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116-816: The House of Paramara was a prominent Indian Rajput dynasty that ruled over the Kingdom of Malwa , the Garhwal Kingdom , and many other kingdoms , princely states and feudal estates in North India . They belonged to the Parmara clan of the Rajputs . The dynasty was established in either the 9th or 10th century, and its early rulers most probably ruled as vassals of the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta . The earliest extant Paramara inscriptions, issued by

232-591: A Kshatriya ancestry of the dynasty. For example, the 1211 Piplianagar inscription states that the ancestors of the Paramaras were "crest-jewel of the Kshatriyas", and the Prabha-vakara-charita mentions that Vakpati was born in the dynasty of a Kshatriya. According to Singh, the expression "Brahma-Kshatriya" refers to a learned Kshatriya. D. C. Sircar theorized that the dynasty descended from

348-523: A "clean" rank via social mobility in the Hindu Varna system serves as one of the explanations of the longevity of the unique Indian civilisation. Historian Janet Tiwary Kamphorst mentions the medieval tales on Pabuji depicting Rajput, Charan , Bhil and Rabari warriors fighting side by side as well as other medieval and contemporary texts show claims made by Nomadic tribes of the Thar desert to

464-544: A "divine master" in the "Hindu cosmic order". The writer also finds correlation between the increasing numbers of Hindu Rajput wives in Akbar's household and Hindu Rajputs as well as non-Rajput Hindus in his administration to the religious and political policy followed by him towards non-Muslims which included ending the prohibition on the construction of new temples of non -Muslim faiths like Hindu, Jain etc. In 1564 AD, Akbar had also stopped collection of jaziya from non-Muslims,

580-481: A "group of open status" since the eighth century, mostly illiterate warriors who claimed to be reincarnates of ancient Indian Kshatriyas – a claim that had no historical basis. Moreover, this unfounded Kshatriya status claim showed a sharp contrast to the classical varna of Kshatriyas as depicted in Hindu literature in which Kshatriyas are depicted as an educated and urbanite clan. Historian Thomas R. Metcalf mentions

696-808: A Gurjara-Pratihara invasion. This theory is based on the combined analysis of two sources: the Nava-sahasanka-charita , which states that the Paramara king Vairisimha cleared the Dhara city in Malwa of enemies; and the 945-946 CE Pratapgah inscription of the Gurjara-Prathiara king Mahendrapala, which states that he recaptured Malwa. Whether or not the Paramaras were descended from the Rashtrakutas, they were most probably subordinates of

812-451: A clan was more important than allegiance to the wider Rajput social grouping, meaning that one clan would fight another. This and the internecine jostling for position that took place when a clan leader (raja) died meant that Rajput politics were fluid and prevented the formation of a coherent Rajput empire. The term "Rajput" has been used as an anachronistic designation for leading martial lineages of 11th and 12th centuries that confronted

928-446: A clan-based community. An opinion asserts that the terms like rajputra and rāuta began to be more commonly used from 12th century onwards to denote a large number of people and a Rājaputra/Rajput caste established itself well before the thirteenth century. The reference to the clan structure of Rajputs in contemporary historical works like Rajatarangini by Kalhana along with other epigraphic evidences indicates their existence as

1044-478: A community by 12th century. While Rajatarangini puts the number of Rajput clans at 36, the Varna Ratnakara (1324) features a list of 72 Rajput clans including Chouhāna , Pamāra , Chandella , Kachchvāha , Guhilot , Gāndhavariyā , Baisvara , Bhaṭi etc. Historian Brajadulal Chattopadhyaya, based on his analysis of inscriptions (primarily from Rajasthan), believed that by the 12th century,

1160-557: A couple of generations they would gain acceptance as Hindu Rajputs. This process would get mirrored by communities in north India. This process of origin of the Rajput community resulted in hypergamy as well as female infanticide that was common in Hindu Rajput clans. Scholars refer to this as " Rajputisation ", which, like Sanskritisation , was a mode for upward mobility, but it differed from Sanskritisation in other attributes, like

1276-461: A fire ritual. However, this theory is weakened by the fact that the legend is not mentioned in the earliest of the Paramara records, and even the earliest Paramara-era account does not mention the other dynasties as Agnivanshi. Some historians, such as Dasharatha Sharma and Pratipal Bhatia, have argued that the Paramaras were originally Brahmins from the Vashistha gotra . This theory is based on

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1392-647: A grand alliance of Rajput rulers and defeated the Mughal forces of Babur in early combat but was defeated at Khanwa through Mughal's use of Gunpowder which was unknown in Northern India at the time. His fierce rival Babur in his autobiography acknowledged him as the greatest Hindu king of that time along with Krishnadevaraya . After a few years Maldev Rathore of Marwar rose in power controlling almost whole portion of western and eastern Rajasthan . From 1200 CE, many Rajput groups moved eastwards towards

1508-437: A higher rank in the society. Thus, she says that it is said that "formerly all Rajputs were once Maldhari (cattle-keepers) or vice-versa, it is asserted that all nomadic peoples have Rajput ansa (essence) in their veins" Gradually, the term Rajput came to denote a social class , which was formed when the various tribal and nomadic groups became landed aristocrats, and transformed into the ruling class. These groups assumed

1624-467: A king") finds mention in some ancient Hindu scriptures like the Rigveda , Ramayana and Mahabharata . The word first appears in a sense other than its literal meaning in the 7th century Bakhshali manuscript from NWFP in reference to a mercenary soldier, while in the 8th century Chachnama of Sindh , it is used for elite horsemen. A late 11th century inscription from Mount Abu talks of "all

1740-539: A king". According to modern scholars, the word "rajput" meant 'horse soldier', 'trooper', 'headman of a village' or 'subordinate chief' before the 15th century. Individuals or groups with whom the word "rajput" was associated are generally considered varna–samkara ("mixed caste origin") and inferior to Kshatriya. Richard M. Eaton notes that the lineages in Rajasthan which had traditionally identified themselves as kshatriya began to call themselves Rajputs in

