Introduction

Rajputs are one of the major Hindu Kshatriya groups in India. After the death of Harsha, northern India disintegrated completely. This period was marked by the ascendancy of the Kshatriya clan, Rajputs.

Under their rule several small kingdoms sprang up. These small provincial kingdoms, however, were continuously at war with each other. This period has been conveniently termed as the Rajput period by the historians. Though the origin of the Rajputs had not yet been discovered, the historians have opined that there were several dynasties belonging to the Rajput house proper.

Origin of Rajputs

Various suppositions regarding origin of Rajputs have been put forward. The term Rajputs seems to be the corrupt from of "Rajaputra". In the accounts of Bana and Indian Puranas, "Rajaputra" is mentioned as a highborn Kshatriya. According to the contemporary literary sources, the Rajputs were originated from the highborn Kshatriyas. The centuries between the death of Harsha and the Turkish conquest was marked by the ascendancy of the Rajputs. The entire northern India was disintegrated and came under the sway of the different houses of the Rajput. The Rajputs are usually a social group of northern India and Gujarat flourished during the period. The Rajputs were the dominant martial and land-owning community of northern India. The period is conveniently termed as the Rajput period of Indian history.

Many historians believe that that they are the brood of distant invader like Sakas, Kushanas, Huns who were Hinduized. The upper rank came to be known as Rajputs. A different observation is that Rajputs are the descendants of Brahmin or Kshatriya families. Some scholars have opined that Gurjaras entered India through Afghanistan, settled themselves in different parts of India and were the ancestors of the Rajputs. However this theory had less acceptability. Other hypotheses, ascribing to them a Scythian origin who came to India and settled here. Invasions of the Huns had an impact on Indian society socially and culturally which also established many new ruling empires. Later, they mixed themselves in the Indian society and almost lost their individuality. Certain customs like women`s status in society, horse worship were similar to clan of Shakas, Huns and Kushanas so their foreign origin is proved.

Chand Bardai, court poet of Prithviraja Chauhan state that Rajput`s origin lies in sacrificial fire pit. Sage Parasuram destroyed all the Kshatriyas and then the ancient sages performed a yajna on Mount Abu to guard the Vedic religion. Out of that yajna four heroes were born and their progeny were the Chauhans, Solanki, Parmara, and Pratihara. This is believed to be origin of Agnivanshi Rajputs. Suryavanshi Rajputs trace their ancestry to the Sun. They ruled Mewar, Marwar, and Amber. Chandravanshi Rajputs descended from Moon. Gujarat, Jaisalmer was ruled by Chandravanshi Rajputs.

Again there are many Historians who held the view that Rajputs were descendants of Hindu Kshatriya or Brahmin families. On the basis of ancient inscriptions they have rejected the story of sacrificial- fire pit and also the view of the foreign origin of the Rajputs. They believe that the founder of Chauhans, the Gehlots, the Pallavas, the Kadambas, the Pratiharas and the Parmaras were Brahmins.

Whatever the origin is, the Rajputs were believed till date as one of the virulent warrior tribes ever ruled in India. They never originated as a tribe or a single community. They were a collection of clans ruling different regions. The term Rajput as it is used today refers to the set of intermarrying royal clans.

"It is their war like occupation coupled with their aristocratic rank that gave them a distinctive common feature and made the Brahmins recognize them as Kshatriyas." In a broad spectrum no single origin-theory can be held to be authoritative.

History of Rajputs

History of Rajputs reveal that the first Rajput kingdoms date back to the seventh century and it was during the ninth and eleventh centuries that they rose to fame. The four Agnivanshi clans, namely the Pariharas (of the Pratihara), Solankis (of the Chalukya dynasty), Paramara, and Chahamanas of the Chauhans rose to prominence by establishing territories and creating kingdoms.

Chattis Rajput Kuls : The Chattis Rajkul is a list of kings of the thirty six different Indian states. Chattis Rajkul clans include clans from Suryavansha, Chandravansha, Agnivansha and Nagvansha. Suryavanshi`s are descendants of Surya, the sun god, Chandravansha being that of moon and Agnivansha meaning those born from the sacrificial fire pit. This is again divided into Guhilots, Yadu vansh, Tomar vansh, Rathore, Parmar, Chauhan, Gurjar, Solanki many more to be mentioned.

Beginning of Rajput Kingdoms : The first Rajput Empire in medieval history is Harsha`s empire who ruled over the whole of north India for forty seven years. After his death his empire broke into numerous Rajput Kingdoms. Bappa Rawal of the Gahlot dynasty established his rule in the eighth century in Chittor.

