The history of human settlement in the westernIndian state ofRajasthan dates back to about 100,000 years ago. Around 5000 to 2000 BCE many regions of Rajasthan belonged as the site of theIndus Valley Civilization.Kalibangan is the main Indus site of Rajasthan, herefire altars have been discovered, similar to those found atLothal.[1]
Around 2000 BCE,Sarasvati River flowed through theAravalli mountain range in the state. During theVedic Period present Rajasthan region known asBrahmavarta (The land created by the gods and lying between the divine rivers Saraswati and Drishadwati).Matsya kingdom (c. 1500–350 BCE) was one of the most important in the Vedic kingdom. The main ruler of kingdom was kingVirata, who participated inKurukshetra War by the side ofPandavas. After Vedic Period, Rajasthan was ruled by manyMahajanapadas includes- Matsya,Surasena,Kuru,Arjunayanas,Sivis and others.
Theearly medieval period saw the rise of manyRajput kingdoms such as theChauhans andGaur dynasty ofAjmer,Sisodias ofMewar,Gurjara-Pratihara and theRathores ofMarwar, as well as several Rajput clans such as theGohil and theShekhawats ofShekhawati.[2] TheGurjara-Pratihara Empire acted as a barrier forArab invaders from the 8th to the 11th century, it was the power of the Pratihara army that effectively barred the progress of theArabs beyond the confines ofSindh, their only conquest for nearly 300 years.[3]
Prithviraj Chauhan led a coalition withGaur dynasty of Gaurati-Godwad who defeated theGhurid army; theGohils andSisodia of Chittor, who continued to resist theMughals against heavy odds eventually gave rise to the leadership ofMaharana Hammir,Maharana Kumbha,Maharana Sanga,Maharana Pratap andMaharana Raj Singh.[4]
In his long military career, Maharana Sanga achieved a series of unbroken successes against several neighbouring Muslim kingdoms, most notably theLodi dynasty of Delhi. He united several Rajput clans for the first time since theSecond Battle of Tarain in 1192 and marched against the Timurid rulerBabur.[5] Maharana Pratap in the 16th century, both men became a symbol of Rajput valour against the Mughal invasions.[6]
The other famous rulers of Rajasthan includesMaldeo Rathore of Marwar, Rai Singh ofBikaner andKachhwaha rulers ofAmber inJaipur includingMan Singh I andSawai Jai Singh. While few other kingdoms who rose in the early modern period include theJohiya ofJangaldesh, theSinsinwars ofBharatpur State, and theRanas ofDholpur.Suraj Mal was the greatest ruler of Bharatpur, Rajasthan.[7]Maharaja Ganga Singh ofBikaner State was the notable ruler of the modern period. His greatest achievement was the completion of theGang Canal Project in 1927.[8]
Among many of Rajasthan's most important architectural works are theJantar Mantar,Dilwara Temples,Lake Palace Resort,City Palace of Jaipur,City Palace of Udaipur,Chittorgarh Fort,Jaisalmer Havelis andKumbhalgarh also known as the Great Wall of India.
TheBritish made several treaties with rulers of Rajasthan and also made allies out of local rulers, who were allowed to rule theirprincely states. This period was marked byfamines andeconomic exploitation. TheRajputana Agency was a political office of the British Indian Empire dealing with a collection of native states inRajputana.[9]
AfterIndian Independence in 1947, the various princely states ofRajputana were integrated in seven stages to form the present day state of Rajasthan on 1 November 1956.
Sindhu–Saraswati civilization, or the Indus Valley civilisation, was aBronze Age civilisation in the northwestern regions of India, lasting from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE, and in its mature form from 2600 BCE to 1900 BCE.
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Kalibangān is a town located inTehsilPilibangān in Hanumangarh district. It is also identified as being established in the triangle of land at the confluence ofDrishadvati andSarasvati River. The prehistoric and Pre-Mauryan character ofIndus Valley civilization was first identified by Luigi Tessitori at this site. Kalibangan's excavation report was published in its entirety in 2003 by theArchaeological Survey of India, 34 years after the completion of excavations.
The report concluded that Kalibangan was a major provincial capital of the Indus Valley Civilization. Kalibangan is distinguished by its unique "fire altars" and world's earliest attested "ploughed field".It is around 2900 BCE that the region of Kalibangan developed into what can be considered a planned city.
The Kalibangan pre-historic site was discovered byLuigi Pio Tessitori, an Italian Indologist (1887–1919). He was doing some research in ancient Indian texts and was surprised by the character of ruins in that area. He sought help fromJohn Marshall of the Archaeological Survey of India.
The excavation unexpectedly brought to light a twofold sequence of cultures, of which the upper one (Kalibangan I) belongs to the Harappan, showing the characteristic grid layout of a metropolis and the lower one (Kalibangan II) was formerly called pre-Harappan but is now called "Early Harappan or antecedent Harappan". Other nearby sites belonging to IVC includeBalu,Kunal,Banawali etc.[10][11]
Ganeshwar is located near thecopper mines of theSikar-Jhunjhunu area of theKhetri copper belt inRajasthan. TheGaneshwar-Jodhpura culture has over 80 other sites currently identified.[12]
The period was estimated to be 3000–2000 BCE. HistorianRatna Chandra Agrawala wrote that Ganeshwar was excavated in 1977. Excavations revealed copper objects including arrowheads, spearheads, fish hooks, bangles and chisels. With itsmicroliths and other stone tools, Ganeshwar culture can be ascribed to the pre-Harappan period.
