'Rajput' is a
Hindu Kshatriya caste. They claim descent from ancient royal warrior dynasties of
Kshatriyas in India and trace their roots to
Rajputana, an area which has come to be known as
Rajasthan after the formation of this state in independent, post-colonial India. According to Hindu religious beliefs, Lord
Rama was a
Kshatriya of the Raghuvanshi or
Suryavanshi clan and Lord
Krishna was a
Kshatriya of
Chandravanshi Yaduvanshi clan. They are numerous in
Uttar Pradesh (UP),
Rajasthan,
Madhya Pradesh,
Gujarat,
Bihar,
Himachal Pradesh,
Jammu & Kashmir,
Uttarakhand,
Delhi,
Chattisgarh,
Orissa,
Assam and
Sindh, &
Punjab. In
India, Within the Hindu
caste system, present day Rajputs constitute one of the principal groups belonging to the
Kshatriya Varna. The Rajputs ruled more than four hundred out of six hundred estimated number of princely states at the time of independence of India. The Rajputs have always been martial. The British Government also accepted it and recruited them heavily in their armies.
Great Khali, the most famous Rajput of the modern era and a championship wrestler.
Maharana Pratap, a Rajput ruler and great warrior of his time.
Mughal emperor
Akbar sent many missions against him.However he survived and fought to his last breath.He ultimately gained control of all areas of
Mewar excluding fort of
Chittor.
Composition
The Rajputs were designated by the British as a "
Martial Race". They also were the first group in India who originally used the surname
Singh. The martial race was a designation created by officials of
British India to describe "races" (peoples) that were thought to be naturally warlike and
aggressive in
battle and to possess qualities like
courage,
loyalty,
self sufficiency,
physical strength,
resilience, orderliness, hard working, fighting tenacity and
military strategy. The British recruited heavily from these "martial races" for service in the
colonial army.
[1]
The 1931 census of
British India was the last to record caste affiliation in a manner that provides reliable information on Rajput demographics. Any present-day estimates are speculative; they also vary widely. These figures are of interest as they denote the approximate spread and composition of the Rajput community.
The 1931 census reported a total of 12.8 million people self-describing as Rajput. The
United Provinces (being approximately present-day
Uttar Pradesh and
Uttarakhand combined) reported the largest population of Rajputs, at 3,756,936. The (then united) province of
Bihar &
Orissa, corresponding to the present-day states of Bihar, Orissa and
Jharkhand, reported a Rajput population of 1,412,440.
Rajputana, which was almost co-terminus with the present-day state of
Rajasthan, reported a figure of 669,516. The
Central Provinces and Berar reported a figure of 506,087, the
princely state of
Gwalior of 393,076, the
Central India Agency of 388,942, the
Bombay Presidency of 352,016, the
princely state of
Jammu & Kashmir of 256,020, and the Western India States Agency of 227,137 Rajputs. The undivided province of
Bengal (including present-day
Bangladesh reported a figure of 156,978 Rajputs. The
princely states of
Baroda and
Hyderabad reported figures of 94,893 and 88,434 respectively. The Rajput population is relatively low in number because of their destruction during ages in wars.
Rajputs typically speak whatever languages are spoken by the general population of the areas they live in.
Hindi and
Rajasthani are the primary languages, as most are situated in the "Hindi-speaking states", but
Gujarati and
Punjabi are also spoken among Rajputs residing in
Punjab region,
Jammu and Kashmir and
Gujarat.
They comprised of
Hindus belonging to the
Kshatriya varna and to a specific set of 36 clans. Several other communities identify themselves as being Rajput, typically claiming to be of partial Rajput descent. They are found both in the Hindu community and in other religious groups.
Others
Sikh Rajputs
The census of 1931 recorded the existence of 50,000
Sikh Rajputs. Occasional instances of inter-marriage between them and Hindu Rajputs are recorded.
Origins
Main articles: Origin of Rajputs
The
Sanskrit word
Rajputra is found in the
Vedas, the
Ramayana, and the
Mahabharata. It has been used by
Panini. The word
Kshatriya was initially used for the community of warriors and rulers. After the passage of much time there were many
Kshatriyas. Some of them left their traditional occupation. Some were still rulers and warriors. As a custom these kings married only with the sons and daughters of kings. They were abundant in India. It is very clear from the
Puranas,
Ramayana,
Mahabharata,
Prithviraj Raso,
Akbarnama, and present genealogy that they intermarried with the royal families only. The rule of
primogeniture allowed only the eldest male offspring of a king to succeed him. The rest were known as
Rajputras. The word Rajput is claimed to be a corruption of Rajputra. Gradually it became a caste.
