The Chauhan dynasty are a dynasty associated with various ruling Rajput families in the present-day Indian state of Rajasthan from seventh century onwards.
Subclans
Khichi, Hada, Songara, Bhadauria, Devda (Clan), Nirban etc. are the branches or subclans of Chauhan Rajputs.
Origin
The word Chauhan is the vernacular form of the Sanskrit term Chahamana (IAST: Cāhamāna). Several Chauhan inscriptions name a legendary hero called Chahamana as their ancestor, but none of them state the period in which he lived.
The earliest known ruler of the dynasty was Vasudeva. According to the Prabandha-Kosha of the 14th century Jain scholar Rajashekhara Suri, Vasudeva ascended the throne in 551 CE (608 Vikram Samvat). The historical accuracy of this statement is not certain.
The earliest extant inscription that describes the origin of the Chauhans is the 1119 CE Sevadi inscription of Ratnapala, a ruler of the Naddula Chahamana dynasty. According to this inscription, the ancestor of the Chahamanas was born from the eye of Indra.
The 1170 CE Bijolia rock inscription of the Shakambhari Chahamana king Someshvara states that his ancestor Samantaraja was born at Ahichchhatrapura (possibly modern Nagaur) in the gotra of sage Vatsa. The 1262 CE Sundha hill inscription of the Jalor Chahamana king Chachiga-deva states that the dynasty's ancestor Chahamana was "a source of joy" to the Vatsa. The 1320 Mount Abu (Achaleshwar temple) inscription of the Deora Chauhan ruler Lumbha states that Vatsa created the Chahamanas as a new lineage of warriors, after the solar dynasty and the lunar dynasty had ceased to exist.
The Ajmer inscription of the Shakambhari Chahamana ruler Vigraharaja IV (–64 CE) claims that Chahamana belonged to the solar dynasty, descending from Ikshavaku and Rama. The 12th-century Prithviraja Vijaya mahakavya, composed by Prithviraja III's court poet Jayanaka, also claims a solar dynasty origin for the ruling dynasty. According to this text, Chahamana came to earth from Arkamandal (the orbit of the sun).
The 15th-century Hammira Mahakavya of Nayachandra Suri, which describes the life of the Ranthambore branch ruler Hammira, gives the following account: Once Brahma was wandering in search of an auspicious place to conduct a ritual sacrifice. He ultimately chose the place where a lotus from his hand fell; this place came to be known as Pushkara. Brahma wanted to protect his sacrificial ceremony against interference from danavas (miscreant beings). Therefore, he remembered the Sun, and a hero came into being from the sun's orb. This hero was Chohan, the ancestor of the Hammira's dynasty. The earliest extant recension of Prithviraj Raso of Chand Bardai, dated to 15th or 16th century, states that the first Chauhan king – Manikya Rai – was born from Brahma's sacrifice. The 16th-century Surjana-Charita, composed by the Bengali poet Chandra Shekhara under patronage of the Ranthambore ruler Rao Surjana, contains a similar account. It states that Brahma created the first Chahamana from the Sun's disc during a sacrificial ceremony at Pushkara.
Despite these earlier myths, it was the Agnivanshi (or Agnikula) myth that became most popular among the Chauhans and other Rajput clans. According to this myth, some of the Rajput clans originated from Agni, in a sacrificial fire pit. This legend was probably invented by the 10th-century Paramara court poet Padmagupta, whose Nava-sahasanka-charita mentions only the Paramaras as fire-born. The inclusion of Chauhans in the Agnivanshi myth can be traced back to the later recensions of Prithviraj Raso. In this version of the legend, once Vashistha and other great sages begin a major sacrificial ceremony on Mount Abu. The ritual was interrupted by miscreant daityas (demons). To get rid of these demons, Vashistha created progenitors of three Rajput dynasties from the sacrificial fire pit. These were Parihar (Pratiharas), Chaluk (Chaulukya or Solanki), and Parmar (Paramara). These heroes were unable to defeat the demons. So, the sages prayed again, and this time a fourth warrior appeared: Chahuvana (Chauhan). This fourth hero slayed the demons.
The earliest available copies of Prithviraj Raso do not mention the Agnivanshi legend. It is possible that the 16th-century bards came up with the legend to foster Rajput unity against the Mughal emperor Akbar. Adaptions of the Prithviraj Raso occur in several later works. The Hammira Raso (1728) by Jodharaja, a court poet of prince Chandrabhana of Neemrana, states that once the Kshatriyas (warriors) became extinct. So, the great sages assembled at Mount Abu and created three heroes. When these three heroes could not defeat the demons, they created Chahuvanaji. A slight variation occurs in the writings of Surya Malla Mishrana, the court poet of Bundi. In this version, the various gods create the four heroes on Vashistha's request. According to the bardic tale of the Khichi clan of Chauhans, the Parwar (Paramara) was born from Shiva's essence; the Solankhi (Solanki) or Chaluk Rao (Chaulukya) was born from Brahma's essence; the Pariyar (Parihar) was born from Devi's essence; and the Chahuvan (Chauhan) was born from Agni, the fire.
