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, the most famous Rajput of the modern era and a championship wrestler.]] , a Rajput ruler and great warrior of his time. Mughal emperor Akbar sent many missions against him.However he survived and fought to his last breath.He ultimately gained control of all areas of Mewar excluding fort of Chittor .]] was opened by the British Government to educate Rajput princes and other nobles in 1875 at Ajmer Rajputana . Viewed in this picture are first four Rajput princes and extreme right is Muslim.]] COMPOSITION The Rajputs were designated by the British as a " Martial Race ". They also were the first group in India who originally used the surname Singh . The martial race was a designation created by officials of British India to describe "races" (peoples) that were thought to be naturally warlike and Aggressive in Battle and to possess qualities like Courage , Loyalty , Self Sufficiency , Physical Strength , Resilience , orderliness, hard working, fighting tenacity and Military Strategy . The British recruited heavily from these "martial races" for service in the Colonial Army .''Glossary of the tribes and castes of the Punjab and NWFP , H A Rose'' The 1931 census of British India was the last to record caste affiliation in a manner that provides reliable information on Rajput demographics. Any present-day estimates are speculative; they also vary widely. These figures are of interest as they denote the approximate spread and composition of the Rajput community. The 1931 census reported a total of 12.8 million people self-describing as Rajput. The United Provinces (being approximately present-day Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand combined) reported the largest population of Rajputs, at 3,756,936. The (then united) province of Bihar & Orissa , corresponding to the present-day states of Bihar, Orissa and Jharkhand , reported a Rajput population of 1,412,440. Rajputana , which was almost co-terminus with the present-day state of Rajasthan , reported a figure of 669,516. The Central Provinces And Berar reported a figure of 506,087, the Princely State of Gwalior of 393,076, the Central India Agency of 388,942, the Bombay Presidency of 352,016, the Princely State of Jammu & Kashmir of 256,020, and the Western India States Agency of 227,137 Rajputs. The undivided province of Bengal (including present-day Bangladesh reported a figure of 156,978 Rajputs. The Princely State s of Baroda and Hyderabad reported figures of 94,893 and 88,434 respectively. The Rajput population is relatively low in number because of their destruction during ages in wars. Rajputs typically speak whatever languages are spoken by the general population of the areas they live in. Hindi and Rajasthani are the primary languages, as most are situated in the "Hindi-speaking states", but Gujarati and Punjabi are also spoken among Rajputs residing in Punjab Region , Jammu And Kashmir and Gujarat . They comprised of Hindu s belonging to the Kshatriya varna and to a specific set of 36 clans. Several other communities identify themselves as being Rajput, typically claiming to be of partial Rajput descent. They are found both in the Hindu community and in other religious groups. Others Sikh Rajputs The census of 1931 recorded the existence of 50,000 Sikh Rajputs. Occasional instances of inter-marriage between them and Hindu Rajputs are recorded. ORIGINS See Also: Origin of Rajputs The Sanskrit word Rajputra is found in the Vedas , the Ramayana , and the Mahabharata . It has been used by Panini . The word Kshatriya was initially used for the community of warriors and rulers. After the passage of much time there were many Kshatriyas . Some of them left their traditional occupation. Some were still rulers and warriors. As a custom these kings married only with the sons and daughters of kings. They were abundant in India. It is very clear from the Purana s, Ramayana , Mahabharata , Prithviraj Raso , Akbarnama , and present genealogy that they intermarried with the royal families only. The rule of Primogeniture allowed only the eldest male offspring of a king to succeed him. The rest were known as Rajputra s. The word Rajput is claimed to be a corruption of Rajputra. Gradually it became a caste. The traditional occupations of the Rajputs besides rulers are war and agriculture. Legendary See Also: Rajput clans Rajputs regard themselves as being descended from the Vedic warrior class known as the Kshatriya s. To differentiate them from ordinary Kshatriyas word Rajput was used, which literally means "son of a King". Rajput belong to one of three great patrilineages, which are:
The aforementioned two patrilineages (''vanshas'') sub-divide into 36 main clans (''kulas''), which in turn divide into numerous branches (''shakhas'') to create the intricate Clan System of the Rajputs. The principle of patrilineage is staunchly adhered to in determining one's place in the system and a strong consciousness of clan and lineage is an essential part of the Rajput character. As the 1911 edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica states, this tradition of common ancestry permits an indigent Rajput yeoman to consider himself as well-born as any powerful landholder of his clan, and superior to any high official of the professional classes. Authoritative listings of the 36 Rajput clans are to be found in the ''Kumārpāla Charita'' of Jayasimha and the '' Prithvirāj Rāso '' of Chandbardai . The Rajput warrior clans asserted mythical origins for themselves. For example, the Suyavanshi were descended from the sun. Legend of Agnivansha Among the legends mentioned above, the one which addresses the origin of the '' Agnivanshi '' Rajputs is particularly disputed not least because they were the earliest to rise to political prominence. This legend begins with the Puranic legend wherein the traditional '' Kshatriya s'' of the land were exterminated by Parashurama , an Avatara of Vishnu . Later, the legend says, sage Vasishta performed a great ''Yajna'' or fire-sacrifice, to seek from the Gods a provision for the defense of righteousness on earth. In answer to his prayer, a youth arose from the very flames of the sacrifice -- the first ''Agnivanshi'' Rajput. According to Bhavishya Purana an Yagna was held at Mount Abu during the time of Ashoka 's sons. This produced four warriors and an elephant. The ''Agnikunda legend'' is explained in Agnivansha .Ashoka and his sons were Buddhists but the general of last Mauryan empereor was a staunch Brahmin . Historical Legend of Agnivansh is associated with Sage Vashishta when trying to save his Ashram from Vishwamitra's army he creates a "fire born" kshatriya. This legend has been embeliished by indologists over the years. HISTORY See Also: History of Rajputs , Rajasthan, which was built by Kachwaha Rajputs]]. Early History (6th to 8th c.) The . These invasions may therefore have been a continuation of the usual invasions into India by warlike but less civilized tribes from the north-west, and not a reference to the Greeks or Indo-Greek s. Lalitaditya of Kashmir defeated one such ''Yavvana'' invasion in the 8th century and the Pratiharas rebuffed another in the 9th century. Rajput kingdoms (8th to 11th c.) The first Rajput kingdoms are attested to in the 7th Century and it was during the 9th, 10th & 11th centuries that the Rajputs rose to prominence in Indian History . The four '' Agnivanshi '' clans, namely, the Pratihara s (Pariharas), Solanki s (Chaulukyas), Paramara s (Parmars) and Ghosh , Chauhan s (Chahamanas), rose to prominence first. But there were other Rajputs also who rose to prominence. The Guhilote dynasty of Chittor established their rule in 8th century CE. Bappa Rawal of this dynasty established his rule in 734 CE at Chittor. Chittor , ( Sanskrit name ''Chitrakuta'') was then ruled by Mori clan of Rajputs. Maan Mori was their last king at Chittor. It is believed the word Mori is corruption of Maurya , the famous dynasty. Rajput is believed to be a corruption of ''Rajputra''. Major Kingdoms The Imperial in 6th and 7th century where they held sway until they were supplanted by the Rathore s in the 14th century. Around 816 AD, the Pratiharas of Ujjaini conquered Kannauj , from which city they ruled much of northern India for a century. They went into decline after Rashtrakuta invasions in the early 10th century. ; Solanki s Solankis were descended from the Chalukya s of Karnataka who ruled much of peninsular India between the 6th and 12th centuries. In the 10th century, a local branch of the clan established control over Gujarat and ruled a state centered around the town of Patan. They went into decline in the 13th century and were displaced by the Vaghela . ; Paramara s Were near neighbours of the Solankis. They originated as feudatories of the Rashtrakutas and rose to power in the 10th century. They ruled Malwa and the area at the border between present-day Gujarat and Rajasthan. Bhoja , celebrated king of Malwa, belonged to this dynasty. In the 12th century, the Paramaras declined in power due to conflict with the Solankis and succumbed to attack from the Delhi Sultanate in 1305. The '' Rever's '' of The State of Tarangagadh. The sword of Rever is known in the history of war in 11th century. They ruled Taranga and the area at the border between present-day Gujarat and Rajasthan belonged to this dynasty. ; Chandela s In the early 10th century, the Chandelas ruled the fortress-city of Kalinjar. A dynastic struggle (c.912-914 AD) among the Pratiharas provided them with the opportunity to extend their domain. They captured the strategic fortress of Gwalior (c.950) under