The traditional occupations of the Rajputs besides rulers are war and agriculture.
Legendary
Main articles: Rajput clans
Rajputs regard themselves as being descended from the
vedic warrior class known as the
Kshatriyas. To differentiate them from ordinary Kshatriyas word Rajput was used, which literally means "son of a King". Rajput belong to one of three great patrilineages, which are:
★ The
Suryavanshi lineage, claiming descent from
Surya. The
Sun Dynasty is oldest among Kshatriyas. The first person of this dynasty was "Vivaswan", who by the meaning of his name is considered to be "Surya".
Ikshvaku was first important king of this dynasty. Other important kings were Kakutsth
Harishchandra, Sagar,
Dileepa,
Bhagiratha,
Raghu Dashratha and
Rama. Poet
Kalidasa wrote the great epic
Raghuvamsa about dynasty of
Raghu, a great king born in
Sun Dynasty.
★ The
Chandravanshi lineage, claiming descent from ''Som'' which literally means "Moon". This
Lunar Dynasty is also old but younger than the
Sun Dynasty. Som was the first king of this dynasty. Other important kings were Pururawa, Nahush,
Yayati, Dushyant,
Bharata, Kuru, Shantanu and Yudhishthir.
Yadu was eldest son of
Yayati and
Yadavs claim descent from
Yadu.
Krishna was also born in this dynasty of
Yadu.
Harivamsa gives details of this dynasty.
★ The
Agnivanshi lineage claims descent from four persons who were born from fire or by the influence of ''Ved Mantras''. According to Pouranic legend as found in
Bhavishya Purana, a
yagna was held at Mount Abu, at the time of emperor
Ashoka's sons. From the influence of ''Mantras'' of the four ''
Veda''s four Kshatriyas were born. They were: 1. Pramar (
Paramara), 2.Chaphani (
Chauhan); 3.Chu (
Chalukya); 4.Pariharak (
Pratihara). But since fire cannot produce warriors, it should be understood that four persons were either reconverted into Hinduism or revitalized to fight against invaders. They could not be of foreign origin because India was fighting against
Indo-Greek Kings at that time.
Pusyamitra Sunga and his son
Agnimitra were
Brahmins. They are known for reviving Hinduism. This theory of origin has produced much controversy. However only four clans out of many
Rajput clans are considered to be
Agnivanshi - Some scholars also count ''
Nagavanshi'' and ''Rishivanshi-one of the most imp clan of rishivans is dhakare about origin of dhakare rajput it was belevied that when Raja Bli the king of Patal lok was injured during war with Raja Indra king of devta then is blood was collected on the leaf of dhakh then his guru Sukracharya make one man by his mantras whose name was Dhakare to Fight against Devtas,Dhakare rajput are presently live in Agra(UP)and near the river Chambal'' as traditional lineages. The ''Yaduvanshi'' lineage, claiming descent from the
Hindu god
Krishna, are in fact a major sept of the ''Chandravanshi''
The aforementioned two patrilineages (''vanshas'') sub-divide into 36 main clans (''kulas''), which in turn divide into numerous branches (''shakhas'') to create the intricate
clan system of the Rajputs. The principle of patrilineage is staunchly adhered to in determining one's place in the system and a strong consciousness of clan and lineage is an essential part of the Rajput character. As the 1911 edition of the
Encyclopedia Britannica states, this tradition of common ancestry permits an indigent Rajput yeoman to consider himself as well-born as any powerful landholder of his clan, and superior to any high official of the professional classes. Authoritative listings of the 36 Rajput clans are to be found in the ''Kumārpāla Charita'' of Jayasimha and the ''
Prithvirāj Rāso'' of
Chandbardai.
The Rajput warrior clans asserted mythical origins for themselves. For example, the Suyavanshi were descended from the sun.