1856-410: A man born from a fire sacrifice - came from Deccan to establish a kingdom in Malwa; when his descendant Putraj died heirless, the nobles established Aditya Ponwar - the ancestor of the Paramaras - as the new king. Ganguly also noted Siyaka's successor Munja (Vakpati II) assumed titles such as Amoghavarsha , Sri-vallabha and Prithvi-vallabha : these are distinctively Rashtrakuta titles. However, there

1972-466: A measure of stability, matrimonial between leading Rajput states and Mughals became rare. One of the most conspicuous event of Shah Jahan's period was rebellion of Bundela rajputs, which was crushed by prince Aurangzeb with iron hand. Aurangzeb had banned all Hindus from carrying weapons and riding horses but exempted the Rajputs. Akbar's diplomatic policy regarding the Rajputs was later damaged by

2088-771: A mixed caste that constituted a large section of "petty chiefs holding estates". Thus, the Rajputra covers all levels from the actual son of a king to the lowest level landholder. The term is used for a prince under the Chahamanas but for the lowest ranking "fief" holder under the Chalukyas . According to B.D Chattopadhyay, from 700 CE, north India's political and military landscape was dominated by large Kshatriya landowners called thakurs , some of whom were descended from pastoral tribes and central Asian invaders; they later came to be known as Rajputs. Andre Wink notes that

2204-407: A notion of eliteness and exclusivity. The legendary epic poem Prithviraj Raso , which depicts warriors from several different Rajput clans as associates of Prithviraj Chauhan , fostered a sense of unity among these clans. The text thus contributed to the consolidation of the Rajput identity by offering these clans a shared history. Despite these developments, migrant soldiers made new claims to

2320-486: A tax considered as discriminatory by several non-Muslims which also consisted of his Hindu Rajput officials. The ruling Sisodia Rajput family of Mewar made it a point of honour not to engage in matrimonial relationships with Mughals and thus claimed to stand apart from those Rajput clans who did so. Rana Pratap is renowned as a "Rajput icon" for firmly fighting with Akbar's forces for the cause of Mewar's freedom. Once Mewar had submitted and alliance of Rajputs reached

2436-803: A variety of ethnic and geographical backgrounds. From 12th to 16th centuries, the membership of this class became largely hereditary, although new claims to Rajput status continued to be made in the later centuries. Several Rajput-ruled kingdoms played a significant role in many regions of central and northern India from seventh century onwards. The Rajput population and the former Rajput states are found in northern, western, central and eastern India, as well as southern and eastern Pakistan. These areas include Rajasthan , Delhi , Haryana , Gujarat , Eastern Punjab , Western Punjab , Uttar Pradesh , West Bengal , Himachal Pradesh , Jammu , Uttarakhand , Bihar , Madhya Pradesh , Sindh and Azad Kashmir . The word Rājaputra ( Sanskrit : राजपुत्र ; literally "son of

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2552-511: A vassal as the governor of Malwa. Since the Paramaras became the rulers of the Malwa region around this time, epigraphist H. V. Trivedi theorizes that this vassal was the Paramara king Upendra, although there is no definitive proof of this. The start of the Paramara rule in Malwa cannot be dated with certainty, but they certainly did not rule the Malwa before the 9th century CE. Siyaka is the earliest known Paramara king attested by his own inscriptions. His Harsola copper plate inscription (949 CE)

2668-526: A wide variety of topics include grammar, poetry, architecture, yoga, and chemistry. Bhoja established the Bhoj Shala which was a centre for Sanskrit studies and a temple of Sarasvati in present-day Dhar . He is said to have founded the city of Bhojpur , a belief supported by historical evidence. Besides the Bhojeshwar Temple there, the construction of three now-breached dams in that area

2784-1017: A year later with an army of mounted archers and crushed Rajput forces on the same battlefield of Taraori , Prithviraj fled the battlefield but was caught near Sirsa and was executed by Ghurids. Following the battle, the Delhi Sultanate became prominent in the Delhi region. The Rajputs fought against Sultans of Delhi from Rajasthan and other adjoining areas. By first quarter of 14th century, Alauddin Khalji sacked key Rajput fortresses of Chittor (1303) , Ranthambor (1301) and other Rajput ruled kingdoms like Siwana and Jalore . However, Rajputs resurgence took place under Rana Hammir who defeated Tughlaq army of Muhammad bin Tughluq in Singoli in 1336 CE and recaptured Rajasthan from Delhi sultanate. In

2900-639: Is "manifestly biased". As per the historian Thomas R. Metcalf , Rajput Taluqdars in Oudh provided a large numbers of leaders to the revolt of 1857 in that region. Kunwar Singh, a Rajput Zamindar was an important leader in Bihar region in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 . Historian Robert Stern points out that in Rajputana , although there were some revolts in the soldiers commanded by British officers

3016-519: Is a gap before the words tasmin kule ("in that family") in the Harsola inscription, and therefore, Ganguly's suggestion is a pure guess in absence of any concrete evidence. Moreover, even if the Ain-i-Akbari legend is historically accurate, Aditya Ponwar was not a descendant of Dhanji: he was most probably a local magnate rather than a native of Deccan. Critics of Ganguly's theory also argue that

3132-494: Is a possibility that Vairisimha I and Siyaka I of the Udaipur Prashasti are same as Vairisimha II and Siyaka II; the names might have been repeated by mistake. Alternatively, he theorizes that these names have been omitted in other inscriptions because these rulers were not independent sovereigns. Several other historians believe that the early Paramara rulers mentioned in the Udaipur Prashasti are not fictional, and

3248-451: Is attributed to him. Because of his patronage to literary figures, several legends written after his death featured him as a righteous scholar-king. In terms of the number of legends centered around him, Bhoja is comparable to the fabled Vikramaditya . Bhoja's successor Jayasimha I , who was probably his son, faced the joint Kalachuri - Chaulukya invasion immediately after Bhoja's death. Bilhana 's writings suggest that he sought help from

3364-482: Is not mentioned in earlier Paramara-era inscriptions or literary works. By this time, all the neighbouring dynasties claimed divine or heroic origin, which might have motivated the Paramaras to invent a legend of their own. A legend mentioned in a recension of Prithviraj Raso extended their Agnikula legend to describe other dynasties as fire-born Rajputs. The earliest extant copies of Prithviraj Raso do not contain this legend; this version might have been invented by

