The 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 form an important element in 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...

 population of the state of Gujarat in 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...

. They are also known as the Darbars, especially in the Kathiawar

Kathiawar

Kathiawar or Kathiawad is a peninsula in western India, which is part of the Saurashtra region on the Arabian Sea coast of Gujarat state. It is bounded on the north by the great wetland of the Rann of Kutch, on the northwest by the Gulf of Kutch, on the west and south by the Arabian Sea, and on...

 and Kutch regions. The word rajah putra literally means son of a king in 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...

.

History and origin

Although the term 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...

 only became common in the tenth century , a number of clans that later became known as Rajput rose to prominence in the 7th Century. The word Rajput literally means son of a king in the 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...

 language. It was extended to cover any 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...

 clan that ruled in west 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...

. The regions that now form Gujarat have at various times been ruled by a number of dynnasties, all which from the 10th Century onwards claimed to 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.

Several clans that rose to prominence in the 7th Century, such as the Gohil

Gohil

Gohils are Suryavanshi Rajputs who have descended from the Guhilots of Mewar. As per the Sikarwar Khyat, Prince Shiladitya was born on Jesth Sudhi Chaturdashi of V.S 543 . He was the son of Emperor Aditya Sen and Queen Subhaga Devi. Though born at Chitor he was educated at Vallabhi...

, Chavda, Chauhan

Chauhan

Chauhan, Chouhan or Chohan , , - is a clan who ruled parts of northern India in the Middle Ages. The clan is most famous for Rajput King Maharaja Prithviraj Chauhan...

 . The last major 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...

 clan to settle in Gujarat were the Jadeja

Jadeja

Jadeja belong to the Yaduvanshi rajputs or Chandravanshi rajputs. They are one of the 36 royal dynasties of old tracing their origins to Lord Krishna...

s , who arrived from 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...

. They are also known as The Garasiya(Darbar) Saurashtra and Rajput in Kutch.

Distribution

The Rajput’s in theory are divided into thirty six clans, but in practice the number varies from region to region. In Gujarat, the main clans are the[Raulji], (Kheda),Panchmahal,Baroda,Dahod Districts. Chauhan

Chauhan

Chauhan, Chouhan or Chohan , , - is a clan who ruled parts of northern India in the Middle Ages. The clan is most famous for Rajput King Maharaja Prithviraj Chauhan...

, Chavda, Chudasama

Chudasama

The Chudasama are a Rajput clan found in the state of Gujarat in India. The Chudasama dynasty,originally of Abhira clan from Sindh. The disambiguition of the name Chudasama means, Chuda-Sama, 'Chuda' is an Indian word used for big bangles which are normally worn on the wrist of Indian women and...

, Sarvaiya

Sarvaiya

Sarvaiya / Sarvaiyya are a Rajput, Kshatriya clan of India mainly found in Gujarat.-History:Sarvaiyas like Jadejas, Chudasamas, Bhattis & Raijadas are off-shoot of Samma clan of Sindh. Sammas are again have branched off from Yadava clan of Kshatriyas, who claim descant from Samba, grandson of Krishna...

 , Gohil

Gohil

Gohils are Suryavanshi Rajputs who have descended from the Guhilots of Mewar. As per the Sikarwar Khyat, Prince Shiladitya was born on Jesth Sudhi Chaturdashi of V.S 543 . He was the son of Emperor Aditya Sen and Queen Subhaga Devi. Though born at Chitor he was educated at Vallabhi...

, Rathod, Raizada

Raizada

-Origin:The Raijada or Raizada are the descendants of the ruler of Junagadh. A Kingdom in Shaurashtra peninsula. . Junagadh was then under the Chudaasma Rajputs a branch of the Lunar or Chandravanshi line of Rajputs, who trace their origin to Lord Krishna. The Ruler of this Kingdom was addressed as...

, Rehvar

Rehvar

The Rehvar are a Rajput clan found in the state of Gujarat in India.-Origin:The Rehvar Rajputs are originally Parmar now Pawar Rajputs who came from Ujjain and settled in Chundravati. They then migrated to Tharparkar in Sindh, and then moved to Banaskantha. The Rehvar were rulers of the states of...

, Padhiyar, Jadeja

Jadeja

Jadeja belong to the Yaduvanshi rajputs or Chandravanshi rajputs. They are one of the 36 royal dynasties of old tracing their origins to Lord Krishna...

, Jethwa

Jethwa

Jethwa is a name of a Kshatriya, Rajput clan that claim descent from Makardhwaja son of Lord Hanuman who appears in the Hindu epic Ramayana...