The Kachwahas dynasty from Bihar founded Gwalior and Narwar in One of their descendants, Dulah Rai established his rule in Dhundhar in the 11th century. The royal Pratiharas established their rule over Malwa the eighth and ninth centuries. One branch of the clan established a state in Mandore in the Marwar region in sixth and seventh centuries. Around ninth century the Pratiharas of Ujjain conquered Kannauj, and from this city they ruled much of northern India for a century. They went into decline after invasions of Rashtrakutas in early tenth century. The Chandela clan ruled Bundelkhand and occupied the fortress of Kalinjar; and later built the temples at Khajuraho. Intermarriage among the Rajput clans interlinked the various regions of India and Pakistan, facilitating trade and scholarship. The early eleventh century saw the reign of the Pratihara king Bhoja of Malwa. During this time art, literature and archaeology flourished.

Rajputs under Muslim Rule : For geographical reasons, Rajput-ruled states suffered the burden of attack from the Mongol, Turk, and Afghans who constantly invaded India. In the 11th century, Mahmud of Ghazni conquered the Hindu Shahi kingdom in the Punjab which weakened the Pratihara kingdom. In the mean time the Gahadvala dynasty established a state centred around Kannauj, ruling for about a hundred years. They were defeated by Muhammad of Ghor, who sacked the city in twelfth century.

Meanwhile, a nearby state was ruled successively by the Tomara and Chauhan clans. Prithiviraj III, ruler of Delhi, defeated Muhammad of Ghor at the First Battle of Tarain. Muhammad defeated Prithviraj at the Second Battle of Tarain (1192 CE). In this battle, rampant inner conflict among Rajput kingdoms made the invaders to easily attack.

The Delhi Sultanate was established by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, Muhammad of Ghor`s successor, in the early thirteenth century. Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji conquered in subsequent centuries Gujarat, Malwa, Ranthambhore, Chittorgarh, Jalore, and Bhinmal. All were conquered after long sieges and fierce resistance from their Rajput defenders.

Ala ud din Khilji delegated the administration of the newly conquered areas to his principal Rajput collaborator, Maldeo Songara, ruler of Jalore. Maldeo Songara was soon displaced by his son-in-law Hammir, who re-established the state of Mewar which emerged as a leading Rajput state, after Rana Kumbha enlarged his kingdom at the cost of the sultanates of Malwa and Gujarat.

The Delhi sultanate was extinguished when Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat. Rana Sanga, ruler of Mewar, fought with Babur but was defeated. Rana Sanga died soon; Mewar came under the rule of his widow, Rani Karmavati. This was menaced by Bahadur Shah, ruler of Gujarat.

Babur`s son Humayun was a ruler who was forced to spend long periods in exile. His son Akbar, however, consolidated his inheritance and expanded what had been the Delhi sultanate into a wide empire. Part of the reason for his success was his inclusion of native Rajput chiefs into the ruling class of his empire. The Rajput chiefs cemented the alliance with marriages, with numerous Rajput noblewomen being wed to Mughal grandees. The Kachwahas were the first to extend matrimonial alliances with Akbar; they pioneered a trend that soon turned pervasive and played no small role in extending Rajput influence across the Indian sub-continent. Indeed, two successive Mughal emperors, Jahangir and Shah Jahan, were born to Rajput mothers.

Rajput chiefs served as Mughal officers and administrators across the Mughal Empire. In this period, the aristocratic image of the Rajputs can be said to have shaped up. However, it was not until the reign of Akbar fifteen years later that the structure of relations between the Mughal Empire and the Rajput states began to take definitive shape. Later, Babur`s grandson Akbar attacked Chittor. After a struggle, Mewar`s chief citadel of Chittor finally fell to Akbar.

After Rana Pratap`s death, his son Rana Amar Singh continued the struggle for 18 years. He finally entered into a peace treaty with the Mughals but with certain exceptions. The treaty was signed by Rana Amar Singh and Prince Khurram Shihab-ud-din Muhammad Singh regained control of his state as a representative of the Mughals. The last Rajput dynasty to enter into an alliance with the Mughals was the Sisodias of Mewars.