Legend of Agnivansha
Among the legends mentioned above, the one which addresses the origin of the ''
Agnivanshi'' Rajputs is particularly disputed not least because they were the earliest to rise to political prominence. This legend begins with the
puranic legend wherein the traditional ''
kshatriyas'' of the land were exterminated by
Parashurama, an
avatara of
Vishnu. Later, the legend says, sage
Vasishta performed a great ''Yajna'' or fire-sacrifice, to seek from the Gods a provision for the defense of righteousness on earth. In answer to his prayer, a youth arose from the very flames of the sacrifice -- the first ''Agnivanshi'' Rajput. According to
Bhavishya Purana an
yagna was held at
Mount Abu during the time of
Ashoka's sons. This produced four warriors and an elephant. The ''Agnikunda legend'' is explained in
Agnivansha.Ashoka and his sons were Buddhists but the general of last
Mauryan empereor was a staunch
Brahmin.
Historical
Legend of Agnivansh is associated with Sage Vashishta when trying to save his Ashram from Vishwamitra's army he creates a "fire born" kshatriya. This legend has been embeliished by indologists over the years.
History
Main articles: History of Rajputs
During the centuries-long rule of northern India, the Rajputs constructed several magnificent palaces. Shown here is the ''Chandramahal'' in
Jaipur, Rajasthan, which was built by
Kachwaha Rajputs
.
Early History (6th to 8th c.)
The
Rai Dynasty, who ruled
Sindh in the 6th and 7th centuries and were displaced by an Arab army led by
Bin Qasim, are sometimes held to have been Rajputs. According to some sources,
Bin Qasim, an Arab who invaded
Sindh in the 8th century, also attacked
Chittorgarh, and was defeated by
Bappa Rawal. Certain other invasions by marauding ''"Yavvanas"'' are also recorded in this era. By this time, the appellation ''"Yavvana"'' (literally: "Ionian/Greek") was used in connection to any tribe that emerged from the west and north-west of present-day
Pakistan. These invasions may therefore have been a continuation of the usual invasions into India by warlike but less civilized tribes from the north-west, and not a reference to the Greeks or
Indo-Greeks.
Lalitaditya of
Kashmir defeated one such ''Yavvana'' invasion in the 8th century and the Pratiharas rebuffed another in the 9th century.
Rajput kingdoms (8th to 11th c.)
The first Rajput kingdoms are attested to in the
7th century and it was during the 9th, 10th & 11th centuries that the Rajputs rose to prominence in
Indian history. The four ''
Agnivanshi'' clans, namely, the
Pratiharas (Pariharas),
Solankis (Chaulukyas),
Paramaras (Parmars) and
Ghosh,
Chauhans (Chahamanas), rose to prominence first. But there were other Rajputs also who rose to prominence.
'The
Guhilote dynasty' of
Chittor established their rule in 8th century CE.
Bappa Rawal of this dynasty established his rule in 734 CE at Chittor.
Chittor, ( Sanskrit name ''Chitrakuta'') was then ruled by
Mori clan of Rajputs. Maan Mori was their last king at Chittor. It is believed the word Mori is corruption of
Maurya, the famous dynasty. Rajput is believed to be a corruption of ''Rajputra''.
Major Kingdoms
The Imperial
Pratiharas established their rule over
Malwa and ruled from
Bhinmal and afterwords
Ujjaini in the 8th & 9th century. One branch of the clan established a state in
Mandore[2],
Marwar in 6th and 7th century where they held sway until they were supplanted by the
Rathores in the 14th century. Around 816 AD, the Pratiharas of Ujjaini conquered
Kannauj, from which city they ruled much of northern India for a century. They went into decline after
Rashtrakuta invasions in the early 10th century.
;
Solankis
Solankis were descended from the
Chalukyas of Karnataka who ruled much of peninsular India between the 6th and 12th centuries. In the 10th century, a local branch of the clan established control over Gujarat and ruled a state centered around the town of Patan. They went into decline in the 13th century and were displaced by the
Vaghela.
;
Paramaras
Were near neighbours of the Solankis. They originated as feudatories of the Rashtrakutas and rose to power in the 10th century. They ruled Malwa and the area at the border between present-day Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Bhoja, celebrated king of Malwa, belonged to this dynasty. In the 12th century, the Paramaras declined in power due to conflict with the Solankis and succumbed to attack from the
Delhi sultanate in 1305.
The ''
Rever's'' of The State of Tarangagadh. The sword of Rever is known in the history of war in 11th century. They ruled Taranga and the area at the border between present-day Gujarat and Rajasthan belonged to this dynasty.
