Khanzada Rajput
Encyclopedia
The Khanzada or Khanzadah Rajputs, is a subdivision of Muslim Rajputs
, now found mainly in the Rajasthan
, Haryana
and Western Uttar Pradesh
of India
; and Sindh
, Punjab provinces of Pakistan. Khanzadahs, the royal family of Muslim Jadon
(also spelt as Jadaun
) Rajputs, accepted Islam
on their association with the Sufi Saints. Others say they were converted by Firoz Shah Khanzadah, the Persian form of the Rajputana word 'Rajput', is the title of the great representatives of the ancient Yaduvanshi royal Rajput family, descendants of Krishna
and therefore of Lunar Dynasty. They are the Mewat
ti Chiefs of the Persian historians, who were the representatives of the ancient Lords of Mewat.
Khanzada = Khan (Raj) + zada (put) = Rajput.
The word Khanzada or Khanzadeh in Persian
means 'son of a Khan
', 'Khan means king'. While Khanzadi or Khanzadehi is used for daughters of Khan.
However, it is prominently a division of Jadubansi Rajputs. But afterwards, the term 'Khanzada' used for other Muslim Rajputs as well viz. Khanzada (Awadh)
.
's son Yadu
, found in North India
and Pakistan.One of the members of Yaduvanshi Rajput family who had been ruling over northern Mewat accepted Islam probably to obtain greater power from Firuz. He was Bahadur Nahir who better known to history as the founder of the Khanzada tribe of Mewat.
legend, the origin of the Lunar Dynasty
began with Brahma in the Treta Yuga (second era):
Nahusha
was a well-known king of the Aila dynasty
. He was the son of Ayu, the eldest son of Pururavas
and Prabha, the daughter of Svarbhanu. Nahusha reigned from Pratishthana. He married Viraja, the daughter of the Pitrs
. They had six or seven sons, according to different Puranas
. His eldest son Yati became a muni (ascetic). He was succeeded by his second son Yayati
.
This king is mentioned by Manu as having come into conflict with the Brahman
s, and his story is repeated several times with variations in different parts of the Mahabharata
as well as in the Puranas
. According to Manu "By sacrifices, austere fervour, sacred study, self-restraint, and valour, Nahusha acquired the undisturbed sovereignty of the three worlds. Through want of virtuous humility the great king Nahusha was utterly ruined".
One version of the narrative says that he aspired to the possession of Indrani, wife of Indra
, when that god had concealed himself for having killed a Brahman
, Vritra
. A thousand great Rishi
s bore the palanquin of Nahusha, and on one occasion he touched with his foot the great Agastya
, who was carrying him. The sage in his anger cried out, "Fall, thou serpent," and Nahusha fell from his glorious car and became a serpent. Interestingly, Nachash (Heb. "נחש") is the Biblical Hebrew word for a serpent.
Agastya, at the supplication of Nahusha, put a limit to the curse; and according to one version, the doomed man was released from it by the instrumentality of Yudhishthira, when he threw off "his huge reptile form, became clothed in a celestial body, and ascended to heaven."
Yayati
was a Puranic king and the son of king Nahusha
.He had two wives, Devyani
and Sharmishtha
. Devyani was the daughter of Maha-guru Shukracharya, the priest of Asura
s (the demons). Sharmishtha was the daughter of the Demon King Vrishparva
. Sharmishthe was a friend and servant of Devyani.
Yadu
is the name of one of the five Aryan clans mentioned in the Rig Veda (I.54.6, I.108.7, X.62.10). The Mahabharata
, the Harivamsha and the Puranas mention Yadu as the eldest son of king Yayati
and his queen Devayani
, the daughter of Asura-guru, Maha-guru Shukracharya. The prince of King Yayati, Yadu was a self-respecting and a very established ruler. According to the Vishnu Purana
, the Bhagavata Purana
and the Garuda Purana
Yadu had four sons, while according to the rest of the Puranas he had five sons. The names of his sons are: Sahasrajit (or Sahasrada), Kroshtu (or Kroshta), Nila, Antika and Laghu.
Mahabharata
, Krishna
was the son of the Yadava
chief Vasudeva
and his wife Devaki
. The earliest text to explicitly provide detailed descriptions of Krishna as a personality is the epic Mahābhārata
, which depicts Krishna as an incarnation of Vishnu
. Krishna is central to many of the main stories of the epic. The eighteen chapters of the sixth book (Bhishma Parva) of the epic that constitute the Bhagavad Gita
contain the advice of Krishna to the warrior-hero Arjuna
, on the battlefield. Krishna is already an adult in the epic, although there are allusions to his earlier exploits. The Harivamsa
, a later appendix to this epic, contains the earliest detailed version of Krishna's childhood and youth.
Around 150 BC, Patanjali
in his Mahabhashya quotes a verse: "May the might of Krishna accompanied by Samkarshana increase!" Other verses are mentioned. One verse speaks of "Janardana with himself as fourth" (Krishna with three companions, the three possibly being Samkarshana, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha). Another verse mentions musical instruments being played at meetings in the temples of Rama (Balarama
) and Kesava (Krishna). Patanjali also describes dramatic and mimetic performances (Krishna-Kamsopacharam) representing the killing of Kamsa by Vasudeva.
In the 1st century BC, there seems to be evidence for a worship of five Vrishni heroes (Balarama, Krishna, Pradyumna
, Aniruddha
and Samba
) for an inscription has been found at Mora
near Mathura, which apparently mentions a son of the great satrap Rajuvula
, probably the satrap Sodasa, and an image of Vrishni, "probably Vasudeva, and of the "Five Warriors". Brahmi inscription on the Mora stone slab, now in the Mathura Museum.
Many Puranas
tells Krishna's life-story or some highlights from it. Two Puranas, the Bhagavata Purana
and the Vishnu Purana
, that contain the most elaborate telling of Krishna’s story and teachings are the most theologically venerated by the Gaudiya Vaishnava schools. Roughly one quarter of the Bhagavata Purana is spent extolling his life
and philosophy
.
Yāska
's Nirukta
, an etymological dictionary around the 5th century BC, contains a reference to the Shyamantaka jewel in the possession of Akrura, a motif from well known Puranic story about Krishna. Shatapatha Brahmana
and Aitareya-Aranyaka, associate Krishna with his Vrishni origins.
In early texts, such as Rig Veda, there are no references to Krishna, however some, like Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar
attempted to show that "the very same Krishna" made an appearance, e.g. as the drapsa ... krishna "black drop" of RV 8.96.13.
Some authors have also likened prehistoric depictions of deities to Krishna. Thus, a steatite tablet excavated by Mackay in Mohenjo-daro
1927-31 depicts two persons holding a tree and tree god is extending his hands towards them, compared to the episode of Yamalarjuna-lila by the excavator.
The ancient name of the place was Sripatha. Two old Hindu
temple
s were, till recently, used by the Musalmans as mosques, and each has a Sanskrit
inscription. One of them, bearing date AD 1043, mentions a Jadon Raja, Bijai Pal
, to whom is unanimously attributed the building of the well-known fort of Bijaigarh, which is situated on an eminence about 2 miles (3.2 km) to the south-west, and is shown in all maps under the name of Badalgarh Kot. There are several old temples and remains in this fort ; but the chief object of interest is a red sandstone pillar (Jaf) bearing an inscription of the Varika king, Vishnuvardhana, a tributary of Samudra Gupta, dated in AD 372.
Bijai Pal, whose descendants rule at Karauli
, is said to have been killed about the middle of the eleventh century in a battle with Masud Salar, a nephew of Mahmud of Ghazni
, when the fort was taken. It was soon after recovered by the Rajputs, only, however, to be again stormed successfully by Abu Bakr, Kandahari, whose tomb is still pointed out in the vicinity. Thenceforward, it seems to have been held by whatever dynasty ruled at Delhi
. Muhammad Ghori took it in 1196 and Sikandar Lodi in 1492. Babar
, writing in 1526, describes the fort as one of the most famous in India, and his son Humayun took it from the Lodis in 1535. Bayana is mentioned in the Ain-i-Akbari
as having in former times been the capital of a province of which Agra
was but a dependent village.
Glimpses of Glorious Bharatpur A Conspectus states:
The Bayana
Hills are covered with the remains of large buildings. The fort, which is the biggest, was built by the famous Hindu
King, Banasur, in the times of Lord Krishna and was renovated by Maharaja
Bijai Pal, in whose time the two families of Karauli and Bharatpur
separated. The other
brother built a fort known as Timangarh laying the foundations of the former State of Karauli. The Bharatpur Ruling Family are the descendants of Bijai Pal. The fort is considered the third largest in India and covers an area of 10 square miles.
Amongst many note-worthy battles the first was fought between Vijai Pal, the ruler of Bayana and Asand Salar nephew of Mohammad of Ghazni in 1030 AD and the forces of Jahadis killed Bijai Pal. The tombs now scattered about Bayana are supposed to be those of the Jahadis.
see page: http://karauli.nic.in/timan.htm
The well is named after Shah Alakh, the darvesh who, pleased by the Jadon Rajput raja Bandh Pal’s khidmat, or service, helped him establish the settlement of Ajangarh, near Kaman. The Jadon Rajputs had fled after Shahab al-Din Muhammad Ghori vanquished them at Bayana in the twelfth century.
Archaeological Survey of India Reports states:
When Muhammad Ghori captured Tahangarh many of the Jadon families dispersed and settled wherever they could find a home. One chief, named Tej Pala, found refuge with a descendant of Susarmajit, the Raja of Sarhata, and after a time founded Tijara
. His palace is still pointed out in Mohalla Mirdhon of Tejara. Raja Band Pal, the son of Raja Tahan Pal, is said to have emigrated in Samvat 1173, or AD 1116, and to have taken refuge in the hills near Kaman. His son was Ainti Pala, whose son was Adhan Pal, whose son was Insaraj, who had acquired Sarhata, near Tejara. Insaraj had five sons, of whom the eldest, Lakhan Pal, was the founder of the great family of the Khanzadahs.
and therefore of Lunar Dynasty.
Jadon (also spelt as Jadaun
) Rajput Raja Lakhan Pala, the progenitor of the great family of the Khanzadahs, was the grandson of Raja Adhan Pala (who was 4th in descent from Raja Tahan Pala). Tahan Pala, who founded Tahangarh, was the eldest son of Raja Bijai Pala (founder of Bijai Garh
), who himself was 88th in descent from Lord Krishna
. Hence, Jadon Raja Lakhan Pala, Mewatpatti (title means, Lord of Mewat) was 94th in descent from Lord Krishna
.
Gazetteer of Ulwur states:
According to these family traditions, one Adhan Pal, fourth in descent from Taman (Tahan) Pal, Jadu chief of Biana (see Karauli Gazetteer) established himself on the hills separating Tijara and Firozpur (Gurgaon
), at a spot called Durala, of which the ruins still are to be seen. Thence he was driven to Sarehta, a few miles to the north in the same hills, where there are considerable remains (see Sarehta); and his grandson Lakhan Pal became, in the time of Firoz Shah, a Musalman, and established himself at Kotala. He held all Mewat(an ancient country), and
even districts beyond its limits. His sons and grandsons settled in the principal places, and it is said that 1484 towns and villages (kheras) were under their sway, in some of which tombs and ruins exist that may have belonged to them.
Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 15, Karauli Gazetteer states:
The Maharaja of Karauli
is the head of the Jadon clan of Rajputs, who claim descent from Krishna. The Jadons, who have nearly always remained in or near the country of Braj round Muttra, are said to have at one time held half of Alwar and the whole of Bharatpur
, Karauli
, and Dholpur
, besides the British Districts of Gurgaon
and Mathura, the greater part of Agra west of the Yamuna
, and portions of Gwalior lying along the Chambal
. In the eleventh century Bijai Pal, said to have been eighty-eighth in descent from Krishna, established himself in Bayana
, now belonging to Bharatpur, and built the fort overlooking that town. His eldest son, Tahan Pal, built the well-known fort of Tahangarh, still in Karauli territory, about 1058, and shortly afterwards possessed himself of almost all the country now comprising the Karauli State, as well as a good deal of land to the east as far as Dholpur.