Rajputs in Medieval India :  Prithviraj Chauhan was the last Rajput ruler of Delhi. The Chauhans, led by the grandson of Prithviraj, Govinda, later established a small state around Ranthambore. The Rever Maharaja Ranavghansinh ruled Taranga in the eleventh century. The Tomaras later established themselves at Gwalior, and their ruler Man Singh had built a fortress. Muhammad`s armies brought down the Gahadvala kingdom. Some surviving members of the dynasty had taken refuge to the western desert, formed the Rathore clan, and found the state of Marwar. The Kachwaha clan came to rule Dhundhar, their capital being Amber. The Katoch clan, the Chauhans of Chamba and certain clans of Uttarakhand and Nepal had emigrated to Himalayas.

Rajputs in British Empire ; The trend of political relations between Rajput states and the central power of the Mughal emperors was the pioneer for similar relations between them and the British rule. The eighteen states in the Rajputana region, out of which fifteen were ruled by Rajputs, entered into alliance with the British East India Company and became princely states under the British Rule. The British also took control of Ajmer, which became the province of Ajmer-Merwara. A large number of other Rajput states in central and western India made similar pacts. Most of them were placed under the Central India Agency`s authority and the various agencies of state of Kathiawar.

Rajputs after Independence : The Maharajas were given undue recognition and an annual amount was endowed to them. Many entered into affairs of state and served as elected representatives. However, later on the Maharajas were de - recognized and the system of annual endowment was also abolished.

The Mair Rajputs today are found in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Rajasthan. The capital city of India, Delhi also contains a number of Mair Rajputs. Many Mairs are goldsmiths today because that is recognized as their traditional occupation. Sikh Rajputs are the followers of Sikhism belonging to the Rajput social group. Many Punjabi Rajput families are also enrolled in the Guru`s Army, or Khalsa Panth, and baptized as Khalsa Sikhs.

Today the kingdoms have been transformed into famous hotels and tourist destinations, though the Maharajas fulfill some of the ceremonial duties. Rajput men and women are still much involved with elaborate ceremonies, especially weddings, for these are the rituals of Rajput identity. There are modern Rajputs who are followers of the Swaminarayan sect, of Ramanuja, or of Vallabhacharya. These groups are all vegetarians, but other Hindu Rajputs, the majority, are Shaivites.

Rule of Rajputs

The main feature of the Rajput kings was that they were reckoned as warriors and as influential rulers. They played a significant part in materialising the modern-day society in northern India. Apart from this they showered patronage on art and architecture and the Rajput rulers were also prolific builders of beautiful palaces. As per the archaeological evidence and contemporary texts, the Indian society had achieved significant prosperity during the Rajput rule. During their ruling period in India the spread of literacy attained great heights. Indian literature had reached to its zenith during this period and the literature in Sanskrit and in Apabhramshas which constitutes a large segment of the classical Indian literature. Rajputs allowed intermarriage among the different Rajput clans that interlinked different regions of India and this made the trade and scholarship easier to flow from one part of the country to another. Though the majority of Rajputs practice Hinduism but they also practiced Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism and occasionally Jainism as well. They had strong support for Buddhists, Zoroastrians and Sufi traditions including Sikh panth as well.

Rule of Pratiharas and the Chauhans

The Pratiharas and the Chauhans rose in ascendancy in the Rajput Period. The Rajputs were the warrior clan and during this period they captured the whole of northern India under their supremacy. The victory in the Tripartite Struggle established the suzerainty of the Pratiharas in northern India. However, the Pratihara supremacy declined under the successors of Mahipala Pratihara. The Rajput power again revived under Prithviraj Chauhan.

Etymology of Rajputs

Vedic literature mentions that Rajput is derivative of the concept of the word `Rajaputra` meaning the "Son of a King". According to the then social structure the Rajputs were the assimilation of 36 "royal races," or `raj kuls`. They were considered to be migrants to India from Central Asia who mingled with the aboriginal tribes and were given Kshatriya or warrior status by the priests. Even the Huns were also commonly listed as one of the `raj kuls`.

Among the different Rajput tribes there are Suryavanshi Rajputs, Chandravanshi or Yaduvanshi Rajputs that deserve special mention. Apart from these there are the Agni-kuls. According to the evidences, the generally acknowledged Agnikuls are the Chauhans, Parmars, Chalukyas, and the Purihars.

Concentration of Rajput

Rajputs are a community that hailed basically from northern India and Gujarat. The main centres of the Rajputs were Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh but their clans have had a long and significant presence in other states. In Madhya Pradesh Rajputs are the major Hindu caste and their dominance exists in Bihar, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat as well. Rajputs of India encompass many different tribes and they were praised for their valour and chivalry in battle.