the leadership of Dhanga (ruled 950-1008). Dhanga's grandson Vidyadhara (1017-29) expanded the Chandela kingdom to its greatest extent, from the Chambal river in the northwest to the Narmada River in the south, thus covering a large portion of the present-day state of Madhya Pradesh. ; Tomara s or Tanwar s Tomars, or Tanwars, are Chandravanshi Rajputs, and descended from Mahabharat's great hero, Arjun, through his son Abhimanyu, and grandson, Parikshat. Chakravarti Samrat (King) Yudhishtra, founded Indraprastha, present day Delhi. Tomars (King Anangpal Tomar)conquered and re-established the Delhi Kingdom in A.D. 792, and founded the city of 'Dhillika', modern Delhi. Besides Delhi, Tomar rule covered western U.P., and most of present day Haryana and Punjab. Tomar rule lasted until A.D. 1162 A.D. when last Tomar King Anangpal- II appointed Prithviraj Chauhan, his grandson - his daughter's son, and King of Ajmer- as 'catetaker', since his own sons were very young at that time. According to the accounts kept by Tomar/ Tanwar 'Jagas', King Anangpal Tomar appinted Prithviraj Chauhan as caretaker only, when he went on a religious pilgrimage. It is also said by Tanwar 'Jagas' that when King Anangpal returned back, Prithviraj refused to hand over the kingdom to him. It is worth mentioning that 'Jagas' are a caste in Rajasthen who are hereditary keepers of genealogical records of Rajputs, and present 'Jagas' of Tomar/ Tanwar Rajputs reside near Jaipur, Rajasthan. ; Chauhan s These originated as feudatories of the Pratiharas and rose to power in the wake of the decline of that power. Their state was initially centered around Sambhar in present-day Rajasthan. In the 11th century, they founded the city of Ajmer which became their capital. In the 12th century, they captured Delhi from the Tomaras. Their most famous ruler was Prithviraj Chauhan , who won the First Battle Of Tarain against an invading Muslim army but lost the Second Battle Of Tarain the following year. This loss heralded a prolonged period of Muslim rule over northern India. ; Ghosh Most of Ghosh belong to Rajput caste in Bengal on that time who fight with Mughals and British.Most ghosh says as kayastha which means same kshtriyas.Many ghosh belong to Vikrampur , Bangaladesh . ;Other early states The '' Suryavanshi '' and '' Chandravanshi '' Rajputs later established independent states. The Chandela clan ruled Bundelkhand after the 10th century, occupying the fortress of Kalinjar ; they later built the famous temples at Khajuraho . The organization of Rajput Clan finally crystallized in this period. Intermarriage among the Rajput clans interlinked the various regions of India and Pakistan, facilitating the flow of trade and scholarship. Archaeological evidence and contemporary texts suggest that Indian society achieved significant prosperity during this era. The literature composed in this period, both in Sanskrit and in the Apabhramsha s, constitutes a substantial segment of classical Indian literature. The early 11th century saw the reign of the Polymath king Bhoja , Paramara ruler of Malwa. He was not only a patron of literature and the arts but was himself a distinguished writer. His '' Samarangana-sutradhara '' deals with architecture and his ''Raja-Martanda'' is a famous commentary on the Yoga - Sutra s. Many major monuments of northern and central India, including those at Khajuraho, date from this period. Islamic invasions (11th to 12th c.) The fertile and prosperous plains of Northern India had always been the destination of choice for streams of invaders coming from the north-west. The last of these waves of invasions were of tribes who had previously converted to Islam. Due to geographic reasons, Rajput-ruled states suffered the brunt of aggression from various Mongol - Turkic - Afghan warlords who repeatedly invaded the subcontinent. In his ''New History of India'', Stanley Wolpert wrote "The Rajputs were the vanguard of Hindu India in the face of the Islamic onslaught." Within 15 years of the death of the Muhammad , the caliph Usman sent a sea expedition to raid Thana and Broach on the Bombay coast. Other unsuccessful raiding expeditions to Sindh took place in 662 and 664 AD. Indeed, within a hundred years after Muhammad's death, Muslim armies had overrun much of Asia as far as the Hindu Kush . However, it was not until ''c.''1000 AD that they could establish any foothold in India. In the early 11th century, Mahmud Of Ghazni conquered the Hindu Shahi kingdom in The Punjab . His raids into northern India weakened the Pratihara kingdom, which was drastically reduced in size and came under the control of the Chandela s. In 1018 AD, Mahmud sacked the city of Kannauj , seat of the Pratihara kingdom, but withdrew immediately to Ghazni, being interested in booty rather than empire. In the ensuing chaos, the