Mewar: Origin of Guhilots

Origin:

Lord Rama had two sons, Labh and Kush. The Ranas of Mewar are descendants of the former. Labh had built his capital at Lah-Kot (Lahore), and the branch from which the Mewar blue blood arrives resided there until Kanaksen (Often traced as the founder)moved to Dwarika, Saurashtra. "Sen" was used as a title term for many decades by this Suryavanshi clan until it later changed to "Dit" or "Aditya", names of the Sun. Aditya was changed to Guhilot permanently after the expulsion from Saurashtra when they settled in the Ahar valleys (Aravallis).

The Sisodia clan sprang from a Prince of Chittoor who had killed a hard chase hare (sissoo in local dialect). The branch often used "Ranawat", meaning "Royal Blood", as a title, but over time, Sisodia emerged as the retained branch name.

Kanaksen wrestled dominance of the Parmar race and founded Birnagar in AD 144. Four generations hence, Vijay Sen founded Vijaypur, believed to be where Dholka stands now in the Saurashtra peninsula. He had also founded Vidurba (Seehor) and the capital Balabhipur/Balbhi, 10 miles northwest of Bhunagar.

Bappa Rawal

Dholka

Rana Raj Singh's reign had many historians mentioning the fall of Balabhipur and the sack of the city, as "all fell except the daughter of the Parmers". The Parmers fled, for the future foundation of Balli, Sanderai, and Nadole in Mandore. AD 524 is recorded by the Jains as the occurrence of the event. Some claim that the name Saurashtra itself came from the descendants of Rama, the worshipers of the sun.

Guha and the Bhils:

Image result for legend of mewar rana shiladitya

Kumbhalmer

The legend of Shiladitya is famous during the time when the Islamic power seized Gajni, modern-day Cambay. He had lost the Battle of Balabhipur and died in it. His pregnant wife, Queen Pushpavati, had escaped to the hills of present-day Kumbhalmer. She was a Parmer Princess of Chandravati. Her son was born in a cave near Mallia, and she named him Guha. On the insecurities of his being the sole heir and target of enemies, she handed him over to a Brahmin lady named Kamlavati of Birnagar. Pushpawati instructed her son to be trained as a prince and to marry a Rajputani before she committed Sati.

Bhils hunting scene

Idar was a Bhil-dominant area ruled by Mandalica, the Bhil chief. Guha, being frequent in the forest as a young Brahmin boy, unaware of his true identity, befriended them. The savage sons of the forest called themselves "Vanputras". The Bhils were in constant clash with the Mewar Royals and needed an efficient leader after Mandalica. Unaware of his royal blood, they made the popular Guha their leader. They trained him in all types of warfare, including the secrets of guerrilla warfare, which he never implemented. The clan was hence named Guhilot after him.

Eight generations from Guha, Nagaditya was assassinated by the Bhils for his oppression of the tribe. Some say it was for the mere independence of Bhilwara from Mewar. His son Bappa Rawal/ Kalbhoj (separate blog on him under history) was only three years old when he was safely transported to the fort of Bhander, 15 miles southwest of Jalore. He was later shifted to Nagindra (Nagda) as a Brahmin boy, where he was enlightened by a sage on the Kuldevata Eklingnathji.

Image result for mewar painting bappa rawal

The Rana on the sign with Bhils was believed to be introduced by Guha.

Chittorgarh: The Final Seige

If you want to truly experience the spirit of Chittorgarh, here’s the insider scoop on how to plan your visit. You’ve got two solid options: Arrive by evening (around 5 PM) to catch the mesmerising Light and Sound show first, then start your fort tour fresh at 9 AM the next morning. It’ll take you around 4-5 hours to soak in all the history and ambience. Or, get there early morning and spend the whole day exploring, then watch the Light and Sound show at 6 PM before heading back to Udaipur. Most travellers skip staying overnight, but if you’re like me, you might want to spend a night in this historic town to let its resonance sink in. On 18th October 1567, Emperor Akbar was returning triumphantly from Gujarat, intent on establishing Mughal supremacy by taking over every resistant fort and state. By 23rd October, his sights were set on Mewar, then fiercely independent under Rana Udai Singh, who had just founded Udaipur at Lake Pichola. The Rana had refused one too many Rajput po...

Sisodiya: Kings, Queens and Princes (1538 - 1597)

I am back with another History post, this time it is on the wives and sons of Rana Udai Singh II of Mewar, his son and heir Maharana Pratap and Rana Amar Singh. This is a continuation of the Sisodia Family History I posted some time back. The information has been taken from Annals of Mewar by James Todd, Maharana Pratap by B.N. Rana, and Maharana Pratap by Rima Hooja. Udai Singh II was the son of Ranisa Karnawati and Rana Sangram Singh. He was born on 4th August 1 522, at Chittorgarh and died on 28th February 1 572 at Gogunda . He was the Ruler of the Sisodia Dynasty. He is believed to have 56 sons and 2 5 wives, apart from the many insignificant queens in his Rani Mahal. Here is a list of his main queens and their sons. Maharani Jaivanta Bai Songara of Jalore was his chief queen and consort. Her son is Maharana Pratap. He was married to her before he went to war with Banbir, as her father, Akshayraj Rao, was a friend and ally of his father, Rana Sanga. Saj...

The Suta Putra

He was born as the eldest son of the Princess of Kuntibhoj. She was unmarried and had a bright future ahead of her. She did not want to sabotage her life and future for the unwanted child. She wrapped him in a blanket and decided to float him on the River, hoping the Mother Goddess would safely deliver him to someone. His father, the Sun God himself, was sympathetic to her plight and, for the safety of his son, provided him with a set of golden Kavach and Kundal (A set of earrings and a locket/beads/armour) to protect him. These were powerful enough to save him from any weapon. The currents took the baby far away to the land of Hastinapur. The royal charioteer Adhirath and his wife Radha were bathing there and praying to the Sun God for a child. A basket floated past them with a baby in it. They picked the baby up and decided to call him their son. Growing up, he wanted to learn archery and train as a Kshatriya, much to the objection of his parents. He went to Parasurama, the teacher o...