;
Chandelas
In the early 10th century, the Chandelas ruled the fortress-city of Kalinjar. A dynastic struggle (c.912-914 AD) among the Pratiharas provided them with the opportunity to extend their domain. They captured the strategic fortress of
Gwalior (c.950) under the leadership of Dhanga (ruled 950-1008). Dhanga's grandson Vidyadhara (1017-29) expanded the Chandela kingdom to its greatest extent, from the Chambal river in the northwest to the Narmada River in the south, thus covering a large portion of the present-day state of Madhya Pradesh.
;
Tomaras or
Tanwars
Tomars, or Tanwars, are Chandravanshi Rajputs, and descended from Mahabharat's great hero, Arjun, through his son Abhimanyu, and grandson, Parikshat. Chakravarti Samrat (King) Yudhishtra, founded Indraprastha, present day Delhi. Tomars (King Anangpal Tomar)conquered and re-established the Delhi Kingdom in A.D. 792, and founded the city of 'Dhillika', modern Delhi. Besides Delhi, Tomar rule covered western U.P., and most of present day Haryana and Punjab. Tomar rule lasted until A.D. 1162 A.D. when last Tomar King Anangpal- II appointed Prithviraj Chauhan, his grandson - his daughter's son, and King of Ajmer- as 'catetaker', since his own sons were very young at that time. According to the accounts kept by Tomar/ Tanwar 'Jagas', King Anangpal Tomar appinted Prithviraj Chauhan as caretaker only, when he went on a religious pilgrimage. It is also said by Tanwar 'Jagas' that when King Anangpal returned back, Prithviraj refused to hand over the kingdom to him. It is worth mentioning that 'Jagas' are a caste in Rajasthen who are hereditary keepers of genealogical records of Rajputs, and present 'Jagas' of Tomar/ Tanwar Rajputs reside near Jaipur, Rajasthan.
;
Chauhans
These originated as feudatories of the Pratiharas and rose to power in the wake of the decline of that power. Their state was initially centered around Sambhar in present-day Rajasthan. In the 11th century, they founded the city of
Ajmer which became their capital. In the 12th century, they captured Delhi from the Tomaras. Their most famous ruler was
Prithviraj Chauhan, who won the
First Battle of Tarain against an invading Muslim army but lost the
second battle of Tarain the following year. This loss heralded a prolonged period of Muslim rule over northern India.
;
Ghosh
Most of Ghosh belong to
Rajput caste in
bengalon that time
who fight with
mughals and British.Most ghosh says as kayastha which means same kshtriyas.Many ghosh belong to
vikrampur,
Bangaladesh.
;Other early states
The ''
Suryavanshi'' and ''
Chandravanshi'' Rajputs later established independent states. The
Chandela clan ruled
Bundelkhand after the 10th century, occupying the fortress of
Kalinjar; they later built the famous temples at
Khajuraho.
The organization of
Rajput clan finally crystallized in this period. Intermarriage among the Rajput clans interlinked the various regions of India and Pakistan, facilitating the flow of trade and scholarship. Archaeological evidence and contemporary texts suggest that Indian society achieved significant prosperity during this era.
The literature composed in this period, both in
Sanskrit and in the
Apabhramshas, constitutes a substantial segment of classical Indian literature. The early 11th century saw the reign of the
polymath king
Bhoja, Paramara ruler of Malwa. He was not only a patron of literature and the arts but was himself a distinguished writer. His ''
Samarangana-sutradhara'' deals with architecture and his ''Raja-Martanda'' is a famous commentary on the
Yoga-
sutras. Many major monuments of northern and central India, including those at Khajuraho, date from this period.
Islamic invasions (11th to 12th c.)
The fertile and prosperous plains of
northern India had always been the destination of choice for streams of invaders coming from the north-west. The last of these waves of invasions were of tribes who had previously converted to Islam. Due to geographic reasons, Rajput-ruled states suffered the brunt of aggression from various
Mongol-
Turkic-
Afghan warlords who repeatedly invaded the subcontinent. In his ''New History of India'',
Stanley Wolpert wrote "The Rajputs were the vanguard of Hindu India in the face of the Islamic onslaught."