Archaeological Survey of India Reports states:
The Yaduvansis, of course, claim descent from Krishna, the acknowledged lord of Mathura after the death of Kansa
. Their early history, therefore, consists of a number of the popular tales of Krishna derived from the Mahabharata and the Puranas. But something like real history begins with Dharma Pala, the 77th in descent from Krishna according to the lists of the chroniclers. He is the first who bears the name of Pala, which has descended in the family of the Karauli Rajas to the present day. His probable date is about 800 AD. He and his successors are said to have
resided in Bayana. The eleventh in descent from Dharma Pala is Vijaya Pala, to whom the building of the fortress of Vijayamandargarh is unanimously attributed. An inscription bearing his name still exists on one of the Hindu pillars of the Masjid in the Bahari-Bhitari-Mohalla in the town of Bayana. It gives the date of Sambat 1100, or AD 1043. His son was Tahan Pala, who built the great Fort of Tahangarh, which stands on the crest of the long sandstone range of hills 14 miles (22.5 km) to the south of Bayana, and the same distance to the east of Hindaun. His date will, therefore, be about Sambat 1130, or AD 1073. From him the Khanzadahs trace their descent. After the occupation of Bayana by the Muslims, the Raja Kunwar Pal retired to Tahangarh, whither he was followed by Muhammad Ghori and his general Kutb-ud-din Aibak. The reigning Raja is named Kuwar Pala by the Muslim historians, and this name is found in the list of the bards as the second or third prince after Tahan Pala. His date, therefore, corresponds very fairly with that of the capture of Tahangarh in AH. 592, or AD 1196.
Panjab Castes states:
The Khanzadahs of Gurgaon have returned themselves as Jadubansi in the column for clan, and they commonly say that this is their only got. Khanzadah, or " the son of a Khan " is precisely the Musalman equivalent to the Hindu Rajput or " son of a Raja ; " and there can be little doubt that the Khanzadahs are to the Meo
s what the Rajputs are to the Jats.
Sultan-ul-Mashaikh, Mehboob-e-Ilahi, Hazrat Shaikh Khwaja Syed Muhammad Nizamuddin Auliya
(1238 - 3 April 1325) , also known as Hazrat Nizamuddin, was a famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order
in South Asia
, an order that believed in drawing close to God through renunciation of the world and service to humanity. He is one of the great saints of the Chishti order in India. His predecessors were Moinuddin Chishti
, Bakhtiyar Kaki and Fariduddin Ganjshakar. In that sequence, they constitute the initial spiritual chain or silsila
of the Chisti order, which is widely prevalent in India and Pakistan.
Nizamuddin Auliya like his predecessors stressed upon the element of love as a means of realisation of God. For him his love of God implied a love of humanity. His vision of the world was marked by a highly evolved sense of secularity and kindness. It is claimed by the 14th century historiographer Ziauddin Barani
that his influence on the Muslims of Delhi was such that a paradigm shift was effected in their outlook towards worldly matters. People began to be inclined towards mysticism and prayers and remaining aloof from the world.
Hazrat Nasiruddin Mahmud Chirag-e-Delhi(ca 1274-1356) was a 14th century mystic-poet and a Sufi Saint of Chishti Order
. He was a murid
(disciple) of noted Sufi saint, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya
, and later khalifa
, his successor. He was the last important Sufi of Chishti Order
from Delhi
.
He was given the title, "Roshan Chirag-e-Delhi", which in Urdu
, means "Illuminated Lamp of Delhi
".
Haryana State Gazetteer states:
One of the members of Yaduvanshi Rajput family who had been ruling over northern Mewat accepted Islam. He was Bahadur Nahar who better known to history as the founder of the Khanzada tribe of Mewat.
Gazetteer of Ulwur states:
For after the death of Emperor Firoz Shah in 1388, we find Bahadar Nahar Mewatti, whose stronghold was at Kotila or Kotal in the Tijara hills, occupying the place of a powerful noble at Dehli. This Bahadar Nahar, a Jadu Rajput by birth, is the reputed founder of the Khanzada race, which became so renowned in the history of the empire.
Bahadar Nahar aided Abubakar, grandson of the late Emperor Firoz, in expelling from Dehli Abubakar's uncle Nasiruddin, and in establishing the former on the throne. In a few months, however, Abubakar had to give way before Nasiruddin, and he then fled to Bahadar Nahar's stronghold, Kotila, where he was pursued by Nasiruddin. After a struggle Abubakar and Bahadar Nahar surrendered, and Abubakar was placed in confinement for life, but Bahadar Nahar received a robe and was allowed to depart. Two years later, the Emperor being ill, Bahadar Nahar plundered the country to the gates of Dehli, but Nasiruddin, before he had quite recovered from his illness, hastened to Mewat and attacked Kotila, from whence Bahadar Nahar had to fly to Jhirka, a few miles to the south in the same range of hills, and remarkable for its springs.
In AD 1392, the Emperor Nasiruddin died, and Bahadar Nahar, allied with one Mallu Yakbal Khan
, held the balance between two rival claimants of the throne. He would not allow either to gain an advantage over the other, so that for three years there were two emperors residing in the city of Dehli.
Kunwar Mubarak Khan (one of the sons of Raja Bahadar Khan Nahar), who, when acting with his father's old ally Mallu Yakbal Khan, was assassinated by him.
Haryana State Gazetteer states:
One of the members of Yaduvanshi Rajput family who had been ruling over northern Mewat accepted Islam. He was Bahadur Nahar who better known to history as the founder of the Khanzada tribe of Mewat.
In the wake of the general confusion that followed Timur's occupation of Delhi at the close of 1398, Raja Bahadur Khan withdrew to his Kotla
and watched the development of events from there. Mewat during this time was flooded with fugitives fleeing from Delhi and Khizr Khan Syed, the future Sultan of Hindustan, was one of those who took shelter in Mewat. That the Mewatti chief was enjoying a high reputation at this time is shown by the fact that from Delhi, Timur
had sent him two envoys who invited him for a meeting with the invader. Bahadur accepted this invitation, met the invader and offered him rare and suitable presents, which Timur praised highly.
Gazetteer of Ulwur states:
Several historians, including the great conqueror himself, make prominent mention of the conduct of Bahadar Nahar during the invasion of Timurlang in AD 1398. Timur states that he sent an embassy to Bahadar Nahar at Kotila, to which a humble reply was received. Bahadar Nahar sent as a present two white parrots that belonged to the late Emperor. Timur remarks that these parrots were much prized by him.
Located about 6.5 km south of Nuh (in Haryana) in the village of Kotala, is a Jami Masjid and the tomb of Raja Bahadur Khan Nahar, which were built with a skillfull combination of red sandstone and Grey quartzite. Over the ruined gateway is an inscription giving the date of its buildings as AD.1392-1400. The group is raised on a high platform and is very strikingly situated in a hollow of the hills, which at this point are crowned by the ruins of an ancient fortress.
, the stronghold of the Kachwaha
Raja
s, and the carrying away of one of its gates to Indore
, where it is still to be seen! Khanzadah Raja Jalal probably died about AH. 845, and was succeeded by his brother Ahmad.
The old fort of Indor, one of the strongholds of the Khanzada chiefs of Mewat, is situated on the hill range boundary between the Alwar territory and the British district of Gurgaon
. It is 6 miles (9.7 km) to the north of Kotila, and about 70 miles (112.7 km) to south of Delhi.Indor, which was the favourite residence of the Khanzada Jalal Khan. His tomb also is at Indor, and his name is connected with all the traditions of the place. In my account of the family of the Khanzadas I have referred to the traditions still current about Jalal Khan.
The dargah, or tomb, of Jalal Khan is an oblong building, 95 feet (29 m) by 34 feet (10.4 m) outside, with three rooms inside, each 22 feet 3 inches square. The long walls are 6 feet (1.8 m) thick, and the end walls are each 7 feet 10 inches. The roof consists of three massive hemispherical domes. In the middle room is the grave of Jalal himself, with three others. In the eastern room there are eight large and one small grave, and in the western room are eight large and two small graves. All these, no doubt, belong to members of his family. There are about twenty other domed tombs in the neighbourhood, but they are small, and without inscriptions, except the Kalimeh. To the north-west there is a tank called Chanda-tal ; and to the west there is a khangah, or shrine, of Chandan Shahid, or the Martyr.
a Rajputs who came into conflict with Prithviraj Chauhan and later with the Khanzadas and were finally displaced by Alawal Khan Khanzada. Later it was altered, and reinforced. The Nikumbhas, it is said, practised human sacrifice. One day when the turn of the son of a domini — a professional female singer on auspicious occasions — came for sacrifice, the mother made a sign by throwing dust through a tower crevice for Alawal Khan, who promptly captured the fort.
Gazetteer of Ulwur states:
The local legends declare the Nikumba Rajputs to have been the first occupants of Ulwur. They are said to have built the fort and the old town, remains of which last are to be seen within the hills under the fort.
The cause of the fall of a ruling family is generally declared by local legends to have been some special act of gross oppression committed by the family. In the case of the Nikumpas, their ruin is attributed to their practice of human sacrifice. Daily they offered to Durga Devi some wretched man or woman belonging to the lower castes. A Dom widow's son was thus put to death, and the Domni, in revenge, told the Khanzada chief of Kotila that he might easily seize the Ulwur Fort by attacking it when the Nikumpas were engaged in the worship of Devi, at which time they laid aside their arms. An attack was accordingly organised. A party of Khanzadas lay in wait under the fort ; the Domni, at the proper moment, gave the signal by throwing down a basket of ashes, and a successful assault was made. The spot where the ashes were thrown down is pointed out and called " Domni Danta".
lasting empire. Then it was that the Rajputs made their last great struggle for independence. They were led by Rana Sankha, a chief of Mewar, who invited the Mewatti chief, Hasan Khan, to aid the nation of his birth in resisting the new horde of Musalmans from the north.
The political position of Hasan Khan at this time was important. Babar, in his autobiography, speaks of him as the prime mover in all the confusions and insurrections of the period. He had, he states, vainly shown Hasan Khan distinguished marks of favour, but the affections of the infidel lay all on the side of the Pagans i.e., the Hindus ; and the propinquity of his country to Dehli, no doubt, made his opposition especially dangerous. Hasan Khan's seat at this time was at Ulwur, but local tradition says that he was originally established at Bahadarpur, eight miles (13 km) from Ulwur.
The Emperor Baber, speaking of Hasan Khan of Mewat, who was one of his opponents at the great battle of Khanwa, says that he "had received the government of Mewat from his ancestors, who had governed it in uninterrupted succession for nearly 200 years."
The Emperor Babur, in his autobiography THE BABUR-NAMA, speaks
apostates - Babur so-calls both Hasan and his followers, presumably because they followed their race sympathies, as of Rajput origin, and fought against co-religionists. Though Hasan's subjects,Meos, were nominally Muslims, it appears that they practised some Hindu customs. For an account of Miwat, see Gazetteer of Ulvur (Alwar, Alur) by Major P. W. Powlett.
Mewat - Alwar being in Mewat, Babur may mean that bodies were found beyond that town, in the main portion of the Miwat country north of Alwar, towards Delhi.
Mewati - This word appears to have been restricted in its use to the Khan-zadas of the ruling
house in Mewat, and was not used for their subjects, the Meos (Powlett I.e. Cap. I.,Gazetteeer of Ulwur). The uses of " Miwati " and " Meo " suggest something analogous with those of "Chaghatai" and " Mughul " in Babur's time. The resemblance includes mutual dislike and distrust (Powlett I.e.,Gazetter of Ulwur).
The Emperor Babur, in his autobiography THE BABUR-NAMA, speaks "Hasan Khan of Mewat was enrolled in the list of the dead by the force of a matchlock (zarb-i-tufak) ; most of those headstrong chiefs of tribes were slain likewise, and ended their days by arrow and matchlock (tir u tufak)."
The Rana Sangha escaped from Battle of Khanwa
. He died in this year, not without suspicion of poison. "aichimni khali qildim", a seeming equivalent for English, "I poured out my spleen."
Baber says that the ancestors of his opponent Hasan Khan had governed Mewat in uninterrupted succession for nearly 200 years, and that Tijara was their capital. In another place he calls him Raja Hasan Khan Mewati, an infidel, who was the prime mover and agitator in the insurrection against the Mughals. The title of Raja and the term " infidel " show that Baber was aware of Hasan Khan's Hindu descent, and the period of '* nearly 200 years" most probably refers to the date when his ancestor became a Muslim in the reign of Firoz Shah between AH. 752 and 790.
