The document discusses the history of the Rajput clans in India from the 6th century onwards. It describes how the Rajputs emerged as warrior clans claiming descent from heroes in Hindu epics. Over time, major Rajput clans arose like the Sisodias, Kachwahas, Rathores, and others, establishing kingdoms across Rajasthan and northern India. It focuses on the rivalry between the Chauhan and Gahadwala (Rathod) clans in the 12th century, culminating in Prithviraj Chauhan's battles against the Muslim invader Muhammad Ghori. Although Prithviraj initially defeated Ghori, he later lost after

1. Role of Rajputs in history – role model for modern era to follows
According to the Hindu Mythology, the Rajputs of Rajasthan were the descendants
of the Kshatriyas or warriors of Vedic India. The emergence of the Rajput warrior
clans was in the 6th and 7th centuries. Rajputs ancestry can be divided into two:
the "solar" or suryavanshi-those descended from Rama, the hero of the epic
Ramayana, and the "lunar" or chandravanshi, who claimed descent from Krishna,
the hero of the epic Mahabharata. Later a third clan was added, the agnikula or
fire-born, said to have emerged from the flames of a sacrificial fire on Mt Abu.
It has been accepted that the Rajputs were divided into thirty-six races and twenty-one
kingdoms. The Rajput clans gave rise to dynasties like Sisodias of Mewar
(Udaipur), the Kachwahas of Amber (Jaipur), the Rathors of Marwar (Jodhpur &
Bikaner), the Hadas of Jhalwawar, Kota & Bundi, the Bhattis of Jaisalmer, the
Shekhawats of Shekhawati and the Chauhans of Ajmer.
The fall of the Gupta Empire, which held dominance in northern India for nearly 300
years until the early 5th Century, was followed by a period of instability as various
local chieftains sought to gain supremacy. Power rose and fell in northern India.
Stability was only restored with the emergence of the Gurjara Partiharas, the
earliest of the Rajput (from 'Rajputra', or Sons of Princes) dynasties which were
later to hold the balance of power throughout Rajasthan.
The Rajput clans gave rise to dynasties such as the Chauhans, Sisodias,
Kachhwahas and Rathores. Chauhans of the Agnikula Race emerged in the 12th
century and were renowned for their valour. Their territories included the
Sapadalksha kingdom, which encompassed a vast area including present- day
Jaipur, Ranthambore, part of Mewar, the western portion of Bundi district, Ajmer
Kishangarh and even, at one time, Delhi. Branches of the Chauhans also ruled
territories know as Ananta (in present-day Shekhawati) and Saptasatabhumi.
The Sisodias of the Suryavansa Race, Originally from Gujarat, migrated to
Rajasthan in the mid-7th Century and reigned over Mewar, which encompassed
Udaipur and Chittorgarh. The Kachhwahas, originally from Gwalior in Madhya
Pradesh, traveled west in the 12th century. They built the massive fort at Amber,
and later shifted the capital to Jaipur. Like the Sisodias, they belonged to the
Suryavansa Race. Also belonging to the Suryavansa Race, the Rathore (earlier
known as Rastrakutas) traveled from Kanauj, in Uttar Pradesh. Initially they settled
in Pali, south of present-day Jodhpur, but later moved to Mandore in 1381 and
ruled over Marwar (Jodhpur). Later they started building the stunning Meherangarh
(fort) at Jodhpur. The Bhattis, who belong to the Induvansa Race, driven from their
homeland in the Punjab by the Turks, installed themselves at Jaisalmer in 1156.
They remained more of less entrenched in their desert Kingdom until they were
integrated into the state of Rajasthan following Independence.
In spite of the Muslim rule up to Punjab, the Rajputs gained control of the heart of
North India. The Rajputs who held the stage of feudal rulers before the coming of
the Muslims were a brave and chivalrous race. The Rajput legend traces their

