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	Ancient Rajput kings have permitted all the faiths to flourish in their domains{{fact}}. While personally they have often practiced Vedic, ], ] and ocasionaly ] traditions; they supported Buddhists, ] and Sufi traditions as well. Rajputs in India are mostly Hindu. There are some Rajputs who follow the ] panth, and they often intermarry with Hindu Rajputs. There are many ] in Pakistan, and some also in India{{fact}}.		Ancient Rajput kings have permitted all the faiths to flourish in their domains{{fact}}. While personally they have often practiced Vedic, ], ] and ocasionaly ] traditions; they supported Buddhists, ] and Sufi traditions as well. Rajputs in India are mostly Hindu. There are some Rajputs who follow the ] panth, and they often intermarry with Hindu Rajputs. There are many ] in Pakistan, and some also in India{{fact}}.

			==Origins==
			The Rajputs are divided into 36 ], claiming three basic lineages: the ] (Solar Race), the ] (Lunar Race), and the '']'' (Fire Born). Some scholars also include ''Rishi vanshi'', ''Nag Vanshi'' and ''Vayu Vanshi'' as separate classes. House of ], ], ] are Suryavanshi rajputs. Rulers of ], ], ], ] are Agnivanshi. ] and ] are from the same line which bifurcated at king yadu when his father banished him from becoming the king. House of ] are yaduvanshi rajputs.

			The Suryavanshi trace their lineage to the Vedic Sun -Surya( Lord ] was also born in this lineage) Somvanshi to ] (the vedic diety Soma or Moon )and Agnivanshi orginated from fire. The Yaduvanshi trace there lineage to Lord ].

			Each ] has many ] and each ] has ]. Rathores are divided into these ] : Dhandhul, Bhadail, Khokra, Jodha etc. Gehlote ] is subdivided into these shakhas: Aharya (at ]) , ] (at ]), Peeparra (at ]) etc. ] are divided into these ]: Hada, Kheechee, Deora, Songara etc. Similarly there are various shakha in Kacchwaha, Parihaar and rest of the 12 clans described below. For a pictorial description please see page 27 of ]

			Each ] has its ], a genealogical creed, describing the essential peculiarities, religious tenets and pristine locale of the clan. It is a touchstone of affinities and guardian of the laws of intermarriage.

			''Rathore Gotra Acharya'' -- ''Gautam gotra, Mardwunduni Shakha, Shukra-Acharya Guru, Garroopata Agni, Pankhini Devi''.

			Twelve of 36 ] of ] further subdivide. These 12 are ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ]. These 24 clans are 'Eka' and do not divide further. ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] ,], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ].

	==History==		==History==

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File:Maharanapratap.jpg

Maharana Pratap of Udaipur

A Rājput (from the Sanskrit राजपुत्र rāja-putra, "son of a king") is a member of a prominent community who live throughout northern and central India, but primarily in the northwestern state of Rajasthan, which was called Rājputānā until the reorganization of Indian states after independence.

They are thought to number about 12 million. The Indian census has not recorded caste affiliation since 1931 (except in the case of Backward or Scheduled Castes) and any estimates of those claiming Rajput lineage or caste are necessarily inexact.

Definition

The term Rājaputra has been used since the time of Harshavardhana; however, modern usage of the term refers to the descendants of the 36 major clans that ruled western India between the 8th and 13th centuries CE. A listing of rajput clans is available in the Kumarpala Charita of Jayasimha and in the Prithviraj Raso of Chandbardai. There are numerous legends and folklores about Rajputs in India.

The term Rajput ordinarily refers to the group's "jati" which is a social hierarchical status found within the caste system of Hinduism, which developed out of the Vedic varna system. The Rajputs consider themselves descendants of the Vedic warrior (Kshatriya) varna.

A number of other jatis or sub-castes, claim to be Rajputs. While some of them have a historical basis for that claim, most such claims are efforts by other castes to negotiate a change in caste status for themselves. Such claims are generally not recognized by the main Rajput community.