Within 15 years of the death of the
Muhammad, the caliph
Usman sent a sea expedition to raid
Thana and
Broach on the
Bombay coast. Other unsuccessful raiding expeditions to
Sindh took place in
662 and
664 AD. Indeed, within a hundred years after Muhammad's death, Muslim armies had overrun much of
Asia as far as the
Hindu Kush. However, it was not until ''c.''1000 AD that they could establish any foothold in India.
In the early 11th century,
Mahmud of Ghazni conquered the Hindu
Shahi kingdom in
the Punjab. His raids into northern India weakened the
Pratihara kingdom, which was drastically reduced in size and came under the control of the
Chandelas. In 1018 AD, Mahmud sacked the city of
Kannauj, seat of the Pratihara kingdom, but withdrew immediately to Ghazni, being interested in booty rather than empire. In the ensuing chaos, the
Gahadvala dynasty established a modest state centered around Kannauj, ruling for about a hundred years. They were defeated by
Muhammad of Ghor in 1194 AD, when the city was sacked by the latter.
Meanwhile, a nearby state centered around present-day
Delhi was ruled successively by the
Tomara and
Chauhan clans.
Prithiviraj III, ruler of Delhi, defeated
Muhammad of Ghor at the
First Battle of Tarain (1191 AD). Muhammad returned the following year and defeated Prithviraj at the
Second Battle of Tarain (1192 AD). In this battle, as in many others of this era, rampant internecine conflict among Rajput kingdoms facilitated the victory of the invaders.
Chittorgarh witnessed several heroic battles between Rajputs and Muslim invaders. Three different times did its womenfolk perform ''
Jauhar''.
Jaipur is one of several major cities founded by Rajput rulers during the mughal era.
The ''"Jharokha"'' arches, now regarded as typical of Rajput architecture, were actually brought to
Rajasthan from
Bengal by Rajput rulers serving as mughal officers in that province.
Medieval Rajput States (12th to 16th c.)
Prithviraj Chauhan proved to be the last Rajput ruler of
Delhi. The Chauhans, led by Govinda, grandson of Prithviraj, later established a small state centered around
Ranthambore in present-day
Rajasthan. The
Songara sept of the Chauhan clan later ruled
Jalore, while and
Hada sept of the same clan established their rule over the
Hadoti region in the mid-13th century. The
Rever Maharaja Ranavghansinh ruled
Taranga, while region in the 11th century. The Tomaras later established themselves at
Gwalior, and the ruler Man Singh built the fortress which still stands there. As we have seen, Muhammad's armies brought down the Gahadvala kingdom of Kannauj in
1194 AD. Some surviving members of the Gahadvala dynasty are said to have refugeed to the western desert, formed the
Rathore clan, and later founded the state of
Marwar. The
Kachwaha clan came to rule
Dhundhar (later
Jaipur) with their capital at
Amber.
Other relocations surmised to have occurred in this period include the emigration of Rajput clans to the
Himalayas. The
Katoch clan, the Chauhans of Chamba and certain clans of
Uttarakhand and
Nepal are counted among this number.
Conflict with the Sultanate
The
Delhi Sultanate was founded by
Qutb ud din Aybak, Muhammad of Ghor's successor, in the early 13th century. Sultan
Alauddin Khilji) conquered
Gujarat (1297),
Malwa (1305),
Ranthambore (1301),
Chittorgarh (1303)
Jalore and
Bhinmal (1311), all after long sieges and fierce resistance from their Rajput defenders.
'First Jauhar:' In particular, the siege of Chittor (1303), its brave defence by the
Guhilas, the saga of
Rani Padmini and the ''
Jauhar'' she led are the stuff of immortal legend. This incident has had a defining impact upon the Rajput character and is detailed in a succeeding section.
Ala-ud-din Khilji delegated the administration of the newly conquered areas to his principal Rajput collaborator, Maldeo Songara, ruler of
Jalore; the latter was soon displaced by his son-in-law
Hammir, a scion of the lately displaced
Guhila clan, who re-established the state of
Mewar ''c.''1326 AD. Mewar was to emerge as a leading Rajput state, after
Rana Kumbha expanded his kingdom at the expense of the sultanates of
Malwa and
Gujarat.
Mughal Era (16th-18th c.)
The Delhi sultanate was extinguished when
Babur defeated
Ibrahim Lodi at the
First Battle of Panipat in
1526.