2. ancestry to Bappa Rawal - the legendary founder of the race who is said to have
lived in the 8th century. In actual fact although they were Kshatriyas in the Hindu
caste hierarchy, they seem to have genetically descended from the Shakas and
Hunas who had invaded north India during the Gupta period and had subsequently
settled down in North India and due to their war-like attitudes and been absorbed
as Kshatriyas into Hindu society. It is they who held the banner when the first
Muslim invaders reached the Indian Heart land in the 12th century i.e. around 1191
C.E.
The Rajputs who till the 10th century were mostly local feudal lords holding the
status of revenue collectors for their Gurjara-Pratihara overlords, asserted
themselves as independent rulers, after the Ghaznavid storm had blown over, and
took over the earlier kingdoms of the Gurjara-Pratiharas. The main Rajput
kingdoms in the 11th and 12th centuries were that of the Cahamanas (Chouhans)
in East Punjab, Northern Rajasthan and Delhi. The Gahadwalas (Rathods) ruled the
Ganges valley today's UP. The Paramaras ruled Malwa in Central India and the
Tomaras ruled from Gwaliar. The most powerful kingdoms were hose of the
Chauhans and the Rathods - both of which unfortunately were incessantly at war
with each other when the Muslim raiders appeared again in the 1191 C.E. The
Rajputs, who were a brave and chivalrous race, held the stage of feudal rulers
before the coming of the Muslims.
The Gahadwalas (Rathods)
In the 11th century i.e. in the post-Mahmud Ghazni era, the most powerful Hindu
Kingdom in North India was that of the Gahadwalas or Rathods who were a Rajput
clan. The founder of the Gahadwala line was Chandradeva, whose son
Govindchandra Gahadwala was the most illustrious ruler of this line. Govindchandra
was an astute ruler and ruled from Kannauj. Most of North India, including the
university town of Nalanda was a part of his kingdom. He stoutly defended his
kingdom from further Muslims incursion. He instituted a tax for this purpose which
was called Turushka Danda (i.e. tax to fight the Turushkas or Turks). His grandson
was Jaichandra Gahadwala (Rathod) who played a tragic role in Indian History.
Prithviraj Chauhan
In Jaichand's days, a rival Rajput clan had established itself in Delhi (Pithoragarh).
The ruler there was Prithviraj Chauhan. Pritiviraj was a romantic, chivalrous and an
extremely fearless person. After ceaseless military campaigns, Pritiviraj extended
his original kingdom of Sambhar (Shakambara) to Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Eastern
Punjab. He ruled from his twin capitals at Delhi and Ajmer. His fast rise caught the
envy of the then powerful ruler Jaichandra Gahadwala and there was a lot of ill-feeling
between the two.
Sanyogita, the daughter of Jaichandra Gahadwala fell secretly in love with
Prithiviraj and she started a secret poetic correspondence with him. Her father the
haughty Jaichandra got wind of this and he decided to teach his daughter and her
upstart lover a lesson. So he arranged a Swayamwara (a ceremony where a bride
can select her husband from the assembled princes. She had the right to garland
any prince and she became his queen. This is an ancient Hindu custom among
Royalty). Jaichandra invited all the big and small princes of the country to Kannauj

3. for the royal Swayamwara. But he deliberately ignored Prithiviraj. To add insult to
injury, he even made a statue of Prithiviraj and kept him as a dwarpala (doorman).
Prithviraj got to know of this and he confided his plans to his lover. On the said day,
Sanyogita walked down the aisle where the royale had assembled and bypassed all
of them only to reach the door and garland the statue of Pritiviraj as a doorman.
The assemblage was stunned at this brash act of hers. But what stunned them and
her father Jaichandra was the next thing that happened. Prithiviraj who was hiding
behind the statue, also in the garb of a doorman, whisked Sanyogita away and put
her up on his steed to make a fast getaway to his capital at Delhi.
Jaichandra and his army gave earnest chase and in the resultant string of battles
between the two kingdoms fought between 1189 and 1190, both of them suffered
heavily. While this drama was being enacted, another ruler also named Mahmud
who was from Ghori in Afghanistan had grown powerful and had captured Ghazni
and subsequently attacked the Ghaznavid Governor of Punjab and defeated him.
The kingdom of Mahmud Ghori now stretched up to the domains of Prithiviraj
Chauhan. A clash was inevitable.
Mahmud Ghori threw the gauntlet by laying siege to the fortress of Bhatinda in East
Punjab which was on the frontier of Prithiviraj's domains. Prithviraj's appeal for help
from his father-in-law was scornfully rejected by the haughty Jaichandra. But
undaunted Prithviraj marched on to Bhatinda and met his enemy at a place called
Tarain (also called Taraori) near the ancient town of Thanesar. In face of the
persistent Rajput attacks, the battle was won as the Muslim army broke ranks and
fled leaving their general Mahmud Ghori as a prisoner in Pritiviraj's hands. Mahmud
Ghori was brought in chains to Pithoragarh - Prithviraj's capital and he begged his
victor for mercy and release. Prithviraj's ministers advised against pardoning the
aggressor. But the chivalrous and valiant Prithviraj thought otherwise and
respectfully released the vanquished Ghori.
The 1st Battle of Tarain 1191 C.E. - Victory of Prithiviraj Chauhan
Mahmud Ghori threw the gauntlet by laying siege to the fortress of Bhatinda in East
Punjab which was on the frontier of Prithiviraj's domains. Prithviraj's appeal for help
from his father-in-law was scornfully rejected by the haughty Jaichandra. But
undaunted Prithviraj marched on to Bhatinda and met his enemy at a place called
Tarain (also called Taraori) near the ancient town of Thanesar. In face of the
persistent Rajput attacks, the battle was won as the Muslim army broke ranks and
fled leaving their general Mahmud Ghori as a prisoner in Pritiviraj's hands. Mahmud
Ghori was brought in chains to Pithoragarh - Prithviraj's capital and he begged his
victor for mercy and release. Prithviraj's ministers advised against pardoning the
aggressor. But the chivalrous and valiant Prithviraj thought otherwise and
respectfully released the vanquished Ghori.
The 2nd Battle of Tarain 1192 C.E. - Defeat of Prithiviraj Chauhan
The very next year Prithiviraj's gesture was repaid by Ghori who re-attacked
Prithiviraj with a stronger army and guilefully defeated him by attacking the Rajput
army before daybreak. (The Hindus incidentally followed a hoary practice of battling
only from sunrise up to sunset. Before Sunrise and after Sunset there was to be no
fighting- as per a time honoured battle code).The defeated Prithiviraj was pursued
up to his capital and in chains he was taken as a captive to Ghor in Afghanistan.

