According to Cynthia Talbot,Kachhwaha is aSanskrit word which meanstortoise.[8] According to other sources, the clan name ‘Kacchwaha’ has been derived from the name of Kusha,Rama’s son, so they also claim descent from Rama’s son Kusha and thus from the Suryavanshi lineage.[9][10][11]
Origin
Original Jharshahi Flag (Kovidar/kachnar dhvaj)
The Kacchwahas claim descent from Kusha, son of theHindu God Rama{{.[12] According to James Mills, the ancestors of Kacchwaha Rajputs had migrated fromKosala and established a new dynasty atGwalior and later migrated toRajasthan in 1028 AD. Some historians associate Dulha Rao, the founder of theJaipur-Kachhwaha lineage, with theKachchhapaghata dynasty of 10th century.[13][14]
According to Rima Hooja, the Kachhwahas were initially referred to by names such asKachhapaghata,Kachwaha andKatsawaha. The variantKachawa became popular in the late 16th century during the reign ofRaja Man Singh, a MughalSubahdar ofBihar Subah (1587-1594),[15] and ofBengal Subah (1595-1606.[16] Several inscriptions and manuscripts, such as those found in Balvan, Chatsu, Sanganer and Rewasa are cited in support of this theory.[17]
Kachhwaha established their kingdoms in the Dhundhar region of modern Rajasthan in the 11th century. One KachhwahaDulha Rai conquered most of the Dhundhar area fromBargujars.[18][19]
Raja Kakil deo
After Dulherai, his sonKakil Deo defeated the Meenas of Amer and made Amer the capital of Dhundhar afterKhoh.[20][21] He also defeated the Ahirs of Dhundhar region and annexed their territories in the battles of Med and Bairath. Bairath is the corrupted name of Viratnagar which has a great significance in Mahabharata.
Raja Pajawan
RajaPajawan helpedPrithviraj Chauhan in his most of the campaigns and conquests. In total, he is credited to have fought 64 battles in his career. He was married to a cousin of Prithviraj Chauhan.[18] He died before the popular Battle of Tarain.
Raja Prithviraj Singh I
Kachhwaha KingPrithviraj Singh I fought along withRana Sanga at battle of Khanwa.[18] He was married to the daughter of Rao Lunkarna of Bikaner, with all his wives summed to nine, giving birth to 18 sons. One of his sons, Purnamal died fighting with Humayun's brother Hindal in a battle that occurred in 1539 AD.
Raja Man Singh I
He was one of the most trusted nobles of Akbar. He was the supreme commander of the Mughal forces. He built the Amer Fort. He built and saved a number of Hindu temples.
Sawai Jai Singh II
He built the pink city of Jaipur and five astronomical observatories at Delhi, Jaipur, Benaras, Mathura and Ujjain. He also established Govind Dev Ji temple at Jaipur.
Sub-Clans
There are approximately 71 subclans of the Kachhwahas.[22] The prominent ones are:
Rajawat - The Rajawats hold the right of succession to the Jaipur throne, and the Maharaja of Jaipur belongs to this subclan.[23][24]
^The Rajput Palaces: The Development of an Architectural Style, 1450–1750 p. 88 – "the Kachwaha Rajputs (who had previously ruled in Gwalior) established themselves in an adjacent region, founding Dhundar as their capital in 967 ADISBN9780195647303."[1]
^“Out of thirty six major clans of the Rajputs, ten belong to Suryavanshi (Sisodia, Rathor, Kachhwaha etc.) and ten to Chandravanshi”, Kumar Suresh Singh (1998).People of India: Rajasthan. Anthropological Survey of India.ISBN978-81-7154-769-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Talbot, Cynthia (2015). "Imagining the Rajput Past in Mughal–era Mewar".The Last Hindu Emperor: Prithviraj Cauhan and the Indian Past, 1200–2000 (illustrated ed.).Cambridge University Press. pp. 146–182.doi:10.1017/CBO9781316339893.006.ISBN9781316339893.This is a reference toPajjun's family name, Kachhwaha, which means tortoise
^“The Kachhwahas are suryavanshi (of the Sun dynasty), tracing their descent from Kush, son of Lord Rama.”, DK (2 November 2009).Great Monuments of India. Dorling Kindersley Limited.ISBN978-1-4053-4782-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
