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Rajput

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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 mainly reside in Uttar Pradesh (UP), Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu , Uttarakhand, and Delhi. 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 the estimated six hundred princely states at the time of the independence of India. The Rajputs have always been martial. The British Government also accepted them and recruited them heavily into their armies.

Maharana Pratap, a Sixteenth century 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 the fort of Chittor.
Mayo College was opened by the British Government to educate Rajput princes and other nobles in 1875 at Ajmer Rajputana. In this picture, on the left, are the first four Rajput princes and on the extreme right is a Muslim.

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, a hard working nature, a 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-described 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 in which they live. 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 the Punjab region, Jammu and Kashmir and Gujarat.

They are 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 article: 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 other than rulers are war and agriculture.

Legendary

Main article: Rajput clans

Rajputs regard themselves as being descended from the vedic warrior class known as the Kshatriyas. To differentiate them from ordinary Kshatriyas the word Rajput was used, which literally means "son of a King." Rajputs belong to one of three great patrilineages, which are:

  • 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 Vedas, 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 these 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 important clans of the Rishivans is Dhakare. It was believed that the origin of the Dhakare Rajput was when Raja Bli the king of Patal lok was injured during war with Raja Indra, king of Devta. Then his blood was collected on the leaf of Dhakh and his guru Sukracharya make one man, by his mantras, whose name was Dhakare, fight against Devtas. The traditional lineages of Dhakare Rajput presently live in Agra (UP) and near the river Chambal. The Yaduvanshi lineage, claiming descent from the Hindu god Krishna, are in fact a major sect 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 article: 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, is 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 atested to in the 7th century and it was during the 9th, 10th, & 11th centuries that the Rajputs rose to prominence in the Indian history. The four Agnivanshi clans, namely the Pratiharas (Pariharas), Solankis (Chaulukyas), Paramaras (Parmars), and Chauhans (Chahamanas), rose to prominence first. But there were other Rajputs also who rose to prominence.

The Guhilote or Gehlot 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 the Mori clan of Rajputs. Maan Mori was their last king at Chittor. It is believed the word Mori is a 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 this 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 Paramara 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, the 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 were 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 CE) 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 (ruled 1017-29) expanded the Chandela kingdom to its greatest size, 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.

Tomars 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 CE 792 and founded the city of 'Dhillika,' (modern Delhi). Besides Delhi, Tomar's rule covered western U.P. and most of present day Haryana and Punjab. Tomar's rule lasted until CE 1162 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 appointed Prithviraj Chauhan as caretaker only when he went on a religious pilgrimage. It is also said by Tanwar 'Jagas' that when King Anangpal returned, 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

Chauhans 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, their the then King Prithviraj Chauhan acquired Delhi from his maternal grand father,the then Tomar King Anangpal II Tomar (see above under Tomars or Tanwars). 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 Ghosh belong to the Rajput caste in Bengal, who at that time fought with the Mughals and British. Most Ghosh say they are Kayastha, which means the same as Kshtriyas. Many Ghosh belong to Vikrampur, Bangaladesh.

Other early states

The Kachwahas were originally from Bihar; they founded Gwailior in the 8th century. 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 CE. 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 CE 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 CE, 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 CE, 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 CE). 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.

Mehrangarh Fort, the ancient home of the Rathore rulers of Marwar in Rajasthan
Chittorgarh witnessed several heroic battles between Rajputs and Muslim invaders. Three different times did its womenfolk perform Jauhar.
File:Jaipur is called the pink city.jpg
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 sect of the Chauhan clan later ruled Jalore, while and Hada sect of the same clan established their rule over the Hadoti region in the mid-13th century. The Rever Maharaja Ranavghansinh ruled Taranga, in the 11th century. The Tomaras later established themselves at Gwalior, and the ruler Man Singh built the fortress which still stands there. Muhammad's armies brought down the Gahadvala kingdom of Kannauj in 1194 CE. 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 were conquered after long sieges and fierce resistance from their Rajput defenders.

The "First Jauhar," in particular the siege of Chittor (1303), its brave defence by the Guhilas, the saga of Rani Padmini, and the Jauhar, 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. Maldeo Songara 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 CE. 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.

During the 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 the capital of Mewar after fall of Chittor until its accession in independent India.

During the "Third Jauhar" 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. vWhen 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 honorable 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 it after himself. 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 historians say that he was defeated at the battle of Haldighati but Mughals never invaded in Udaipur on June 21, 1576 but were 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 a peace treaty with the Mughals but with certain exemptions. The exemptions granted to him and the rulers of Mewar were: 1. Rana of Mewar shall not attend the Mughal court personally but the crown prince shall attend the court. 2. It was not necessary for Rana and Sisodias to enter into a 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 an 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 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 (late 18th to mid 20th c.)

The Marathas of the Deccan rose to power in the late 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 some 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.

File:The Jaipur infantry 1936.jpg
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, and 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.

A 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-colored 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 honor. This fight until death of men is called "Saka." The historic fort of Chittor, the 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. 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.
"Jal Mahal in Jaipur, example of Rajput architecture."

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 Gehlot or Rana, Rathore, (Rathod), Ranawat, Pundir, Parmar (Panwar), Jadaon, Jadeja [જાડેજા], Kushwaha or Kachwaha, Bhatti Bhati, Deora, 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], Lodhi, Singraul etc.

E.g. of Rajput name: Nagendra Singh Krishnawat

Rajputs are also identified by the province they used to rule; sometime in place of caste they put the province name.

E.g. Nagendra Singh (Satola)

See also


{{Ghore Wah Rajput))

Notes

  1. ^ Glossary of the tribes and castes of the Punjab and NWFP, H A Rose
  2. ^ [1]

Further reading

  • Template:Harvard reference [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)
  • Template:Harvard reference.
  • W.W. Hunter, The Indian empire, its people, history and products. First published: London, Trubner & Co., Ludgate Hill, 1886. ISBN 81-206-1581-6.Public Domain This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  • 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.

Further reading

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