Located in Tijara, at a short distance to the south-west of Bhartari (situated is the tomb of Ala-ud-din Khanzada, the son of Bahadur Nahar who died between 840 and 850 AH) there is a very pretty stone masjid, standing on an earthen terrace, raised 10 feet (3 m) above the fields. It is 77 feet (23.5 m) long by 25 feet (7.6 m) broad, with three openings in front, but only one dome is visible from the outside. In front of the entrance, at a distance of 21 feet (6.4 m), there is a neatly built tomb, 32 feet 10 inches square, resting on a stone plinth 35 feet (10.7 m) square. This is said to be the resting-place of the last of the Khanzadas, named Hasan Khan, the opponent of Baber, who fell on the fatal field of Khanwa in AH. 933 (16 March AD 1527). Inside the tomb is 25 feet (7.6 m) square, with a door-way on each side. The building has the usual wide-spreading caves and battlements, with a hemispherical dome, surmounted by an octagonal cupola, on a spreading foliated base.
See page for Bala Kila, Alwar : http://alwar.nic.in/Tourism.html
According to tradition, the "Tijara" town was founded by a Jadon Rajput named Tej Pal, and was formerly called Trigartag. It was one of the chief towns of the Khanzadas of Mewat, and was for a long time their capital.
Soon after Mughal Emperor
Babur
's death, his successor, Humayun
, was in AD 1540 supplanted by the Pathan Sher Shah Suri
, who, in AD 1545, was followed by Islam Shah Suri
. During the reign of the latter a battle was fought and lost by the Emperor's troops at Firozpur Jhirka, in Mewat
, on which, however, Islam Shah did not loose his hold. Muhammad Adil Shah, the third Suri ruler, who succeeded in AD 1552, had to contend for the Empire with the returned Humayun.
In these struggles for the restoration of Babar's dynasty Khanzadas apparently do not figure at all. Humaiyun seems to have conciliated them by marrying the elder daughter of Jamal Khan, nephew of Babar's opponent, Hasan Khan, and by causing his great minister, Bairam Khan, to marry a younger daughter of the same Mewatti.
Ain i Akbari of Moghul King Akbar states that the Khanzada Muslim Rajputs were living in Ujjinah, Tijara, Rajasthan along with the Thathar Rajput tribe occupying 33,926 bigas of land with a revenue of 428,347 rs having 45 cavalry and 150 infantry.
Khanzada Fateh Jang Khan, The Imperial Minister during Mughal Emperor ShahJahan Reign
An illustrious warrior belonged to Khanzada leaders of Alwar, Fateh Jung was a minister in the court of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. The cenotaph of this great combatant is well recognized as an artistic marvel. Fateh Jung ka Gumbaj is an impressive sepulcher with a colossal arena that displays a perfect mixture of Islamic and Hindu architectural trends. This five-storied structural splendor surpasses all the contemporary monuments.
The tomb is bounded by a lush, verdant garden, which adds the charm of the tomb. This hedged garden now holds a school. Every morning the mausoleum would be opened for the public at 9 am.
Tomb of Fateh Jung: Spectacular Tomb of Fateh Jung is an elegant blend of Hindu and Islamic styles of architecture. Build to commemorate the memory of Fateh Jung, a minister of the Mughal Emperor Shahjehan, this tomb has a massive dome.
The Tomb of Khanzada Fateh Jung Khan, is a protected monument under Rajasthan Government Act 1961.
Gazetteer of Ulwur states:
Near the station on the Bhartpur road is a fine Musalmaan tomb of AD 1547, known as Fatah Jhang's. Its dome is a conspicuous and ornamental object. Fatah Jhang was probably a Khanzada of note. At least his Hindoo extraction would appear to be indicated by the fact of the inscription, which is the only memorial inscription I have met with on an Ulwur monument, being in Nagari character. It gives the Hindi date as well as the year of the Hijira. It runs thus " Sambat 1604, san 955, Fatah Jang Khan, wafat pai tarlkh, 27 Mah Rabi ul awal Gumbaz niu dini tarikh 3 ".
The Khanzadas still retained local importance, which, as will be subsequently shown, did not quite disappear until the present century. The extent of the territory they once held is pretty well indicated by the Musalman historians, existing traditions, and local remains.
during the early 12th century and were given the title of Shaikh (elder of the tribe) by the Arab or Mirza
by the Mughal
rulers. Since conversion Rajput clans
have remained loyal to their faith. Rajputs were converted to Islam by the Muslim Sufis missionaries of the famed Chistiya
, Qadriya orders and many others. Rai Tulsi Das was converted to Islam by Makhdoom Jahania Jahangasht
of Uch Sharif in 1323 AD and named Sheikh Sirajuddin alias Sheikh Chachu who established his independent state (District Ludhiana) given to him by Emperor Alauddin
.
Some conversions also took place for political reasons. The Delhi Sultanate
and later Mughal
dynasty
encouraged the martial Rajput clans to convert to Islam. Conversions to Islam continued into the 19th century period of the British Raj.
Nehru also mentioned his own personal experience with Muslim Rajputs as he grew up, "I grew to know; the Rajput peasant and petty landholder, still proud of his race and ancestry, even though he might have changed his faith and adopted Islam." More importantly he bears testament to the fact that despite his change of faith, a Rajput is still a Rajput.
Jawaharlal Nehru
made mention of Islam's mass appeal, "...The impact of the invaders of the north-west and Islam on India had been considerable. It pointed out and shown up the abuses that had crept up into Hindu society-the petrifaction of caste, untouchability, exclusiveness carried to fantastic lengths. The idea of brotherhood of Islam and of the theoretical equality of its adherents made a powerful appeal, especially those of the Hindu
fold who were denied any semblance of equal treatment..."
He further stated the conversions of Hindu upper castes to Islam, "Some individuals belonging to the higher castes also adopted the new faith, because for political economic reasons because of fear... though all their social structure was based on the group (caste/social class), in matters of religion they were highly individualistic.... It is worth noting as a rule, conversions to Islam were group conversions to protect their entire race...Among the upper castes individuals may change their religion...almost an entire village would convert... group life as well as well as their functions continued as before with only minor variations with regards worship etc."
The Muslim Rajputs are a multi-ethnic community who are partly descended from Arabs, Persian
s, Afghans and Turks. The Muslims of Middle East
and Central Asia
have historically, travelled to South Asia
as technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and Sufis during the Islamic Sultanates and Mughal Empire
and settled permanently. These Muslim families have intermarried with the Muslim Rajputs families.
The Rajput conversions attracted criticism from their Hindu counterparts. In fact a testimony of the steadfast practice of Islam by the Muslim Rajputs
;
There is an interesting case of this happening up until the recent British Raj
era of India's history, which established a precedent in their government. In the state of Rajgarh, the ruling Rajput Chief began to show a tendency towards Islam
and got into difficulties with his Hindu
caste peers over this. This occurred during the period of Sir John Lawrence
's Viceroy period. His open following of Islamic traditions had infuriated his peers and feelings were so strong against him that he chose to abdicate the royal throne and retire to his new found faith (Islam
). The subsequent inquiry against him however showed that he was a good ruler and no misgovernment was charged against him and his subjects were satisfied with his rule. A year later this Rajput chief openly declared the Kalima
(Muslim affirmation of embracing Islam
) and renounced the Hindu faith. His sons also joined him. This case established for the British Raj the precedent that no leader or ruler can be replaced simply because of his change of creed. Regardless of the feelings of his peers, it was the quality of his rule that mattered.
There is also recorded instances of recent conversions of Rajputs to Islam
in Western Uttar Pradesh
, Khurja tahsil of Bulandshahr.
But despite the difference in faith, where the question has arisen of Common Rajput honour, there have been instances where both Muslim and Hindu
Rajput
s have united together against threats from external ethnic groups.
Rajput
code dictates that Rajputs can only marry amongst other Rajputs that's why mostly Muslim Rajputs still marry into other Muslim Rajputs only. However, tradition of marriages into only one group or clan because of caste reasons is not permitted in Islam
. This led to a great change in the traditional Rajput marital policy. Muslim Rajputs
therefore started to marry from other dominant aristocratic Muslim clans. This was to continue the tradition of royal/strategic marriages without prejudice to Rajput affiliation. This was further realized when some major Rajput clans of Punjab
intermarried into other clans of foreign descent. However, many Muslim Rajputs still follow the custom of only marrying into other Muslim Rajput clans only.
Being recent converts to Islam
from a culturally Rajput background, there was very little difference between Rajasthan
i and Uttar Pradesh
i Hindu and Muslim Rajputs (outside of religious practices). Hence up until recently, marriages between Muslim and Hindu Rajputs also took place. In Pakistan, the Muslim Rajput now marry with other Muslims and many Rajput traditions have been discarded.
The famous warrior Hasan Khan Mewati
,Mewat was his ruling area, who resisted the Mughal
Emperor Babar
, also belonged to the Khanzada clan. During the 16th century, the Khanzadas of Alwar were the pre-eminent Rajput
rulers of India
, controlling most of Mewat
, and extending their rule almost to the gates of Delhi
.
Muslim Rajputs
Muslim Rajputs or Musulman Rajputs are Muslims belonging to the Hindu Rajput Kshatriya groups of Indian subcontinent, who converted to Islam.-History:...
, now found mainly in the Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
and Western Uttar Pradesh
Western Uttar Pradesh
Western Uttar Pradesh, sometimes simply referred to as West U.P., is a region in India that comprises the western districts of Uttar Pradesh state, including the areas of Rohilkhand and Braj. The region has some demographic, economic and cultural patterns which are distinct from other parts of...
of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
; and Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, Punjab provinces of Pakistan. Khanzadahs, the royal family of Muslim Jadon
Jadon
Jadon is a Hebrew name meaning "thankful" or "he will judge". It appears in the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament as the name of Jadon the Meronothite, one of the builders of the wall of Jerusalem in the Book of Nehemiah .-The prophet Jadon:According to Flavius Josephus, Jadon is the name of a minor...
(also spelt as Jadaun
Jadaun
The Jadaun are a clan of Chandravanshi Rajputs found in North India and Pakistan.-Origins:...
) Rajputs, accepted Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
on their association with the Sufi Saints. Others say they were converted by Firoz Shah Khanzadah, the Persian form of the Rajputana word 'Rajput', is the title of the great representatives of the ancient Yaduvanshi royal Rajput family, descendants of Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
and therefore of Lunar Dynasty. They are the Mewat
Mewat
Mewat is a historical region of Haryana and Rajasthan states in northwestern India. The loose boundaries of Mewat are not precisely determined but generally include Mewat District of Haryana and parts of Alwar, Bharatpur, and Dholpur districts of Rajasthan...
ti Chiefs of the Persian historians, who were the representatives of the ancient Lords of Mewat.
Khanzada = Khan (Raj) + zada (put) = Rajput.
The word Khanzada or Khanzadeh in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
means 'son of a Khan
Khan (title)
Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
', 'Khan means king'. While Khanzadi or Khanzadehi is used for daughters of Khan.
However, it is prominently a division of Jadubansi Rajputs. But afterwards, the term 'Khanzada' used for other Muslim Rajputs as well viz. Khanzada (Awadh)
Khanzada (Awadh)
The Khanzada or Khan Zadeh are a community of Hindu converted Muslim Rajputs, found in the Awadh region of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. A few are also found in the state of Bihar. This community is distinct from the Rajasthan Khanzadas, who are also a community of Muslim Rajputs. They also...
.
History
The Khanzadas are Yaduvanshi Raputs of Lunar Race/Lunar Dynasty. In Rajasthani dialect, as King 'Yadu' is pronounced as King 'Jadu', Jadubansi Rajputs are the descendants of King YayatiYayati
Yayati was a Puranic king and the son of king Nahusha and one of ancestors of Pandavas. He was a great scholar of Vedas. He had five brothers, Yati, Samyati, Ayati, Viyati and Kriti. He had two wives, Devayani and Sharmishtha. Devayani was the daughter of Shukracharya, the priest of Asuras ....
's son Yadu
Yadu
Yadu is one of the five Indo-Aryan tribes mentioned in the Rig Veda . The Mahabharata, the Harivamsha and the Puranas mention Yadu as the eldest son of king Yayati and his queen Devayani. The prince of King Yayati, Yadu was a self-respecting and a very established ruler...
, found in North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
and Pakistan.One of the members of Yaduvanshi Rajput family who had been ruling over northern Mewat accepted Islam probably to obtain greater power from Firuz. He was Bahadur Nahir who better known to history as the founder of the Khanzada tribe of Mewat.