3480-465: Is scanty; there are no records, and they are known only from later sources." The Paramara rulers mentioned in the various inscriptions and literary sources include: An inscription from Udaipur indicates that the Paramara dynasty survived until 1310, at least in the north-eastern part of Malwa. A later inscription shows that the area had been captured by the Delhi Sultanate by 1338. Besides

3596-490: Is the earliest available Paramara inscription: it suggests that he was a vassal of the Rashtrakutas. The list of his predecessors varies between accounts: Paramara is the dynasty's mythical progenitor, according to the Agnikula legend. Whether the other early kings mentioned in the Udaipur Prashasti are historical or fictional is a topic of debate among historians. According to C. V. Vaidya and K. A. Nilakantha Sastri ,

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3712-787: The Hammira Mahakavya , he was killed by Vagabhata of Ranthambhor , who suspected him of plotting his murder in connivance with the Delhi Sultan. During the reign of Devapala's son Jaitugideva , the power of the Paramaras greatly declined because of invasions from the Yadava king Krishna, the Delhi Sultan Balban , and the Vaghela prince Visala-deva. Devapala's younger son Jayavarman II also faced attacks from these three powers. Either Jaitugi or Jayavarman II moved

3828-497: The Chahamanas of Naddula . According to medieval Muslim historians, after sacking Somnath , Mahmud of Ghazni changed his route to avoid confrontation with a Hindu king named Param Dev. Modern historians identify Param Dev as Bhoja: the name may be a corruption of Paramara-Deva or of Bhoja's title Parameshvara-Paramabhattaraka . Bhoja may have also contributed troops to support the Kabul Shahi ruler Anandapala 's fight against

3944-530: The Chalukyas of Lata in present-day Gujarat. Between 1018 CE and 1020 CE, he gained control of the northern Konkan , whose Shilahara rulers probably served as his feudatories for a brief period. Bhoja also formed an alliance against the Kalyani Chalukya king Jayasimha II , with Rajendra Chola and Gangeya-deva Kalachuri . The extent of Bhoja's success in this campaign is not certain, as both Chalukya and Paramara panegyrics claimed victory. During

4060-614: The Eastern Gangetic plains forming their own chieftaincies. These minor Rajput kingdoms were dotted all over the Gangetic plains in modern-day Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. During this process, petty clashes occurred with the local population and in some cases, alliances were formed. Among these Rajput chieftaincies were the Bhojpur zamindars and the taluks of Awadh . The immigration of Rajput clan chiefs into these parts of

4176-496: The Ghaznavid and Ghurid invaders, although the Rajput identity for a lineage did not exist at this time, these lineages were classified as aristocratic Rajput clans in the later times. However, other scholarly opinion staged emergence of Rajput clans as early as seventh century AD. when they start to make themselves lords of various localities and dominate region in current day Northern India . These dynasties were

4292-665: The Ghaznavids . He may have also been a part of the Hindu alliance that expelled Mahmud's governors from Hansi , Thanesar and other areas around 1043 CE. During the last year of Bhoja's reign, or shortly after his death, the Chaulukya king Bhima I and the Kalachuri king Karna attacked his kingdom. According to the 14th-century author Merutunga, Bhoja died of a disease at the same time the allied army attacked his kingdom. At its zenith, Bhoja's empire extended from Chittor in

4408-587: The Hoysalas and the Yadavas of Devagiri . He was also defeated by the Chaulukya general Kumara. Despite these setbacks, he was able to restore the Paramara power in Malwa before his death. Vindhyavarman's son Subhatavarman invaded Gujarat, and plundered the Chaulukya territories. But he was ultimately forced to retreat by the Chaulukya feudatory Lavana-Prasada. His son Arjunavarman I also invaded Gujarat, and defeated Jayanta-simha (or Jaya-simha), who had usurped

4524-681: The Kalachuris of Tripuri . Udayaditya's younger son Naravarman faced several defeats, losing to the Chandelas of Jejakabhukti and the Chaulukya king Jayasimha Siddharaja . By the end of his reign, one Vijayapala had carved out an independent kingdom to the north-east of Ujjain. Yashovarman lost control of the Paramara capital Dhara to Jayasimha Siddharaja. His successor Jayavarman I regained control of Dhara, but soon lost it to an usurper named Ballala. The Chaulukya king Kumarapala defeated Ballala around 1150 CE, supported by his feudatories

4640-538: The Malavas . However, there is no evidence of the early Paramara rulers being called Malava; the Paramaras began to be called Malavas only after they began ruling the Malwa region. Based on the Agnikula legend, some scholars such as C. V. Vaidya and V. A. Smith speculated that Mount Abu was the original home of the Paramaras. Based on the Harsola copper plates and Ain-i-Akbari , D. C. Ganguly believed they came from

4756-821: The Malwa region. After the mid-16th century, many Rajput rulers formed close relationships with the Mughal emperors and served them in different capacities. It was due to the support of the Rajputs that Akbar was able to lay the foundations of the Mughal empire in India. Some Rajput nobles gave away their daughters in marriage to Mughal emperors and princes for political motives. For example, Akbar accomplished 40 marriages for himself, his sons and grandsons, out of which 17 were Rajput-Mughal alliances. Akbar's successors as Mughal emperors, his son Jahangir and grandson Shah Jahan had Rajput mothers. Although Rajput rulers provided

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4872-645: The Naddula Chahamana ruler Alhana and the Abu Paramara chief Yashodhavala. Malwa then became a province of the Chaulukyas. A minor branch of the Paramaras, who styled themselves as Mahakumara s, ruled the area around Bhopal during this time. Nearly two decades later, Jayavarman's son Vindhyavarman defeated the Chaulukya king Mularaja II, and re-established the Paramara sovereignty in Malwa. During his reign, Malwa faced repeated invasions from