Ganeshwar saw three cultural phases:
Matsya kingdom was one of the Early Vedic ageJanapada, in time which developed into a proper kingdom in Later Vedic age. The kingdom was also a part ofsolasa (sixteen)Mahajanapadas (great kingdoms).Painted Grey Ware culture (PGW) chiefdoms in the region were succeeded byNorthern Black Polished Ware (NBPW) from c. 700–500 BCE, associated with the rise of the greatmahajanapada states (mahajanapada statesKuru,Panchala,Matsya,Surasena andVatsa)[14]
It was located in central India near Kuru. It was founded by MatsyaDwaita, a son of the great emperorUparachira Vasu.[15]
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To the north of Central Matsya was Kuru. Kuru territories like Yakrilloma were located to the east. To its west wasSalwa, and to its northwest wasMahothha.Nishada, Nishadha, and Kuruterritories likeNavarashtra were located in south of Matsya.[16]
The entire Matsya royal family came to fight for the Pandavas in the Mahabharata war. Virata came with his brothers, Uttara, and Shankha. Shweta also came from the south with his son Nirbhita.
On the first day, Uttara died fighting Shalya. At the death of his half-brother, Shweta was infuriated and started wreaking havoc in the Kuru armies. Bhishma came and killed him. On the seventh day, Dronacharya killed Shankha and Nirbhita. On the fifteenth day, Dronacharya killed Virata. All of Virata's brothers also died fighting Dronacharya. The remnant of the Matsya army was slaughtered at midnight by Ashwastamma on the eighteenth day.[17]
By the late Vedic period, they ruled a kingdom located south of theKurus, and west of theYamuna river which separated it from the kingdom of thePanchalas. It roughly corresponded toJaipur inRajasthan, and included the whole ofHindaun,Alwar with portions ofBharatpur as well asSouth Haryana. The capital of Matsya was atViratanagari (present-dayBairat) which is said to have been named after its founder king, Virata.[18]
In the modern era, anotherUnited States of Matsya was a brief union of fourprincely states ofBharatpur,Dholpur,Alwar andKarauli temporarily put together from 1947 to 1949.[19]Shobha Ram Kumawat ofIndian National Congress was the first and last chief minister of the State from 18 March 1948 until 15 May 1949.[19] Maharaja of Dholpur became its Rajpramukh.
On 15 May 1949, the Matsya Union was merged with Greater Rajasthan,[20] to form theUnited State of Rajasthan, which later became the state of Rajasthan on 26 January 1950.[15]
These warrior kingdoms defeated many foreign invaders likeSaka,Huna, and others.
These foreign empiresSatraps,Kushans andHunas invade and ruled some regions of western and northeast Rajasthan.
They also face strong opposition from indigenous kingdoms likeSivis,Arjunayanas,Yaudheya andMalavas. Later these foreign kingdoms were defeated by theSatavahanas and theGuptas.
TheGurjar Pratihar Empire acted as a barrier forArab invaders from the 6th to the 11th century. The chief accomplishment of thePratihars lies in its successful resistance to foreign invasions from the west, starting in the days ofJunaid. During theUmayyad campaigns in India (740), an alliance of rulers underNagabhata I defeated the Arabs in 711 CE, and forced them to retreat toSindh.[22] HistorianR. C. Majumdar says that this was openly acknowledged by the Arab writers. He further notes that historians of India have wondered at the slow progress of Muslim invaders in India, as compared with their rapid advance in other parts of the world. There seems little doubt that it was the power of the Pratihara army that effectively barred the progress of the Arabs beyond the confines of Sindh, their only conquest for nearly 300 years.[23]
The Pratiharas of Mandavyapura Pratīhāras of Māṇḍavyapura), also known as thePratiharas of Mandore (or Mandor), were an Indian dynasty. They ruled parts of the present-dayRajasthan between 6th and 9th centuries CE. They first established their capital at Mandavyapura (modernMandore), and later ruled from Medantaka (modernMerta).
The imperialPratiharas also claimed descent from the legendary hero Lakshmana. The earliest known historical members of the family are Harichandra and his second wife Bhadra. Harichandra was a Brahmin, while Bhadra came from aKshatriya noble family. They had four sons: Bhogabhatta, Kakka, Rajjila and Dadda. These four men captured Mandavyapura and erected a rampart there.[24] It is not known where the family lived before the conquest of Mandavyapura.[25]
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Nagabhata I (730–760), was originally perhaps a feudatory of theChavdas of Bhillamala. He gained prominence after the downfall of the Chavda kingdom in the course of resisting the invading forces led by the Arabs who controlled Sindh.Nagabhata Pratihara I (730–756) later extended his control east and south from Mandor, conqueringMalwa as far asGwalior and the port of Bharuch in Gujarat. He established his capital atAvanti in Malwa, and checked the expansion of the Arabs, who had established themselves inSind. InBattle of Rajasthan (738 CE), Nagabhata led a confederacy of Pratiharas to defeat the Muslim Arabs who had until then been pressing on victorious throughWest Asia andIran.