Rana Sanga, ruler of Mewar, rallied an army to challenge Babur. He was betrayed by one of his Rajput generals, and was defeated by
Babur at the
Battle of Khanua on
March 16,
1527. However, it was not until the reign of
Akbar that the structure of relations between the Mughal imperium and the Rajput states took definitive shape.
'Second Jauhar:' Rana Sanga died soon after the battle of Khanua; shortly afterwards, Mewar came under the regency of his widow, Rani Karmavati. The kingdom was menaced by Bahadur Shah, ruler of Gujarat. According to one romantic legend of dubious veracity, Karmavati importuned the assistance of
Humayun, son of her late husband's foe. The help arrived, but too late; Chittor was reduced by Bahadur Shah. This is the occasion for the second of the three ''
Jauhars'' performed at Chittor. Karmavati led the ladies of the citadel into death by fire, while the menfolk sallied out to meet the besieging Muslim army in a hopeless fight to the death.
Mughal-Rajput Alliance
Babur's son
Humayun was a ruler who was forced to spend long periods in exile. His son Akbar, however, was made of a different mettle.
Akbar consolidated his inheritance and expanded what had been the "Delhi sultanate" into a wide empire. A main factor in this success was indubitably his co-option of native Rajput chiefs into his empire-building project; his reign countenanced, for the first time, the involvement of
Hindus in the affairs of the empire. The Rajput chiefs collaborated with alacrity, an alliance cemented by marriage, with numerous Rajput noblewomen being wed to mughal grandees. The
Kachwahas were the first to extend matrimonial alliances with Akbar; they pioneered a trend that soon turned pervasive and played no small role in extending Rajput influence across the
Indian sub-continent, from
Bengal to
Afghanistan to the
Deccan. Indeed, two successive mughal emperors,
Jehangir and
Shah Jehan, were born to Rajput mothers.
Rajput chiefs served as mughal officers and administrators across the mughal empire and enjoyed much influence in the government. In this period, the ''aristocratic'' image of the Rajputs can be said to have finally crystallized; consequently, caste-divisions became rigid. The trend of political relations between Rajput states and the central power was the precursor for similar relations between them and the British.
Maharana Pratap
Udaipur City Palace
Udaipur remained capital of
Mewar after fall of
Chittor till its accession in Independent India.
'Third Jauhar:' However, these relations were not universally approbated.
Mewar, which justly enjoys a unique position in the Rajput mind, held out and valiantly gave battle to Akbar. After a brave struggle, Mewar's chief citadel of
Chittor finally fell to Akbar in
1568. The third (and last) ''Jauhar'' of Chittor transpired on this occasion. When the fall of the citadel became imminent, the ladies of the fort committed collective self-immolation and the men sallied out of the fort to meet the invading Muslim army in a hopeless fight to an honourable death.
Prior to this event, Mewar's ruler,
Rana Udai Singh II, had retired to the nearby hills; where he founded a new town
Udaipur named after him. He was succeeded while in exile by his son
Rana Pratap as head of the
Sisodia clan. Even in exile, the Sisodias did not rest; under the able leadership of Rana Pratap Singh, they harassed the mughal administrators of the land enough to cause them to make accommodatory overtures.
Rana Pratap, a present-day Rajput icon, rebuffed every such overtures of friendship from Akbar, and rallied an army to meet the mughal forces. Some Historical say that he was defeated at the battle of
Haldighati but Mughals never invaded in Udaipur on
June 21,
1576 and was forced to withdraw to the
Aravalli ranges. However, he carried out a relentless guerilla struggle from his hideout in those hills, and never gave in to the mughal power. By the time of his death, Rana Pratap Singh had reconquered nearly all of his kingdom from the Mughals, except for the fortress of
Chittor and Mandal Garh. He died in 1597 CE. After Pratap's death, his son Rana Amar Singh continued the struggle for 18 years, and faced constant attacks from Mughals. He faced 18 wars during this period. Finally he entered into peace treaty with the Mughals but with certain exemptions. The exemptions granted to him and rulers of
Mewar were 1.Rana of Mewar shall not attend the Mughal court personally but crown prince shall attend the court.2.It was not necessary for Rana and
Sisodias to enter into marriage alliance with
Mughals.The treaty was signed by Rana Amar Singh and prince "Khurram" (later
Shah Jahan) in 1615 CE at
Gogunda. He thus regained control of his state as a vassal of the Mughals.
