Rajputs of Gujarat

The Rajputs form an important element in the Hindu population of the state of Gujarat in India. They are also known as the 'Darbars(Defaulter of Tax) especially in the Kathiawar and Kutch regions. The word rajah putra literally means son of a king in Sanskrit.^[1]

History and origin

Although the term Rajput 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 language. It was extended to cover any Hindu clan that ruled in west India. The regions that now form Gujarat have at various times been ruled by a number of dynasties, all which from the 10th century onwards claimed to Rajputs.^[1]

Several clans that rose to prominence in the 7th Century, such as the Jadeja, Zala,Chudasama, Chavda, Jethwa, Parihar, Parmar, Mandora, Gori ,Rathor, jhala, Kathi, Vadher, Gohil, Raizada, Sarvaiya Solanki, Vaghela, Vala, Vihol and Yadava (( Maher)) . later came to be known as Rajput. The last major Rajput clan to settle in Gujarat were the Jadejas, who arrived from Sindh. In addition to being divided into clans, the Rajputs are divided into two categories, the Rajput proper and the Girasia, who are known as Darbar in Saurashtra and Gujarat and Kutch in Rajput

Distribution

In terms of distribution, the Chauhan are found in Baroda,gandhinagar,Mehsana, Bharuch, Banaskantha, Kheda and Panchmahal,and are divided into many sub-clans Vihol, Hada, Devda, Dodia, Hakoda etc. the Chudasama are found in Bhal, Kutch, Junagadh and Jamnagar, the Chavda are found in Ghandhinagar, Kheda and Mehsana, the Gohil are found in Bhavnagar & Khmbhat, the Jadeja, who are the most numerous clan are found mainly in Kutch, Jamnagar, Rajkot and Banaskantha. Zala are found in Vankaner, Limdi, Surendranagar, Chuda, Rajkot and this area called "Zalawad". Jethwas are found in Porbandar, Jamnagar and even Kutch. The Parmar are one of the chief clans found among the Rajputs, and are found in north Gujarat, Bharuch, Kathiawar and Kutch and are divided into many sub-clans, the Barad, Gori, Mori, Rehvar Raj-Parmar Sodha and Tank.The Mandora are found in Vauhta and Badarkha. Other clans include the Solanki in Kheda, Mehsana and Sabarkantha, the Rathore also on Sabarkantha, the Mahida in Baroda, Bharuch, Kheda & Anand, the Devda in Banaskantha, the Padhiyar and Sarvaiyya in Bhavnagar, the Vala in twelve villages in Rajkot and Talaja(Bhavnagar), the Bhati in Banaskantha and Sabarkantha, the Sisodia in Kheda, Raolji in Anand & Sabarkantha, and the Vaghela in Gandhinagar, Mahesana, Patan, Sanand and Kutch-Kathiawar. Raulji in panchmahal and kheda. The Dabhi are found in Baroda,gandhinagar,Mehsana and Saurashtra .Maher in Porbandar and Junagadh area of some place.Kathi ,all over Saurashtra .

See also

References