The Arab chronicler Sulaiman describes the army of the Pratiharas as it stood in 851 CE, "The ruler of Gurjara maintains numerous forces and no other Indian prince has so fine a cavalry. He is unfriendly to the Arabs, still he acknowledges that the king of the Arabs is the greatest of rulers. Among the princes of India there is no greater foe of the Islamic faith than he. He has got riches, and his camels and horses are numerous."[26]
Mihira Bhoja was the Greatest ruler of dynasty, kingdoms which were conquered and acknowledged his Suzerainty includes Travani, Valla, Mada, Arya, Gujaratra, Lata Parvarta andChandelas ofBundelkhand. Bhoja'sDaulatpura-Dausa Inscription(AD 843), confirms his rule in Dausa region. Another inscription states that, "Bhoja's territories extended to the east of theSutlej river."
Mahmud of Ghazni capturedKannauj in 1018, and the Pratihara ruler Rajapala fled. He was subsequently captured and killed by the Chandela rulerVidyadhara.[27][28] The Chandela ruler then placed Rajapala's son Trilochanpala on the throne as a proxy. Jasapala, the last Gurjara-Pratihara ruler of Kannauj, died in 1036.
There are notable examples of architecture from the Gurjara-Pratihara era, including sculptures and carved panels.[29] Their temples, constructed in an open pavilion style. One of the most notable Gurjara-Pratihara style of architecture wasKhajuraho, built by their vassals, theChandelas ofBundelkhand
Māru-Gurjara architecture was developed during Gurjara Pratihara Empire.
Mahavira Jain temple, Osian temple was constructed in 783 CE,[30] making it the oldest surviving Jain temple in western India.
Baroli temples complex are eight temples, built by the Gurjara-Pratiharas, is situated within a walled enclosured.[31]
Known Baddoch rulers are:
Badegujar were rulers of Rajogarh
No records found after Parmeshver Manthandev
The Guhila dynasty ruled the Medapata (modern Mewar) region in present-dayRajasthan state of India. In the 6th century, three differentGuhila dynasties are known to have ruled in present-day Rajasthan:
None of these dynasties claimed prestigious origins in their 7th-century records.[32] The Guhilas of Dhavagarta explicitly mentioned theMori (later Maurya) kings as their overlords, and the early kings of the other two dynasties also bore the titles indicating their subordinate status.[33][page needed] By the 10th century, the Guhilas of Nagda-Ahar were the only among the three dynasties to have survived. By this time, their political status had increased, and the Guhila kings had assumed high royal titles such asMaharajadhiraja.
During this period, the dynasty started claiming a prestigious origin, stating that its founder Guhadatta was amahideva (Brahmin) who had migrated from Anandapura (present-dayVadnagar in Gujarat).[34]R. C. Majumdar theorizes that Bappa achieved a highly significant military success, because of which he gained reputation as the dynasty's founder.[35]
The later bardic chronicles mention a fabricated genealogy, claiming that the dynasty's founder Guhaditya was a son of Shiladitya, theMaitraka ruler ofVallabhi. This claim is not supported by historical evidence.[36]According to the 977 CE Atpur inscription and the 1083 CE Kadmal inscription, Guhadatta was succeeded by Bhoja, who commissioned the construction of a tank atEklingji. The 1285 Achaleshwar inscription describes him as a devotee ofVishnu.[37] Bhoja was succeeded by Mahendra and Nagaditya. The bardic legends state that Nagaditya was killed in a battle with theBhils.[37]
Nagaditya's successor Shiladitya raised the political status of the family significantly, as suggested by his 646 CE Samoli inscription, as well as the inscriptions of his successors, including the 1274 Chittor inscription and the 1285 Abu inscription. R. V. Somani theorizes that the copper and zinc mines atJawar were excavated during his reign, which greatly increased the economic prosperity of the kingdom. Mahendra was succeeded by Kalabhoja, who has been identified asBappa Rawal by several historians includingG. H. Ojha.[38]
In the mid-12th century, the dynasty divided into two branches. The senior branch (whose rulers are calledRawal in the later medieval literature) ruled from Chitrakuta (modernChittorgarh), and ended withRatnasimha's defeat against the Delhi Sultanate at the1303 Siege of Chittorgarh. The junior branch ruled from Sesoda with the titleRana, and gave rise to theSisodiaRajput dynasty.
Ranasingh (1158), during his reign, the Guhil dynasty got divided into two branches.[39] The Post-split Rawal branch ruled from 1165–1303 CE.