The Lady Sultan

Indian History, or subcontinental History, is incomplete without speaking of the women who left a mark in their own significant ways. The first woman who comes to mind is perhaps the only woman Sultan to rule Delhi, Raziya (Razia). It’s been over a year since I had been trying to read and understand the mystery of Raziya Bint Iltutmish . Attributed as the only Woman Muslim Monarch of India, she is a name of many assumptions, imagination and speculations. The few books that have been written on her or the historical accounts of the Slave Dynasty mentioning her have always been about the turbulence of the government and the various rebels and uprisings that took place among the prominent chiefs of Iltutmish, who wanted to rise in power. No documentation or portrayal is found about her look, character or early days from her contemporary times. The only relevant historical book I found solely on her was by Dr Karunapada Dutta, while she finds a chapter in Heroines by Ira Mukhoty or Th...

The Warrior and Princess

Dasharatha was very protective of his sons. He had got them after almost a lifetime of waiting and yajnas, so they were his lifeline. Ram, the eldest, won hearts with his humble, generous ways. Bharata, the second, was his favourite queen's brave son, and Laxman and Shatrughan were the twins to the lesser queen, who followed their brothers like shadows. They were a peaceful, happy family. Sage Vasistha was their Kulaguru, teaching them the Vedic hymns and the righteous ways of life. The Princes grew up in the luxurious, protected premises of the palace. The King of Mithila, too, was childless. Mother Earth granted him a daughter. Sita grew up learning and curious, followed by the king's second daughter, Urmila and their cousins Mandavi and Shrutakirti. They grew up knowing the natural ways of life, and their father took them to learn from men to know more about man and his natural instincts. The princesses were curious and always questioning the traditions, and the Princes lear...

Bhangarh: Legend of a Ghost Town

The Legend: The city of Bhangarh was made of spectacular structures and wonderful architecture. The Prince of Amber, Madho Singh, was gifted this city by his Uncle Bhagwan Das, who was the ruler of Amber. The fort was originally built by Bhagwan Das in 1573A.D. during the rule of Akbar. Madho Singh was a cousin of Empress Mariam Ur Zamani (Harka Bai) and a courtier of his Brother-in-law, Akbar. Madho Singh moved into this spectacular city with his family. The fort of Bhangarh was just ahead of Pratap Garh and Ajab Garh, and its large gate was guarded by the Lord Hanuman Dev Temple. The year was 1613AD; Jahangir was the Emperor of the subcontinent. Madho Singh's family and lineage stayed back in the city of 200 households. The Princess of Bhangarh, Ratnavati, was a mesmerising beauty. Such was her beauty that upon entering her late teens, marriage proposals flooded from all over Rajputana. Young, competent, and brave Princes and Kings of several kingdoms wanted her hand in ma...

Maharana Pratap: The Sun of Mewar

Many of you have read my fan fiction as well as historical representations of the life and times of Maharana Pratap Singh of Mewar. I provided small details of his life in many articles. But never have I ever made a separate historical post on him. It is very difficult to put together his life without the help of folklore because historical evidence is scarce. This one was requested, and hence here it goes. Needless to say, this one is very special. This is a blend of history and folklore. Leave your love. ❤️ Background and Birth: The year was 1540. Mewar was under a cloud of uncertainty. Banbir, their ruler for four years now, was a very incompetent ruler who always spent his time in luxury, drinking and dancing with girls. The crown prince Udai Singh was rumoured to have been killed by him. Chittorgarh was in darkness. Around March 1540, Mewar once again saw hope as some trusted generals, along with Kunwar Udai Singh, attacked Chittorgarh, taking Banbir by surprise. He was soon t...

Asuras are not Demons

Demons in the Abrahamic religions are not the same as Asuras of Hinduism. Originally deities of Iranian origin, they were seen in the tribal context as no different from Devas, but as counterparts to maintain balance. In early epics and Puranas, asura meant a chosen leader of great capacity. Only later, perhaps due to the Iranian link, their image declined. It was with the Brahmanas that the sharp divide appeared: devas as divine, asuras as evil. Puranic myths demonised them mainly to assert the superiority and immortality of devas, while asuras were cast as symbols of the "other." Since Tribes still worshipped them and embraced their power of negativity, being important to balance, they soon became synonymous with tribes, which was not the case mythologically. There are instances of Bali or Ravana being Kshatriya or Brahmin Asuras and competent kings. Indian demonology itself is vast and layered, shaped by surviving tribes, each with unique myths. Celestial, aerial, and terr...

The Immortal Revolutionary

One Individual may die for an idea, but that idea will, after his death, incarnate itself in a thousand lives. Men, money, and materials cannot by themselves bring victory or freedom. We must have the motive power that will inspire us to do brave deeds and heroic exploits. ~ Subhash Chandra Bose Subhash Chandra Bose, born on 23rd January 1897 in Cuttack, Orissa, was the son of a famous Advocate, Sri Janakinath Bose and Prabhavati Devi. Ever since his school days, Subhas had witnessed the national freedom movement closely because his elder brother Sarat Chandra Bose was closely associated with the movement in Bengal. After having an urge to find answers to many questions in life, perhaps drawn to the life and work of Swami Vivekananda, Subhas, along with two friends, went across the length and breadth of India. Bose, in his own words, expressed that he was unable to find a single guide or "Guru" to answer his questions. The Vedanta ideology that inspired Bose to ask question...

A Journey To Discover Life

Search This Blog