tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84430598763694464122024-03-12T21:58:12.958-07:00Origins and Geographical PresenceDigvijayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08329005608971922893noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443059876369446412.post-29131008232103351292007-02-11T10:19:00.000-08:002007-02-28T09:21:36.251-08:00Origins and Geographical Presence<h2><big>Origins and Geographical Presence</big></h2> <div style="text-align: justify;"><big> </big> <p><big>Rajputs are indigenous to India. Historians have wrongly tried to identify rajputs as descendants of Aryan Invaders, Scythians, Huns etc. Genetic research shows, there was never any aryan invasion of India. In addition Indian castes have no genetic influx from "foreigners". Geneticists, Sanghamitra Sahoo and Toomas Kivisild, in a 2006 <a href="http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/103/4/843#SEC2">paper</a> (click the paper to read it), have concluded:</big></p> <blockquote><big>. . . chromosomal data consistently suggest a largely<sup> </sup>South Asian origin for Indian caste communities and therefore<sup> </sup>argue against any major influx, from regions north and west<sup> </sup>of India (from so called cradle of civilization), of people associated either with the development of<sup> </sup>agriculture or the spread of the Indo-Aryan language family.<sup> </sup></big></blockquote> <big>Anthropologist, <a href="http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0025-1496%281912%291%3A12%3C1%3A1SHRKC%3E2.0.CO%3B2-K&size=LARGE">Sir Herbert Risley</a>, writes on Page 60 of his book, <span style="font-style: italic;">People of India</span>:<br /></big> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <blockquote><big>. . . we have good historical reason for believing that the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/scythian">scythian</a> invaders of India came from a region occupied exclusively by broad headed races and must themselves have belonged to that type. They were by all accounts, nations or, hordes of horsemen with broad faces and high cheek bones, and short and sturdy of stature, . . . . In their original homes in central Asia steppes their manner of life was that of pastoral nomads, and their instincts were of the predatory order. It seems therefore prima facie unlikely that there descendants are to be looked for among tribes who are essentially of the long headed type (Rajputs), settled agriculturists with no tradition of nomadic or marauding past.</big></blockquote> </div> <big>Rajputs predominantly belong to three lineages: the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suryavanshi" title="Suryavanshi">Suryavanshi</a> (Solar Race), the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandravanshi" title="Chandravanshi">Chandravanshi</a> (Lunar Race), and the <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agni-kunda" title="Agni-kunda">Agni vanshi</a></i> (Fire Born). Some scholars also include <i>Rishi vanshi</i>, <i>Nag Vanshi</i> and <i>Vayu Vanshi</i> as separate classes.<br /></big></div> <p><big><a name="Suryavanshi" id="Suryavanshi"></a></big></p> <h3><big><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suryavanshi" title="Suryavanshi">Suryavanshi</a></big></h3> <div style="text-align: justify;"><big>Suryavanshi rajputs trace their lineage to the Vedic Sun - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surya" title="Surya">Surya</a>. Lord <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rama" title="Rama">Rama</a> was also born in this lineage. Suryavanshi rajputs ruled over <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mewar" title="Mewar">Mewar</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marwar" title="Marwar">Marwar</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber" title="Amber">Amber</a>, etc.<br /></big></div> <p><big><a name="Chandravanshi" id="Chandravanshi"></a></big></p> <h3><big><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandravanshi" title="Chandravanshi">Chandravanshi</a></big></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><big>Somvanshi/Chandravanshi rajputs descended from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Som" title="Som">Som</a> (the vedic deity Soma or Moon). <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandravanshi" title="Chandravanshi">Chandravanshi</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandravanshi" title="Chandravanshi">Yaduvanshi</a> are from the same line which bifurcated at King Yadu when his father banished him from becoming the king. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gujarat" title="Gujarat">Gujarat</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaisalmer" title="Jaisalmer">Jaisalmer</a> was ruled by Chandravanshi rajputs. The Yaduvanshi trace there lineage to Lord <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krishna" title="Krishna">Krishn</a>.</big></p> <p><big><a name="Agnivanshi" id="Agnivanshi"></a></big></p> <h3><big><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnivanshi" title="Agnivanshi">Agnivanshi</a></big></h3> <div style="text-align: justify;"><big>Agnivanshi rajputs have a mythological belief that they originated from fire. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bundi" title="Bundi">Bundi</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kotah" title="Kotah">Kotah</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalore" title="Jalore">Jalore</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirohi" title="Sirohi">Sirohi</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhi" title="Delhi">Delhi</a> were ruled by Agnivanshi rajputs. In reality Agnivanshi rajputs are also a sub-division of Suryavanshi and Chandravanshi rajputs.