The Sisodia dynasty traced its ancestry to Rahapa, a son of the 12th centuryGuhila king Ranasimha. The main branch of the Guhila dynasty ended with their defeat against theKhalji dynasty at theSiege of Chittorgarh (1303). In 1326,Rana Hammir who belonged to a cadet branch of that clan; however reclaimed control of the region, re-established the dynasty, and also became the propounder of the Sisodia dynasty clan, a branch of the Guhila dynasty, to which every succeeding Maharana of Mewar belonged, the Sisodias regain control of the former Guhila capitalChittor.[40][41][42]
The most notable Sisodia rulers were Rana Hamir (r. 1326–1364),Rana Kumbha (r. 1433–1468),Rana Sanga (r. 1508–1528) andRana Pratap (r. 1572–1597). TheBhonsle clan, to which theMaratha empire's founderShivaji belonged, also claimed descent from a branch of the royal Sisodia family.[43] Similarly,Rana dynasty ofNepal also claimed descent from Ranas ofMewar.[44]
Bhati comes fromBhatner and take control of this region. TheMaharajas ofJaisalmer trace their lineage back to Jaitsimha, a ruler of aBhati clan, through Deoraj, a famous prince of theYaduvanshi Bhati, a Rajput ruler during the 9th century. With him the title of "Rawal" commenced. "Rawal" means "of the Royal house".[45]
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According to legend, Deoraj was to marry the daughter of a neighbouring chief. Deoraj's father and 800 of his family and followers were surprised and massacred at the wedding. Deoraj escaped with the aid of a Brahmin yogi who disguised the prince as a fellow Brahmin. When confronted by the rival chief's followers hunting for Deoraj, the Brahmin convinced them that the man with him was another Brahmin by eating from the same dish, something no Brahmin holy man would do with someone of another caste. Deoraj and his remaining clan members were able to recover from the loss of so many such that later he built the stronghold ofDerawar.[46]Deoraj later capturedLaudrava (located about 15 km to the south-east of Jaisalmer) from another Rajput clan and made it his capital.[46]
The major opponents of the Bhati were theRathor clans ofJodhpur andBikaner. They used to fight battles for the possession offorts andwaterholes as from early times the Jaisalmer region had been criss-crossed by camel caravan trade routes which connected northern India and central Asia with the ports of Gujarat on the Arabian Sea coast of India and hence on toPersia and Arabia andEgypt. Jaisalmer's location made it ideally located as a staging post and for imposing taxes on this trade.[47]
The Bhati rulers originally ruled parts of Afghanistan; their ancestor Rawal Gaj is believed to have founded the city of Gajni. According to James Tod, this city is present-dayGhazni in Afghanistan, while Cunningham identifies it as modern-dayRawalpindi. His descendant Rawal Salivahan is believed to have founded the city ofSialkot and made it his new capital. Salivahan defeated the Saka Scythians in 78 CE at Kahror, assuming the title of Saka-ari (foe of the Sakas). Salivahan's grandson Rawal Bhati conquered several neighbouring regions. It is from him that the Bhati clan derives its name.[48]
Derawar fort was first built in the 9th century CE byRai Jajja Bhutta, aHindu Rajput ruler of theBhati clan,[49] as atribute to Rawal Deoraj Bhati the king ofJaisalmer andBahawalpur.[50][51] The fort was initially known asDera Rawal, and later referred to asDera Rawar, which with the passage of time came to be pronouncedDerawar, its present name.[51]
In 1156,Rawal Jaisal established his new capital in the form of a mud fort and named it Jaisalmer after himself.
The firstJauhar of Jaisalmer occurred in 1294, during the reign of Turkic ruler of Delhi,Alauddin Khalji. It was provoked by Bhatis' raid on a massive treasure caravan being transported on 3000 horses and mules.[52]
In 1818, the Rawals ofJaisalmer State signed a treaty with the British, and was guaranteed the royal succession. Jaisalmer was one of the last rajput states to sign a treaty with the British. Jaisalmer was forced to invoke the provisions of the treaty and call on the services of the British in 1829 to avert a war with Bikaner and 10 years later in 1839 for theFirst Anglo-Afghan War.[53]
Chauhan dynasty or Chahamana dynasty was a great power from the 6th to 12th century, ruling for more than 400 years.Chauchan was aRajput dynasty that ruled modern parts ofRajasthan,Haryana,Madhya Pradesh andDelhi. They sacrificed all they have & also self for protecting of Motherland from Maleechas.Chahamanas classified the dynasty among the fourAgnivanshi Rajput clans, whose ancestors are said to have come out ofAgnikundsacrificial fire pit. The earliest sources to mention this legend are the 16th century recensions ofPrithviraj Raso.
The ruling dynasties belonging to the Chauhan clan included:
The princely states ruled by families claiming Chauhan descent include:[54]
The Chahamanas of Shakambhari (IAST: Cāhamāna), colloquially known as the Chauhans of Sambhar, were a dynasty that ruled parts of the present-dayRajasthan and its neighbouring areas in India, between 6th and 12th centuries. The territory ruled by them was known as Sapadalaksha. They were the most prominent ruling family of the Chahamana (Chauhan) clan, and were categorized amongAgnivanshiRajputs in the later medieval legends.
The Chahamanas originally had their capital atShakambhari (present-day Sambhar Lake Town). Until the 10th century, they ruled asPratihara vassals. When the Pratihara power declined after theTripartite Struggle, the Chahamana rulerSimharaja assumed the titleMaharajadhiraja. In the early 12th century,Ajayaraja II moved the kingdom's capital to Ajayameru (modernAjmer). For this reason, the Chahamana rulers are also known as the Chauhans of Ajmer.
As the Chahamana territory expanded, the entire region ruled by them came to be known asSapadalaksha. orJangladesh.[55] This included the later Chahamana capitals Ajayameru (Ajmer) and Shakambhari (Sambhar).[56] The term also came to be applied to the larger area captured by the Chahamanas. The early medieval Indian inscriptions and the writings of the contemporary Muslim historians suggest that the following cities were also included in Sapadalaksha:Hansi (now inHaryana),Mandore (now inMarwar region), andMandalgarh (now inMewar region).[57]
The earliest historical Chahamana king is the 6th century rulerVasudeva.