Ancient Rajput kings have permitted all the faiths to flourish in their domains. While personally they have often practiced Vedic, Shaiva, Vaishnava and ocasionaly Jain traditions; they supported Buddhists, Zoroastrians and Sufi traditions as well. Rajputs in India are mostly Hindu. There are some Rajputs who follow the Sikh panth, and they often intermarry with Hindu Rajputs. There are many Muslim Rajputs in Pakistan, and some also in India.

Origins

The Rajputs are divided into 36 clans, claiming three basic lineages: the Suryavanshi (Solar Race), the Chandravanshi (Lunar Race), and the Agni vanshi (Fire Born). Some scholars also include Rishi vanshi, Nag Vanshi and Vayu Vanshi as separate classes. House of Mewar, Marwar, Amber are Suryavanshi rajputs. Rulers of Bundi, Kotah, Jalore, Sirohi are Agnivanshi. Chandravanshi and Yaduvanshi are from the same line which bifurcated at king yadu when his father banished him from becoming the king. House of Jaisalmer are yaduvanshi rajputs.

The Suryavanshi trace their lineage to the Vedic Sun -Surya( Lord Rama was also born in this lineage) Somvanshi to Som (the vedic diety Soma or Moon )and Agnivanshi orginated from fire. The Yaduvanshi trace there lineage to Lord Krishan.

Each vansha has many cula and each cula has shakha. Rathores are divided into these shakha : Dhandhul, Bhadail, Khokra, Jodha etc. Gehlote cula is subdivided into these shakhas: Aharya (at Doongarpur) , Sisodiya (at Mewar), Peeparra (at Marwar) etc. Chauhan are divided into these shakha: Hada, Kheechee, Deora, Songara etc. Similarly there are various shakha in Kacchwaha, Parihaar and rest of the 12 clans described below. For a pictorial description please see page 27 of

Each shakha has its Gotra Acharya, a genealogical creed, describing the essential peculiarities, religious tenets and pristine locale of the clan. It is a touchstone of affinities and guardian of the laws of intermarriage.

Rathore Gotra Acharya -- Gautam gotra, Mardwunduni Shakha, Shukra-Acharya Guru, Garroopata Agni, Pankhini Devi.

Twelve of 36 clans of rajputs further subdivide. These 12 are Gehlote, Parmara, Chauhan, Solanki, Rathore, Tuar/Tomar, BirGoojur, Parihaar, Jhala, Yadu, Katchwaha, Gor. These 24 clans are 'Eka' and do not divide further. Sengar, Balla, Khurwur, Chawura, Dahima, Dahiya, Byce, Gherwal, Nikumpa, Dewut, Johya, Sikerwal, Dabia, Doda, Mori ,Mokarra, Abhirra, Kalchoruk, Agnipala, Aswariya, Hool, Manutwal, Mallia and Chhahil.

History

Main article: History of Rajputs

Middle Ages

From the 8th–13th centuries, the Rajputs as rulers of much of western India were responsible for emergence of the modern Indian society.

An examination of the archeological evidence and contemporary texts suggest that the Indian society had achieved significant prosperity during the Rajput rule. Most of the archaeological remains in a large part of India are from the Rajput period.

It was also a period of spread of literacy. Numerous inscriptions from this period have been found. A significant fraction of them are by people who were unaffiliated with the nobles, suggesting that education was spreading among the common people. The literature composed in this period in Sanskrit and in Apabhramshas constitutes a large fraction of the classical Indian literatures. The Paramara king Bhoj of Dhara not only a patron of scholars, but himself a distinguished and prolific scholar. His Samarangana-sutradhara deals with architecture and Raja-Martanda is a famous commentary on Yoga-sutra.

The intermarriage among the Rajput clans interlinked different regions of India, making it easier for the trade and scholarship to flow from one part of the country to another.

The Rajputs are divided into 36 clans, claiming three basic lineages: the Surya Vansi (Solar Race), the Chandra Vansi (Lunar Race), and the Agni kula (Fire Born). Some scholars also include Rishi vansi, Nag Vanshi and Vayu Vanshi as separate classes. One version of the story of Agni kula origins is that four warriors, Agnikul, Yadaukul, Suryakul and Odak, whose names are given to the Rajput clans, sprang from the sacred fire (Agni-kunda) in a ceremony performed by Sage Vashishtha near Mount Abu.

