Land Of Rajputs: Rajasthan
The present-day RAJASTHAN was known as RAJPUTANA which meant “Land of the Rajputs”. Rajputana included the present-day Rajasthan some parts of Madhya Pradesh and Gujrat, and adjoining areas of Sindh ie; modern-day Southern Pakistan. Being a place known for its great monuments, exquisite art and culture, for its unexpected forest glens, lakes and temples.
In history, we have come various theories of the origins of Rajputs. Theories are stating that they were born out of the fire, that they were foreigners who came to India, they were are a band of nomads and many more. In the historians’ aspect, it can be said that the origins of Rajputs are quite debatable.
As far as archaeological data says the earliest inhabitants of Rajasthan belonged to the Harappan civilization. The area then saw the arrival of the Aryans in about 2000 BC. There are pieces of evidence that Rajasthan was under the Mauryan rule around 400 AD.
The settling of the Scythians followed by the set of a new race known as the Rajputs; they were the offspring of the Indo-Scythians. As time passed by the number of new clans kept on increasing and the land of Rajasthan became the homeland of these warrior clans who were collectively known as “RAJPUTS”.
Rajputs rose to prominence in the 9th and 10th CE; they were attached to their land, family and pride. Courage and Determination were their main traits will fighting. They would face the enemy at any cost if the defeat was imminent then, the ‘JAHAUR’ was performed.
In ‘JAHAUR’ ritual women and children would commit suicide by immersing themselves in a huge funeral pyre. There are even stances where we find that Rajputs were not always united and fought amongst themselves. Due to this lack of unity, the Mughals were able to defeat them and set their rule.
With the decline of the Mughals, we find that Rajputs were able to recover back to their status which was degraded during the Mughal times. However, this was short-lived as the British established their rule. As we know under British rule most of the princely states signed treaties that ensured their independence in certain political and social subjects.
Thus these restrictions caused the decline of once-powerful Rajput dynasties. After the independence, Rajasthan was formed on the 25th of March 1948 with a union of nine other princely states.
Yet in 1956, the states were re-organised based on languages, the state of today’s Rajasthan was formed by integrating the United Union of greater Rajasthan with the state of Ajmer, the tehsil of Abu and the area of SunelTuppa.
WE CAN CONCLUDE THAT THE LEGACY OF THE FIERCE RAJPUT STILL GOES ON.