History
The Chauhans were historically a powerful group in the region now known as Rajasthan. For around 400 years from the 7th century CE their strength in Sambhar was a threat to the power-base of the Guhilots in the south-west of the area, as also was the strength of their fellow Agnivanshi clans. They suffered a set-back in 1192 when their leader, Prithviraj Chauhan, was defeated at the Second Battle of Tarain but this did not signify their demise. The kingdom broke into the Satyapura and Devda branches after the invasion of Qutbu l-Din Aibak in 1197. The 13th and 14th centuries saw the struggle between the Chauhan Rajputs and the Delhi Sultanate to control the strategic areas of Delhi, Punjab and Gujarat.
The earliest Chauhan inscription is a copper-plate inscription found at Hansot.
Dynasties and states
The ruling dynasties belonging to the Chauhan clan included:
Early Medieval Period (before 1192) Chahamanas of Shakambhari (Chauhans of Ajmer) Chahamanas of Naddula (Chauhans of Nadol) Chahamanas of Jalor (Chauhans of Jalore); branched off from the Chahamanas of Naddula Chahamanas of Ranastambhapura (Chauhans of Ranthambore); branched off from the Chahamanas of Shakambhari
Late Medieval and early Modern Period (after 1192)
Rajasthan
Sirohi Statebranched off from the Chahamanas of Naddula Bundi StateM. S. Naravane, V. P. Malik, The Rajputs of Rajputana: a glimpse of medieval Rajasthan, p. 121 Kota State
Madhya Pradesh. Raghogarh StateImperial Gazetteer of India, v. 21, p. 34.
Uttar Pradesh Tulsipur State Partabgarh
Gujarat Vav State
Himachal Pradesh Dhami State
Odisha Sambalpur State Sonepur State Patna State
Chhattisgarh Sambalpur State Changbhakar State Korea State
Nepal Tulsipur State
Rulers
Shakambhari Branch
RulerReign (CE)1Chahamana(legendary)2Vasu-deva (disputed)3Samanta-raja684–7094Nara-deva709–7215Ajaya-raja I721–7346Vigraha-raja I734–7597Chandra-raja I759–7718Gopendra-raja771–7849Durlabha-raja I784–80910Govinda-raja I alias Guvaka I809–83611Chandra-raja II836–86312Govindaraja II alias Guvaka II863–89013Chandana-raja890–91714Vakpati-raja917–94415Simha-raja944–97116Vigraha-raja II971–99817Durlabha-raja II998–101218Govinda-raja III1012–102619Vakpati-raja II1026–104020Viryarama1040 (few months)21Chamunda-raja1040–106522Durlabha-raja III alias Duśala1065–107023Vigraha-raja III alias Visala1070–109024Prithvi-raja I1090–111025Ajaya-raja II1110–113526Arno-raja alias Ana1135–115027Jagad-deva115028Vigraha-raja IV alias Visaladeva1150–116429Apara-gangeya1164–116530Prithvi-raja II1165–116931Someshvara1169–117832Prithviraja III (Rai Pithora)1177–119233Govinda-raja IV119234Hari-raja1193–1194
Naddula Branch
KingsReign (CE)1Lakshmana alias Rao Lakha or Lakhan950–9822Shobhita982–9863Baliraja986–9904Vigrahapala990–9945Mahindra alias Mahindu994–10156Ashvapala1015–10197Ahila1019–10248Anahilla1024–10559Balaprasada1055–107010Jendraraja1070–108011Prithvipala1080–109012Jojalladeva1090–111013Asharaja alias Ashvaraja1110–111914Ratnapala1119–113215Rayapala1132–114516Katukaraja1145–114817Alhanadeva1148–116318Kelhanadeva1163–119319Jayatasimha1193–1197
Jalor
KingsReign (CE)1Kirti-pala1160–11822Samara-simha1182–12043Udaya-simha1204–12574Chachiga-deva1257–12825Samanta-simha1282–13056Kanhada-deva1292–13117Virama-devatill 1311
Ranastambhapura Branch