4988-861: The Scindia , Holkars , Pindari , Ameer Khan and Muhammad Shah Khan and that the Rajput rulers made multiple petitions to him requesting British protection. Moreover, the Rajput rulers had argued that "British had replaced the Mughal Empire as the supreme power of India and therefore had the responsibility to protect weaker states from aggressive ones". Charles Metcalfe agreed with this reasoning. One by one, many Rajput states in Rajputana came under British protection and became their allies - Kota , Udaipur , Bundi , Kishangarh , Bikaner , Jaipur , Pratapgarh , Banswara , Dungarpur , Jaisalmer by 1817-18 and Sirohi by 1823. The British promised to protect

5104-583: The Shaka era ), also mentions Prithvi-vallabha as one of his titles. His son Avanijanashraya Pulakeshin also bore the title. Among the Rashtrakutas, the title was first adopted by Dantidurga , an 8th-century ruler of the Deccan and the founder of the Rashtrakuta dynasty. Prithvi means "the earth" and vallabha means either "head of household" or "lover", thus the title can be loosely translated as Lord of

5220-578: The Somavanshi of south Kosala , the Shilaharas of Konkana , and the ruler of Lata (southern Gujarat). His court poet Padmagupta wrote his biography Nava-Sahasanka-Charita , which credits him with several other victories, although these appear to be poetic exaggerations. Sindhuraja's son Bhoja is the most celebrated ruler of the Paramara dynasty. He made several attempts to expand the Paramara kingdom varying results. Around 1018 CE, he defeated

5336-403: The rājaputras of the illustrious Rājaputra clan". In Kalhana 's Rājatarangiṇī (12th century), the rājaputras appear as mercenary soldiers claiming high status on account of birth. An inscription from Chittor (1301) mentions three generations of rājaputras . B.D Chattopadhyay says that according to the references to rajputras in medieval and early medieval sources, they represent

5452-454: The "Rajpur durbar muskeeters and feudal cavalrymen" did not participate in the 1857 revolt at all. But Crispin Bates is of the opinion that Rajput officers had soft corner for the rebels of 1857 fleeing Delhi who were entering into interior areas of then Rajasthan region. He gives examples of rebels who easily found safe havens in villages of Chittor without arrests. In reference to the role of

5568-453: The 10th century: had they really been descendants of the Rashtrakutas, they would not have forgotten their prestigious royal origin within a generation. The later Paramara kings claimed to be members of the Agnikula or Agnivansha ("fire clan"). The Agnikula myth of origin, which appears in several of their inscriptions and literary works, goes like this: The sage Vishvamitra forcibly took a wish-granting cow from another sage Vashistha on

5684-505: The 10th-century ruler Siyaka , have been found in Gujarat . Around 972 CE, Siyaka sacked the Rashtrakuta capital Manyakheta , and established the Paramaras as a sovereign power. By the time of his successor Munja , the Malwa region in present-day Madhya Pradesh had become the core Paramara territory, with Dhara (now Dhar) as their capital. The dynasty reached its zenith under Munja's nephew Bhoja , whose empire extended from Chittor in

5800-634: The 15th century, the Muslim sultans of Malwa and Gujarat put a joint effort to overcome the Mewar ruler Rana Kumbha but both the sultans were defeated. Kumbha's grandson renowned Rana Sanga inherited a troubling kingdom after death of his brothers but through his capable rule turned traditional kingdom of Mewar into one of the greatest power in northern India during the early 16th century. Sanga defeated Sultans of Gujarat , Malwa and Delhi several times in various battles and expanded his kingdom. Sanga led

5916-734: The 16th century. The origin of the Rajputs has been a much-debated topic among historians. Historian Satish Chandra states: "Modern historians are more or less agreed that the Rajputs consisted of miscellaneous groups including Shudra and tribals. Some were Brahmans who took to warfare, and some were from Tribes- indigenous or foreign". Thus, the Rajput community formation was a result of political factors that influenced caste mobility, called Sanskritization by some scholars and Rajputization by others. Modern scholars agree that nearly all Rajputs clans originated from peasant or pastoral communities. Alf Hiltebeitel discusses three theories by Raj era and early writers for Rajput origin and gives

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6032-548: The 16th-century poets who wanted to foster Rajput unity against the Mughal emperor Akbar . Some colonial-era historians interpreted this mythical account to suggest a foreign origin for the Paramaras. According to this theory, the ancestors of the Paramaras and other Agnivanshi Rajputs came to India after the decline of the Gupta Empire around the 5th century CE. They were admitted in the Hindu caste system after performing

6148-471: The 6th or 7th century, following the collapse of the Gupta Empire . While many of these colonial writers propagated this foreign-origin theory in order to legitimise the colonial rule, the theory was also supported by some Indian scholars, such as D. R. Bhandarkar . The second theory was promulgated by C.V. Vaidya who believed in the Aryan invasion theory and that the entire 9th-10th century Indian populace

6264-562: The Arbuda mountain ( Mount Abu ). Vashistha then conjured a hero from a sacrificial fire pit ( agni-kunda ), who defeated Vishvamitra's enemies and brought back the cow. Vashistha then gave the hero the title Paramara ("enemy killer"). The earliest known source to mention this story is the Nava-sahasanka-charita of Padmagupta Parimala, who was a court-poet of the Paramara king Sindhuraja ( c.  997 –1010). The legend

6380-704: The British East India Company for assistance against the Marathas but their requests for assistance were denied at the time. By 1765, Awadh had become ally of the British East India Company and the increase in demand for revenue led to a continuous tussle in between the Nawab of Awadh and Rajput leadership bringing political instability in the region. In one 18th century example given by Pinch, Rajputs of Awadh countered

6496-771: The Chahamanas (of Shakambhari , Nadol and Jalor ), the Tomaras of Delhi , the Chaulukyas , the Paramaras , the Gahadavalas , Chandela , Sisodias , Guhilas etc. The Rajput ruled kingdoms repelled early invasions of Arab commanders after Muhammad ibn Qasim conquered Sindh and executed last Hindu king of the kingdom, Raja Dahir . Rajput family of Mewar under Bappa Rawal and later under Khoman fought off invasions by Arab generals and restricted them only until

6612-625: The Chalukyas of Kalyani. Jayasimha's successor and Bhoja's brother Udayaditya was defeated by Chamundaraja, his vassal at Vagada . He repulsed an invasion by the Chaulukya ruler Karna , with help from his allies. Udayaditya's eldest son Lakshmadeva has been credited with extensive military conquests in the Nagpur Prashasti inscription of 1104-05 CE. However, these appear to be poetic exaggerations. At best, he might have defeated