Historically the Rajputs have supported Brahmins as scholars and priests. Rajputs often have their own family priests, known as Purohits. Also many Rajputs have Brahmin gurus. Some scions of their noble families even officiate as priests in their Hindu temples; for example, the Sesodia kings of Mewar consider themselves regents of Eklingji, a manifestation of Shiva, and serve as the high priest of the deity as well as ruler of the state.

Islamic invasion of India

In his New History of India, Stanley Wolpert wrote "The Rajputs were the vanguard of Hindu India in the face of the Islamic onslaught."

Rajput patriotism is legendary, an ideal they embodied with a sometimes fanatical zeal, often choosing death before dishonour. Rajput warriors were often known to fight until the last man. The practice of jauhar and saka was followed only in rajput communities. When the outcome of a battle was against the Rajputs, jauhar would be commited by Rajput women and children in the night and next morning men would commit saka. Brahmin priests would chant Vedic mantras and Rajput women wearing their marriage dresses, along with their young children, would embrace sandalwood flames. The next morning after taking a bath, the men would wear kesariya and apply the ash from the maha samadhi of their wives and children on their foreheads and put a tulsi leaf in their mouth. Then the palace gates would be opened and men would ride out for complete annhiliation of the enemy or themselves. The practices of Johar and Saka were, however not universal amongst all the Rajput clans and even among the same clan during different periods of time.

For further details see Rajputs and Invasions of India

British Raj

By the late nineteenth century, there was a shift from an emphasis on questions regarding the political relations amongst the Rajputs to a concern with kinship (Kasturi 2002:2). According to Harlan (1992:27), many Rajputs of Rajasthan are nostalgic about their past and keenly conscious of their genealogy, emphasizing a Rajput ethos that is martial in spirit, with a fierce pride in lineage and tradition. These lineages were linked to different networks, both sacred and profane. Branches on a stratified lineage could be either Hindu or Muslim (Kasturi 2002:2).

20th century

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Demographics

Rajasthan, which is believed to be the birthplace of Rajputs has a very high concentration of Rajputs. Rajputs are spread throughout India and Pakistan with Punjab also having high numbers of both Sikh and Muslim Rajputs.

Prominent Rajput clans & their main centers

"Rajputs" (anonymous, ca. 1860, British Library)

For further details see Rajput Clans

Badgujar: Churu
Bhatti: Jaisalmer
Bhaduria (Chauhan): Bhadawar
Bundela: Orchha
Chandela: Mahoba/Khajuraho
Chauhan: Ajmer/Pushkar
Chavda: Anhilwara in Gujarat
Dahia: Haryana
Dodia: Piploda
Gaharwar (Rathore): Kannauj
Guhilot: Chittor/Udaipur
Sisodia (Guhilot): Chittor/Udaipur
Hada (Chauhan): Hadoti
Jasrotia (Kachwaha): Jasrot
Jadeja: Kutch
Janjua: Gandhara
Jarral: Kangda, Rajauri
Jhala: Jhalavad
Kachwaha: Narwar, Jaipur
Katoch: Kangra, Pehelgam
Paramara, Ponwar (Parmar): Mount Abu, Dhar
Pathania: Uttarakhand
Pratihara (Parihara): Rajasthan, Kannauj
Rathore: Bikaner, Jodhpur
Solanki: Anhilwara in Gujarat
Tomara or Toor: Delhi, Gwalior

References

Saran, Richard D. (trans.) The Mertiyo Rathors of Merto, Rajasthan; Select Translations Bearing on the History of a Rajput Family, 1462-1660, Michigan Papers on South and Southeast Asia 51, University of Michigan Press (2001). ISBN 0891480854
Har Bilas Sarda, Maharana Kumbha, sovereign, soldier, scholar (1917) ISBN 8129100339
Dashratha Sharma, Early Chauhan dynasties: a study of Chauhan political history, Chauhan political institution, and life in the Chauhan dominions, from 800 to 1316 A.D., Motilal Banarsidas; 2nd rev. ed. (1975). ISBN 0842606181

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