Puranas
According to the Bhavishya PuranaBhavishya Purana
The Bhavishya Purana is one of the eighteen major Hindu Puranas. It is written in Sanskrit and attributed to Rishi Vyasa, the compiler of the Vedas. The title Bhavishya Purana signifies a work that contains prophecies regarding the future...
legend, the origin of the Lunar Dynasty
Lunar Dynasty
In Hindu mythology, the Lunar Dynasty is one of the three principal houses of the Kshatriya varna, or warrior–ruling caste...
began with Brahma in the Treta Yuga (second era):
- BrahmaBrahmaBrahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
had Manasputra (Mind born son) AtriAtriThis article is about the sage named Attri. See also the gotra named Atri. For the Italian city, see Atri, AbruzzoIn Hinduism, Attri or Atri is a legendary bard and scholar and was one of 9 Prajapatis, and a son of Brahma, said to be ancestor of some Brahmin, Prajapatis, kshatriya and Vaishya... - AtriAtriThis article is about the sage named Attri. See also the gotra named Atri. For the Italian city, see Atri, AbruzzoIn Hinduism, Attri or Atri is a legendary bard and scholar and was one of 9 Prajapatis, and a son of Brahma, said to be ancestor of some Brahmin, Prajapatis, kshatriya and Vaishya...
produced Chandra (Moon God) from his eyes. In the third part of Treta YugaTreta YugaTreta Yuga is the second out of four yugas, or ages of mankind, in the religion of Hinduism, and follows the Satya Yuga of perfect morality and precedes the Dvapara Yuga. The most famous events in this yuga were Lord Vishnu's fifth, sixth and seventh incarnations as Vamana, Parashurama and...
, Indra sent Chandra, Rohini's husband, to Prithvi (Earth). His capital was Prayag and was a devout worshiper of VishnuVishnuVishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
and ShivaShivaShiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
. He performed 100 YagyasYajnaIn Hinduism, yajna is a ritual of sacrifice derived from the practice of Vedic times. It is performed to please the gods or to attain certain wishes...
(Oblations) to please Mahamaya (God). He ruled for 18,000 years and then ascended to heaven. - His son was Budh/BudhaBudhaIn Hindu mythology, Budha is the name for the planet Mercury, a son of Chandra with Tara or Rohini. He is also the god of merchandise and protector of Merchants....
. - Indra sent Chandra to Prithvi (18,000 yrs)
- Chandra's son BudhaBudhaIn Hindu mythology, Budha is the name for the planet Mercury, a son of Chandra with Tara or Rohini. He is also the god of merchandise and protector of Merchants....
married with IlaIla (Hinduism)Ila is an androgyne in Hindu mythology, known for his/her sex changes. As a man, he is known as Ila or Sudyumna and as a woman, is called Ilā... - Budh's son was Pururava (14,000 yrs)
Nahusha
Nahusha
Nahusha was a well-known king of the Aila dynasty. He was the son of Ayu, the eldest son of Pururavas and Prabha, the daughter of Svarbhanu. Nahusha reigned from Pratishthana. He married Viraja, the daughter of the Pitrs. They had six or seven sons, according to different Puranas. His eldest son...
was a well-known king of the Aila dynasty
Ailas
The Ailas were a dynasty of kings of ancient India. Pururavas, the son of Ila was the founder of this dynasty. The Mahabharata mentioned about the Ailas as, "The numerous royal lines and other ordinary Kshatriyas all represent themselves to be the descendants of Aila and Ikshwaku...
. He was the son of Ayu, the eldest son of Pururavas
Pururavas
Pururavas was the first king of the Aila dynasty or the Somavamsha. According to the Vedas, he is a mythological entity associated with the Surya and Usha , and is believed to resided in the middle region of the cosmos. The Rig Veda states that he was a son of Ila and was a pious king...
and Prabha, the daughter of Svarbhanu. Nahusha reigned from Pratishthana. He married Viraja, the daughter of the Pitrs
Pitrs
The Pitṛs , are the spirits of the departed ancestors in Hindu culture.They are often remembered annually.It is a Hindu's duty to his ancestors to beget at least one son, so that he may continue to make offerings to the Pitris....
. They had six or seven sons, according to different Puranas
Puranas
The Puranas are a genre of important Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religious texts, notably consisting of narratives of the history of the universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology, philosophy, and geography.Puranas...
. His eldest son Yati became a muni (ascetic). He was succeeded by his second son Yayati
Yayati
Yayati was a Puranic king and the son of king Nahusha and one of ancestors of Pandavas. He was a great scholar of Vedas. He had five brothers, Yati, Samyati, Ayati, Viyati and Kriti. He had two wives, Devayani and Sharmishtha. Devayani was the daughter of Shukracharya, the priest of Asuras ....
.
This king is mentioned by Manu as having come into conflict with the Brahman
Brahman
In Hinduism, Brahman is the one supreme, universal Spirit that is the origin and support of the phenomenal universe. Brahman is sometimes referred to as the Absolute or Godhead which is the Divine Ground of all being...
s, and his story is repeated several times with variations in different parts of the Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
as well as in the Puranas
Puranas
The Puranas are a genre of important Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religious texts, notably consisting of narratives of the history of the universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology, philosophy, and geography.Puranas...
. According to Manu "By sacrifices, austere fervour, sacred study, self-restraint, and valour, Nahusha acquired the undisturbed sovereignty of the three worlds. Through want of virtuous humility the great king Nahusha was utterly ruined".
One version of the narrative says that he aspired to the possession of Indrani, wife of Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
, when that god had concealed himself for having killed a Brahman
Brahman
In Hinduism, Brahman is the one supreme, universal Spirit that is the origin and support of the phenomenal universe. Brahman is sometimes referred to as the Absolute or Godhead which is the Divine Ground of all being...
, Vritra
Vritra
In the early Vedic religion, Vritra , is an Asura and also a serpent or dragon, the personification of drought and enemy of Indra. Vritra was also known in the Vedas as Ahi...
. A thousand great Rishi
Rishi
Rishi denotes the composers of Vedic hymns. However, according to post-Vedic tradition, the rishi is a "seer" to whom the Vedas were "originally revealed" through states of higher consciousness. The rishis were prominent when Vedic Hinduism took shape, as far back as some three thousand years...
s bore the palanquin of Nahusha, and on one occasion he touched with his foot the great Agastya
Agastya
Agastya was a Tamil/Vedic Siddhar or sage. Agastya and his clan are also generally credited with uncovering many mantras of the Rig Veda, the earliest and most revered Hindu scripture, in the sense of first having the mantras revealed in his mind by the Supreme Brahman...
, who was carrying him. The sage in his anger cried out, "Fall, thou serpent," and Nahusha fell from his glorious car and became a serpent. Interestingly, Nachash (Heb. "נחש") is the Biblical Hebrew word for a serpent.
Agastya, at the supplication of Nahusha, put a limit to the curse; and according to one version, the doomed man was released from it by the instrumentality of Yudhishthira, when he threw off "his huge reptile form, became clothed in a celestial body, and ascended to heaven."
Yayati
Yayati
Yayati was a Puranic king and the son of king Nahusha and one of ancestors of Pandavas. He was a great scholar of Vedas. He had five brothers, Yati, Samyati, Ayati, Viyati and Kriti. He had two wives, Devayani and Sharmishtha. Devayani was the daughter of Shukracharya, the priest of Asuras ....
was a Puranic king and the son of king Nahusha
Nahusha
Nahusha was a well-known king of the Aila dynasty. He was the son of Ayu, the eldest son of Pururavas and Prabha, the daughter of Svarbhanu. Nahusha reigned from Pratishthana. He married Viraja, the daughter of the Pitrs. They had six or seven sons, according to different Puranas. His eldest son...
.He had two wives, Devyani
Devyani
In Hindu mythology, Devayani was the daughter of Shukracharya and his wife Jayanti, daughter of Indra. In her early life, she was rejected by Kacha, the son of Brihaspati...
and Sharmishtha
Sharmishtha
In Hindu mythology, Sharmistha, also known as Sharmista, was the daughter of Demon king Vrishparva, who was also friend of Devayani. She was given as dowry to Yayati of Yadav dynasty, when he married Devayani, the daughter of Sage Shukracharya, the guru of all Asuras.-the Legend:Once when Devayani...
. Devyani was the daughter of Maha-guru Shukracharya, the priest of Asura
Asura
-In Hinduism:In Hinduism, the Asuras constitute a group of power-seeking deities, sometimes considered sinful and materialistic. The Daityas and Danavas were combinedly known as Asuras. The Asura were opposed to the Devas. Both groups are children of Kasyapa...
s (the demons). Sharmishtha was the daughter of the Demon King Vrishparva
Vrishparva
In Hindu mythology, Vrishparva was a Danava king. He fought many wars with Indra with the help of his main priest Shukracharya. He made many attempts to kill Kacha, the son of Brihaspati...
. Sharmishthe was a friend and servant of Devyani.
Yadu
Yadu
Yadu is one of the five Indo-Aryan tribes mentioned in the Rig Veda . The Mahabharata, the Harivamsha and the Puranas mention Yadu as the eldest son of king Yayati and his queen Devayani. The prince of King Yayati, Yadu was a self-respecting and a very established ruler...
is the name of one of the five Aryan clans mentioned in the Rig Veda (I.54.6, I.108.7, X.62.10). The Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
, the Harivamsha and the Puranas mention Yadu as the eldest son of king Yayati
Yayati
Yayati was a Puranic king and the son of king Nahusha and one of ancestors of Pandavas. He was a great scholar of Vedas. He had five brothers, Yati, Samyati, Ayati, Viyati and Kriti. He had two wives, Devayani and Sharmishtha. Devayani was the daughter of Shukracharya, the priest of Asuras ....
and his queen Devayani
Devayani
Devayani is an Indian film actress. She starred in numerous Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films, along with a few Hindi films and one Bengali film. She received the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for her performances in the films Kadhal Kottai and Surya Vamsam...
, the daughter of Asura-guru, Maha-guru Shukracharya. The prince of King Yayati, Yadu was a self-respecting and a very established ruler. According to the Vishnu Purana
Vishnu Purana
The Vishnu Purana is a religious Hindu text and one of the eighteen Mahapuranas. It is considered one of the most important Puranas and has been given the name Puranaratna...
, the Bhagavata Purana
Bhagavata purana
The Bhāgavata Purāṇa is one of the "Maha" Puranic texts of Hindu literature, with its primary focus on bhakti to the incarnations of Vishnu, particularly Krishna...
and the Garuda Purana
Garuda Purana
Garuda Purana is one of the Puranas which are part of the Hindu body of texts known as smriti. It is a Vaishnava Purana and its first part contains a dialog between Vishnu and Garuda, the King of Birds...
Yadu had four sons, while according to the rest of the Puranas he had five sons. The names of his sons are: Sahasrajit (or Sahasrada), Kroshtu (or Kroshta), Nila, Antika and Laghu.
Krishna
Within the Indian epicIndian epic poetry
Indian epic poetry is the epic poetry written in the Indian subcontinent, traditionally called Kavya . The Ramayana and Mahabharata, originally composed in Sanskrit and translated thereafter into many other Indian languages, are some of the oldest surviving epic poems on earth and form part of...
Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
, Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
was the son of the Yadava
Yadu
Yadu is one of the five Indo-Aryan tribes mentioned in the Rig Veda . The Mahabharata, the Harivamsha and the Puranas mention Yadu as the eldest son of king Yayati and his queen Devayani. The prince of King Yayati, Yadu was a self-respecting and a very established ruler...
chief Vasudeva
Vasudeva
In Hindu itihasa , Vasudeva is the father of Krishna, the son of Shoorsen, of the Yadu and Vrishni dynasties. His sister Kunti was married to Pandu. He was a partial incarnation of Rishi Kashyap....
and his wife Devaki
Devaki
In Hinduism, Devaki is the wife of Vasudeva and biological mother of Krishna.She was the daughter of Devaka, the younger brother of King Ugrasena of Mathura. She was a partial incarnation of Aditi, the mother of the Devas.-Imprisonment :...
