Rajput

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A Rajput ( राजपूत from Sanskrit राजपुत्र rāja-putra, "son of a king") is a member of a prominent caste who live throughout northern and central India, primarily in the northwestern state of Rajasthan, which was called Rajputana until reorganization of India's 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 Rajputra has been used since the time of Harshavardhana, however the modern usage of the term refers to the descendants of the 36 major clans that ruled western India during the 8th–13th centuries. The names of the clans are given in the Kumarpala Charita of Jayasimha and in the Prithviraj Raso of Chandbardai.

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 the original descendants of the Vedic warrior (Kshatriya) varna. Although all members of a warrior caste, Rajputs vary in profession from aristocrats to farmers.

There is one independent country, still ruled by a Rajput clan - Nepal.

It should also be noted that a number of sub-castes, or jatis, claim to be Rajputs. Some of them have a historical basis for the claim. Some are considered to be descendants of the Rajputs but are not generally accepted by the main Rajput community (for example, Girasia).

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. There has been some discussion whether Muslim Rajputs can be considered Rajput which can be seen at the discussion page.

The Rajput Rule of India

Today the Rajput kings are mainly remembered as warriors. However as influential rulers, they 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-Marthanda 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.

History

Main article: History of Rajputs

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.

The Rajput ethos is martial in spirit, fiercely proud, and emphasizes lineage and tradition. 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.

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.

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

For further details see Rajputs and Invasions of India