Study Guide · Chapter 6
1.5 Rajput States (c. 8th–12th century CE)
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1.5 Rajput States (c. 8th–12th century CE)
- "Rajput" (from Rajaputra = son of a king) — warrior clans dominating Rajasthan, Malwa, Gujarat, Bundelkhand from c. 8th century CE onward.
- Origin theories: (a) Agnikula myth — four clans (Pratihara, Chauhan/Chahamana, Solanki/Chaulukya, Paramara) said to be born from a fire pit at Mount Abu; (b) foreign origin theory (Central Asian/Hun descent per some historians like D.R. Bhandarkar); (c) indigenous Kshatriya continuity.
- Major Rajput dynasties/clans and their regions:
| Clan/Dynasty | Region/Capital | Notable Rulers |
|---|---|---|
| Chahamanas (Chauhans) | Ajmer, Delhi (Shakambhari) | Prithviraj Chauhan III (Prithviraj III) |
| Chaulukyas/Solankis | Gujarat (Anhilwara/Patan) | Mularaja, Kumarapala (patron of Jainism, Hemachandra) |
| Paramaras | Malwa (Dhara) | Raja Bhoja (Bhoja of Dhar, scholar-king, author of Samarangana Sutradhara) |
| Chandelas | Bundelkhand (Khajuraho, Mahoba) | Dhanga, Vidyadhara — built Khajuraho temples |
| Guhilas/Sisodias | Mewar (Chittor) | Rana Kumbha (later, 15th c.) |
| Tomars | Delhi | Anangpal Tomar |
| Kachhwahas | Amber (Jaipur) | later prominent under Mughals (Raja Man Singh) |
- Prithviraj Chauhan III (r. c. 1178–1192 CE) — last significant Hindu ruler of Delhi-Ajmer before Turkish conquest; defeated Muhammad Ghori in the First Battle of Tarain (1191 CE) but was defeated and killed in the Second Battle of Tarain (1192 CE). His court poet Chand Bardai wrote Prithviraj Raso.
- Khajuraho temples built by the Chandela rulers (10th–11th century CE) — famous for erotic and architectural sculpture (Kandariya Mahadeva Temple).
- Raja Bhoja of Dhar (Paramara dynasty) — scholar-king; wrote on architecture, yoga, poetics.
Key Facts / Quick Revision Points
- Agnikula clans: Pratihara, Chahamana (Chauhan), Chaulukya (Solanki), Paramara.
- Prithviraj III: won First Tarain (1191), lost & killed at Second Tarain (1192) vs Muhammad Ghori.
- Chand Bardai — Prithviraj Raso.
- Khajuraho temples — Chandela dynasty.
- Kumarapala (Solanki) — patron of Jain scholar Hemachandra.
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