Gahadvala dynasty established a modest state centered around Kannauj, ruling for about a hundred years. They were defeated by Muhammad Of Ghor in 1194 AD, when the city was sacked by the latter. Meanwhile, a nearby state centered around present-day Delhi was ruled successively by the Tomara and Chauhan clans. Prithiviraj III , ruler of Delhi, defeated Muhammad Of Ghor at the First Battle Of Tarain (1191 AD). Muhammad returned the following year and defeated Prithviraj at the Second Battle Of Tarain (1192 AD). In this battle, as in many others of this era, rampant internecine conflict among Rajput kingdoms facilitated the victory of the invaders. , ancient home of the Rathore rulers of Marwar in Rajasthan ]] witnessed several heroic battles between Rajputs and Muslim invaders. Three different times did its womenfolk perform '' Jauhar ''.]] from Bengal by Rajput rulers serving as mughal officers in that province.]] Medieval Rajput States (12th to 16th c.) Prithviraj Chauhan proved to be the last Rajput ruler of Delhi . The Chauhans, led by Govinda, grandson of Prithviraj, later established a small state centered around Ranthambore in present-day Rajasthan . The Songara sept of the Chauhan clan later ruled Jalore , while and Hada sept of the same clan established their rule over the Hadoti region in the mid-13th century. The Rever Maharaja Ranavghansinh ruled Taranga , while region in the 11th century. The Tomaras later established themselves at Gwalior , and the ruler Man Singh built the fortress which still stands there. As we have seen, Muhammad's armies brought down the Gahadvala kingdom of Kannauj in 1194 AD. Some surviving members of the Gahadvala dynasty are said to have refugeed to the western desert, formed the Rathore clan, and later founded the state of Marwar . The Kachwaha clan came to rule Dhundhar (later Jaipur ) with their capital at Amber . Other relocations surmised to have occurred in this period include the emigration of Rajput clans to the Himalaya s. The Katoch clan, the Chauhans of Chamba and certain clans of Uttarakhand and Nepal are counted among this number. Conflict with the Sultanate The Delhi Sultanate was founded by Qutb Ud Din Aybak , Muhammad of Ghor's successor, in the early 13th century. Sultan Alauddin Khilji ) conquered Gujarat (1297), Malwa (1305), Ranthambore (1301), Chittorgarh (1303) Jalore and Bhinmal (1311), all after long sieges and fierce resistance from their Rajput defenders. First Jauhar: In particular, the siege of Chittor (1303), its brave defence by the Guhila s, the saga of Rani Padmini and the '' Jauhar '' she led are the stuff of immortal legend. This incident has had a defining impact upon the Rajput character and is detailed in a succeeding section. Ala-ud-din Khilji delegated the administration of the newly conquered areas to his principal Rajput collaborator, Maldeo Songara, ruler of Jalore ; the latter was soon displaced by his son-in-law Hammir , a scion of the lately displaced Guhila clan, who re-established the state of Mewar ''c.''1326 AD. Mewar was to emerge as a leading Rajput state, after Rana Kumbha expanded his kingdom at the expense of the sultanates of Malwa and Gujarat . Mughal Era (16th-18th c.) The Delhi sultanate was extinguished when Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle Of Panipat in 1526 . Rana Sanga , ruler of Mewar, rallied an army to challenge Babur. He was betrayed by one of his Rajput generals, and was defeated by Babur at the Battle Of Khanua on March 16 , 1527 . However, it was not until the reign of Akbar that the structure of relations between the Mughal imperium and the Rajput states took definitive shape. Second Jauhar: Rana Sanga died soon after the battle of Khanua; shortly afterwards, Mewar came under the regency of his widow, Rani Karmavati. The kingdom was menaced by Bahadur Shah, ruler of Gujarat. According to one romantic legend of dubious veracity, Karmavati importuned the assistance of Humayun , son of her late husband's foe. The help arrived, but too late; Chittor was reduced by Bahadur Shah. This is the occasion for the second of the three '' Jauhar s'' performed at Chittor. Karmavati led the ladies of the citadel into death by fire, while the menfolk sallied out to meet the besieging Muslim army in a hopeless fight to the death. Mughal-Rajput Alliance Babur's son Humayun was a ruler who was forced to spend long periods in exile. His son Akbar, however, was made of a different mettle. Akbar consolidated his inheritance and expanded what had been the "Delhi sultanate" into a wide empire. A main factor in this success was indubitably his co-option of native Rajput chiefs into his empire-building project; his reign countenanced, for the first time, the involvement of Hindu s in the affairs of the empire. The Rajput chiefs collaborated with alacrity, an