6728-456: The Chaulukya throne for a brief period. He was defeated by Yadava general Kholeshvara in Lata . Arjunavarman was succeeded by Devapala , who was the son of Harishchandra, a Mahakumara (chief of a Paramara branch). He continued to face struggles against the Chaulukyas and the Yadavas. The Sultan of Delhi Iltutmish captured Bhilsa during 1233-34 CE, but Devapala defeated the Sultanate's governor and regained control of Bhilsa. According to

6844-422: The Deccan region. The earliest of the Paramara inscriptions (that of Siyaka II) have all been discovered in Gujarat, and concern land grants in that region. Based on this, D. B. Diskalkar and H. V. Trivedi theorized that the Paramaras were associated with Gujarat during their early days. Another possibility is that the early Paramara rulers temporarily left their capital city of Dhara in Malwa for Gujarat because of

6960-466: The Earth. Since Prithvi was also the name of an earth goddess controlled by Lord Vishnu , the title went so far as to equate Dantidurga and his heirs with the Hindu god Vishnu. The title was abbreviated to vallabha and was written by Muslim observers as Balhara . The title was also adopted by the Chalukyas of Kalyani , who succeeded the Rashtrakutas in Deccan . The title was also used by Munja alias Vakpati of Paramara dynasty , which succeeded

7076-400: The Gangetic plains also contributed the agricultural appropriation of previously forested areas, especially in South Bihar. Some have linked this eastwards expansion with the onset of Ghurid invasion in the West. From as early as the 16th century, Purbiya Rajput soldiers from the eastern regions of Bihar and Awadh , were recruited as mercenaries for Rajputs in the west, particularly in

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7192-399: The Harsola plates (Vappairaja appears to be the Prakrit form of Vakpati-raja). In his support, Seth points out that Vairisimha has been called Krishna-padanudhyata in the inscription of Munja i.e. Vakpati II. He theorizes that Vakpati II used the name "Krishnaraja" instead of Vakpati I to identify his ancestor, in order to avoid confusion with his own name. The first independent sovereign of

7308-459: The Paramara capital from Dhara to the hilly Mandapa-Durga (present-day Mandu ), which offered a better defensive position. Arjunavarman II , the successor of Jayavarman II, proved to be a weak ruler. He faced rebellion from his minister. In the 1270s, the Yadava ruler Ramachandra invaded Malwa, and in the 1280s, the Ranthambhor Chahamana ruler Hammira also raided Malwa. Arjuna's successor Bhoja II also faced an invasion from Hammira. Bhoja II

7424-448: The Paramara dynasty was Siyaka (sometimes called Siyaka II to distinguish him from the earlier Siyaka mentioned in the Udaipur Prashasti ). The Harsola copper plates (949 CE) suggest that Siyaka was a feudatory of the Rashtrakuta ruler Krishna III in his early days. However, the same inscription also mentions the high-sounding Maharajadhirajapati as one of Siyaka's titles. Based on this, K. N. Seth believes that Siyaka's acceptance of

7540-525: The Paramara dynasty was founded only in the 10th century CE. Vaidya believes that the kings such as Vairisimha I and Siyaka I are imaginary, duplicated from the names of later historical kings in order to push back the dynasty's age. The 1274 CE Mandhata copper-plate inscription of Jayavarman II similarly names eight successors of Paramara as Kamandaludhara, Dhumraja, Devasimhapala, Kanakasimha, Shriharsha, Jagaddeva , Sthirakaya and Voshari: these do not appear to be historical figures. HV Trivedi states that there

7656-474: The Paramara sovereigns of Malwa, several branches of the dynasty ruled at various places. These include: The rulers of several princely states claimed connection with the Paramaras. Some of them are given below: Rajput Rajput (from Sanskrit rājaputra meaning "son of a king"), also called Thakur , is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from

7772-442: The Paramaras started ruling Malwa in the 9th century (as Rashtrakuta vassals). K. N. Seth argues that even some of the later Paramara inscriptions mention only 3-4 predecessors of the king who issued the inscription. Therefore, the absence of certain names from the genealogy provided in the early inscriptions does not mean that these were imaginary rulers. According to him, the mention of Upendra in Nava-Sahasanka-Charitra (composed by

7888-466: The Rajput class was quite assimilative and absorbed people from a wide range of lineages. However, by the late 16th century, it had become genealogically rigid, based on the ideas of blood purity, Dirk Kolff writes. The membership of the Rajput class was now largely inherited rather than acquired through military achievements. A major factor behind this development was the consolidation of the Mughal Empire , whose rulers had great interest in genealogy. As

8004-406: The Rajput socio-political status on the basis of descent and kinship. They fabricated genealogies linking the Rajput families to the ancient dynasties, and associated them with myths of origins that established their Kshatriya status. This led to the emergence of what Indologist Dirk Kolff calls the "Rajput Great Tradition", which accepted only hereditary claims to the Rajput identity, and fostered

8120-432: The Rajput soldiers serving under the British banner, Captain A. H. Bingley wrote: Rajputs have served in our ranks from Plassey to the present day (1899). They have taken part in almost every campaign undertaken by the Indian armies. Under Forde they defeated the French at Condore. Under Monro at Buxar they routed the forces of the Nawab of Oudh. Under Lake they took part in the brilliant series of victories which destroyed

8236-430: The Rajput states from their adversaries and not interfere in internal affairs in exchange for tribute. However, David Ochterlony , who was in charge of the Rajput states broke the promise to not interfere as in his view interferences would save the states from "ruin". In 1820, the British removed him from his position and replaced him with Charles Metcalfe. For several decades, "non-interference" in internal affairs remained

8352-525: The Rajput status until as late as the 19th century. In the 19th century, the colonial administrators of India re-imagined the Rajputs as similar to the Anglo-Saxon knights . They compiled the Rajput genealogies in the process of settling land disputes, surveying castes and tribes, and writing history. These genealogies became the basis of distinguishing between the "genuine" and the "spurious" Rajput clans. The Rajput kingdoms were disparate: loyalty to