Govinda-raja (1192) Balhana-deva Prahlada-deva Viranarayana Vagabhata Shakti-deva Hammiradeva (1283–1311)
Raghogarh Branch
NameReign beganReign ended1Raja Lal Singh167316972Raja Dhiraj Singh169717263Raja Gaj Singh172617294Raja Vikramaditya I173017445Raja Balabhadra Singh I174417706Raja Balwant Singh177017977Raja Jai Singh179718188Raja Ajit Singh181818569Raja Jai Mandal Singh1856190010Raja Vikramjit Singh II1900190211Raja Bahadur Singh1902194512Raja Balabhadra Singh II1945196713Raja Digvijaya Singh1967present
Sirohi Branch
Rao Alhana Rao Kirtipal – founder of Jalore in 1181, and ancestor of the Songara Chauhan clan. Rao Samarsinha Rao Udaysinha Rao Man Singh I (1213–1228) Rao Devraj (1228–1250) Rao Vijayraj Singh (1250–1311)
Raos of Chandrawati
Rao Lumba (1311–1321)– founder of Sirohi in 1311 Rao Tej Singh (1321–1336) Rao Kanhar Dev (1336–1343) Rao Samant Singh (1343–?) Rao Salkha (?–1374)
Raos of Sirohi
Rao Ranmal (1374–1392) Rao Sobhajit (Shivbhan) (1392–1424) Rao Sahasmal (Sainsmal) (1424–1451) Rao Lakharaj Singh (Lakha) (1451–1483) Rao Jagmal I (1483–1523)
Maharao Akshayraj I (Akheraj) (1523–1533) Maharao Rai Singh (1533–1543) Maharao Dudaji (Durjan Sal) (1543–1553) Maharao Udai Singh I (1553–1562) Maharao Man Singh II (1562–1572) Maharao Surtan Singh (Surtan Deora)(1572–1610) Maharao Rai Singh II (1610–1620) Maharao Akheraj II (1620–1673) Maharao Udaibhan II (1673–1676) Maharao Varisal Singh I (1676–1697) Maharao Surtan Singh II (1697) (deposed) Maharao Chattarsal Singh (Durjan Singh) (1697–1705) Maharao Umaid Singh (Maan Singh III) (1705–1749) Maharao Prithviraj Singh (1749–1772) Maharao Takhat Singh (1772–1781) Maharao Jagat Singh (1781–1782) Maharao Bairisal II (Varisal) (1782–1809) Maharao Udaibhan Singh (1809–1817) Maharao Sheo Singh (1817–1846) Maharao Umaid Singh II Bahadur (1862–1875) HH Maharao Kesari Singh Bahadur (1875–1920) HH Maharao Sarup Ram Singh Bahadur (1920–1946) HH Maharao Tej Ram Singh Bahadur (1946–1947) Maharani Krishna (Kunverba) (1946–1947)
Maharao Raghubir Singh Bahadur (1947–1950) Maharao Abhai Singh Bahadur (1950–1998) 1998 – Present: Maharao Raghubir Singhji Deora (b. 1988)
Bundi Branch
1554 - 1585 Surjan Singh 1585 - 1608 Bhoj Singh 1608 - 1632 Ratan Singh 1632 - 1658 Chattar Sal Singh 1658 - 1682 Bhao Singh 1682 - 1696 Anirudh Singh 1696 - 1730 Budh Singh (b. 16.. - d. 1739) 1730 - 1749 Dalel Singh 1749 - 1770 Umaid Singh (1st time) (b. 1729 - d. 1804) 1770 - 1773 Ajit Singh (d. 1773) 1773 - 1804 Umaid Singh (2nd time) (s.a.) 1804 - 14 May 1821 Bishen Singh (b. 1773 - d. 1821)
14 May 1821 - 28 Mar 1889 Ram Singh (b. 1811 - d. 1889) (from 1 Jan 1877, Sir Ram Singh) 28 Mar 1889 - 26 Jul 1927 Raghubir Singh (b. 1869 - d. 1927)
(from 1 Jan 1894, Sir Raghubir Singh)
26 Jul 1927 - 23 Apr 1945 Ishwari Singh (b. 1893 - d. 1945) (from 11 May 1937, Sir Ishwari Singh) 23 Apr 1945 - 15 Aug 1947 Bahadur Singh (b. 1920 - d. 1977)
1947 – 1977 Bahadur Singh 1977 - 2010 Ranjit Singh 2021 - till date Brigadier Bhupesh Singh , SC, VSM
Kota Branch
1607-1624 Rao Hriday Narayan singh ( Provincial Head) 1631 – 27 January 1648: Rao Madho Singh 1648 – 26 April 1658: Rao Mukund Singh 1658 – 23 August 1682: Rao Jagat Singh 1682 – February 1683: Rao Prem Singh 1683 – April 1696: Rao Kishor Singh I 1696-1697 Rao Bishin Singh