The Sisodias rulers of Mewar were famously the last Rajput dynasty to enter into alliance with the Mughals. The Rajput states thereafter remained loyal to the mughal empire for over two centuries, until it was supplanted by the
British Raj. Indeed, even as late as in the early 19th century, Rajput courts rarely failed to formally affirm their loyalty to the (by now entirely powerless) mughal emperor in all their official ''communiques'' and documents.
Maratha and British Suzerainty (18th to 20th c.)
The
Marathas of the
Deccan rose to power in the 18th century. They conquered the major portion of India during this period, including the Rajput states of central and western India.
Jodhpur was conquered by
Sindhia, who annexed the fort and town of
Ajmer and levied a tribute of 60,000 rupees. James Tod, whose personal observation pertains to this period, records that internecine disputes, succession wars and the relentless exaction of levies by the Marathas left the Rajput states immiserated, and that the Rajput states repeatedly petitioned the
British administration for protection. After the
Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817-1818), 18 states in the
Rajputana region, of which 15 were ruled by Rajputs, entered into "subsidiary alliance" with the
HEIC and became
princely states under the
British Raj. The British took direct control of Ajmer, which became the province of
Ajmer-Merwara. A vast number of other Rajput states in central and western India made a similar transition. Most of them were placed under the authority of the
Central India Agency and the various states' agencies of
Kathiawar.
Rajput army officers with British army officers in 1936, before world war II
The British colonial officials in general were very impressed by the military qualities of the Rajputs. In his ''Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan''
James Tod writes:
:''"What nation on earth could have maintained the semblance of civilization, the spirit or the customs of their forefathers, during so many centuries of overwhelming depression, but one of such singular character as the Rajpoot? . . . Rajast’han exhibits the sole example in the history of mankind, of a people withstanding every outrage barbarity could inflict, or human nature sustain, from a foe whose religion commands annihilation; and bent to the earth, yet rising buoyant from the pressure, and making calamity a whetstone to courage. . . . Not an iota of their religion or customs have they lost. . . ".''
When India gained its independence in 1947, the Rajput states acceded unto the
dominion of India and
dominion of Pakistan. They were all merged into the
union of India before 1950.
Culture and Ethos
The Rajput ethos is martial in spirit, fiercely proud and independent, and emphasizes lineage and tradition. Rajput patriotism is legendary, an ideal they embodied with a sometimes fanatical zeal, often choosing death before dishonour. Rajput warriors were often known to fight until the last man.
typical sword used by Rajput Warriors
All recorded instances of
jauhar and "Saka" have featured Rajput defenders of a fort, resisting the invasion of a Muslim force. On several occasions when defeat in such an engagement became certain, the Rajput defenders of the fort scripted a final act of heroism that rendered the incident an immortal inspiration and afforded the invaders only an exceedingly hollow, inglorious victory. In such incidents, the ladies of the fort would commit collective self-immolation. Wearing their wedding dresses, and holding their young children by the hand, the ladies would commit their chastity to the flames of a massive, collective pyre, thereby escaping molestation and dishonour at the hands of the invading army. As the memorial of their heroic act, the ladies would leave only the imprint of the palm of their right hands on wet clay, which have become objects of veneration. This immolation would occur during the night, to the accompaniment of Vedic chants. Early the next morning, after taking a bath, the men would wear saffron-coloured garments, apply the ash from the pyres of their wives and children on their foreheads and put a
tulsi leaf in their mouth. Then the gates would be opened and men would ride out for one final, heroic, hopeless battle, dying gloriously on the field of honour. This fight till death of men is called "Saka" The historic fort of Chittor, seat of the
Sisodia kingdom of
Mewar, was the site of the three most famous ''Jauhars'' recorded in history.
The Rajput lifestyle was designed to foster a martial spirit. Tod (1829) describes at length the bond between the Rajputs and their swords. The double-edged scimitar known as the ''khanda'' was a popular weapon among the Rajputs of that era. On special occasions, a primary chief would break up a meeting of his vassal chiefs with ''khanda nariyal,'' the distribution of daggers and coconuts (page-453). The ''Karga Shapna'' ritual, performed during the annual
Navaratri festival, was another affirmation of the Rajput's reverence for his sword.