4. The Blinding of Prithviraj Chauhan
The story of Prithiviraj does not end here. As a prisoner in Ghor he was presented
before Mahmud, where he looked Ghori straight into the eye. Ghori ordered him to
lower his eyes, whereupon a defiant Prithiviraj scornfully told him how he had
treated Ghori as a prisoner and said that the eyelids of a Rajputs eyes are lowered
only in death. On hearing this, Ghori flew into a rage and ordered that Prithviraj's
eyes be burnt with red hot iron rods. This heinous deed being done, Prithiviraj was
regularly brought to the court to be taunted by Ghori and his courtiers. In those
days Prithiviraj was joined by his former biographer Chand Bardai, who had
composed a ballad-biography on Pritiviraj in the name of Prithviraj Raso (Songs of
Prithviraj). Chand Bardai told Prithiviraj, that he should avenge Ghori's betrayal and
daily insults.
The Blind Prithviraj Avenges the Injustice done to him. The two got an opportunity
when Ghori announced a game of Archery. On the advice of Chand Bardai,
Prithviraj, who was then at court said he would also like to participate. On hearing
his suggestion, the courtiers guffawed at him and he was taunted by Ghori as to
how he could participate when he could not see. Whereupon, Prithiviraj told
Mahmud Ghori to order him to shoot, and he would reach his target. Ghori became
suspicious and asked Prithviraj why he wanted Ghori himself to order and not
anyone else. On behalf of Prithiviraj, Chand Bardai told Ghori that he as a king
would not accept orders from anyone other than a king. His ego satisfied, Mahmud
Ghori agreed.
On the said day, Ghori sitting in his royal enclosure had Prithiviraj brought to the
ground and had him unchained for the event. On Ghori's ordering Prithviraj to
shoot, we are told Prithiviraj turned in the direction from where he heard Ghori
speak and struck Ghori dead with his arrow. This event is described by Chand
Bardai in the couplet, "Char bans, chaubis gaj, angul ashta praman, Ete pai Sultan
hai (Taa Upar hai Sultan). Ab mat chuko Chauhan."(Ten measures ahead of you
and twenty four feet away, is seated the Sultan, do not miss him now, Chauhan).
Thus ended the story of the brave but unrealistic Prithviraj Chauhan - the last
Hindu ruler of Delhi. Delhi was to remain under Muslim rule for the next 700 years
till 1857 and under British rule till 1947. Those few Hindus who came close to
liberating Delhi during the seven centuries of Muslim rule were Rana Sanga in 1527,
Raja (Hemu) Vikramaditya in around 1565 (2nd battle of Panipat), and Shrimant
Vishwas Rao who was the Peshwa's son and was co-commander of the Maratha
forces in the 3rd battle of Panipat in 1761. Metaphorically speaking, the next Hindu
ruler to actually preside over Delhi was to be Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first
President of Independent India (and Jawarharlal Nehru - who was the President's
first Minister).
The Rajput Resistance to Muslim Rule - Man Singh Tomar
In spite of the establishment of Muslim rule in Delhi and UP (Uttar Pradesh) in the
former kingdoms of Prithiviraj Chauhan and Jaichand Rathod, the Muslim invaders
could never overrun the entire country. The Rajput dynasties like the Tomaras of
Gwaliar and the Ranas of Mewad still continued to rule central India. One such
Rajput ruler was Man Singh Tomar the king of Gwaliar. Man Singh put up a stout
resistance to the Lodis and he succeeded in halting the Muslim ruler Sikandar Lodi's
southward march at Gwaliar. While the Tomaras of Gwaliar held back the Muslims