, Parmar, Solanki

Solanki

The Solanki was a royal Hindu Indian dynasty that ruled parts of western and central India between the 10th to 13th centuries. A number of scholars including V. A. Smith assign them Gurjar origin....

, Vaghela, Vala

Vala (clan)

The Vala are a Rajput clan found in the state of Gujarat in India. They claim to be the earliest Rajput settlers in Saurashtra, and claim descent Shiladitya, the Valabhi ruler of Gujarat. After the overthrow of Valabhi, the Vala settled in the south western Saurashtra, which is known as Valak,...

, Vadher. The Rajputs are endogamous, with the clans being exogamous. There is no intermarriage between clans as the Sarvaiyya, Chudasama

Chudasama

The Chudasama are a Rajput clan found in the state of Gujarat in India. The Chudasama dynasty,originally of Abhira clan from Sindh. The disambiguition of the name Chudasama means, Chuda-Sama, 'Chuda' is an Indian word used for big bangles which are normally worn on the wrist of Indian women and...

, Rana and Raizada as they all claim descent from a common ancestor.

In terms of distribution, the Chauhan

Chauhan

Chauhan, Chouhan or Chohan , , - is a clan who ruled parts of northern India in the Middle Ages. The clan is most famous for Rajput King Maharaja Prithviraj Chauhan...

 are found in Baroda, Bharuch

Bharuch

Bharuch , also known as Broach, is the oldest city in Gujarat, situated at the mouth of the holy river Narmada. Bharuch is the administrative headquarters of Bharuch District and a municipality of more than 1,50,000 inhabitants. As Bharuch is a major seaport city, a number of trade activities have...

, Banaskantha, and Panchmahal districts, the Chudasama

Chudasama

The Chudasama are a Rajput clan found in the state of Gujarat in India. The Chudasama dynasty,originally of Abhira clan from Sindh. The disambiguition of the name Chudasama means, Chuda-Sama, 'Chuda' is an Indian word used for big bangles which are normally worn on the wrist of Indian women and...

 are found in Kutch, Junagadh

Junagadh

Junagadh is the headquarters of Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. The city is the 7th largest in Gujarat. The city is located at the foot of the Girnar hills, 355 km south west of state capital Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad. The city is in western India. Literally translated,...

 and Jamnagar

Jamnagar

Jamnagar is a city and a municipal corporation in Jamnagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat. The city was built up substantially by Maharaja Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji in the 1920s, when the district was known as Nawanagar. The district lies just to the south of the Gulf of Kutch and is...

 districts, the Chavda are found in Bhavnagar

Bhavnagar

-Topography:Bhavnagar is a coastal city in the eastern coast of Saurashtra, also known as Kathiawar, located at . It has an average elevation of 24 metres . It occupies area of 53.30 km². General slope dips in the northeasterly direction at the apex of Gulf of Khambhat...

, Mehsana

Mehsana

Mahesana is a city and municipality in Mehsana district, in the Indian state of Gujarat.-City and surrounding area:Situated near Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, Mehsana is one of the largest cities in North Gujarat; followed by Patan and Palanpur. A number of primary industries including dairy, oil...

 and Kutch districts, the Gohil

Gohil

Gohils are Suryavanshi Rajputs who have descended from the Guhilots of Mewar. As per the Sikarwar Khyat, Prince Shiladitya was born on Jesth Sudhi Chaturdashi of V.S 543 . He was the son of Emperor Aditya Sen and Queen Subhaga Devi. Though born at Chitor he was educated at Vallabhi...

 are found in Bhavnagar

Bhavnagar

-Topography:Bhavnagar is a coastal city in the eastern coast of Saurashtra, also known as Kathiawar, located at . It has an average elevation of 24 metres . It occupies area of 53.30 km². General slope dips in the northeasterly direction at the apex of Gulf of Khambhat...

, the Jadeja

Jadeja

Jadeja belong to the Yaduvanshi rajputs or Chandravanshi rajputs. They are one of the 36 royal dynasties of old tracing their origins to Lord Krishna...

, who are the most numerous clan are found mainly in Kutch, Jamnagar

Jamnagar

Jamnagar is a city and a municipal corporation in Jamnagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat. The city was built up substantially by Maharaja Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji in the 1920s, when the district was known as Nawanagar. The district lies just to the south of the Gulf of Kutch and is...