TheAna Sagar lake inAjmer was commissioned by the Chahamana rulerArnoraja.The subsequent Chahamana kings faced severalGhaznavid raids.Ajayaraja II (r. c. 1110–1135) repulsed a Ghaznavid attack, and also defeated the Paramara kingNaravarman. He moved the kingdom's capital from Shakambhari to Ajayameru (Ajmer), a city that he either established or greatly expanded.[58] His successor Arnoraja raided the Tomara territory, and also repulsed a Ghaznavid invasion. However, he suffered setbacks against the Gujarat Chaulukya kingsJayasimha Siddharaja andKumarapala, and was killed by his own sonJagaddeva.[59]
Arnoraja's younger sonVigraharaja IV greatly expanded the Chahamana territories, and capturedDelhi from theTomaras. The most celebrated ruler of the dynasty was Someshvara's son Prithviraja III, better known asPrithviraj Chauhan. He defeated several neighbouring kings, including theChandela rulerParamardi in 1182–83, although he could not annex the Chandela territory to his kingdom.[60] In 1191, he defeated the Ghurid kingMuhammad of Ghor at thefirst Battle of Tarain. However, the next year, he was defeated at thesecond Battle of Tarain, and subsequently killed.[61]
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Muhammad of Ghor appointed Prithviraja's sonGovindaraja IV as a vassal. Prithviraja's brotherHariraja dethroned him, and regained control of a part of his ancestral kingdom. Hariraja was defeated by the Ghurids in 1194. Govindaraja was granted the fief ofRanthambore by the Ghurids. There, he established anew branch of the dynasty.[62]
The Chahamanas commissioned a number of Hindu temples, several of which were destroyed by theGhurid invaders after the defeat ofPrithviraja III.[63]Multiple Chahamana rulers contributed to the construction of theHarshanatha temple, which was probably commissioned byGovindaraja I.[64] According toPrithviraja Vijaya:
Vigraharaja IV was known for his patronage to arts and literature, and himself composed the playHarikeli Nataka. The structure that was later converted into theAdhai Din Ka Jhonpra mosque was constructed during his reign.[70]
The Chahamanas of Naddula, also known as the Chauhans of Nadol, were an Indian dynasty. They ruled theMarwar area around their capitalNaddula (present-day Nadol inRajasthan) between 10th and 12th centuries. The Chahamanas of Naddula were an offshoot of theChahamanas of Shakambhari. Their founder was Lakshmana (alias Rao Lakha) was the son of the 10th century Shakambari rulerVakpatiraja I. His brotherSimharaja succeeded their father as the Shakambhari ruler.[71] The subsequent rulers fought against the neighbouring kingdoms of theParamaras ofMalwa, theChaulukyas, theGhaznavids,.[72] The last ruler Jayata-simha was probably defeated byQutb al-Din Aibak in 1197.[73]
The Chahamanas of Jalor, also known as the Chauhans of Jalor in vernacular legends, were an Indian dynasty that ruled the area aroundJalore in present-dayRajasthan between 1160 and 1311. They branched off from theChahamanas of Naddula, and then ruled as feudatories of theChaulukyas of Gujarat. For a brief period, they became independent, but ultimately succumbed to theDelhi Sultanate at theSiege of Jalore.
The Chahamanas of Jalor descended fromAlhana, a Chahamana king of theNaddula branch. Originally, theJalore Fort was controlled by a branch of theParamaras until early 12th century. The Chahamanas of Naddula seized its control during Alhana's reign.Kirtipala, a son of Alhana, received a feudal grant of 12 villages from his father and his brother (the crown-prince)Kelhana. He controlled his domains from Suvarnagiri or Sonagiri, the hill on which Jalore Fort is located. Because of this, the branch to which he belonged came to be known asSonagara.[74]
The Chahamanas of Ranastambhapura were a 13th-century Indian dynasty. They ruled the area around their capitalRanastambhapura (Ranthambore) in present-dayRajasthan, initially as vassals of theDelhi Sultanate, and later as sovereigns. They belonged to theChahamanas of Shakambhari clan, and are also known as 'Chauhans of Ranthambore' in vernacular Rajasthani bardic literature.
The Chahamana line of Ranastambhapura was established byGovindaraja, who agreed to rule as a vassal of theGhurids in 1192, after they defeated his father, theShakambhari Chahamana kingPrithviraja III. Govindaraja's descendants gained and lost their independence to the Delhi Sultanate multiple times during the 13th century.Hammira, the last king of the dynasty, adopted an expansionist policy, and raided several neighbouring kingdoms. The dynasty ended with his defeat against the Delhi SultanAlauddin Khalji at theSiege of Ranthambore in 1301 CE.
In the 12th century beforeGhurid invasions much of theIndo-Gangetic Plain region were ruled by theRajputs.[76] In 1191Rajput king of Ajmer and DelhiPrithviraj Chauhan unified several Rajput states and defeat the invading Ghurid army near Tarain inFirst Battle of Tarain, however the Rajputs did not chase the Ghurids and letMu'izz al-Din escape.[77] As a result, in 1192,Mu'izz al-Din return with an army of an estimated strength of 120,000 Turks, Afghans and Muslim allies and decisively defeated The Rajput Confederacy atSecond Battle of Tarain, Prithviraj fled the battleground but was captured near the battle site and executed. The defeat of Rajputs in the battle begins a new chapter in Rajasthan and Indian history as it not only crush Rajput powers inGangetic Plain but also firmly established a Muslim presence in northern India.[78] In the fatal battle Malesi aKachwaha Rajput and ally of Prithviraj lead the last stand for theRajputs againstGhurids and died fighting after Prithviraj tried to escape.[79]
Over the next four centuries there were repeated, though unsuccessful, attempts by the central power based in Delhi to subdue the Rajput states of the region. The Rajputs, however, despite common historical and cultural traditions, were never able to unite to inflict a decisive defeat on their opponents.[80]
TheSisodia Rajputs ofMewar led other kingdoms in its resistance to outside rule. RanaHammir Singh, defeated theTughlaq dynasty and recovered a large portion of Rajasthan. The indomitableRana Kumbha defeated the Sultans ofMalwa, Nagaur andGujarat and made Mewar the most powerful Hindu kingdom in Northern India.
