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File:Maharanapratap.jpg

Maharana Pratap of Udaipur

A Rājput (from the Sanskrit राजपुत्र rāja-putra, "son of a king") is a member of a prominent community who live throughout northern and central India, but primarily in the northwestern state of Rajasthan, which was called Rājputānā until the reorganization of Indian states after independence.

They are thought to number about 12 million^{[citation needed]}. The Indian census has not recorded caste affiliation since 1931 (except in the case of Backward or Scheduled Castes) and any estimates of those claiming Rajput lineage or caste are necessarily inexact.

Definition

The term Rājaputra has been used since the time of Harshavardhana; however, modern usage of the term refers to the descendants of the 36 major clans that ruled western India between the 8th and 13th centuries CE. A listing of rajput clans is available in the Kumarpala Charita of Jayasimha and in the Prithviraj Raso of Chandbardai. There are numerous legends and folklores about Rajputs in India.

The term Rajput ordinarily refers to the group's "jati" which is a social hierarchical status found within the caste system of Hinduism, which developed out of the Vedic varna system. The Rajputs consider themselves descendants of the Vedic warrior (Kshatriya) varna.

A number of other jatis or sub-castes, claim to be Rajputs. While some of them have a historical basis for that claim, most such claims are efforts by other castes to negotiate a change in caste status for themselves. Such claims are generally not recognized by the main Rajput community^{[citation needed]}.

Ancient Rajput kings have permitted all the faiths to flourish in their domains^{[citation needed]}. While personally they have often practiced Vedic, Shaiva, Vaishnava and occasionally Jain traditions; they supported Buddhists, Zoroastrians and Sufi traditions as well. Rajputs in India are mostly Hindu. There are some Rajputs who follow the Sikh panth, and they often intermarry with Hindu Rajputs. There are many Muslim Rajputs in Pakistan, and some also in India^{[citation needed]}.

Origins

The Rajputs are divided into 36 clans, claiming three basic lineages: the Suryavanshi (Solar Race), the Chandravanshi (Lunar Race), and the Agni vanshi (Fire Born). Some scholars also include Rishi vanshi, Nag Vanshi and Vayu Vanshi as separate classes. House of Mewar, Marwar, Amber are Suryavanshi rajputs. Rulers of Bundi, Kotah, Jalore, Sirohi are Agnivanshi. Chandravanshi and Yaduvanshi are from the same line which bifurcated at king yadu when his father banished him from becoming the king. House of Jaisalmer are yaduvanshi rajputs.

The Suryavanshi trace their lineage to the Vedic Sun -Surya( Lord Rama was also born in this lineage) Somvanshi to Som (the vedic deity Soma or Moon ) and Agnivanshi orginated from fire. The Yaduvanshi trace there lineage to Lord Krishan.

Each vansha has many cula and each cula has shakha. Rathores are divided into these shakha : Dhandhul, Bhadail, Khokra, Jodha etc. Gehlote cula is subdivided into these shakhas: Aharya (at Doongarpur) , Sisodiya (at Mewar), Peeparra (at Marwar) etc. Chauhan are divided into these shakha: Hada, Kheechee, Deora, Songara etc. Similarly there are various shakha in Kacchwaha, Parihaar and rest of the 12 clans described below. For a pictorial description please see page 27 of [this book]

Each shakha has its Gotra Acharya, a genealogical creed, describing the essential peculiarities, religious tenets and pristine locale of the clan. It is a touchstone of affinities and guardian of the laws of intermarriage.

Rathore Gotra Acharya -- Gautam gotra, Mardwunduni Shakha, Shukra-Acharya Guru, Garroopata Agni, Pankhini Devi.

Twelve of 36 clans of rajputs further subdivide. These 12 are Gehlote, Parmara, Chauhan, Solanki, Rathore, Tuar/Tomar, BirGoojur, Parihaar, Jhala, Yadu, Katchwaha, Gor. These 24 clans are 'Eka' and do not divide further. Sengar, Balla, Khurwur, Chawura, Dahima, Dahiya, Byce, Gherwal, Nikumpa, Dewut, Johya, Sikerwal, Dabia, Doda, Mori ,Mokarra, Abhirra, Kalchoruk, Agnipala, Aswariya, Hool, Manutwal, Mallia and Chhahil.

