Rawal Jaisal

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Rawal Jaisal was a Bhati rajput who lived during the 12th century and founded the city of Jaisalmer. He was the eldest son of Rawal Dusaj of Deoraj which had its capital at Laudrava. When his father appointed Jaisal's younger half- brother Vijayraj Lanjha as his successor, Vijayraj upon succeeding to the throne, drove Jaisal out of the kingdom.[1] Forming an alliance with Shihabuddin, a Muslim invader from Ghor province in Afghanistan, Jaisal created an army. Vijayraj Lanjha died on the battlefield in the resulting war. Jaisal and his ally captured Lodurva. As he had previously agreed with Shihabuddin to allow the city to be sacked for 3 days he was left upon gaining the throne with a ruined capital.[2] Its ruins can be seen near in the village of Laudrva which is situated about 15 km to the south-east of Jaisalmer. Following the capture of the capital the other Bhati rajputs accepted Jaisal as their new ruler.

While checking out Trikuta a massive triangular rock rising more than 75 metres out of the surrounding sands as a more secure location for a new capital, Rawal Jaisal meet a sage called Eesul, who was staying on the rock. Upon learning that Jaisal was of Yaduvanshi descent, Eesul told him that according to ancient mythology Krishna and Bhima had come to this location for a ceremony, where Krishna had prophesied that a descendent of his Yaduvanshi clan would one day establish a kingdom here Eesul showed him a spring which Krishna had created and his prophecy craved into a rock.[3] This rock still remains in a well in the Jaisalmer fort. Encouraged by this meeting Jaisal moved his capital to this location and established it in [1156}][4] in the form of a mud fort and named it Jaisalmer after himself.


His son Shalivahan was also a great king known for commissioning sculptures in the city. Shalivahan had four princes and was followed by King Bijal. Shalivahan's second prince Mokal was an extraordinary general.

[edit] Ancestry

Main article: Bhati

Rawal Jaisal was a descendant of the Yaduvanshi clan and was a Bhati Rajput. The word "Bhati" is said to be derived from the Hindi word, 'Bhatakna' ("to wander"). It is also said that these people were known as the Bhati after an ancestor Rao Bhati (who founded Bathinda).

Rawal Jaisal was the sixth in succession from Deoraj.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Balfour, Edward (1885). The Cyclopædia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia:. Original from Oxford University: B. Quaritch, page 406. 
  2. ^ Beny & Matheson. Page 51.
  3. ^ Crump and Toh. Page 208.
  4. ^ Crump and Toh. Page 208.

[edit] Further Reading

  • Crump, Vivien; Toh, Irene [1996]. Rajasthan (hardback), London: Everyman Guides, 400 pages. ISBN 1-85715-887-3. 
  • Martinelli, Antonio; Michell, George [2005]. The Palaces of Rajasthan. London: Frances Lincoln, 271 pages. ISBN 978-0711225053. 
  • Tod, James [First Indian Edition 1983 (Originally Published in 1829-32)]. Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan (With a Preface by Douglas Sladen). 
  • Beny, Roland; Matheson, Sylvia A. [1984]. Rajasthan - Land of Kings. London: Frederick Muller, 200 pages. ISBN 0-584-95061-6.