In 1508Rana Sanga ascended the throne after a long struggle with his brothers. He was an ambitious king under whom Mewar reached its zenith in power and prosperity. Rajput strength under Rana Sanga reached its zenith and threatened to revive their powers again inNorthern India.[82] He establish a strong kingdom fromSatluj in Punjab in the north untilNarmada River in south in Malwa after conquering Malwa and from Sindhu river in west untilBayana in the east. In his military career he defeatedIbrahim Lodhi at the Battle of Khatoli and manage to free most ofRajasthan along with that he establish his control over parts ofUttar Pradesh including Chandwar, he gave the part of U.P to his allies Rao Manik Chand Chauhan who later supported him inBattle of Khanwa.[83] After that Rana Sanga fought another battle with Ibrahim Lodhi known asBattle of Dholpur where again Rajput confederacy were victorious, this time following his victory Sanga conquered much of the Malwa along withChanderi and bestowed it to one of his vassalMedini Rai. Rai ruled overMalwa with Chanderi as his capital.[84]
Sanga also invadedGujarat with 50,000 Rajput confederacy joined by his three allies. He plundered the Gujarat sultanate and chased the Muslim army as far as capitalAhmedabad. He successfully annexed northern Gujarat and appointed one of his vassals to rule there. Following the victories over the sultans, he successfully established his sovereignty over Rajasthan, Malwa and large parts of Gujarat.[81] In his campaign of Gujarat the Rajputs destroyed around 200 mosques and burnt down several Muslim towns. According to Chaube the campaign was brutal, in which Rajputs kidnapped many Muslim women as captives and sold them in the markets of Rajasthan.[85]
According to Gopinath Sharma the campaign not only enhanced Sanga's fame but also due to the Rajputs' religious bigotry in Gujarat Sanga became an eyesore to Muslim.[86] After these victories, he united several Rajput states fromNorthern India to expelBabur fromIndia and re-establishHindu power in Delhi.[87] He advanced with an army of 100,000 Rajputs to expel Babur and to expand his territory by annexingDelhi andAgra.[88] The battle was fought for supremacy of Northern India between Rajputs andMughals.[89]However the Rajput Confederation suffered a disastrous defeat atKhanwa due to Babur's superior leadership and modern tactics. The battle was more historic and eventful thanFirst Battle of Panipat as it firmly establishedMughal rule in India while crushing re-emerging Rajput powers. The battle was also earliest to usecannons,matchlocks, swivel guns andmortars to great use.[90]
The battle also marks the last time in medieval India where the Rajputs stood united against a foreign invader. Although the exact casualties are unknown, it is estimated that all Rajput Houses lost many of their close allies in the battle.[91]
Rana Sanga was removed from the battlefield in unconscious state from his vassalsPrithviraj Singh I ofJaipur andMaldeo Rathore of Marwar. After regaining consciousness he took an oath to never return to Chittor until he defeated Babur and conquer Delhi. He also stopped wearing a turban and use to wrap up cloth over his head.[92] While he was preparing to wage another war against Babur he was poisoned by his own nobles who opposed another battle with Babur. He died inKalpi in January 1528.[93]
After his defeat, his vassal Medini Rai was defeated by Babur at theBattle of Chanderi and Babur captured the capital of Rai kingdom Chanderi. Medini was offered Shamsabad instead of Chanderi as it was historically important in conquering Malwa but Rao refuse the offer and choose to die fighting. The Rajput women and children committedself-immolation to save their honour from the Muslim army. After the victory Babur capture Chanderi along with Malwa which was ruled by Rai.[94] However Babur gave control of Malwa to Ahmed Shah a descendant of Malwa Sultan whose entire kingdom of Malwa was annexed by Sanga. In this way Babur reinstated Muslim rule in Malwa.[95]
TheMewat State, existing from 1372 to 1527, stood as a sovereign kingdom in South Asia with Alwar as its capital. Governed by theKhanzadas of Mewat, aMuslim Rajput dynasty originating from Rajputana, they traced their descent toRaja Sonpar Pal, a Yaduvanshi Rajput who embraced Islam during the Delhi Sultanate era. The Khanzadas, adherents of Sunni Islam, established a hereditary polity in Mewat, granted byFiruz Shah Tughlaq in 1372. Over time, they asserted their sovereignty until their rule's culmination in 1527.[96][97]
Raja Hasan Khan Mewati hailed from the same lineage that had governed the Mewat region for nearly two centuries, asserting his sovereignty as a king. Acknowledged byBabur, the founder of the Mughal Empire, as the leader of 'Mewat country,' Hasan Khan Mewati played a pivotal role in theBattle of Khanwa, where he led 5,000 allies alongsideRana Sanga as part of the Rajput Confederation against Babur's Mughal forces. Notably, he reconstructed the Alwar fort in the 15th century.[98][99]
In military campaigns, Raja Hasan Khan Mewati featured prominently in theFirst Battle of Panipat, supporting Ibrahim Lodi against Babur. Despite facing defeat, Hasan Khan Mewati remained resolute, aligning himself withRana Sanga after Panipat to resist Babur's incursion into the region.