8468-574: The Rajputs were Brahmins who became rulers. However, such "one track arguments" and "contrived evidence" such as shape of the head, cultural stereotypes, etc. are dismissed by Hiltebeitel who refers to such claims and Asopa's epic references as "far-fetched" or "unintelligible". Recent research suggests that the Rajputs came from a variety of ethnic and geographical backgrounds and various varnas . Rajputs that rose in north-India after muslim invasions were not considered Kshatriyas although they performed similar functions - and Ziegler points out that

8584-543: The Rajputs – Pabuji, Mallinath, Gogaji and Ramdeo were considered protectors of cattle herding communities. They also imply struggle among Rajputs for domination over cattle and pasturelands. The emergence of Rajput community was the result of a gradual change from mobile pastoral and tribal groups into landed sedentary ones. This necessitated control over mobile resources for agrarian expansion which in turn necessitated kinship structures, martial and marital alliances. B.D Chattopadhyaya opines that during its formative stages,

8700-479: The Rajputs. Stewart Gordon writes that during the era of the Mughal empire, hypergamous marriage "marrying up", combined with service in the state army was another way a tribal family could "become" Rajput. This process required a change in dress, diet, worship, and other traditions, ending widow remarriage , for example. Such a marriage between someone from a tribal family, and a member of an acknowledged - but possibly poor - Rajput family, would ultimately enable

8816-767: The Rajputs. However, Hiltebeitel says that such "affinities do not point to an unbroken continuity between an ancient epic period" in the Vedic period (3500 BCE - 3000 BCE according to Vaidya) and the "great Rajput tradition" that started in sixteenth-century Rajasthan instead "raise the question of similarities between the epics' allusions to Vedic Vratya warbands and earlier medieval low status Rajput clans". Hiltebeitel concludes that such attempts to trace Rajputs from epic and Vedic sources are "unconvincing" and cites Nancy MacLean and B.D. Chattopadhyaya to label Vaidya's historiography on Rajputs as "often hopeless". A third group of historians, which includes Jai Narayan Asopa, theorised that

8932-514: The Rashtrakuta capital Manyakheta , and sacked that city in 972 CE. His victory ultimately led to the decline of the Rashtrakutas, and the establishment of the Paramaras as an independent sovereign power in Malwa. Siyaka's successor Munja achieved military successes against the Chahamanas of Shakambari , the Chahamanas of Naddula , the Guhilas of Mewar , the Hunas , the Kalachuris of Tripuri , and

9048-625: The Rashtrakuta lordship was nominal. As a Rashtrakuta feudatory, Siyaka participated in their campaigns against the Pratiharas . He also defeated some Huna chiefs ruling to the north of Malwa. He might have suffered setbacks against the Chandela king Yashovarman . After the death of Krishna III , Siyaka defeated his successor Khottiga in a battle fought on the banks of the Narmada River . He then pursued Khottiga's retreating army to

9164-429: The Rashtrakuta titles in these inscriptions refer to Paramara rulers, who had assumed these titles to portray themselves as the legitimate successors of the Rashtrakutas in the Malwa region. The Rashtrakutas had similarly adopted the titles such as Prithvi-vallabha , which had been used by the preceding Chalukya rulers. Historian Dasharatha Sharma points out that the Paramaras claimed the mythical Agnikula origin by

9280-514: The Rashtrakutas in the 9th century. Historical evidence suggests that between 808 and 812 CE, the Rashtrakutas expelled the Gurjara-Pratiharas from the Malwa region. The Rashtrakuta king Govinda III placed Malwa under the protection of Karka-raja, the Rashtrakuta chief of Lata (a region bordering Malwa, in present-day Gujarat). The 871 Sanjan copper-plate inscription of Govinda's son Amoghavarsha I states that Govinda had appointed

9396-448: The border of Rajasthan but failed to recapture Sindh. By the first quarter of 11th century, Turkic conqueror Mahmud Ghaznavi launched several successful military expeditions in the territories of Rajputs, defeating them everytime and by 1025 A.D, he demolished and looted the famous Somnath Temple and its Rajput ruler Bhimdev Solanki fled his capital. Rajput rulers at Gwalior and Kalinjar were able to hold off assaults by Maḥmūd, although

9512-470: The brides to the Mughals, neither Akbar nor his successors provided brides to the Rajput rulers. For example, Akbar got this sisters and daughters married to Timurids and prominent Muslims from central and west Asia. Historian Michael Fisher states that the bards and poets patronized by the Rajput rulers who served Akbar raised Akbar to a "semi-divine" status and gives an example of Akbar being projected as

9628-667: The colonial ethnographic accounts rather than referring to Rajputs as having emerged from other communities, Bhils , Mers , Minas , Gujars , Jats , Raikas , all lay a claim to a Rajput past from where they claim to have 'fallen'. Historical processes, however, suggest just the opposite". André Wink states that some Rajputs may be Jats by origin. According to scholars, in medieval times "the political units of India were probably ruled most often by men of very low birth" and this "may be equally applicable for many clans of 'Rajputs' in northern India". Burton Stein explains that this process of allowing rulers, frequently of low social origin,

9744-474: The court poet of the later king Sindhuraja) proves that Upendra is not a fictional king. Historians such as Georg Bühler and James Burgess identify Upendra and Krishnaraja as one person, because these are synonyms (Upendra being another name of Krishna ). However, an inscription of Siyaka's successor Munja names the preceding kings as Krishnaraja, Vairisimha, and Siyaka. Based on this, Seth however identifies Krishnaraja with Vappairaja or Vakpati I mentioned in

9860-644: The early 1680s, henceforth became a contributing factor towards the downfall of the Mughal empire. Historian Lynn Zastoupil states that the Mughal Emperors had manipulated the appointment of the successor of the Rajput rulers earlier. However, in the early 18th century, when the Mughal power declined, Rajput states enjoyed a brief period of independence. But soon the Maratha Empire (or confederacy) started collecting tribute from and harassing some Rajput states. Some Rajput states, in 1800s, appealed to