History

Middle Ages

An examination of the archeological evidence and contemporary texts suggest that the Indian society had achieved significant prosperity during the Rajput rule^{[citation needed]}. Most of the archaeological remains in a large part of India are from the Rajput period^{[citation needed]}.

It was also a period of spread of literacy. Numerous inscriptions from this period have been found. A significant fraction of them are by people who were unaffiliated with the nobles, suggesting that education was spreading among the common people^{[citation needed]}. The literature composed in this period in Sanskrit and in Apabhramshas constitutes a large fraction of the classical Indian literatures^{[citation needed]}. The Paramara king Bhoj of Dhara not only a patron of scholars, but himself a distinguished and prolific scholar. His Samarangana-sutradhara deals with architecture and Raja-Martanda is a famous commentary on Yoga-sutra.

The intermarriage among the Rajput clans interlinked different regions of India, making it easier for the trade and scholarship to flow from one part of the country to another.

Historically the Rajputs have supported Brahmins as scholars and priests. Rajputs often have their own family priests, known as Purohits. Also many Rajputs have Brahmin gurus. Some scions of their noble families even officiate as priests in their Hindu temples; for example, the Sesodia kings of Mewar consider themselves regents of Eklingji, a manifestation of Shiva, and serve as the high priest of the deity as well as ruler of the state.

The first Rajputs kingdoms are attested in the 6th century, and the Rajputs rose to prominence in Indian history in the ninth and tenth centuries. The four Agnivansha clans, the Pratiharas (Pariharas), Chauhans (Chahamanas), Solankis (Chaulukyas), and Paramaras (Parmars), rose to prominence first. The Pratiharas established the first Rajput kingdom in Marwar in southwestern Rajasthan, with the Chauhans at Ajmer in central Rajasthan, the Solankis in Gujarat, and the Paramaras in Malwa. The Rajput Rai dynasty ruled Sind during the 6th and 7th centuries. Sind was conquered by an Arab Muslim army of the Califate, led by Bin Qasim, in the 8th century. Bin Qasim attacked Chittorgarh, and was defeated by Bappa Rawal Guhila. Lalitaditya of kashmir defeated Arabs in the 8th century. The Pratiharas rebuffed another Arab invasion in the ninth century. Significant Muslim invasions were then not attempted until the eleventh century, largely due to the formidable reputation of the Rajput clans. The Pratiharas later established themselves at Ujjain and ruled Malwa, and afterwards at Kanauj in the Ganges-Yamuna Doab, from which they ruled much of northern India, from Kathiawar in the west to Magadha in the east, in the ninth century. Clans claiming descent from the Solar and Lunar races, who were originally vassals of the other clans, later established independent states. The Guhilas (later called the Sisodias) established the state of Mewar (later Udaipur), under Bappa Rawal, who ruled at Chittorgarh, which was given in dowry to Bappa in 734 for his bravery. The Kachwaha clan came to rule Dhundhar, with their capital at Amber, and later Jaipur. The Chandela clan ruled Bundelkhand after the tenth century, occupying the fortress-city of Kalinjar and building the famous temple-city of Khajuraho. The Tomaras established a state in Haryana, founding the city of Dhiliki (later Delhi) in 736. The Kachwahas, Chandelas, and Tomaras were originally vassals of the Pratihara kingdom. In the early 11th century, Mahmud of Ghazni conquered the Hindu Shahi kingdom in the Punjab, and his raids into northern India weakened the Pratihara kingdom, which was drastically reduced in size and came under the control of the Chandelas. Mahmud sacked temples across northern India, including the temple at Somnath in Gujarat, but his permanent conquests were limited to the Punjab, and Somnath was rebuilt after the raid. The early 11th century also saw the reign of the polymath king Bhoj, the Paramara ruler of Malwa. The Rathores, as the Gahadvala dynasty, reestablished the kingdom of Kannauj, ruling the Ganges plain from the late 11th through the 12th century, and conquering Marwar in the 13th. The Rajputs fought each other in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Prithiviraj III, ruler of Delhi, crushed Muhammad of Ghor in 1191 at the First Battle of Tarain and Ghori was captured. After Ghori begged for life he was let go despite strong resistance by Prithviraj's generals. Ghori treacherously defeated Prithviraj the following year at the Second Battle of Tarain, and the attacks of Muhammad's armies brought down the Gahadvala kingdom of Kannauj in 1194. The Delhi Sultanate was founded by Qutb ud din Aybak, Muhammad of Ghor's successor, in first decade of the 13th century.

