Rajputs, the leading warrior class, emerged on the political front of the northern, western and central India around the period between 700 and 1200 CE. In this section, we will discuss about various theories regarding the origin of the Rajputs in order to understand more about this social category.
Indigenous Origin Theory
Agnikula theory traces the origin of Rajputs from fire. The Rajasthani bards and chroniclers have propounded the famous Agnikula myth regarding the origin of Rajputs. One of the best ways to understand this theory is through the work of Chand Bardai who in his Prithvirajraso called Chauhans (Chahamanas) the fire-born, i.e belonging to Agnikula. According to the story, while Vishwamitra, Gautama, Agastya and other sages were performing great sacrifice on Mt. Abu, they were disturbed by the demons. To punish these demons sage Vashishtha created three warriors out of the sacrificial fire pit (yajna kund). These warriers were Pratihara, Chalukya and Paramara. But when the effort was in vain, Vashishtha performd sacred yajna again and created the fourth hero named as Chauhana (Chahamana). This mythological story with minor changes is repeated several times by later bards, chroniclers in Nanisiri Khyat, Hammirraso of Jodhraj etc. and also in inscriptions like Sisana inscription of Bedla.
There is another popular story in the Ramayana according to which, sage Vashishtha created some heroes like Saka, Pahlavas, Kambojas, etc. to fight against Viashwamitra in order to get back his wish-fulfilling cow Kamadhenu. Similarly, Paramaras were created for the same purpose. In all these accounts, one thing is very clear that these were predominantly the aggressive warrior groups created to fight against the incursions. Imagining a human figure coming out of the fire appear to be symbolic and later the popular versions, narratives and stories have been utilized by Col. James Todd, Vincent Smith and other imperialist historians to prove that Rajputs had a foreign origin.They interpreted these popular myths to show purification of foreign tribes and their accommodation into the Brahmanaical structure of the society.
In Gotrachara (a custom of announcing the names of the gotras defining the geneology of ancestors), the Chauhans (Chahamanas) claimed themselves to be Somavamshi (lunar Kshatriyas) related to the family of Lord Krishna, whereas in few other sources they claim to have originated from solar family associated with Lord Rama. In works like the Prithvirajvijaya, Hammirmahakavya, Surjaancharita etc., the Chauhans have been described as Suryavamshi (solar Kshatriya). Harsha stone inscription also supports the solar origin of the Chahamans. Such high claims could be the result of the desire of the kings to be associated with the respectable inheritance and a decent genealogical background.
Sevadi plate inscription of Ratanpal suggests that the Chauhans originated from God Indra but no other inscriptional or literary record has corroborated this fact. Dasharath Sharma differs from the argument for the Indra origin for the Chauhans as there is only one reference for this theory and not supported by any other contemporary record. He states, “The theory of Indra origin is supported by only one solitary epigraph; and even regarding that we are not sure whether the writer ever meant Indra by the word, prachidikpat”. He suggests that the writer of the inscription must have used this expression to express the Sun instead of Indra. Other scholars have not given much emphasis on this theory. According to Dashratha Sharma these expressions have a very late origin around 11th and 12th century and also lack any solid foundation. Moreover, in the context of their solar origin also he opines that the first ever solar king was Iksvaku, so the Chauhans who claimed to be born before the period of Iksvaku cannot be considered as Suryavamsi. He further argues that Chauhans were fighting to save the realms and were considered as Kshatriya. Dashratha Sharma highlights the refrences ragrding the Brahman origin of the Chauhans. In the midst of the diverse theories about their origin, it can be observed that the Rajputs emerged as a dominant social category during centuries when pan-Indian polities had disintegerated into several regional polities including some characterized as clan and lineage based.
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