Social Hierarchy of Rajputs

Rajputs maintained a strong social hierarchy and the Brahmins received good support from them. Rajputs also patronised art and culture. The Rajput chiefs ruled much of northern and western India from 7th to 12th centuries until they were subdued by Muslim invaders in 1200 AD. During this time, many Hindu Rajputs were employed in the Mughal army. Even the Rajputs also joined the sepoy forces of the East India Company as infantry and cavalry from an early period. Prior to the Indian Mutiny of 1857, the Rajputs and Brahmins from Bihar and Oudh became the principal recruits sought by the Bengal army and also by Bombay army.

Culture of Rajputs

Rajputs followed a traditional life style which was also the representation of martial spirit. They celebrate the festival of Rakhi and as per the belief of the Rajputs the bracelets would avert evil in battle. The dressing style and tradition of the Rajputs also carry their chivalric grandeur and ethnicity. As leaders of a primarily feudal society, they played the role of protectors. Affluent and powerful, they wear garments made of fine fabric, with elaborate designs and a high degree of ornamentation. The Rajput men, who were essentially warriors and farmers, always present a distinctly masculine appearance. The rajput men wear aristocratic dresses that are quite elaborate Court-dress and consists of pagadi, angarkhi, churidar pyjama and a belt called the cummerbund. The angarkhi is a long upper garment, worn over a sleeveless close fitting vest. It has an asymmetrical front with a yoke and is open, down its length at the centre-front and is fastened with cloth ties at the shoulder and at the centre-front waist. Other upper garments worn by royalty include the `jama` and the `shervani`. Lower garments include the `salvar`, a pair of shaped-trousers and the `churidar-pyjama`, which is a fitted pair of trousers. The dhoti is also worn, though styles differ from region to region. The tevata style is most commonly worn in the Thar Desert region, while the other regions use the tilangi style. An interesting variation used by some older men is a semi-structured dhoti in which both the edges are stitched together. The Jodhpur-coat worn with Jodhpurs is a popular and typical combination worn by the Rajput men.

Costumes of Rajputs

The costumes of the young Rajput girls include an upper garment called `puthia` which is made up of cotton fabric in colours of yellow, pink and white and may be either plain or printed. The young girls wear a loose pyjama called `sulhanki`. The married women wear `kanchli`, `angia` and `kurti` as upper garments that are made of satin or fine cotton in red, magenta, green or yellow. The `kanchli` is heavily ornamented with gota in floral designs. The `kurti` is a short sleeveless tunic with a deep neckline, which is worn over the `kanchli` and reaches a little below the waist. The women wear `angia` at the time of marriage and the fabric and design of the `angia` is almost the same as for the `kanchli`. Widows and unmarried women of the Rajput community wear `polka`, which is a half-sleeved bodice that ends at the waist. Moreover the `ghaghra` of the Rajput woman is a voluminous gored skirt of line satin, silk or organza. The `ghaghras` are decked with gold or silver embroidery that display the affluence of the wearer. Rajput women wear three styles of `ghaghra` namely Kalidar, `charpaui` and `kalipatti`. One of the most important parts of the women costume is the `odhna` which is woven in brocade and is worked in silk thread on a bright base, like pink or violet. The Rajput women wear different types of `odhnas` depending on different occasions. The Rajput women prefer to wear jewelleries and these jewelleries are exquisite in style and design. Rakhdi is a head ornament; `machi-suliya` is worn on the ears. Their necklaces are the `tevata`, the `pattia` and the `aad`. The `rakhdi`, `nath` and the `chuda` are symbolic of a woman`s married status. Ornaments for the feet include the `jod`, `rimjhol` and the `pagpan`. The footwear of both men and women are very similar called `juti` and is made of leather with dense embroider on the surface. The Rajputs are the groups that carry a distinct style in their traditional costumes. The men and women of this community prefer to embellish themselves with various jewelleries and ornaments.

Delhi Coinage under Rajputs

Delhi coinage under Rajputs was made up of silver-copper alloy. The production capacity of Delhi remained stable and the rate of production was also maintained fairly constant throughout the period. The quality of execution of the coins, especially from 1160 AD onwards, was superior in comparison with the billon coinage of the Gurjara-Pratiharas, but inferior to the Shahi coinage. The coins were popularly called Dehliwalas after their place of origin, and enjoyed wide currency in their own time. While virtually all of the hoards recovered date from the Ghurid or early Sultanate period show a post-conquest circulation pattern, the unusually high rate of attrition in circulation attests to both frequency of use and dispersal into neighbouring kingdoms in the pre-conquest period. From the pattern of hoard finds and historical inference, this emigration appears to have been largely towards the northwest of Delhi, or into the Punjab province. Since the Dehliwalas are not found in hoards together with the late debased coinage of the Yaminids of the Punjab or Ghurids in the Peshawar region, it has been assumed that they have travelled to that quarter as a trade currency or as plunder, rather than in general circulation.