The Chauhans reestablished themselves at Ranthambore, led by Govinda, grandson of Prithviraj III. Jalore was ruled by another branch of Chauhans, the Songaras. Another branch of the Chauhans, the Hadas, established a kingdom in Hadoti in the mid-13th century.

Islamic invasion of India

In his New History of India, Stanley Wolpert wrote "The Rajputs were the vanguard of Hindu India in the face of the Islamic onslaught."

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. The practice of jauhar and saka was followed only in rajput communities. When the outcome of a battle was against the Rajputs, jauhar would be committed by Rajput women and children in the night and next morning men would commit saka^{[citation needed]}. Brahmin priests would chant Vedic mantras and Rajput women wearing their marriage dresses, along with their young children, would embrace sandalwood flames. The next morning after taking a bath, the men would wear kesariya and apply the ash from the maha samadhi of their wives and children on their foreheads and put a tulsi leaf in their mouth. Then the palace gates would be opened and men would ride out for complete annhiliation of the enemy or themselves. The practices of Johar and Saka were, however not universal amongst all the Rajput clans and even among the same clan during different periods of time.

Sultan Ala ud din Khilji (1296-1316) conquered Gujarat (1297) and Malwa (1305), and captured the fortresses of Ranthambore (1301) by bribing generals in Hammir Deo Chauhan's army, Mewar's capital Chittorgarh (1303) and Jalor (1311) after long sieges with fierce resistance from their Rajput defenders. Mewar resestablished there supremacy within 50 years of the sack of Chittor under Maharana Hammir. Hammir defeated Muhammad Tughlaq and captured him. Tughlaq had to pay huge ransom and relenquish all of Mewar's lands. After this Sultanate did not attack Chittor for a few hundred years. Rajputs reestablished their independence, and the Rajput states were established as far east as Bengal and north into the Punjab. The Tomaras established themselves at Gwalior, and the ruler Man Singh built the fortress which still stands there. Mewar emerged as the leading Rajput state, and Rana Kumbha expanded his kingdom at the expense of the sultanates of Malwa and Gujarat. The Delhi Sultanate recovered somewhat under the Lodhi dynasty. Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat on April 21, 1526, and the Rana Sangha rallied a Rajput army to challenge Babur. Babur, like his predecessors resorted to treachery and managed to bribe a general in Sanga's army and managed to defeat the Rajputs at the Battle of Khanua on March 16, 1527. The Rajput rulers agreed to pay tribute to Babur, but most retained control of their states, and struggles between Babur's successor Humayun and the Suri Dynasty for control of the Sultanate preoccupied the Muslims for several decades.

Humayun's successor Akbar consolidated control of the empire and sought to expand it by realising that wars with Rajputs will not allow him to rule India and he used marriage diplomacy. Kachwahas were the first to give a daughter to Akbar. This prompted Maharana Pratap to ban marraiges between his loyal rajputs with other rajputs of rajasthan. The Kachwaha rulers of Jaipur and Rathore rulers of Marwar became tributaries of the empire. The Sisodias of Mewar and their vassals, the Hadas of Bundi, continued to refuse Mughal hegemony, and Akbar invaded Mewar, capturing Chittorgarh in 1568 after a long siege. The Sesodias of Mewar moved the capital to the more defensible location of Udaipur and carried on fighting the Mughals. Akbar respected the martial prowess of the Rajputs, and he married a Rajput princess, and Rajput generals, particularly the Kachwahas of Jaipur, commanded some Mughal armies.