. The earliest text to explicitly provide detailed descriptions of Krishna as a personality is the epic Mahābhārata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
, which depicts Krishna as an incarnation of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
. Krishna is central to many of the main stories of the epic. The eighteen chapters of the sixth book (Bhishma Parva) of the epic that constitute the Bhagavad Gita
Bhagavad Gita
The ' , also more simply known as Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata, but is frequently treated as a freestanding text, and in particular, as an Upanishad in its own right, one of the several books that constitute general Vedic tradition...
contain the advice of Krishna to the warrior-hero Arjuna
Arjuna
Arjuna in Indian mythology is the greatest warrior on earth and is one of the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. Arjuna, whose name means 'bright', 'shining', 'white' or 'silver' Arjuna (Devanagari: अर्जुन, Thai: อรชุน, Orachun, Tamil: Arjunan, Indonesian and Javanese: Harjuna,...
, on the battlefield. Krishna is already an adult in the epic, although there are allusions to his earlier exploits. The Harivamsa
Harivamsa
The Harivamsha is an important work of Sanskrit literature, containing 16,374 verses, mostly in metre. The text is also known as . This text is believed as a khila to the Mahabharata and is traditionally ascribed to Krishna Dvaipayana Veda Vyasa...
, a later appendix to this epic, contains the earliest detailed version of Krishna's childhood and youth.
Around 150 BC, Patanjali
Patañjali
Patañjali is the compiler of the Yoga Sūtras, an important collection of aphorisms on Yoga practice. According to tradition, the same Patañjali was also the author of the Mahābhāṣya, a commentary on Kātyāyana's vārttikas on Pāṇini's Aṣṭādhyāyī as well as an unspecified work of medicine .In...
in his Mahabhashya quotes a verse: "May the might of Krishna accompanied by Samkarshana increase!" Other verses are mentioned. One verse speaks of "Janardana with himself as fourth" (Krishna with three companions, the three possibly being Samkarshana, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha). Another verse mentions musical instruments being played at meetings in the temples of Rama (Balarama
Balarama
Balarama , also known as Baladeva, Balabhadra and Halayudha, is the elder brother of the divine being, Krishna in Hinduism. Within Vaishnavism Hindu traditions Balarama is worshipped as an Avatar of Vishnu, and he is also listed as such in the Bhagavata Purana...
) and Kesava (Krishna). Patanjali also describes dramatic and mimetic performances (Krishna-Kamsopacharam) representing the killing of Kamsa by Vasudeva.
In the 1st century BC, there seems to be evidence for a worship of five Vrishni heroes (Balarama, Krishna, Pradyumna
Pradyumna
Pradyumna is a form of the Hindu god Vishnu. He is one in 24 Keshava Namas , praised in all pujas. It is also the only name in Sanskrit with all the 3 letters joint...
, Aniruddha
Aniruddha
Aniruddha , meaning "uncontrolled" or "without obstacles", was the son of Pradyumna and the grandson of Krishna. He is said to have been very much like his grandfather, to the extent that he may be a jana avatar. The four important Vishnu extensions are Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna, and...
and Samba
Samba
Samba is a Brazilian dance and musical genre originating in Bahia and with its roots in Brazil and Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival...
) for an inscription has been found at Mora
Mora
-People:* Alberto J. Mora , General Counsel of the United States Navy * Alfonso Mora , Venezuelan former tennis player* Bruno Mora , Italian football player and coach* Cristian Mora , Ecuadorian football goalkeeper...
near Mathura, which apparently mentions a son of the great satrap Rajuvula
Rajuvula
Rajuvula was an Indo-Scythian Great Satrap who ruled in the area of Mathura in northern India in the years around 10 CE. In central India, the Indo-Scythians conquered the area of Mathura over Indian kings around 60 BCE...
, probably the satrap Sodasa, and an image of Vrishni, "probably Vasudeva, and of the "Five Warriors". Brahmi inscription on the Mora stone slab, now in the Mathura Museum.
Many Puranas
Puranas
The Puranas are a genre of important Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religious texts, notably consisting of narratives of the history of the universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology, philosophy, and geography.Puranas...
tells Krishna's life-story or some highlights from it. Two Puranas, the Bhagavata Purana
Bhagavata purana
The Bhāgavata Purāṇa is one of the "Maha" Puranic texts of Hindu literature, with its primary focus on bhakti to the incarnations of Vishnu, particularly Krishna...
and the Vishnu Purana
Vishnu Purana
The Vishnu Purana is a religious Hindu text and one of the eighteen Mahapuranas. It is considered one of the most important Puranas and has been given the name Puranaratna...
, that contain the most elaborate telling of Krishna’s story and teachings are the most theologically venerated by the Gaudiya Vaishnava schools. Roughly one quarter of the Bhagavata Purana is spent extolling his life
Life
Life is a characteristic that distinguishes objects that have signaling and self-sustaining processes from those that do not, either because such functions have ceased , or else because they lack such functions and are classified as inanimate...
and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
.
Yāska
Yaska
' ) was a Sanskrit grammarian who preceded Pāṇini , assumed to have been active in the 5th or 6th century BC.He is the author of the Nirukta, a technical treatise on etymology, lexical category and the semantics of words...
's Nirukta
Nirukta
Nirukta is one of the six disciplines of Hinduism, treating etymology, particularly of obscure words, especially those occurring in the Vedas. The discipline is traditionally attributed to , an ancient Sanskrit grammarian...
, an etymological dictionary around the 5th century BC, contains a reference to the Shyamantaka jewel in the possession of Akrura, a motif from well known Puranic story about Krishna. Shatapatha Brahmana
Shatapatha Brahmana
The Shatapatha Brahmana is one of the prose texts describing the Vedic ritual, associated with the Shukla Yajurveda. It survives in two recensions, Madhyandina and Kanva , with the former having the eponymous 100 adhyayas,7624 kandikas in 14 books, and the latter 104 adhyayas,6806 kandikas in 17...
and Aitareya-Aranyaka, associate Krishna with his Vrishni origins.
In early texts, such as Rig Veda, there are no references to Krishna, however some, like Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar
Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar
Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar was an Indian scholar, orientalist, and social reformer.-Early life:Bhandarkar was born in Malvan in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. After his early schooling in Ratnagiri, he studied at Elphinstone College in Bombay...
attempted to show that "the very same Krishna" made an appearance, e.g. as the drapsa ... krishna "black drop" of RV 8.96.13.
Some authors have also likened prehistoric depictions of deities to Krishna. Thus, a steatite tablet excavated by Mackay in Mohenjo-daro
Mohenjo-daro
Mohenjo-daro is an archeological site situated in what is now the province of Sindh, Pakistan. Built around 2600 BC, it was one of the largest settlements of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, and one of the world's earliest major urban settlements, existing at the same time as the...
1927-31 depicts two persons holding a tree and tree god is extending his hands towards them, compared to the episode of Yamalarjuna-lila by the excavator.
Family tree
Jadon Rajputs establishment at Bayana
Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 7, Bayana Gazetteer states:The ancient name of the place was Sripatha. Two old Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
s were, till recently, used by the Musalmans as mosques, and each has a Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
inscription. One of them, bearing date AD 1043, mentions a Jadon Raja, Bijai Pal
Pal (Surname)
Pal is a common surname found in India.Politicians:*Bipin Chandra Pal , militant for Indian independence*Jagdambika Pal, senior Indian National Congress leader*Kristo Das Pal , also journalist*Rupchand Pal...
, to whom is unanimously attributed the building of the well-known fort of Bijaigarh, which is situated on an eminence about 2 miles (3.2 km) to the south-west, and is shown in all maps under the name of Badalgarh Kot. There are several old temples and remains in this fort ; but the chief object of interest is a red sandstone pillar (Jaf) bearing an inscription of the Varika king, Vishnuvardhana, a tributary of Samudra Gupta, dated in AD 372.
Bijai Pal, whose descendants rule at Karauli
Karauli
Karauli is a town lying in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The town is the administrative center of Karauli District, and was formerly the capital of the erstwhile princely state of Karauli.-Geography:...
, is said to have been killed about the middle of the eleventh century in a battle with Masud Salar, a nephew of Mahmud of Ghazni
Mahmud of Ghazni
Mahmud of Ghazni , actually ', was the most prominent ruler of the Ghaznavid dynasty who ruled from 997 until his death in 1030 in the eastern Iranian lands. Mahmud turned the former provincial city of Ghazni into the wealthy capital of an extensive empire which covered most of today's Iran,...
, when the fort was taken. It was soon after recovered by the Rajputs, only, however, to be again stormed successfully by Abu Bakr, Kandahari, whose tomb is still pointed out in the vicinity. Thenceforward, it seems to have been held by whatever dynasty ruled at Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
. Muhammad Ghori took it in 1196 and Sikandar Lodi in 1492. Babar
Babar
Babar means Lion. Babar may refer to:Names* Babur , 16th-century ruler of Indian subcontinent and founder of the Mughal Empire* Babar Luck, musician from England...
, writing in 1526, describes the fort as one of the most famous in India, and his son Humayun took it from the Lodis in 1535. Bayana is mentioned in the Ain-i-Akbari
Ain-i-Akbari
The Ain-i-Akbari or the "Institutes of Akbar", is a 16th century, detailed document recording the administration of emperor Akbar's empire, written by his vizier, Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak...
as having in former times been the capital of a province of which Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
was but a dependent village.
Glimpses of Glorious Bharatpur A Conspectus states:
The Bayana
Bayana
Bayana is a historical town in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan in India. It is a historical city founded by Banasur, who was an Asura. He lived during the time of Krishna...
Hills are covered with the remains of large buildings. The fort, which is the biggest, was built by the famous Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
King, Banasur, in the times of Lord Krishna and was renovated by Maharaja
Maharaja
Mahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata...
Bijai Pal, in whose time the two families of Karauli and Bharatpur
Bharatpur
Bharatpur may refer to:Nepal*Bharatpur, Nepal, a city in Nepal.*Bharatpur, Dhanusa, village in Nepal*Bharatpur, Mahottari, village in NepalIndia*Bharatpur, Rajasthan, a city, Rajasthan, India....
separated. The other
brother built a fort known as Timangarh laying the foundations of the former State of Karauli. The Bharatpur Ruling Family are the descendants of Bijai Pal. The fort is considered the third largest in India and covers an area of 10 square miles.
Amongst many note-worthy battles the first was fought between Vijai Pal, the ruler of Bayana and Asand Salar nephew of Mohammad of Ghazni in 1030 AD and the forces of Jahadis killed Bijai Pal. The tombs now scattered about Bayana are supposed to be those of the Jahadis.
Establishment at Timangarh
The Sagar lake next to the fort is famous for the “Paras” stone or the wishing stone that is believed to be hidden in the bottom of the lake. Local villagers are known to have taken several dips in an effort to find the stone.see page: http://karauli.nic.in/timan.htm
Establishment at Ajangarh
Pir Shah Alakh, is said to have enabled the ruling dynasty of the Jadon Rajputs to reestablish themselves at another center after their defeat at Bayana by Shahab al-Din Muhammad Ghori. Alakh Pir is referred as Alakhniranjan by the Nath Yogis and his well is believed to have healing properties.The well is named after Shah Alakh, the darvesh who, pleased by the Jadon Rajput raja Bandh Pal’s khidmat, or service, helped him establish the settlement of Ajangarh, near Kaman. The Jadon Rajputs had fled after Shahab al-Din Muhammad Ghori vanquished them at Bayana in the twelfth century.
Archaeological Survey of India Reports states:
When Muhammad Ghori captured Tahangarh many of the Jadon families dispersed and settled wherever they could find a home. One chief, named Tej Pala, found refuge with a descendant of Susarmajit, the Raja of Sarhata, and after a time founded Tijara
Tijara
Tijara is a city and a municipality in Alwar district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Tijara is situated 48 km to the north east of Alwar, the nearest Railwau station is Khairthal. It was founded by Tajpala, Raja of Sarahata, 6 km from Tijara. A scion of Yadav family, he built palaces at...
. His palace is still pointed out in Mohalla Mirdhon of Tejara. Raja Band Pal, the son of Raja Tahan Pal, is said to have emigrated in Samvat 1173, or AD 1116, and to have taken refuge in the hills near Kaman. His son was Ainti Pala, whose son was Adhan Pal, whose son was Insaraj, who had acquired Sarhata, near Tejara. Insaraj had five sons, of whom the eldest, Lakhan Pal, was the founder of the great family of the Khanzadahs.
Origin of Khanzada Jadubansi Rajputs
Khanzadah, the Persian form of the Rajputana word 'Rajput', is the title of the great representatives of the ancient Jadubansi royal Rajput family, descendents of KrishnaKrishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
and therefore of Lunar Dynasty.