<br /></big></div> <p style="text-align: justify;"><big> Each <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vansha" title="Vansha">vansha</a> is divided into many <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cula" title="Cula">cula</a> and each <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cula" title="Cula">cula</a> is further divided into many <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakha" title="Shakha">shakha</a>. For a pictorial description please see the figure:<a href="http://content.cdlib.org/xtf/view?docId=ft2g5004kg&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;chunk.id=d0e993&toc.depth=1&toc.id=d0e993&brand=ucpress" class="external text" title="http://content.cdlib.org/xtf/view?docId=ft2g5004kg&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;chunk.id=d0e993&toc.depth=1&toc.id=d0e993&brand=ucpress"><br /></a></big></p> <div class="thumb tright"><big> </big> <div style="width: 302px;"><big><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><img alt="" src="http://static.flickr.com/90/260605480_7a9590d341.jpg" style="width: 315px; height: 265px;" /></span><br /></big> <div style="font-weight: bold;" class="thumbcaption"><small><small>Rajput Shakha(Clan Tree)<br /></small></small></div> <big><br /></big></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><big>For example Suryavanshi rajput <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cula" title="Cula">cula</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rathore" title="Rathore">Rathore</a>, is divided into these <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakha" title="Shakha">shakha</a>: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhandhul" title="Dhandhul">Dhandhul</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhadail" title="Bhadail">Bhadail</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khokra" title="Khokra">Khokra</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jodha" title="Jodha">Jodha</a> etc; Similarly <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guhilote" title="Guhilote">Guhilote</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cula" title="Cula">cula</a> is subdivided into these shakha: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aharya" title="Aharya">Aharya</a> (at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungarpur" title="Dungarpur">Doongarpur</a>), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sisodiya" title="Sisodiya">Sisodiya</a> (at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mewar" title="Mewar">Mewar</a>), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peeparra" title="Peeparra">Peeparra</a> (at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marwar" title="Marwar">Marwar</a>), etc.<br /></big></div> </div> <p style="text-align: justify;"><big> Each <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakha" title="Shakha">shakha</a> has its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotra_Acharya" title="Gotra Acharya">Gotra Acharya</a>, 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.</big></p> <div style="text-align: justify;"><big>Rathore Gotra Acharya -- <i>Gautam gotra, Mardwunduni Shakha, Shukra-Acharya Guru, Garroopata Agni, Pankhini Devi</i>.<br /></big></div> <p style="text-align: justify;"><big> These twelve of 36 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clans" title="Clans">clans</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajputs" title="Rajputs">rajputs</a> further subdivide:</big></p> <ul> <big> </big><li style="text-align: justify;"><big><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gehlote" title="Gehlote">Gehlote</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parmara" title="Parmara">Parmara</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chauhan" title="Chauhan">Chauhan</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanki" title="Solanki">Solanki</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rathore" title="Rathore">Rathore</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanwar/Tomar/Tuar" title="Tanwar/Tomar/Tuar">Tanwar/ Tomar/ Tuar</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BirGoojur" title="BirGoojur">BirGoojur</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parihaar" title="Parihaar">Parihaar</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jhala" title="Jhala">Jhala</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yadu" title="Yadu">Yadu</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katchwaha" title="Katchwaha">Katchwaha</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gor" title="Gor">Gor</a>.