9976-621: The fact that Halayudha , who was patronized by Munja, describes the king as "Brahma-Kshtra" in Pingala-Sutra-Vritti . According to Bhatia this expression means that Munja came from a family of Brahmins who became Kshatriyas . In addition, the Patanarayana temple inscription states that the Paramaras were of Vashistha gotra , which is a gotra among Brahmins claiming descent from the sage Vashistha. However, historian Arvind K. Singh points out that several other sources point to

10092-528: The facts that they had emerged from the lower rungs of the caste system are documented in the Rajput chronicles themselves. Pradeep Barua says: "What made the Rajputs stand out from the rest of Indian society was not their foreign origins but their fanatical attempts to assert their Kshatriya status. Over time, other Indian groups followed their example and claimed descent from the solar and lunar races, establishing themselves as Rajputs in various parts of western and central India". Tanuja Kothiyal states: "In

10208-494: The identification of "Akalavarsha" (which was a Rashtrakuta title) with the Rashtrakuta king Krishna III , historian as D.C. Ganguly theorized that the Paramaras were descended from the Rashtrakutas. Ganguly tried to find support for his theory in Ain-i-Akbari , whose variation of the Agnikula myth (see below) states that a predecessor of the Paramaras came to Malwa from Deccan . According to Ain-i-Akbari , Dhanji -

10324-467: The intolerant rules introduced by his great-grandson Aurangzeb . A prominent example of these rules included the re-imposition of Jaziya , which had been abolished by Akbar. However, despite imposition of Jaziya Aurangzeb's army had a high proportion of Rajput officers in the upper ranks of the imperial army and they were all exempted from paying Jaziya. The Rajputs then revolted against the Mughal empire. Aurangzeb's conflicts with them, which commenced in

10440-502: The last years of Bhoja's reign, sometime after 1042 CE, Jayasimha's son and successor Someshvara I invaded Malwa, and sacked his capital Dhara . Bhoja re-established his control over Malwa soon after the departure of the Chalukya army, but the defeat pushed back the southern boundary of his kingdom from Godavari to Narmada . Bhoja's attempt to expand his kingdom eastwards was foiled by the Chandela king Vidyadhara . However, Bhoja

10556-433: The method of worship, lifestyle, diet, social interaction, rules for women, and marriage, etc. German historian Hermann Kulke has coined the term "Secondary Rajputisation" for describing the process of members of a tribe trying to re-associate themselves with the former chief of their tribe who had already transformed himself into a Rajput via Rajputisation and thus become Rajputs themselves. According to some scholars,

10672-623: The military nobility of Sindh ruler Dahir to which the Chachnama (8th century) and Al-Baladhuri (9th century) refer as thakurs can be seen as Rajputs in the original sense of the word. The term rajput is derived from the Sanskrit word rājaputra . The term finds mention in Vidyapati 's Kīrtilatā (1380) among castes inhabiting the Jaunpur city. Its literal meaning is "son of

10788-503: The move despite the fact that the Rajputs themselves were newcomers to the court and were peasant-soldiers a few year before. Rajputs of Awadh along with Brahmins also formed the major groups who gained during Asaf's regime. In the late eighteenth century, despite the request from two Rajput rulers for British support, the British East India company initially refused to support the Rajput states in Rajputana region as they had

10904-474: The nationalist interpretations of Rajputs' struggles with the Muslim invaders. James Tod , a British colonial official, was impressed by the military qualities of the Rajputs but is today considered to have been unusually enamoured of them. Although the group venerate him to this day, he is viewed by many historians since the late nineteenth century as being a not particularly reliable commentator. Jason Freitag, his only significant biographer, has said that Tod

11020-402: The non-Rajput family to rise to Rajput status. This marriage pattern supports the fact that Rajput was an "open caste category", available to those who served the Mughals. Rajput formation continued in the colonial era. Even in the 19th century, anyone from the "village landlord" to the "newly wealthy lower caste Shudra " could employ Brahmins to retrospectively fabricate a genealogy and within

11136-493: The north to Konkan in the south, and from the Sabarmati River in the west to Vidisha in the east. The Paramara power rose and declined several times as a result of their struggles with the Chaulukyas of Gujarat, the Chalukyas of Kalyani , the Kalachuris of Tripuri , Chandelas of Jejakabhukti and other neighbouring kingdoms. The later Paramara rulers moved their capital to Mandapa-Durga (now Mandu) after Dhara

11252-425: The north to upper Konkan in the south, and from the Sabarmati River in the west to Vidisha in the east. He was recognized as a capable military leader, but his territorial conquests were short-lived. His major claim to fame was his reputation as a scholar-king, who patronized arts, literature and sciences. Noted poets and writers of his time sought his sponsorship. Bhoja was himself a polymath, whose writings cover

11368-460: The northern part of the Indian subcontinent . The term Rajput covers various patrilineal clans historically associated with warriorhood : several clans claim Rajput status, although not all claims are universally accepted. According to modern scholars, almost all Rajput clans originated from peasant or pastoral communities. Over time, the Rajputs emerged as a social class comprising people from

11484-464: The official policy. However, according to the historian Lynn Zastoupil, the "British never found it possible or desirable to completely withdraw from interference in Rajput affairs". The medieval bardic chronicles ( kavya and masnavi ) glorified the Rajput past, presenting warriorhood and honour as Rajput ideals. This later became the basis of the British reconstruction of the Rajput history and

11600-492: The opinion of Indian scholar K. M. Panikkar who also considers the famous Rajput dynasties of medieval India to have come from non-Kshatriya castes. Historian Nandini Kapur states that "the Brihaddharma Purana regarded Rajputras as a mixed caste and Shudrakamalakara equates the Rajputs with ugra , a mixed caste born of the union of a Kshatriya man and a Shudra woman due to the mixed nature formation of

11716-548: The policy of non-interference and considered the Rajput states to be weak. In the early nineteenth century, British administrator Warren Hastings realised how alliance with the Rajputs had benefited the Mughals and believed that a similar alliance may give the East India company political advantage in India. In his journal, in January 1815, he noted that Rajput states - Jaipur , Jodhpur and Udaipur had been "devastated" by