Jadon (also spelt as Jadaun
Jadaun
The Jadaun are a clan of Chandravanshi Rajputs found in North India and Pakistan.-Origins:...
) Rajput Raja Lakhan Pala, the progenitor of the great family of the Khanzadahs, was the grandson of Raja Adhan Pala (who was 4th in descent from Raja Tahan Pala). Tahan Pala, who founded Tahangarh, was the eldest son of Raja Bijai Pala (founder of Bijai Garh
Bijai Garh
Bijai Garh Fort is located in Bayana near Bharatpur. The fort was built by Jadon Rajput King Bijai Pal in 1040 AD.Bijaigarh Fort contains several old temples and red stones pillars bearing an inscription of Vishnuverdhan feudatary of Samudragupta. The fort was described as one of the most famous ...
), who himself was 88th in descent from Lord Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
. Hence, Jadon Raja Lakhan Pala, Mewatpatti (title means, Lord of Mewat) was 94th in descent from Lord Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
.
Gazetteer of Ulwur states:
According to these family traditions, one Adhan Pal, fourth in descent from Taman (Tahan) Pal, Jadu chief of Biana (see Karauli Gazetteer) established himself on the hills separating Tijara and Firozpur (Gurgaon
Gurgaon
Gurgaon is the second largest city in the Indian state of Haryana. Gurgaon is the industrial and financial center of Haryana. It is located 30 km south of national capital New Delhi, about 10 kilometers from Dwarka Sub City and 268 km south of Chandigarh, the state capital...
), at a spot called Durala, of which the ruins still are to be seen. Thence he was driven to Sarehta, a few miles to the north in the same hills, where there are considerable remains (see Sarehta); and his grandson Lakhan Pal became, in the time of Firoz Shah, a Musalman, and established himself at Kotala. He held all Mewat(an ancient country), and
even districts beyond its limits. His sons and grandsons settled in the principal places, and it is said that 1484 towns and villages (kheras) were under their sway, in some of which tombs and ruins exist that may have belonged to them.
Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 15, Karauli Gazetteer states:
The Maharaja of Karauli
Karauli
Karauli is a town lying in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The town is the administrative center of Karauli District, and was formerly the capital of the erstwhile princely state of Karauli.-Geography:...
is the head of the Jadon clan of Rajputs, who claim descent from Krishna. The Jadons, who have nearly always remained in or near the country of Braj round Muttra, are said to have at one time held half of Alwar and the whole of Bharatpur
Bharatpur
Bharatpur may refer to:Nepal*Bharatpur, Nepal, a city in Nepal.*Bharatpur, Dhanusa, village in Nepal*Bharatpur, Mahottari, village in NepalIndia*Bharatpur, Rajasthan, a city, Rajasthan, India....
, Karauli
Karauli
Karauli is a town lying in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The town is the administrative center of Karauli District, and was formerly the capital of the erstwhile princely state of Karauli.-Geography:...
, and Dholpur
Dholpur
Dholpur is a city in eastern-most parts of the Rajasthan state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Dholpur District and was formerly seat of the Dholpur princely state, before Independence....
, besides the British Districts of Gurgaon
Gurgaon
Gurgaon is the second largest city in the Indian state of Haryana. Gurgaon is the industrial and financial center of Haryana. It is located 30 km south of national capital New Delhi, about 10 kilometers from Dwarka Sub City and 268 km south of Chandigarh, the state capital...
and Mathura, the greater part of Agra west of the Yamuna
Yamuna
The Yamuna is the largest tributary river of the Ganges in northern India...
, and portions of Gwalior lying along the Chambal
Chambal
Chambal may refer to:* Chambal Jatt* Chambal Division* Chambal River...
. In the eleventh century Bijai Pal, said to have been eighty-eighth in descent from Krishna, established himself in Bayana
Bayana
Bayana is a historical town in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan in India. It is a historical city founded by Banasur, who was an Asura. He lived during the time of Krishna...
, now belonging to Bharatpur, and built the fort overlooking that town. His eldest son, Tahan Pal, built the well-known fort of Tahangarh, still in Karauli territory, about 1058, and shortly afterwards possessed himself of almost all the country now comprising the Karauli State, as well as a good deal of land to the east as far as Dholpur.
Archaeological Survey of India Reports states:
The Yaduvansis, of course, claim descent from Krishna, the acknowledged lord of Mathura after the death of Kansa
Kamsa
In Hinduism, Kamsa or Kansa , often known as Kans in Hindi, is the brother of Devaki, and ruler of the Vrishni kingdom with its capital at Mathura. His father was King Ugrasena and mother was Queen Padmavati...
. Their early history, therefore, consists of a number of the popular tales of Krishna derived from the Mahabharata and the Puranas. But something like real history begins with Dharma Pala, the 77th in descent from Krishna according to the lists of the chroniclers. He is the first who bears the name of Pala, which has descended in the family of the Karauli Rajas to the present day. His probable date is about 800 AD. He and his successors are said to have
resided in Bayana. The eleventh in descent from Dharma Pala is Vijaya Pala, to whom the building of the fortress of Vijayamandargarh is unanimously attributed. An inscription bearing his name still exists on one of the Hindu pillars of the Masjid in the Bahari-Bhitari-Mohalla in the town of Bayana. It gives the date of Sambat 1100, or AD 1043. His son was Tahan Pala, who built the great Fort of Tahangarh, which stands on the crest of the long sandstone range of hills 14 miles (22.5 km) to the south of Bayana, and the same distance to the east of Hindaun. His date will, therefore, be about Sambat 1130, or AD 1073. From him the Khanzadahs trace their descent. After the occupation of Bayana by the Muslims, the Raja Kunwar Pal retired to Tahangarh, whither he was followed by Muhammad Ghori and his general Kutb-ud-din Aibak. The reigning Raja is named Kuwar Pala by the Muslim historians, and this name is found in the list of the bards as the second or third prince after Tahan Pala. His date, therefore, corresponds very fairly with that of the capture of Tahangarh in AH. 592, or AD 1196.
Panjab Castes states:
The Khanzadahs of Gurgaon have returned themselves as Jadubansi in the column for clan, and they commonly say that this is their only got. Khanzadah, or " the son of a Khan " is precisely the Musalman equivalent to the Hindu Rajput or " son of a Raja ; " and there can be little doubt that the Khanzadahs are to the Meo
Meo
Mayo or Meo or Mewati is a prominent Muslim Rajput tribe from North-Western India. A considerable number of Meos migrated to Pakistan after independence in 1947 and now they are estimated to be over 12 million. In Pakistan, Meos have lost their distinct group identity and cultural traditions and...
s what the Rajputs are to the Jats.
Acceptance of Islam
The family records of Khanzadahs, states, that during one of the hunting expedition Kunwar Samar Pal and Kunwar Sopar Pal, the sons of Jadon Raja Lakhan Pal, met with Sufi saint Hazrat Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud, Roshan Chiragh-i Dehli (a disciple of Chisti Shaikh Hazrat Nizam-Ud-Din Auliya, Mehboob-e- Illahi). The acceptance of Islam by Khanzadahs have been a 'enlightenment of heart' come about from their association with the Sufi saints.Sultan-ul-Mashaikh, Mehboob-e-Ilahi, Hazrat Shaikh Khwaja Syed Muhammad Nizamuddin Auliya
Nizamuddin Auliya
Sultan-ul-Mashaikh, Mehboob-e-Ilahi, Hazrat Shaikh Khwaja Syed Muhammad Nizamuddin Auliya , also known as Hazrat Nizamuddin, was a famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order in the Indian Subcontinent, an order that believed in drawing close to God through renunciation of the world and service to...
(1238 - 3 April 1325) , also known as Hazrat Nizamuddin, was a famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order
Chishti Order
The Chishtī Order is a Sufi order within the mystic branches of Islam which was founded in Chisht, a small town near Herat, Afghanistan about 930 CE. The Chishti Order is known for its emphasis on love, tolerance, and openness. The doctrine of the Chishti Order is based on walāya, which is a...
in South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
, an order that believed in drawing close to God through renunciation of the world and service to humanity. He is one of the great saints of the Chishti order in India. His predecessors were Moinuddin Chishti
Moinuddin Chishti
Sultan-ul-Hind, Moinuddin Chishti was born in 1141 and died in 1230 CE. Also known as Gharīb Nawāz "Benefactor of the Poor" , he is the most famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order of the Indian Subcontinent. He introduced and established the order in South Asia...
, Bakhtiyar Kaki and Fariduddin Ganjshakar. In that sequence, they constitute the initial spiritual chain or silsila
Silsila
Silsila is a 1981 Bollywood film directed by Yash Chopra. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bhaduri, Sanjeev Kumar and Rekha, with Shashi Kapoor in a special appearance.-Plot:...
of the Chisti order, which is widely prevalent in India and Pakistan.
Nizamuddin Auliya like his predecessors stressed upon the element of love as a means of realisation of God. For him his love of God implied a love of humanity. His vision of the world was marked by a highly evolved sense of secularity and kindness. It is claimed by the 14th century historiographer Ziauddin Barani
Ziauddin Barani
Ziauddin Barani was a Muslim historian and political thinker who lived in India during Muhammad bin Tughlaq and Firuz Shah's reign. He was best known for composing the Tarikh-i-Firuz Shahi, a major historical work on medieval India, which covers the period from the reign of Ghiyas ud din Balban to...
that his influence on the Muslims of Delhi was such that a paradigm shift was effected in their outlook towards worldly matters. People began to be inclined towards mysticism and prayers and remaining aloof from the world.
Hazrat Nasiruddin Mahmud Chirag-e-Delhi(ca 1274-1356) was a 14th century mystic-poet and a Sufi Saint of Chishti Order
Chishti Order
The Chishtī Order is a Sufi order within the mystic branches of Islam which was founded in Chisht, a small town near Herat, Afghanistan about 930 CE. The Chishti Order is known for its emphasis on love, tolerance, and openness. The doctrine of the Chishti Order is based on walāya, which is a...
. He was a murid
Murid
Murid is a Sufi term meaning 'committed one' from the root meaning "willpower" or "self-esteem". It refers to a person who is committed to a Murshid in a Tariqa of Sufism. Also known as a Salik , a murid is an initiate into the mystic philosophy of Sufism. When the Talib makes a pledge to a...
(disciple) of noted Sufi saint, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya
Nizamuddin Auliya
Sultan-ul-Mashaikh, Mehboob-e-Ilahi, Hazrat Shaikh Khwaja Syed Muhammad Nizamuddin Auliya , also known as Hazrat Nizamuddin, was a famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order in the Indian Subcontinent, an order that believed in drawing close to God through renunciation of the world and service to...
, and later khalifa
Caliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
, his successor. He was the last important Sufi of Chishti Order
Chishti Order
The Chishtī Order is a Sufi order within the mystic branches of Islam which was founded in Chisht, a small town near Herat, Afghanistan about 930 CE. The Chishti Order is known for its emphasis on love, tolerance, and openness. The doctrine of the Chishti Order is based on walāya, which is a...
from Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
.
He was given the title, "Roshan Chirag-e-Delhi", which in Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
, means "Illuminated Lamp of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
".
Haryana State Gazetteer states:
One of the members of Yaduvanshi Rajput family who had been ruling over northern Mewat accepted Islam. He was Bahadur Nahar who better known to history as the founder of the Khanzada tribe of Mewat.
Raja Bahadur Khan Nahar, Mewatpatti
Raja Bahadur Khan or Bahadur 'Nahar', is one of the most prominent figures in Delhi history for about a dozen years just before and after the invasion of Timur. He is said to have received the title of Nahar or Tiger, from Delhi Emperor Firoz Shah, because he had killed a tiger single handed.Gazetteer of Ulwur states:
For after the death of Emperor Firoz Shah in 1388, we find Bahadar Nahar Mewatti, whose stronghold was at Kotila or Kotal in the Tijara hills, occupying the place of a powerful noble at Dehli. This Bahadar Nahar, a Jadu Rajput by birth, is the reputed founder of the Khanzada race, which became so renowned in the history of the empire.