</big></li><big><br /></big> </ul> <big>Rest of the 24 clans are 'Eka' and do not divide further:<br /></big> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <big> </big><li><big><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sengar" title="Sengar">Sengar</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balla" title="Balla">Balla</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khurwur" title="Khurwur">Khurwur</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chawura" title="Chawura">Chawura</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahima" title="Dahima">Dahima</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahiya" title="Dahiya">Dahiya</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byce" title="Byce">Byce</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gherwal" title="Gherwal">Gherwal</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikumpa" title="Nikumpa">Nikumpa</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewut" title="Dewut">Dewut</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johya" title="Johya">Johya</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikerwal" title="Sikerwal">Sikerwal</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dabia" title="Dabia">Dabia</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doda" title="Doda">Doda</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mori" title="Mori">Mori</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mokarra" title="Mokarra">Mokarra</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhirra" title="Abhirra">Abhirra</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalchoruk" title="Kalchoruk">Kalchoruk</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnipala" title="Agnipala">Agnipala</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aswariya" title="Aswariya">Aswariya</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hool" title="Hool">Hool</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manutwal" title="Manutwal">Manutwal</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mallia" title="Mallia">Mallia</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chhahil" title="Chhahil">Chhahil</a>.</big></li> </ul> <p><big><a name="Myths" id="Myths"></a></big></p> <h3><big>Myths</big></h3> <div style="text-align: justify;"><big>One version of the story of <i>Agni kula</i> origins is that four warriors, Agnikul, Yadaukul, Suryakul and Odak, whose names are given to the Rajput clans, sprang from the sacred fire (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agni-kunda" title="Agni-kunda">Agni-kunda</a>) in a ceremony performed by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sage" title="Sage">Sage</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasishta" title="Vasishta">Vashishtha</a> near <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Abu" title="Mount Abu">Mount Abu</a>. Sage Vashishta undertook this Yagya to develop warriors who could help the ordinary mortals against the demons.<br /><br />There is another myth which states Rajputs were descendants of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rishabh" title="Rishabh">Rishabh</a>, the founding <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jain" title="Jain">Jain</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirthankara" title="Tirthankara">Tirthankara</a>.<br /><br /></big></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><big>Rajputs reside mainly in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_India" title="North India">northern</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_India" title="West India">western</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_India" title="East India">eastern</a> and central <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States_and_territories_of_India" title="States and territories of India">states</a> of India. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajasthan" title="Rajasthan">Rajasthan</a>, which has a very high concentration of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajputs" title="Rajputs">Rajputs</a>, is located in northwestern <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India" title="India">India</a>, near the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khyber_Pass" title="Khyber Pass">Khyber Pass</a> route used by most foreign invasions of India, including the Arabs, Afghans, Turks, Mughals, and other Islamic invaders of the Middle Ages. In his <i>New History of India</i>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Wolpert" title="Stanley Wolpert">Stanley Wolpert</a> wrote "The Rajputs were the vanguard of Hindu India in the face of the Islamic onslaught." Rajputs live in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajasthan" title="Rajasthan">Rajasthan</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gujarat" title="Gujarat">Gujarat</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himachal_Pradesh" title="Himachal Pradesh">Himachal Pradesh</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madhya_Pradesh" title="Madhya Pradesh">Madhya Pradesh</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uttar_Pradesh" title="Uttar Pradesh">Uttar Pradesh</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bihar" title="Bihar">Bihar</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haryana" title="Haryana">Haryana</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punjab" title="Punjab">Punjab</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jammu_and_Kashmir" title="Jammu and Kashmir">Jammu and Kashmir</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maharashtra" title="Maharashtra">Maharashtra</a>.<br /></big></div> <br /><a href="http://clustrmaps.com/counter/maps.php?url=http://hindurajput.blogspot.com" id="clustrMapsLink"><img src="http://clustrmaps.com/counter/index2.php?url=http://hindurajput.blogspot.com" alt="Locations of visitors to this page" onerror="this.onError=null; this.src='http://www.meetomatic.com/images/clustrmaps-back-soon.jpg'; document.getElementById('clustrMapsLink').href='http://clustrmaps.com/'" border="1" /><br /></a><br /><script src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript"> _uacct = "UA-1432897-1"; urchinTracker(); </script>Digvijayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08329005608971922893noreply@blogger.com0