In theBattle of Khanwa, Raja Hasan Khan Mewati supportedRana Sanga againstBabur, he took charge of the commander's flag after Rana Sanga's fall and led a formidable attack with his 12 thousand horse soldiers. Initially successful, they appeared to overpower Babur's forces. Tragically, during the battle,Hasan Khan Mewati succumbed to a fatal chest injury caused by a cannonball, marking the end of his life but leaving behind a legacy of bravery and resilience on the battlefield.[100]
Noteworthy titles in the Khanzada lineage include "Wali-e-Mewat" and the later "Shah-e-Mewat," introduced by Hasan Khan Mewati in 1505.
TheMughal EmperorAkbar expanded the empire into Rajputana in the 16th century. He laidsiege to Chittor and defeated the kingdom of Mewar in 1568. He also laidsiege to Ranthambore and defeated the forces ofSurjan Hada in the same year.
Akbar also arranged matrimonial alliances to gain the trust of Rajput rulers. He himself married the Rajput princessJodha Bai. He also granted high offices to a large number of Rajput princes, and maintained cordial relations with them, such asMan Singh, one of thenavaratnas. However, some Rajput rulers were not ready to accept Akbar's dominance and preferred to remain independent. Two such rulers wereUdai Singh of Mewar andChandrasen Rathore of Marwar. They did not accept Akbar's supremacy and were at constant war with him. This struggle was continued byRana Pratap, the successor of Udai Singh. His army met with Akbar's forces at theBattle of Haldighati where he was defeated and wounded. Since then he remained in recluse for twelve years and attacked the Mughals from time to time.
Mughal influence is seen in the styles ofRajput painting andRajput architecture of the medieval period.
Bharatpur State, also known as the Jat kingdom of Bharatpur, and historically known as the kingdom of Bharatpur, was a Hindu kingdom in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent. It was ruled by the Sinsinwar clan of the Hindu Jats. At the time of the reign of King Suraj Mal (1755–1763), the revenue of the state was 17,500,000 rupees per year.[101]
The formation of the state of Bharatpur was a result of revolts by the Jats living in the region around Delhi, Agra, and Mathura against the Mughals. Conflict between Jats and Rajputs for zamindari rights also complicated the issue, with Jats primarily being landowners, whereas Rajputs were primarily revenue collectors. The Jats put up a stiff resistance but by 1691, Raja Ram Sinsini and his successor Churaman were compelled to submit to the Mughals. Rajaram who also exhumed and burned the remains of Akbar is known for setting up a small fort at Sinsini. It was the key foundation of this kingdom.[102]
The most prominent ruler of Bharatpur was Maharaja Suraj Mal. He captured the important Mughal city of Agra on 12 June 1761. He also melted the two silver doors of the famous Mughal monument Taj Mahal. Agra remained in the possession of Bharatpur rulers till 1774. After Maharaja Suraj Mal's death, Maharaja Jawahar Singh, Maharaja Ratan Singh and Maharaja Kehri Singh (minor) under resident ship of Maharaja Nawal Singh ruled over Agra Fort.[104]
Historically known as the kingdom of Dholpur, was a kingdom of eastern Rajasthan, India, which was founded in AD 1806 by a Jat ruler Rana Kirat Singh of Gohad. After 1818, the state was placed under the authority of British India's Rajputana Agency. The Ranas ruled the state until the independence of India in 1947, when the kingdom was merged with the Union of India.[105][106]
Very little is known of the early history of the state. According to tradition a predecessor state was established as Dhavalapura. In 1505 neighboring Gohad State of Rana Jats was founded and between 1740 and 1756 Gohad occupied Gwalior Fort. From 1761 to 1775 Dholpur was annexed to Bharatpur State and between 1782 and December 1805 Dholpur was again annexed by Gwalior. On 10 January 1806 Dholpur became a British protectorate and in the same year the Ruler of Gohad merged Gohad into Dholpur.[40][17]
Since the 1720s, theMaratha Empire began expanding northwards, led byPeshwaBaji Rao I ofPune.[107] This expansion finally brought the newly founded Maratha Empire in contact with theRajputs. Some Rajput kingdoms willingly accepted Maratha suzerainty, while others held some resistance. Rajasthan witnessed several campaigns by theMarathas, mostly under military leadership ofHolkars andScindhias.[108]
The arrival of theBritish East India Company in the region led to the administrative designation of some geographically, culturally, economically and historically diverse areas, which had never shared a common political identity, under the name of theRajputana Agency. This was a significant identifier, being modified later to Rajputana Province and lasting until the renaming to Rajasthan in 1949. The Company officially recognized various entities, although sources disagree concerning the details, and also included Ajmer-Merwara, which was the only area under direct British control. Of these areas,Marwar andJaipur were the most significant in the early 19th century, although it was Mewar that gained particular attention from James Tod, a Company employee who was enamoured of Rajputana and wrote extensively, if often uncritically, of the people, history and geography of the Agency as a whole.
Alliances were formed between the Company and these various princely and chiefly entities in the early 19th century, accepting British sovereignty in return for local autonomy and protection from the Marathas and Pindari depredations. Following the Mughal tradition and more importantly due to its strategic location Ajmer became a province of British India, while the autonomous Rajput states, the Muslim state of Tonk, and the Jat states of Bharatpur, Dholpur were organized into the Rajputana Agency.