Bahadar Nahar aided Abubakar, grandson of the late Emperor Firoz, in expelling from Dehli Abubakar's uncle Nasiruddin, and in establishing the former on the throne. In a few months, however, Abubakar had to give way before Nasiruddin, and he then fled to Bahadar Nahar's stronghold, Kotila, where he was pursued by Nasiruddin. After a struggle Abubakar and Bahadar Nahar surrendered, and Abubakar was placed in confinement for life, but Bahadar Nahar received a robe and was allowed to depart. Two years later, the Emperor being ill, Bahadar Nahar plundered the country to the gates of Dehli, but Nasiruddin, before he had quite recovered from his illness, hastened to Mewat and attacked Kotila, from whence Bahadar Nahar had to fly to Jhirka, a few miles to the south in the same range of hills, and remarkable for its springs.
In AD 1392, the Emperor Nasiruddin died, and Bahadar Nahar, allied with one Mallu Yakbal Khan
Khan (title)
Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
, held the balance between two rival claimants of the throne. He would not allow either to gain an advantage over the other, so that for three years there were two emperors residing in the city of Dehli.
Kunwar Mubarak Khan (one of the sons of Raja Bahadar Khan Nahar), who, when acting with his father's old ally Mallu Yakbal Khan, was assassinated by him.
Haryana State Gazetteer states:
One of the members of Yaduvanshi Rajput family who had been ruling over northern Mewat accepted Islam. He was Bahadur Nahar who better known to history as the founder of the Khanzada tribe of Mewat.
In the wake of the general confusion that followed Timur's occupation of Delhi at the close of 1398, Raja Bahadur Khan withdrew to his Kotla
Kotla
Kotla may refer to:Places* Kotla, Himachal Pradesh, in India* Kotla Arab Ali Khan, in Gujrat, Pakistan* Kotla Musa Khan in Pakistan* Feroz Shah Kotla cricket stadium in New Delhi, India* Kotla Mohsin Khan - small village in India* Kotla, PolandPeople...
and watched the development of events from there. Mewat during this time was flooded with fugitives fleeing from Delhi and Khizr Khan Syed, the future Sultan of Hindustan, was one of those who took shelter in Mewat. That the Mewatti chief was enjoying a high reputation at this time is shown by the fact that from Delhi, Timur
Timur
Timur , historically known as Tamerlane in English , was a 14th-century conqueror of West, South and Central Asia, and the founder of the Timurid dynasty in Central Asia, and great-great-grandfather of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty, which survived as the Mughal Empire in India until...
had sent him two envoys who invited him for a meeting with the invader. Bahadur accepted this invitation, met the invader and offered him rare and suitable presents, which Timur praised highly.
Gazetteer of Ulwur states:
Several historians, including the great conqueror himself, make prominent mention of the conduct of Bahadar Nahar during the invasion of Timurlang in AD 1398. Timur states that he sent an embassy to Bahadar Nahar at Kotila, to which a humble reply was received. Bahadar Nahar sent as a present two white parrots that belonged to the late Emperor. Timur remarks that these parrots were much prized by him.
Located about 6.5 km south of Nuh (in Haryana) in the village of Kotala, is a Jami Masjid and the tomb of Raja Bahadur Khan Nahar, which were built with a skillfull combination of red sandstone and Grey quartzite. Over the ruined gateway is an inscription giving the date of its buildings as AD.1392-1400. The group is raised on a high platform and is very strikingly situated in a hollow of the hills, which at this point are crowned by the ruins of an ancient fortress.
Raja Fateh-ud-duniya-wa-ud din Jalal Shah
Khanzadah Jalal is the great hero of the Khanzadahs, who are never tired of relating his gallant deeds, of which, perhaps, the most surprising was the asserted capture of AmberAmber
Amber is fossilized tree resin , which has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times. Amber is used as an ingredient in perfumes, as a healing agent in folk medicine, and as jewelry. There are five classes of amber, defined on the basis of their chemical constituents...
, the stronghold of the Kachwaha
Kachwaha
Kachwaha are a Suryavanshi Kshatriya clan who ruled a number of kingdoms and princely states in India such as Alwar, Maihar, Talcher, while the largest kingdom was Jaipur which was founded by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in 1727...
Raja
Raja
Raja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
s, and the carrying away of one of its gates to Indore
Indore
Indore is one of the major city in India, the largest city and commercial center of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Indore is located 190 km west of the state capital Bhopal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Indore city has a population of 1,960,631...
, where it is still to be seen! Khanzadah Raja Jalal probably died about AH. 845, and was succeeded by his brother Ahmad.
The old fort of Indor, one of the strongholds of the Khanzada chiefs of Mewat, is situated on the hill range boundary between the Alwar territory and the British district of Gurgaon
Gurgaon
Gurgaon is the second largest city in the Indian state of Haryana. Gurgaon is the industrial and financial center of Haryana. It is located 30 km south of national capital New Delhi, about 10 kilometers from Dwarka Sub City and 268 km south of Chandigarh, the state capital...
. It is 6 miles (9.7 km) to the north of Kotila, and about 70 miles (112.7 km) to south of Delhi.Indor, which was the favourite residence of the Khanzada Jalal Khan. His tomb also is at Indor, and his name is connected with all the traditions of the place. In my account of the family of the Khanzadas I have referred to the traditions still current about Jalal Khan.
The dargah, or tomb, of Jalal Khan is an oblong building, 95 feet (29 m) by 34 feet (10.4 m) outside, with three rooms inside, each 22 feet 3 inches square. The long walls are 6 feet (1.8 m) thick, and the end walls are each 7 feet 10 inches. The roof consists of three massive hemispherical domes. In the middle room is the grave of Jalal himself, with three others. In the eastern room there are eight large and one small grave, and in the western room are eight large and two small graves. All these, no doubt, belong to members of his family. There are about twenty other domed tombs in the neighbourhood, but they are small, and without inscriptions, except the Kalimeh. To the north-west there is a tank called Chanda-tal ; and to the west there is a khangah, or shrine, of Chandan Shahid, or the Martyr.
Raja Alawal Khan, The Mewatpatti who won Ulwur from Nikumpa Rajputs to stop practice of human sacrifice
One of the earliest authentic builders of the fort were probably the NikumbhNikumbh
Nikumbh is a clan of Chauhan Rajputs, also found in Yaduvanshi Ahirs in the states of Rajasthan and Haryana in India.Though the original home of Nikumbhs are Rajputana and Punjab, they are found in eastern Uttar Pradesh and are settled in the Farrukhabad, Jaunpur, Ballia, Tulsipur-Balarampur,...
a Rajputs who came into conflict with Prithviraj Chauhan and later with the Khanzadas and were finally displaced by Alawal Khan Khanzada. Later it was altered, and reinforced. The Nikumbhas, it is said, practised human sacrifice. One day when the turn of the son of a domini — a professional female singer on auspicious occasions — came for sacrifice, the mother made a sign by throwing dust through a tower crevice for Alawal Khan, who promptly captured the fort.
Gazetteer of Ulwur states:
The local legends declare the Nikumba Rajputs to have been the first occupants of Ulwur. They are said to have built the fort and the old town, remains of which last are to be seen within the hills under the fort.
The cause of the fall of a ruling family is generally declared by local legends to have been some special act of gross oppression committed by the family. In the case of the Nikumpas, their ruin is attributed to their practice of human sacrifice. Daily they offered to Durga Devi some wretched man or woman belonging to the lower castes. A Dom widow's son was thus put to death, and the Domni, in revenge, told the Khanzada chief of Kotila that he might easily seize the Ulwur Fort by attacking it when the Nikumpas were engaged in the worship of Devi, at which time they laid aside their arms. An attack was accordingly organised. A party of Khanzadas lay in wait under the fort ; the Domni, at the proper moment, gave the signal by throwing down a basket of ashes, and a successful assault was made. The spot where the ashes were thrown down is pointed out and called " Domni Danta".
Raja Hasan Khan, Mewatpatti
In AD 1526 a new power appeared in India. Babar, who claimed to be the representative of Timur Lang, after winning the battle of Panipat, took possession of Dehli and Agra ; and determined that his enterprise should not be a mere raid like Timur's, but the foundation of a new andlasting empire. Then it was that the Rajputs made their last great struggle for independence. They were led by Rana Sankha, a chief of Mewar, who invited the Mewatti chief, Hasan Khan, to aid the nation of his birth in resisting the new horde of Musalmans from the north.
The political position of Hasan Khan at this time was important. Babar, in his autobiography, speaks of him as the prime mover in all the confusions and insurrections of the period. He had, he states, vainly shown Hasan Khan distinguished marks of favour, but the affections of the infidel lay all on the side of the Pagans i.e., the Hindus ; and the propinquity of his country to Dehli, no doubt, made his opposition especially dangerous. Hasan Khan's seat at this time was at Ulwur, but local tradition says that he was originally established at Bahadarpur, eight miles (13 km) from Ulwur.
The Emperor Baber, speaking of Hasan Khan of Mewat, who was one of his opponents at the great battle of Khanwa, says that he "had received the government of Mewat from his ancestors, who had governed it in uninterrupted succession for nearly 200 years."
The Emperor Babur, in his autobiography THE BABUR-NAMA, speaks
apostates - Babur so-calls both Hasan and his followers, presumably because they followed their race sympathies, as of Rajput origin, and fought against co-religionists. Though Hasan's subjects,Meos, were nominally Muslims, it appears that they practised some Hindu customs. For an account of Miwat, see Gazetteer of Ulvur (Alwar, Alur) by Major P. W. Powlett.
Mewat - Alwar being in Mewat, Babur may mean that bodies were found beyond that town, in the main portion of the Miwat country north of Alwar, towards Delhi.
Mewati - This word appears to have been restricted in its use to the Khan-zadas of the ruling
house in Mewat, and was not used for their subjects, the Meos (Powlett I.e. Cap. I.,Gazetteeer of Ulwur). The uses of " Miwati " and " Meo " suggest something analogous with those of "Chaghatai" and " Mughul " in Babur's time. The resemblance includes mutual dislike and distrust (Powlett I.e.,Gazetter of Ulwur).
The Emperor Babur, in his autobiography THE BABUR-NAMA, speaks "Hasan Khan of Mewat was enrolled in the list of the dead by the force of a matchlock (zarb-i-tufak) ; most of those headstrong chiefs of tribes were slain likewise, and ended their days by arrow and matchlock (tir u tufak)."
The Rana Sangha escaped from Battle of Khanwa
Battle of Khanwa
The Battle of Khanwa, was fought near the village of Khanwa, about 60 km west of Agra on March 17, 1527. The second major battle fought in modern day India, by the first Mughal Emperor Babur after the Battle of Panipat . As the Mughal Empire expanded it faced new opponents especially in the...
. He died in this year, not without suspicion of poison. "aichimni khali qildim", a seeming equivalent for English, "I poured out my spleen."
Baber says that the ancestors of his opponent Hasan Khan had governed Mewat in uninterrupted succession for nearly 200 years, and that Tijara was their capital. In another place he calls him Raja Hasan Khan Mewati, an infidel, who was the prime mover and agitator in the insurrection against the Mughals. The title of Raja and the term " infidel " show that Baber was aware of Hasan Khan's Hindu descent, and the period of '* nearly 200 years" most probably refers to the date when his ancestor became a Muslim in the reign of Firoz Shah between AH. 752 and 790.
Located in Tijara, at a short distance to the south-west of Bhartari (situated is the tomb of Ala-ud-din Khanzada, the son of Bahadur Nahar who died between 840 and 850 AH) there is a very pretty stone masjid, standing on an earthen terrace, raised 10 feet (3 m) above the fields. It is 77 feet (23.5 m) long by 25 feet (7.6 m) broad, with three openings in front, but only one dome is visible from the outside. In front of the entrance, at a distance of 21 feet (6.4 m), there is a neatly built tomb, 32 feet 10 inches square, resting on a stone plinth 35 feet (10.7 m) square. This is said to be the resting-place of the last of the Khanzadas, named Hasan Khan, the opponent of Baber, who fell on the fatal field of Khanwa in AH. 933 (16 March AD 1527). Inside the tomb is 25 feet (7.6 m) square, with a door-way on each side. The building has the usual wide-spreading caves and battlements, with a hemispherical dome, surmounted by an octagonal cupola, on a spreading foliated base.
See page for Bala Kila, Alwar : http://alwar.nic.in/Tourism.html
According to tradition, the "Tijara" town was founded by a Jadon Rajput named Tej Pal, and was formerly called Trigartag. It was one of the chief towns of the Khanzadas of Mewat, and was for a long time their capital.
Relations with Mughals
Gazetteer of Ulwur states:Soon after Mughal Emperor
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
Babur
Babur
Babur was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty of South Asia. He was a direct descendant of Timur through his father, and a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother...