11832-626: The power of the Marathas. Prithvi-vallabha All the sovereign rulers of the Vatapi Chalukya dynasty bore the title Shri-prithvi-vallabha , which means "the husband of the goddess of fortune and the Earth" (that is, Vishnu ). Mangalesha bore the exact title of Prithvi-vallabha , as attested by the Mahakuta inscriptions. The Manor inscription of the Chalukya governor Jayashraya Mangalarasa , dated to 7 April 691 (year 613 of

11948-522: The reasons as to why these theories are dismissed by modern research. British colonial-era writers characterised Rajputs as descendants of the foreign invaders such as the Scythians or the Hunas , and believed that the Agnikula myth was invented to conceal their foreign origin. According to this theory, the Rajputs originated when these invaders were assimilated into the Kshatriya category during

12064-472: The ruler of Gurjara region (possibly a Gujarat Chaulukya or Pratihara ruler). He also achieved some early successes against the Western Chalukya king Tailapa II , but was ultimately defeated and killed by Tailapa some time between 994 CE and 998 CE. As a result of this defeat, the Paramaras lost their southern territories (possibly the ones beyond the Narmada River ) to the Chalukyas. Munja

12180-791: The term rajaputra was associated with fortified settlements, kin-based landholding, and other features that later became indicative of the Rajput status. According to him, the title acquired "an element of heredity" from c. 1300. A study of 11th–14th century inscriptions from western and central India, by Michael B. Bednar, concludes that the designations such as rajaputra , thakkura and rauta were not necessarily hereditary during this period. Rajputs were involved in nomadic pastoralism, animal husbandry and cattle trade until much later than popularly believed. The 17th century chronicles of Muhnot Nainsi i.e. Munhata Nainsi ri Khyat and Marwar ra Paraganan ri Vigat discuss disputes between Rajputs pertaining to cattle raids. In addition, Folk deities of

12296-486: The term rajputra was reserved for the immediate relatives of a king; scholars like BD Chattopadhyay believe that it was used for a larger group of high-ranking men. There are historical indications of the group calling themselves Rajputs by sixth century AD which settled in Indo-Gangetic Plain . However, scholarly opinions differ on when the term Rajput acquired hereditary connotations and came to denote

12412-549: The title "Rajput" as part of their claim to higher social positions and ranks. The early medieval literature suggests that this newly formed Rajput class comprised people from multiple castes . Thus, the Rajput identity is not the result of a shared ancestry. Rather, it emerged when different social groups of medieval India sought to legitimise their newly acquired political power by claiming Kshatriya status. These groups started identifying as Rajput at different times, in different ways. Thus, modern scholars summarise that Rajputs were

12528-420: The two cities did pay him heavy tribute. By last quarter of 12th century, Mohd Ghori defeated and executed the last of Ghaznavid rulers and captured their region along with plundering Ghazna, the capital of Ghaznavids. After capturing the northwest frontier, he invaded Rajput domain. In 1191, Prithviraj Chauhan of Ajmer led a coalition of Rajput kings and defeated Ghori near Taraori . However, he returned

12644-463: The upward mobility of some of the peasant castes, who by virtue of their economic prosperity sought higher status by wearing Janeu , a sacred thread or claimed Kshatriya status. The records indicates that during the tenure of Asaf-ud-Daula in Awadh, when a section of Awadhiya Kurmi were about to be bestowed with the title of Raja , the Rajput constituency of Asaf's court caused stiff opposition to

12760-458: The various Rajput chiefs became Mughal feudatories, they no longer engaged in major conflicts with each other. This decreased the possibility of achieving prestige through military action, and made hereditary prestige more important. According to David Ludden, the word "Rajput" acquired its present-day meaning in the 16th century. According to Kolff, during 16th and 17th centuries, the Rajput rulers and their bards ( charans ) sought to legitimise

12876-597: Was able to extend his influence among the Chandela feudatories, the Kachchhapaghatas of Dubkund. Bhoja also launched a campaign against the Kachchhapaghatas of Gwalior , possibly with the ultimate goal of capturing Kannauj , but his attacks were repulsed by their ruler Kirtiraja. Bhoja also defeated the Chahamanas of Shakambhari , killing their ruler Viryarama . However, he was forced to retreat by

12992-581: Was composed of only one race - the Aryans who had not yet mixed with the Shudras or Dravidians . Nationalist historians Vaidya and R.B. Singh write that the Rajputs had originated from the Vedic Aryan Kshatriyas of the epics - Ramayana and Mahabharata . Vaidya bases this theory on certain attributes - such as bravery and "physical strength" of Draupadi and Kausalya and the bravery of

13108-408: Was either a titular ruler controlled by his minister, or his minister had usurped a part of the Paramara kingdom. Mahalakadeva , the last known Paramara king, was defeated and killed by the army of Ayn al-Mulk Multani , a general of Alauddin Khalji of the Delhi Sultanate , in 1305 CE. According to historical 'Kailash Chand Jain', "Knowledge of the early Paramara rulers from Upendra to Vairisimha

13224-437: Was himself a renowned scholar. Most of the Paramara kings were Shaivites and commissioned several Shiva temples, although they also patronized Jain scholars. The Harsola copper plates (949 CE) issued by the Paramara king Siyaka II mentions a king called Akalavarsha, followed by the expression tasmin kule ("in that family"), and then followed by the name "Vappairaja" (identified with the Paramara king Vakpati I). Based on

13340-470: Was reputed as a patron of scholars, and his rule attracted scholars from different parts of India to Malwa. He was also a poet himself, although only a few stanzas composed by him now survive. Munja's brother Sindhuraja (ruled c. 990s CE) defeated the Western Chalukya king Satyashraya , and recovered the territories lost to Tailapa II. He also achieved military successes against a Huna chief,

13456-457: Was sacked multiple times by their enemies. Mahalakadeva , the last known Paramara king, was defeated and killed by the forces of Alauddin Khalji of Delhi in 1305 CE, although epigraphic evidence suggests that the Paramara rule continued for a few years after his death. Malwa enjoyed a great level of political and cultural prestige under the Paramaras. The Paramaras were well known for their patronage to Sanskrit poets and scholars, and Bhoja

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