In 1817–1818, the British Government concluded treaties of alliance with almost all the states of Rajputana. Thus began the British rule over Rajasthan, then calledRajputana.
British Princely States of the Rajputana Agency:
These states later merged in 1948 in seven phases to form the present state ofRajasthan in 1956.
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The name of Rajasthan asRajputana became more pronounced or Popular in 12th century beforeGhurid invasions, alsoRajput as a separate caste emerge in Indian social structure around that time in 12th century.[76]The State was formed on 30 March 1949 when Rajputana – name as adopted by the British Crown was merged into the Dominion of India. After India's independence, the word Rajasthan for this state was constitutionally recognized on January 26, 1950, on the recommendation of the P. Satyanarayana Rao Committee.
Jaipur being the largest city was declared as capital of the state.Jaipur was founded in 1727 by the Kacchawa ruler of AmerJai Singh II, after whom the city is named. During the British colonial period, the city served as the capital ofJaipur State. After independence in 1947, Jaipur was made the capital of the newly formed state of Rajasthan.[109]
It took seven stages to form Rajasthan as defined today.
In March 1948 the "Matsya Union" consisted ofAlwar,Bharatpur,Dhaulpur andKarauli was formed.
On 25th March 1948, atUmed Bhawan Palace ofKotah , the rulers from the princely states ofBanswara,Bundi,Dungarpur,Jhalawar,Kishangarh,Kotah,Pratapgarh,Shahpura andTonk joined the Indian union and formed a part ofRajasthan. This was also the first ever "Rajasthan Union" was formed.Brigadier HH Maharao Sir Bhim Singh II of Kotah,KCSI was made the first everRajpramukh ofRajasthan Union.
In April 1948 Udaipur joined the state and the Maharana of Udaipur was madeRajpramukh. Therefore, in 1948 the merger of south and southeastern states was almost complete.
Still retaining their independence from India wereJaipur State and the desert kingdoms ofBikaner,Jodhpur, and Jaisalmer. From a security point of view, it was claimed that it was vital to the new Indian Union to ensure that the desert kingdoms were integrated into the new nation. The princes finally agreed to sign the Instrument of Accession, and the kingdoms of Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Jaipur acceded in March 1949. This time, the Maharaja of Jaipur, Man Singh II, was made the Rajpramukh of the state and Jaipur became its capital. 'March 30' is celebrated across the state to mark the formation of the state of Rajasthan. The Maharana of Udaipur, Bhopal Singh, was made the Maharajpramukh of the state that was senior post from Rajpramukh.
Later in 1949, theUnited States of Matsya, comprising the former kingdoms of Bharatpur, Alwar, Karauli and Dholpur, was incorporated into Rajasthan.
On January 26, 1950, 18 states of united Rajasthan merged withSirohi to join the state leaving Abu and Dilwara to remain a part ofGreater Bombay and nowGujarat.
In November 1956, under the provisions of theStates Re-organisation Act, the erstwhile part 'C' state of Ajmer, Abu Road Taluka, former part of Sirohi princely state (which were merged in former Bombay), State andSunel-Tappa region of the former Madhya Bharat merged with Rajasthan and Sironj sub district of Jhalawar was transferred to Madhya Pradesh. Thus giving the existing boundary Rajasthan. Today with further reorganisation of the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. Rajasthan has become the largest state of the Indian Republic.The unification of Rajasthan completed in 1 November 1956.
Gurumukh Nihal Singh was appointed as first governor of Rajasthan.Hiralal Shastri was the first nominatedchief minister of the state, taking office on 7 April 1949. He was succeeded by two other nominated holders of the office beforeTika Ram Paliwal became the first elected chief minister from 3 March 1951.
During theSecond India–Pakistan War, in September 1965, Pakistan initiated the Rajasthan Front and seized many areas of Rajasthan from India. Later they were returned as per theTashkent Declaration. The princes of the former kingdoms were constitutionally granted handsome remuneration in the form ofprivy purses and privileges to assist them in the discharge of their financial obligations. In 1970,Indira Gandhi, who was then the Prime Minister of India, commenced under-takings to discontinue the privy purses, which were abolished in 1971. Many of the former princes still continue to use the title of Maharaja, but the title has little power other than as a status symbol. Many of the Maharajas still hold their palaces and have converted them into profitable hotels, while some have made good in politics. The democratically elected Government runs the state with a chief minister as its executive head and the governor as the head of the state.
Currently, including the newly formed district of Pratapgarh, Rajasthan has 50 districts, 105 sub-divisions, 37,889 villages, 350+ tehsils, and 222 towns. The administrative expansion aims to improve governance and service delivery across the state.
On 17 March 2023, the Government of Rajasthan announced the creation of 19 new districts and 3 new divisions. As a result, Jaipur and Jodhpur districts were restructured into Jaipur Urban, Jaipur Rural, Jodhpur Urban, and Jodhpur Rural, increasing the total number of districts to 50 and divisions to 10.
To streamline public services and governance, the Rajasthan government has integrated theSSO ID (Single Sign-On) system. This digital platform allows residents to access various government services, including education, employment, and welfare schemes, through a unified login system. The implementation of SSO ID has enhanced administrative efficiency, making it easier for citizens to avail of services without physical documentation.
Notes
Citations
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)The Derawar Fort was first built in the 9th century under the kingship of Rai Jajja Bhutta, a Hindu Rajput from Jaisalmir in India's Rajasthan state.
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