's death, his successor, Humayun
Humayun
Nasir ud-din Muhammad Humayun was the second Mughal Emperor who ruled present day Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of northern India from 1530–1540 and again from 1555–1556. Like his father, Babur, he lost his kingdom early, but with Persian aid, he eventually regained an even larger one...
, was in AD 1540 supplanted by the Pathan Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri , birth name Farid Khan, also known as Sher Khan , was the founder of the short-lived Sur Empire in northern India, with its capital at Delhi, before its demise in the hands of the resurgent Mughal Empire...
, who, in AD 1545, was followed by Islam Shah Suri
Islam Shah Suri
Islam Shah Suri was the second ruler of the Sur dynasty which ruled part of India in the mid-16th century. His original name was Jalal Khan and he was the second son of Sher Shah Suri. On his father's death, an emergency meeting of nobles chose him to be successor instead of his elder brother Adil...
. During the reign of the latter a battle was fought and lost by the Emperor's troops at Firozpur Jhirka, in Mewat
Mewat
Mewat is a historical region of Haryana and Rajasthan states in northwestern India. The loose boundaries of Mewat are not precisely determined but generally include Mewat District of Haryana and parts of Alwar, Bharatpur, and Dholpur districts of Rajasthan...
, on which, however, Islam Shah did not loose his hold. Muhammad Adil Shah, the third Suri ruler, who succeeded in AD 1552, had to contend for the Empire with the returned Humayun.
In these struggles for the restoration of Babar's dynasty Khanzadas apparently do not figure at all. Humaiyun seems to have conciliated them by marrying the elder daughter of Jamal Khan, nephew of Babar's opponent, Hasan Khan, and by causing his great minister, Bairam Khan, to marry a younger daughter of the same Mewatti.
Ain i Akbari of Moghul King Akbar states that the Khanzada Muslim Rajputs were living in Ujjinah, Tijara, Rajasthan along with the Thathar Rajput tribe occupying 33,926 bigas of land with a revenue of 428,347 rs having 45 cavalry and 150 infantry.
Khanzada Fateh Jang Khan, The Imperial Minister during Mughal Emperor ShahJahan Reign
An illustrious warrior belonged to Khanzada leaders of Alwar, Fateh Jung was a minister in the court of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. The cenotaph of this great combatant is well recognized as an artistic marvel. Fateh Jung ka Gumbaj is an impressive sepulcher with a colossal arena that displays a perfect mixture of Islamic and Hindu architectural trends. This five-storied structural splendor surpasses all the contemporary monuments.
The tomb is bounded by a lush, verdant garden, which adds the charm of the tomb. This hedged garden now holds a school. Every morning the mausoleum would be opened for the public at 9 am.
Tomb of Fateh Jung: Spectacular Tomb of Fateh Jung is an elegant blend of Hindu and Islamic styles of architecture. Build to commemorate the memory of Fateh Jung, a minister of the Mughal Emperor Shahjehan, this tomb has a massive dome.
The Tomb of Khanzada Fateh Jung Khan, is a protected monument under Rajasthan Government Act 1961.
Gazetteer of Ulwur states:
Near the station on the Bhartpur road is a fine Musalmaan tomb of AD 1547, known as Fatah Jhang's. Its dome is a conspicuous and ornamental object. Fatah Jhang was probably a Khanzada of note. At least his Hindoo extraction would appear to be indicated by the fact of the inscription, which is the only memorial inscription I have met with on an Ulwur monument, being in Nagari character. It gives the Hindi date as well as the year of the Hijira. It runs thus " Sambat 1604, san 955, Fatah Jang Khan, wafat pai tarlkh, 27 Mah Rabi ul awal Gumbaz niu dini tarikh 3 ".
Khanzadas in the British Period
Gazetter of Ulwur states:The Khanzadas still retained local importance, which, as will be subsequently shown, did not quite disappear until the present century. The extent of the territory they once held is pretty well indicated by the Musalman historians, existing traditions, and local remains.
Muslim Rajputs
Many Rajput clans were converted to IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
during the early 12th century and were given the title of Shaikh (elder of the tribe) by the Arab or Mirza
Mirza
Mirza , is of Persian origin, denoting the rank of a high nobleman or Prince. It is usually translated into English as a royal or imperial Prince of the Blood...
by the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
rulers. Since conversion Rajput clans
Rajput clans
The Rajputs are a martial race and caste of the Indian subcontinent. They are a Hindu caste whose members generally consider themselves to belong to the Kshatriya varna ; however, Encyclopædia Britannica notes that their members have come from a variety of lineages, including from foreign...
have remained loyal to their faith. Rajputs were converted to Islam by the Muslim Sufis missionaries of the famed Chistiya
Chishti Order
The Chishtī Order is a Sufi order within the mystic branches of Islam which was founded in Chisht, a small town near Herat, Afghanistan about 930 CE. The Chishti Order is known for its emphasis on love, tolerance, and openness. The doctrine of the Chishti Order is based on walāya, which is a...
, Qadriya orders and many others. Rai Tulsi Das was converted to Islam by Makhdoom Jahania Jahangasht
Hazrat Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari
Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari was a prominent "Suhrawardiyya" Sufi saint and missionary. Bukhari was called Surkh-posh on account of the red mantle he often wore.-Names:...
of Uch Sharif in 1323 AD and named Sheikh Sirajuddin alias Sheikh Chachu who established his independent state (District Ludhiana) given to him by Emperor Alauddin
Alauddin Khilji
Ali Gurshap Khan better known by his titular name as Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji was the second ruler of the Turko-Afghan Khilji dynasty in India.He was a well and capable ruler. He belonged to the Afghanized Turkic tribe of the Khiljis...
.
Some conversions also took place for political reasons. The Delhi Sultanate
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
and later Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
dynasty
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
encouraged the martial Rajput clans to convert to Islam. Conversions to Islam continued into the 19th century period of the British Raj.
Nehru also mentioned his own personal experience with Muslim Rajputs as he grew up, "I grew to know; the Rajput peasant and petty landholder, still proud of his race and ancestry, even though he might have changed his faith and adopted Islam." More importantly he bears testament to the fact that despite his change of faith, a Rajput is still a Rajput.
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
made mention of Islam's mass appeal, "...The impact of the invaders of the north-west and Islam on India had been considerable. It pointed out and shown up the abuses that had crept up into Hindu society-the petrifaction of caste, untouchability, exclusiveness carried to fantastic lengths. The idea of brotherhood of Islam and of the theoretical equality of its adherents made a powerful appeal, especially those of the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
fold who were denied any semblance of equal treatment..."
He further stated the conversions of Hindu upper castes to Islam, "Some individuals belonging to the higher castes also adopted the new faith, because for political economic reasons because of fear... though all their social structure was based on the group (caste/social class), in matters of religion they were highly individualistic.... It is worth noting as a rule, conversions to Islam were group conversions to protect their entire race...Among the upper castes individuals may change their religion...almost an entire village would convert... group life as well as well as their functions continued as before with only minor variations with regards worship etc."
The Muslim Rajputs are a multi-ethnic community who are partly descended from Arabs, Persian
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
s, Afghans and Turks. The Muslims of Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
have historically, travelled to South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
as technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and Sufis during the Islamic Sultanates and Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
and settled permanently. These Muslim families have intermarried with the Muslim Rajputs families.
Recent conversions and ethos
Regarding their rule as Muslim Rajput chiefs of multi-faith subjects, it is recorded in the Jhelum District Gazetteer "thoroughly convinced of the truth of their own Islamic creed, though they are by no means intolerant or fanatical."The Rajput conversions attracted criticism from their Hindu counterparts. In fact a testimony of the steadfast practice of Islam by the Muslim Rajputs
Muslim Rajputs
Muslim Rajputs or Musulman Rajputs are Muslims belonging to the Hindu Rajput Kshatriya groups of Indian subcontinent, who converted to Islam.-History:...
;
There is an interesting case of this happening up until the recent British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
era of India's history, which established a precedent in their government. In the state of Rajgarh, the ruling Rajput Chief began to show a tendency towards Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and got into difficulties with his Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
caste peers over this. This occurred during the period of Sir John Lawrence
John Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence
John Laird Mair Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence, GCB, GCSI, PC , known as Sir John Lawrence, Bt., between 1858 and 1869, was an Englishman who became a prominent British Imperial statesman who served as Viceroy of India from 1864 to 1869.-Early life:Lawrence came from Richmond, North Yorkshire...
's Viceroy period. His open following of Islamic traditions had infuriated his peers and feelings were so strong against him that he chose to abdicate the royal throne and retire to his new found faith (Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
). The subsequent inquiry against him however showed that he was a good ruler and no misgovernment was charged against him and his subjects were satisfied with his rule. A year later this Rajput chief openly declared the Kalima
Shahada
The Shahada , means "to know and believe without suspicion, as if witnessed"/testification; it is the name of the Islamic creed. The shahada is the Muslim declaration of belief in the oneness of God and acceptance of Muhammad as God's prophet...
(Muslim affirmation of embracing Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
) and renounced the Hindu faith. His sons also joined him. This case established for the British Raj the precedent that no leader or ruler can be replaced simply because of his change of creed. Regardless of the feelings of his peers, it was the quality of his rule that mattered.
There is also recorded instances of recent conversions of Rajputs to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
in Western Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, Khurja tahsil of Bulandshahr.
But despite the difference in faith, where the question has arisen of Common Rajput honour, there have been instances where both Muslim and Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
s have united together against threats from external ethnic groups.
Change of name
A custom during these conversions was to adopt a new name to reflect their change of faith. Many Rajput kings changed their names, but also retained their ancestral/lineal titles such as tribal Clan names. This sense of identity has never been lost and Islam did in fact support and recognize "tribal identity".Marriages
HinduHindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
code dictates that Rajputs can only marry amongst other Rajputs that's why mostly Muslim Rajputs still marry into other Muslim Rajputs only. However, tradition of marriages into only one group or clan because of caste reasons is not permitted in Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. This led to a great change in the traditional Rajput marital policy. Muslim Rajputs
Muslim Rajputs
Muslim Rajputs or Musulman Rajputs are Muslims belonging to the Hindu Rajput Kshatriya groups of Indian subcontinent, who converted to Islam.-History:...
therefore started to marry from other dominant aristocratic Muslim clans. This was to continue the tradition of royal/strategic marriages without prejudice to Rajput affiliation. This was further realized when some major Rajput clans of Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
intermarried into other clans of foreign descent. However, many Muslim Rajputs still follow the custom of only marrying into other Muslim Rajput clans only.
Being recent converts to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
from a culturally Rajput background, there was very little difference between Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
i and Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
i Hindu and Muslim Rajputs (outside of religious practices). Hence up until recently, marriages between Muslim and Hindu Rajputs also took place. In Pakistan, the Muslim Rajput now marry with other Muslims and many Rajput traditions have been discarded.
Genealogical family trees
This is a strong tradition that exists amongst the most distinguished of Rajputs of all faiths, the recording of family names and continuance of the family tree. Muslim Rajputs of prominence hold and continue to record their genealogical trees since their Hindu past even after their conversion to Islam, to the present day. The less distinguished Rajputs or claimants of Rajput heritage will more than likely not have ancestral records of family lineage.Inheritance
A reference to certain customs of inheritance and marriage of Muslim Rajputs is mentioned on this link in relation to Hindu Rajputs and other tribes.The famous warrior Hasan Khan Mewati
Hasan Khan Mewati
Raja Hasan Khan, Raja Hasan Khan Mewati, Raja Hasan, Hasan Khan, Hasan Mewati, , was an ambitious Meo Rajput Muslim ruler of Mewat. His dynasty had ruled Mewat for nearly 200 years it is believed that his ancestor converted to Islam when requested by Firuz Shah Tughlaq in the year 1376...
,Mewat was his ruling area, who resisted the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
Emperor Babar
Babur
Babur was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty of South Asia. He was a direct descendant of Timur through his father, and a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother...
, also belonged to the Khanzada clan. During the 16th century, the Khanzadas of Alwar were the pre-eminent Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
rulers of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, controlling most of Mewat
Mewat
Mewat is a historical region of Haryana and Rajasthan states in northwestern India. The loose boundaries of Mewat are not precisely determined but generally include Mewat District of Haryana and parts of Alwar, Bharatpur, and Dholpur districts of Rajasthan...
, and extending their rule almost to the gates of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
.