| Gujjar & Rajput Clan Gahlot |
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| Claim Descent from | Suryavansha |
| Descended from: | Koshal |
| Ruled in | Mathura, Kosi, Mainpuri, Delhi, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, Hariyana, Rajasthan, Gujarat |
| Princely states: | Ayodhya, Awadh, Koshal, Rajputana |
| Population Location: | India, Nepal and Pakistan |
| Languages: | Hindi, Haryanvi, Rajasthani, Braj Bhasa, Awadhi |
Gahlot is a Rajput clan in India, which traces its ancestry to the Suryavanshi Kshatriyas. The variations of the name include Gehlot, Guhila, Gohil or Guhilote. As a clan name, Gahlot and its variations are found among a number of communities which includes the Rajputs,& Gurjars
The royal Gahlots formerly ruled a number of kingdoms and princely states. The Gahlot population and the former Rajput states are found spread through much the subcontinent, particularly in North India and central India. Their kuldevta (family deity) is Lord Rama and their kuldevi (goddess) is Sita.
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Historian such as sir J. campbell was of the opinion that Guhilas along with Sisodias were originally Gurjars.[1]Gahlots claim descendant from King Luv, the younger son of Lord Ramaof Suryavansha.[2]Some Brahmin scholars such as Dasrath sharma assign them Brahmin origin.
It is mentioned that Balvanshi Bhattarak King saved the Gupta kings by re-strengthening their power. Bhattarak ruled from 512 to 525 Vikram Samvat. According to "Corpus Inscription Antiquary" Page 169, based on a rock inscription inscribed in 569 Vikram. Bhattark Gupta Balvanshi had four sons-Dharsen, Dronasen, Dhruwasen and Dharpatsen. Each one of them succeeded to the throne one after another, and they were given titles of Maha Samant, Mahapratihar, Mahakartak and Maharaj.
Gohasen son of Dharpatsen was a follower of Vaishnavism, but he had faith in Buddhism too. His descendants are called Gahlawat. Several legends are very well known about Doha and Bappa Rawal. The dynasty is supposed to have migrated from Balabhipur.
In India Gahlot are found in states like Rajasthan,Uttar pradesh,Haryana and New Delhi. one of the famous village of Gahlot is Mitrau and Nawada near by dwarka which is close to Delhi and other village is Humayun Pur in south delhi where Gahlot lives.
Jauhar of 1303: Ala-ud-din Khilji, Sultan of Delhi, sent a marauding army across India at the turn of the 13th century; this army, commanded by Malik Kafur, soundly defeated the Guhilot rulers of Mewar in 1303.[3] The impending fall of Chittorgarh, the main bastion of the Guhilots, occasioned the famous Jauhar of 1303 AD.,[4] when the womenfolk, led by Rani Padmini,[5] collectively committed suicide rather than risk personal dishonor at the hands of the victorious invading army. The brave men wore saffron turbans as a mark of performing saka, of running into battle with no hope of coming back. The injured and surviving Guhilot menfolk and their retainers are said to have subsequently taken refuge in the nearby hills.
The Gehlots settled in Ahar,[6] where they were known as Aharya. They maintained this title until they relocated to Sisoda. Sisoda was used as a name when a prince of Chittor built the town right where he had killed a hare (Susso). Since then the clan has retained the title of Sisodia. However, another version says that the dynasty was so named from the word Sisa or lead. It is said that a prince of the dynasty was accidentally made to eat a medication with pigeon blood when he had given up meat-eating. The Sisodias are staunch followers of the Hindu faith where being a Satvik is very serious business. When the prince realized his folly he chose to atone for his blunder by swallowing molten lead (sisa).
A second branch of Gohils who also were the descendants of Bappa Rawal ruled Khergarh in Marwar. They were displaced by the combined forces of the Rathores and Sodhas and were forced to migrate to present day Gujarat under the leadership of Sejakji. After building various alliances with the local Solanki and Raijada rulers and displacing some of the local Kathi and Mer rulers.
Sejakji established a kingdom in eastern Kathiawar.[7] Sejakji's descendants managed to hold a precarious hold over their newly acquired territory under constant pressure from the local Kathis and the Muslim Sultanate of Gujrat initially. During later years they had to also face hostilities from the Nawab of Junagadh and the Marathas which resulted in many armed conflicts. Many of these descendants of Sejakji perished in the almost constant state of warfare that existed in the turbulent and violent Eastern Kathiawar of those days.They had to frequently shift capitals starting from Sejakpur to Ranpur, Ghogha, Shihor and finally Bhavnagar[8] due to land constantly changing hands during hostilities. However in spite of the tremendous odds stacked against them they kept expanding by conquering Kathi territories and gained wealth and prominence by raiding the territories of the Sultanate of Gujrat. They frequently plundered the ships of the Delhi Sultans that plied the Gulf of Khambat.
Sejakji's grandson Mokhdaji[9] became famous as a plunderer of Mohammad Tugluq's fleet. The Gohils eventually founded the State of Bhavnagar also known as Gohilwar. One of Mokhdaji's sons inherited Rajpipla[10] from his maternal Grandfather who ruled the area and had no other heir and so the Gohils also gained Rajpipla in Eastern Gujrat. The Gohil Rulers of Bhavnagar and their immediate brethren (up to six generation distant) are titled Raol. H.H. Maharaja Raol Shree KrishnakumarSinghji Gohil of Bhavnagar was the first Indian Ruler to voluntarily accede to the Indian Union in 1947. In addition to Bhavnagar two of Sejakji's younger sons each founded the smaller states of Palitana and Lathi in Kathiawar. Other branch of Gohils from Khergarh (Marwar) settled at Naroli in the present day Banaskantha District and made Naroli their capital. They were eventually displaced by the Chauhans.
Guhil was the first person of this clan, after whom the clan was named Guhilot or Gehlot. Son of Guhil was Bhoj and his son was Mahendra. Son of Mahendra was Nagaditya and his son was Shiladitya (646AD). Son of Shiladitya was Aparajit (661AD). Son of Aparajit was Mahendra II and his son was Kalbhoj. Kalbhoj is also known by his title Bappa Rawal. He established rule over Chittor in 734 AD.