarpura hills. The plate is undated, but may be held on paleographic grounded to belong to the eighth century. These kings had, it is stated, made war with the kings of Gujarat, Bengal, and Behar and had settled in the Vindhya country, making Shri Vardhanpur their capital. Their family name was Shail, which means ‘A mountain ‘. All the names of the kings given in the Ragholi plate end in vardhan and their capital town are spoken of as Shri Vardhanpur. On this ground Mr. Hira Lal conjectures that Nagpurdhan near Ramtek, the old form of which was Nandivardhan may have been found ak king belonging to the dynasty. Nagardhan was place of importance in ancient times, as is shown by the mention of the Nagapura-Nandivardhan District in the copper plate grant of 940 A.D, which is referred to subsequently. Local traditional retains some recollection of Hindu kings who ruled from Nagardhan. Nothing else at all is known of the Shail kings however and any theory concerning them must be based on pure conjecture.