By the late 19th century, there was a shift from an emphasis on questions regarding the political relations amongst the Rajputs to a concern with kinship (Kasturi 2002:2). According to Harlan (1992:27), many Rajputs of Rajasthan are nostalgic about their past and keenly conscious of their genealogy, emphasizing a Rajput ethos that is martial in spirit, with a fierce pride in lineage and tradition. These are indeed the timeless values of the Rajput community, as the
Encyclopedia Britannica (1911 edition) affirms in its resume of the contemporary social values of the community;
:''The tradition of common ancestry permits a poor Rajput yeoman to consider himself as well born as any powerful landholder of his clan, and superior to any high official of the professional classes. No race in India can boast of finer feats of arms or brighter deeds of chivalry, and they form one of the main recruiting fields for the Indian army of the day. They consider any occupation other than that of arms or government derogatory to their dignity, and consequently during the long period of peace which has followed the establishment of the British rule in India, they have been content to stay idle at home instead of taking up any of the other professions in which they might have come to the front.''
Famous Rajput Personalities
see
List of Rajputs.
Common Rajput surnames include:
:Krishnawat, Sendhav, Jaswal, Janjua (Janjuah),Sulehri
Thakur,
Tomar (
Tanwar), Negi,
chibb , Chauhan,
Pokhariya, Kirar, Raghav (Badbujar), Sisodia (Gahlaut or Rana),
Rathore (Rathod),
Pundir, Parmar (Panwar), Jadaon,Jadeja[જાડેજા], Kushwaha (Kachwaha), Bhatti (Bhati), Bais, Sengar, Chhaunkar, Jayas,
Rawat, Papola, Dhoni,
Bisht, Digari,
Ghosh, Rautela, Sirari, Manral,
Minhas (Manhas), Khurmi, Katoch Duggal,
Parihar, Soam, Shekhawat, Bhadoria, Rawal,
Sikarwar,
Surwar, Sankhla,Sarna, Solanki,
Chandel,shahdeo, Singh, Pawar,Dhakare,Kanwar,zala,Dangi,bargujar;madadh[bhardwaj],vais[ઝાલા] etc.
E.g. of rajput name: 'Nagendra Singh Krishnawat'
Rajputs are also identified by the province they use to rule, sometime in place of caste they put the province name.
E.g. 'Nagendra Singh (Satola)'
See also
★
Battle of Rajasthan
★
Charan
★
Rajput clans
★
Meo
★
Karadiya Rajputs
★
History of Rajputs
★
List of Rajputs
★
Rajoa
★
Rajput Regiment
★
Rawat
★
Forward Castes
★ religion
★
★
Rajputs and Zoroastrianism
★
★
Rajputs and Buddhism
★
★
Muslim Rajputs
★
★
Sikh Rajputs
{{Ghore Wah Rajput))
Notes
1. ''Glossary of the tribes and castes of the Punjab and NWFP, H A Rose''
2. [1]
Further References
★
[2].
★ Kasturi, Malavika, '' Embattled Identities Rajput Lineages'', Oxford University Press (2002) ISBN 0-19-565787-X
★ M K A Siddiqui (ed.), ''Marginal Muslim Communities In India'', Institute of Objective Studies, New Delhi (2004)
★ .
★ W.W. Hunter, ''The Indian empire, its people, history and products.'' First published: London, Trubner & Co., Ludgate Hill, 1886. ISBN 81-206-1581-6.
★
Dasharatha Sharma ''Rajasthan through the Ages'' a comprehensive and authentic history of Rajasthan, prepared under the orders of the Government of Rajasthan. First published 1966 by Rajasthan Archives.
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External links
★ The Historic Mandore of the Pratihara (Parihar)
[3]
★
Rajputs Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition; 2005
★
Rajput Encyclopedia Britannica; 1911
★
British Association of Rajputs
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Yahoo Group of Rajput World
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RajputIndia.com
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Rajputs in Rajoa, Dadyal
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The Mewar Encyclopedia
★
Ek Tha Raja
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Kota Chauhan Clan
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Jodhpur Rathore Clan
★
Origin of Rajputs
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Rajput Vansh and Clans
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Rewa Baghel Clan
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Marwari Horse
★
Maheronline a resource for Maher community worldwide
★
The Mair Rajputs of Punjab
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"Sikh Rajputs" in Punjab and Haryana
★
"The Times of India" (Newspaper) - India's 'Rajput diplomacy' in Nepal
★
Indian Princely States
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The Salute States
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Vallabh Bhai Integrated states
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