alliance cemented by marriage, 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 , from Bengal to Afghanistan to the Deccan . Indeed, two successive mughal emperors, Jehangir and Shah Jehan , were born to Rajput mothers. Rajput chiefs served as mughal officers and administrators across the mughal empire and enjoyed much influence in the government. In this period, the ''aristocratic'' image of the Rajputs can be said to have finally crystallized; consequently, caste-divisions became rigid. The trend of political relations between Rajput states and the central power was the precursor for similar relations between them and the British. Maharana Pratap remained capital of Mewar after fall of Chittor till its accession in Independent India.]] Third Jauhar: However, these relations were not universally approbated. Mewar , which justly enjoys a unique position in the Rajput mind, held out and valiantly gave battle to Akbar. After a brave struggle, Mewar's chief citadel of Chittor finally fell to Akbar in 1568 . The third (and last) ''Jauhar'' of Chittor transpired on this occasion. When the fall of the citadel became imminent, the ladies of the fort committed collective self-immolation and the men sallied out of the fort to meet the invading Muslim army in a hopeless fight to an honourable death. Prior to this event, Mewar's ruler, Rana Udai Singh II , had retired to the nearby hills; where he founded a new town Udaipur named after him. He was succeeded while in exile by his son Rana Pratap as head of the Sisodia clan. Even in exile, the Sisodias did not rest; under the able leadership of Rana Pratap Singh, they harassed the mughal administrators of the land enough to cause them to make accommodatory overtures. Rana Pratap , a present-day Rajput icon, rebuffed every such overtures of friendship from Akbar, and rallied an army to meet the mughal forces. Some Historical say that he was defeated at the battle of Haldighati but Mughals never invaded in Udaipur on June 21 , 1576 and was forced to withdraw to the Aravalli ranges. However, he carried out a relentless guerilla struggle from his hideout in those hills, and never gave in to the mughal power. By the time of his death, Rana Pratap Singh had reconquered nearly all of his kingdom from the Mughals, except for the fortress of Chittor and Mandal Garh. He died in 1597 CE. After Pratap's death, his son Rana Amar Singh continued the struggle for 18 years, and faced constant attacks from Mughals. He faced 18 wars during this period. Finally he entered into peace treaty with the Mughals but with certain exemptions. The exemptions granted to him and rulers of Mewar were 1.Rana of Mewar shall not attend the Mughal court personally but crown prince shall attend the court.2.It was not necessary for Rana and Sisodia s to enter into marriage alliance with Mughals .The treaty was signed by Rana Amar Singh and prince "Khurram" (later Shah Jahan ) in 1615 CE at Gogunda . He thus regained control of his state as a vassal of the Mughals. The Sisodias rulers of Mewar were famously the last Rajput dynasty to enter into alliance with the Mughals. The Rajput states thereafter remained loyal to the mughal empire for over two centuries, until it was supplanted by the British Raj . Indeed, even as late as in the early 19th century, Rajput courts rarely failed to formally affirm their loyalty to the (by now entirely powerless) mughal emperor in all their official ''communiques'' and documents. Maratha and British Suzerainty (18th to 20th c.) The Maratha s of the Deccan rose to power in the 18th century. They conquered the major portion of India during this period, including the Rajput states of central and western India. Jodhpur was conquered by Sindhia , who annexed the fort and town of Ajmer and levied a tribute of 60,000 rupees. James Tod, whose personal observation pertains to this period, records that internecine disputes, succession wars and the relentless exaction of levies by the Marathas left the Rajput states immiserated, and that the Rajput states repeatedly petitioned the British administration for protection. After the Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817-1818), 18 states in the Rajputana region, of which 15 were ruled by Rajputs, entered into "subsidiary alliance" with the HEIC and became Princely State s under the British Raj . The British took direct control of Ajmer, which became the province of Ajmer-Merwara . A vast number of other Rajput states in central and western India made a similar transition. Most of them were placed under the authority of the Central India Agency and the various states' agencies of Kathiawar . The British colonial officials in general were very impressed by the military qualities of the Rajputs. In his ''Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan'' James Tod writes: "What nation on earth could have maintained the semblance of civilization, the spirit or the customs of their forefathers, during so many centuries of overwhelming depression, but one of such singular character as the Rajpoot? . . . Rajast’han exhibits the sole example in the history of mankind, of a people withstanding every outrage barbarity could inflict, or human nature sustain, from a foe whose religion commands annihilation; and bent to the earth, yet rising buoyant from the pressure, and making calamity a whetstone to courage. . . . Not an iota of their religion or customs have they lost. . . ". When India gained its independence in 1947, the Rajput states acceded unto the Dominion Of India and Dominion Of Pakistan . They were all merged into the Union Of India before 1950. CULTURE AND ETHOS The Rajput ethos is martial in spirit, fiercely proud and independent, 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. All recorded instances of Jauhar and "Saka" have featured Rajput defenders of a fort, resisting the invasion of a Muslim force. On several occasions when defeat in such an engagement became certain, the Rajput defenders of the fort scripted a final act of heroism that rendered the incident an immortal inspiration and afforded the invaders only an exceedingly hollow, inglorious victory. In such incidents, the ladies of the fort would commit collective self-immolation. Wearing their wedding dresses, and holding their young children by the hand, the ladies would commit their chastity to the flames of a massive, collective pyre, thereby escaping molestation and dishonour at the hands of the invading army. As the memorial of their heroic act, the ladies would leave only the imprint of the palm of their right hands on wet clay, which have become objects of veneration. This immolation would occur during the night, to the accompaniment of Vedic chants. Early the next morning, after taking a bath, the men would wear saffron-coloured garments, apply the ash from the pyres of their wives and children on their foreheads and put a Tulsi leaf in their mouth. Then the gates would be opened and men would ride out for one final, heroic, hopeless battle, dying gloriously on the field of honour. This fight till death of men is called "Saka" The historic fort of Chittor, seat of the Sisodia kingdom of Mewar , was the site of the three most famous ''Jauhars'' recorded in history. The Rajput lifestyle was designed to foster a martial spirit. Tod (1829) describes at length the bond between the Rajputs and their swords. The double-edged scimitar known as the ''khanda'' was a popular weapon among the Rajputs of that era. On special occasions, a primary chief would break up a meeting of his vassal chiefs with ''khanda nariyal,'' the distribution of daggers and coconuts (page-453). The ''Karga Shapna'' ritual, performed during the annual Navaratri festival, was another affirmation of the Rajput's reverence for his sword. By the late 19th 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 are indeed the timeless values of the Rajput community, as the Encyclopedia Britannica (1911 edition) affirms in its resume of the contemporary social values of the community; The tradition of common ancestry permits a poor Rajput yeoman to consider himself as well born as any powerful landholder of his clan, and superior to any high official of the professional classes. No race in India can boast of finer feats of arms or brighter deeds of chivalry, and they form one of the main recruiting fields for the Indian army of the day. They consider any occupation other than that of arms or government derogatory to their dignity, and consequently during the long period of peace which has followed the establishment of the British rule in India, they have been content to stay idle at home instead of taking up any of the other professions in which they might have come to the front. FAMOUS RAJPUT PERSONALITIES see List Of Rajputs . Common Rajput surnames include: :Krishnawat, Sendhav, Jaswal, Janjua (Janjuah),Sulehri Thakur , Tomar ( Tanwar ), Negi, Chibb , Chauhan, Pokhariya , Kirar, Raghav (Badbujar), Sisodia (Gahlaut or Rana), Rathore (Rathod), Pundir , Parmar (Panwar), Jadaon,Jadeja Kushwaha (Kachwaha), Bhatti (Bhati), Bais, Sengar, Chhaunkar, Jayas, Rawat , Papola, Dhoni, Bisht , Digari, Ghosh , Rautela, Sirari, Manral, Minhas (Manhas), Khurmi, Katoch Duggal, Parihar , Soam, Shekhawat, Bhadoria, Rawal, Sikarwar , Surwar , Sankhla,Sarna, Solanki, Chandel ,shahdeo, Singh, Pawar,Dhakare,Kanwar,zala,Dangi,bargujar;madadh[bhardwaj ,vais[ઝાલા] etc. E.g. of rajput name: Nagendra Singh Krishnawat Rajputs are also identified by the province they use to rule, sometime in place of caste they put the province name. E.g. Nagendra Singh (Satola) SEE ALSO
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