Historical references to the Tomara Rajput kingdom of Delhi are quite oblique. There are a few general statements that the Tomaras ruled Delhi, and that they were the protagonists in the Chauhan conquest of Delhi pre-AD 1164. Delhi coins under Rajputs claimed that they were freely exchanged one against the other. During most of the twelfth century under successive Rajput regimes, the coins were of a uniform design, and were not anonymous but bore the name of the issuing authority. In metal content, general weight range and design, the coinage was modelled on the Shahi dirhams, and more specifically the later Shahi-type derivative coinage of the eleventh century. The bull-and-horseman coins of Chahada Deva resemble the contemporary Delhi Sultanate coins in general fabric. Interestingly, some specimens of Delhi under Rajputs were virtually indistinguishable from some specimens of Prithviraj Chauhan`s coin.

Delhi coinage under Rajputs had been divided into three groups based on termination dates in order to compare the survival histories of the Rajput coins at three separate points in time. On all other coins of the Rajput bull-and-horseman series, the obverse legend mentions `Samanta Deva`; the reverse bears the issuer`s name. Regarding circulation of coins it was established satisfactorily by hoard analysis that for the most part, only one mint was involved in the minting of the Rajput bull-and-horseman coins.

Bundela Rajputs

Bundelas, also known as Bondilis are a Rajput clan who ruled a number of states in the central part of India. The Bundelas of Bundelkhand have their origin in Maharaja Hemkaran (Pancham Singh Bundela), who was driven out from his kingdom by his younger brother. While in banishment, he appeased the Goddess Vindyhavasini, and with her help set up a Kingdom at Mahauni in the Vindhya Range of central India.His descendants were known as the `Vindhyalas`, after the name of the mountain range. In the beginning of the 14th century, the Bundelas moved south from the Vindhya Range into the Bundelkhand region. Sahanpal Bundela captured Garhkundar, near Damoh from a Khangar king. The Bundela chief Rudra Pratap (ruled 1501-1531) founded the state of Orchha. The Bundelas seized the city of Chanderi in 1586. Rulers like Madhukar, Virsingh Dev, Ram Sab and Jujhar Singh then subsequently ruled the region. When the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan killed Jujhar Singh in 1636, Orchha was for a short time annexed to the Mughal Empire, although it was later restored to the Bundelas.

Bhagwan Rao, another son of Virsingh Dev, became ruler of Datia. Champat Ray, a successor of Rudra Pratap, revolted against the Mughals. His fourth son Maharaja Chhatrasal in 1671 started a revolt against the Mughals, and soon captured Naugaon in present-day Chhatarpur District. In 1680 he occupied Mahoba, and went on to control much of Bundelkhand, ruling from Panna. He entered into an alliance with the Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao I, who was challenging the Mughals for control of central India. In 1729 Baji Rao sent a Maratha army to help Chhatar Sal against the Mughals. Chhatar Sal`s ruled the states of Panna, Ajaigarh, Charkhari, Chhatarpur, and Jaso. Chhatarpur went to the Ponwar Rajputs in 1785. In 1680 Devi Singh Bundela became governor of the Chanderi, and the city remained in the hands of his family until Jean Baptiste Filose captured it in 1811 on behalf of the Maratha ruler Daulat Rao Sindhia of Gwalior. After 1802, the Bundela rulers entered into treaties of subsidiary alliance with the British, and princely states were formed. The Bundelas ruled Orchha, Datia, Panna, Ajaigarh, Charkhari, and Jaso until 1950. Precisely, the Bundela rulers of Orchha are Raja Rudra Pratap, Raja Bharatichand, Raja Madhukarshah, Raja Virsingh Dev, Raja Jujhar Singh, Raja Devi Singh, Raja Pahar Singh, Raja Sujan Singh I, Raja Indramani Singh, Raja Jashwant Singh, Raja Bhagwat Singh, Raja Udwat Singh, Raja Prithvi Singh, Raja Sanwant Singh, Raja Hati Singh, Raja Man Singh, Raja Bharti Singh, Raja Vikramajit, Raja Dharam Pal, Raja Vikramajit, Raja Tej Singh, Raja Sajjan Singh, Maharaja Hamir Singh, Maharaja Pratap Singh and Maharaja Vir Singh.