TheUjjainiya Parmār (also spelled asUjjaini or simplyUjjainiya) are aRajputclan that inhabits theBhojpur region in the state ofBihar andUttar Pradesh.[1] They were an offshoot of theParmara Rajputs that claimsAgnivanshi descent.[2][3]
They are considered to have played a prominent role in the political history of medieval Bihar with many of their strongholds being established in the erstwhileShahabad district of West Bihar, the most notable of which areDumraon Raj andJagdispur.[4] Their oral tradition is contained within a 19th century book called theTawarikh-i-Ujjainiya. According to this, they trace their ancestry toUjjain,Madhya Pradesh where theParmar Rajput kings ruled. After settling in Bihar, the locals started to refer to them as Ujjainiya.[1] They call themselvesUjjainiya Parmars.[5]
Certainly by the 17th century, as documented in a text that they consider to record their history, and perhaps as early as the 14th century, the Ujjainiya Parmar Rajputs believed themselves to be related to the royal family of Ujjain inMalwa, Madhya Pradesh.[6] The oral tradition of the Ujjaniya, as written in the 19th century in a book calledTawarikh-i-Ujjaniya, makes a similar claim of a royal relationship.[1] This document contains a family tree which claims to directly link the Paramara King, The greatBhoja Raj Parmar to certain Ujjainiya chieftains in Bihar.[7]
By the 17th century, the Ujjainiyas were recognised as Parmar Rajputs by the Rajputs ofRajasthan and were allowed a place in the Rajasthani bardickhyat.[8]
During the 14th century, the Ujjainiyas who were under the leadership of Hunkar Singh, came into conflict with theChero dynasty who were the traditional rulers of much ofBihar andJharkhand. In the ensuing battles, both sides suffered many casualties with the Cheros losing more than 20,000 men however eventually the Chero rulers were expelled from Western Bihar and retreated toPalamau in modern-day Jharkhand.[9] The conflict between the Ujjainiyas and the Cheros lasted for centuries as many Cheros who remained resented the Ujjainiyas and continued to rebel against them by undertaking a protracted guerilla campaign against them.[10]
Once the Ujjainiyas established sway over Western Bihar, they came into conflict with theJaunpur Sultanate which lasted for more than 100 years. The Ujjainiyas responded to the Jaunpur Sultan, Malik Sarwar disturbing Brahmins in their prayers. The Ujjainiya chieftain, Raja Harraj was initially successful in protecting these Brahmins and defeating the forces of Malik Sarwar however the Ujjainiyas were defeated in subsequent battles and retreated in the forests and resort to guerrilla warfare.[11]
The Ujjainiyas under the leadership of Raja Gajpati helpedSher Shah Suri in the battle of Surajgarha against theMuslim rulers of Bengal who at the time were a major regional power. Raja Gajpati handpicked 2000 of his best men and was able to help Sher Shah Suri in achieving victory. General Ibrahim Khan was killed by Raja Gajpati and all the camp equipments, elephants and artillery pieces of the Bengal army fell into the hands of Ujjainiyas. In return for their help the Ujjainiyas were entitled to any spoils of war they have found.[12]
The Ujjainiyas played a prominent role in the recruitment ofPurbiya mercenary soldiers fromBhojpur for Hindu rulers, theMarathas and theBritish. For a period, their name was synonymous with the military labour market of Northern India.[13]