The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, who was far less tolerant of Hinduism than his predecessors, put a Muslim on the throne of Marwar when Maharaja Jaswant Singh, ruler of Marwar, died without a child. This enraged the rathores. Ajit Singh, Jaswant Singh's son was born after his death. Marwar nobles asked Aurangzeb to give the throne back to Ajit but Aurangzeb refused and instead tried to kill the infant Ajit. Durgadas Rathore and others smuggled Ajit out of Delhi and did not let pursuing Mughals capture them and reached Jaipur safely. This started the 30 year rajput rebellion against Aurangzeb. This cemented all the Rajput clans into a bond of union, and a triple alliance was formed by the three states of Marwar, Mewar, and Jaipur, to throw off the Mughal yoke. One of the conditions of this alliance was that the rulers of Jodhpur and Jaipur should regain the privilege of marriage with the ruling Sesodia dynasty of Mewar, which they had forfeited by contracting alliances with the Mughal emperors, on the understanding that the offspring of Sesodia princesses should succeed to the state in preference to all other children. The quarrels arising from this stipulation lasted through many generations, and led to the invitation of Maratha help from the rival aspirants to power, and finally to the subjection of all the Rajput states to the Marathas. Jodhpur was conquered by Sindhia, who levied a tribute of 60,000 rupees, and took from it the fort and town of Ajmer.

British Raj

Internecine disputes and succession wars disturbed the peace of the early years of the 19th century, and the Rajput princes asked for British protection from the Marathas during the Third Anglo-Maratha War of 1817-1818. At the conclusion of the war in 1818, 18 states in the Rajputana region, of which 15 were ruled by Rajputs, became princely states of the British Raj, while the British took direct control of Ajmer, which became the province of Ajmer-Merwara. A number of other Rajput states in central India, including Rewa, Ajaigarh, Barwani, Chhatarpur, Datia, Orchha, and Ratlam, became princely states as well, and were placed under the authority of the Central India Agency. Rajput rulers of Rajputana and Central India acceded to newly-independent India after 1947, and Rajputana, renamed Rajasthan, became an Indian state in 1950.

By the late nineteenth 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 lineages were linked to different networks, both sacred and profane. Branches on a stratified lineage could be either Hindu or Muslim (Kasturi 2002:2).

20th century

Demographics

Rajasthan, which is believed to be the birthplace of Rajputs has a very high concentration of Rajputs. Rajputs are spread throughout India and Pakistan with Punjab also having high numbers of both Sikh and Muslim Rajputs.

Prominent Rajput clans & their main centers

"Rajputs" (anonymous, ca. 1860, British Library)

For further details see Rajput Clans

Badgujar: Churu
Bhatti: Jaisalmer
Bhaduria (Chauhan): Bhadawar
Bundela: Orchha
Chandela: Mahoba/Khajuraho
Chauhan: Ajmer/Pushkar
Chavda: Anhilwara in Gujarat
Dahia: Haryana
Dodia: Piploda
Gaharwar (Rathore): Kannauj
Guhilot: Chittor/Udaipur
Sisodia (Guhilot): Chittor/Udaipur
Hada (Chauhan): Hadoti
Jasrotia (Kachwaha): Jasrot
Jadeja: Kutch
Janjua: Gandhara
Jarral: Kangda, Rajauri
Jhala: Jhalavad
Kachwaha: Narwar, Jaipur
Katoch: Kangra, Pehelgam
Paramara, Ponwar (Parmar): Mount Abu, Dhar
Pathania: Uttarakhand
Pratihara (Parihara): Rajasthan, Kannauj
Rathore: Bikaner, Jodhpur
Solanki: Anhilwara in Gujarat
Tomara or Toor: Delhi, Gwalior

Links

References

Saran, Richard D. (trans.) The Mertiyo Rathors of Merto, Rajasthan; Select Translations Bearing on the History of a Rajput Family, 1462-1660, Michigan Papers on South and Southeast Asia 51, University of Michigan Press (2001). ISBN 0891480854
Har Bilas Sarda, Maharana Kumbha, sovereign, soldier, scholar (1917) ISBN 8129100339
Dashratha Sharma, Early Chauhan dynasties: a study of Chauhan political history, Chauhan political institution, and life in the Chauhan dominions, from 800 to 1316 A.D., Motilal Banarsidas; 2nd rev. ed. (1975). ISBN 0842606181