5. from advancing into Malwa, the Ranas of Mewad held up the banner of Indian
independence from Mewad in those trying times of Muslim aggression in India. In
South Rajasthan especially, the Rajputs had defiantly preserved their writ by
resisting the Delhi Sultans. The center of this Rajput resistance was the kingdom at
Chittor.
Maharana Pratap
Udai Singh's son was Maharana Pratap who leads the Rajputs against Akbar's
armies and preserved Rajput rule in Mewad. Rana Pratap was faced with the
formidable challenge of renegade Rajput princes like Raja Todar Mal and Raja Man
Singh who had joined forces with the Muslim rulers.
The Battle of Haldighati
In the Battle of Haldighati fought between Maharana Pratap and the Mughals; the
Rajputs were not able to overcome the combined strength of the Mughals and the
renegade Rajput princes who had played the role of traitors. But Maharana Pratap,
who was badly hurt in the battle, was saved by his wise horse Chetak, who took
him in an unconscious state away from the battle scene. Although Maharana Pratap
was not able to thwart the Muslims successfully, the saga of Rajput resistance to
Muslim rule continued till the 17th century when the baton of the struggle for
Indian Independence from Muslim tyranny was taken up by the upcoming power of
the Marathas, who brought about an end to Muslim domination of India.
According to the Rajput bards the Chauhan is one of the four Agnikula or 'fire
sprung' tribes who were created by the gods in the anali kund or 'fountain of fire'
on Mount Abu to fight against the Asuras or demons. Chauhan is also one of the 36
(royal) ruling races of the Rajputs.
Chauhan dynasty flourished from the 8th to 12th centuries AD. It was one of the
four main Rajput dynasties of that era, the others being Pratiharas, Paramaras and
Chalukyas. The Chauhans dominated Delhi, Ajmer, and Ranthambhor. They were
also prominent at Sirohi in the southwest of Rajputana, and at Bundi and Kota in
the east. Inscriptions also associate them with Sambhar, the salt lake area in the
Amber (later Jaipur) district. Chauhan politics were largely campaigns against the
Chalukyas and the invading Muslim hordes. In the 11th century they founded the
city of Ajayameru (Ajmer) in the southern part of their kingdom, and in the 12th
century captured Dhilika (the ancient name of Delhi) from the Tomaras and
annexed some of their territory along the Yamuna River. Prithviraj III has become
famous in folk tales and historical literature as the Chauhan king of Delhi who
resisted the Muslim attack in the first Battle of TARAIN (1191). Armies from other
Rajput kingdoms, including Mewar assisted him. However, Prithviraj was defeated
in a second battle at Tarain the following year. This failure ushered in Muslim rule in
North India in the form of the SLAVE DYNASTY, the first of the Delhi Sultanates.
Sudhir singh Chauhan
BE(Civil).Mtech.(Urban Planning),MBA
Senior Town Planner,
Municipal Corporation Gurgaon.

6. Some important date to remember
January
Dates Description
23 Jan Death Date of Shahaji Raje (Father of Great Shiva ji)
February
Dates Description
9 Feb Great Shiva ji Jayanti
March
Dates Description
17 Mar Death Date of Rana Sanga
18 Mar Birth Date of Shahaji Raje (Father of Great Shiva ji)
April
Dates Description
3 Apr Death Date of Great Shiva ji
12 Apr Birth Date of Rana Sanga
23 Apr Death Date of Veer Kunwar Singh
May
Dates Description
6 May Birth Date of Bahi Bachittar Singh
24 May Maharana Pratap Jayanti
June
Dates Description
9 June Death Date of Banda Bahadur
July
Dates Description
## ###
August
Dates Description
13 Aug Birth Date of Veer Durgadas Rathore
September

7. Oct
Dates Description
16 Oct Birth Date of Banda Bahadur
November
Dates Description
22 Nov Death Date of Veer Durgadas Rathore