, Rajkot and Banaskantha. The Parmar are one of the chief clans found among the 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, and are found in north Gujarat, Bharuch

Bharuch

Bharuch , also known as Broach, is the oldest city in Gujarat, situated at the mouth of the holy river Narmada. Bharuch is the administrative headquarters of Bharuch District and a municipality of more than 1,50,000 inhabitants. As Bharuch is a major seaport city, a number of trade activities have...

, Kathiawar

Kathiawar

Kathiawar or Kathiawad is a peninsula in western India, which is part of the Saurashtra region on the Arabian Sea coast of Gujarat state. It is bounded on the north by the great wetland of the Rann of Kutch, on the northwest by the Gulf of Kutch, on the west and south by the Arabian Sea, and on...

 and Kutch and are divided into four sub-clans and Rajparmars. Other clans include the Solanki

Solanki

The Solanki was a royal Hindu Indian dynasty that ruled parts of western and central India between the 10th to 13th centuries. A number of scholars including V. A. Smith assign them Gurjar origin....

 in Kheda

Kheda

Kheda is a town and a municipality in Kheda district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Kheda, also known as Kaira, is 35 km from Ahmedabad. The National Highway no. 8 connecting Ahmedabad and Mumbai passes through Kheda...

, Mehsana

Mehsana

Mahesana is a city and municipality in Mehsana district, in the Indian state of Gujarat.-City and surrounding area:Situated near Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, Mehsana is one of the largest cities in North Gujarat; followed by Patan and Palanpur. A number of primary industries including dairy, oil...

 and Sabarkantha districts, the Rathore

Rathore

The Rathore is a Suryavanshi Rajput clan same caste as Lohana. Their Kuldevi is Nagnechiya Mata and "Karani Mata". Rathores are originally from Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh. Rathores are historically considered the samurais of India...

 also on Sabarkantha, the Mahida in Bharuch

Bharuch

Bharuch , also known as Broach, is the oldest city in Gujarat, situated at the mouth of the holy river Narmada. Bharuch is the administrative headquarters of Bharuch District and a municipality of more than 1,50,000 inhabitants. As Bharuch is a major seaport city, a number of trade activities have...

 and Baroda, the Padiyar and Sarvaiyya in Bhavnagar District

Bhavnagar district

Bhavnagar is a peninsular district of South-Eastern Gujarat. Bhavnagar city is the administrative headquarters of the district. It had a population of 2,469,630 of which 37.86% were urban as of 2001. It covers an area of over 9940 km²...

 Rajkot District

Rajkot district

Rajkot district is one of the 26 districts of the Indian state of Gujarat. Rajkot city is the administrative headquarters of the district. It is the third-most advanced district in Gujarat....

 , the Vala

Vala (clan)

The Vala are a Rajput clan found in the state of Gujarat in India. They claim to be the earliest Rajput settlers in Saurashtra, and claim descent Shiladitya, the Valabhi ruler of Gujarat. After the overthrow of Valabhi, the Vala settled in the south western Saurashtra, which is known as Valak,...

 in twelve villages in Rajkot District

Rajkot district

Rajkot district is one of the 26 districts of the Indian state of Gujarat. Rajkot city is the administrative headquarters of the district. It is the third-most advanced district in Gujarat....

, and Sabarkantha, the Sisodia

Sisodia

The Sisodia are Chattari Rajputs of the Suryavanshi lineage who ruled the kingdom of Mewar in Rajasthan. Prior to Rana Hamir the clan was known as Gehlot or Guhilot. In 1303 CE Alla-ud-din Khilji attacked Chittor...

 in Sabarkantha, the Vaghela in Kutch, Kathiawar

Kathiawar

Kathiawar or Kathiawad is a peninsula in western India, which is part of the Saurashtra region on the Arabian Sea coast of Gujarat state. It is bounded on the north by the great wetland of the Rann of Kutch, on the northwest by the Gulf of Kutch, on the west and south by the Arabian Sea, and on...

, Dholka

Dholka

Dholka is a city and municipality in the Ahmedabad District of the Indian state of Gujarat. With an average elevation of , Dholka is considered "India's first municipality".-History:...

, Sanand

Sanand

Sanand is a city and a municipality in Ahmedabad district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is also referred as Auto hub or Detroit of Gujarat.-History:...

. and the Jethwa

Jethwa

Jethwa is a name of a Kshatriya, Rajput clan that claim descent from Makardhwaja son of Lord Hanuman who appears in the Hindu epic Ramayana...

 in Porbandar

Porbandar

Porbandar is a coastal city in the Indian state of Gujarat, perhaps best known for being the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi and Sudama...

 and Kutch.