Chandel (Rajput clan)

Chandel or Chandela is a Rajput clan from India.[1] Families belonging to this clan ruled several kingdoms in north India and held various feudal estates. The most notable of these were the Chandelas of Jejakabhukti, who ruled the Bundelkhand region.

History

During 10th to 13th century CE, the Chandelas of Jejakabhukti ruled the Bundelkhand region in present-day Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.[2] The British indologist V. A. Smith theorised that the Chandelas were of either Bhar or Gond origin, a theory also supported by other some scholars including R. C. Majumdar.[3] According to this theory, the Chandelas were originally Bhars, Gonds or a mixture of these two communities; they later styled themselves as Kshatriya Rajputs after attaining political power.[4][5] This theory is based on the Chandelas' association with Bhar and Gond territories, their worship of the local deity Maniya, and the marriage of the Chandel princess Rani Durgavati to a Gond chief of Garha-Mandla.[6] Historian R. K. Dikshit does not find these arguments convincing: he argues that Chandelas' rule over Gond territories does not necessarily mean a common descent; Maniya was not originally a tribal deity; and Durgavati's marriage to a Gond chief can be dismissed as a one-off case.[7]

Princely states

The rulers of the Bilaspur (Kahlur) and Nalagarh princely states of present-day Himachal Pradesh traced their origin to a Chandel from Garh Chanderi. Originally, these two states were part of a single kingdom; Ajai Chand established a separate state called Nalagarh because of differences with his brother.

Zamindari estates

The zamindaris controlled by Chandels included Agori Barhar, Ajabpur, Gidhaur and Sahaspur.

Agori Barhar The Chandel family of Agori Barhar claimed descent from Pari Mal and Bari Mal of Mahoba, who are said to have been service of the Kharwar ruler Raja Madan of Baland family. According to the family chronicles, the duo killed the Raja, and established three principalities: Barhar, Vijaygarh and Bardi (khatai) in Sidhi/Singrauli of the Rewa region. In 1290 CE, the Balands launched a surprise attack on Agori, killing every male of the Chandel family. A Chandel queen, who was pregnant at the time of the attack, later gave birth to Orandeo, the ancestor of the Chandels of Agori Barhar. Orandeo married the princess of Kantit, and recovered the Barhar territory with the help of his father-in-law around 1310 CE.

Ajabpur The Chandela family of Ajabpur is said to have migrated from Bundelkhand to Kanpur after a Mughal invasion. They later mgirated to the Dehradun region, and established the Ajabpur zamindari headquartered at Nuwada (or Nawada) as their capital.

Gidhaur The Chandel noble family of Gidhaur was founded by Bir Bikram Shah. The family claimed descent from the Chandelas of Mahoba, who had been defeated by Prithviraj Chauhan.

Sahaspur The Chandel-Kahluria dynasty of Sahaspur claimed descent from Prithvi Singh of Sambhal, who is said to have fought alongside Lodhis against the Mughal emperor Babur. After the Mughal victory at the First Battle of Panipat in 1526, his descendants settled in the Punjab region. The family moved back near Sambhal during the reign of Aurangzeb. In 1713, They received the title of Rai and a feudal land grant in the present-day Bijnor district.

Zaildari estates

A group of Chandel families claiming a common origin once held the zaildaris of Ghund, Madhan, and Theog in present-day Himachal Pradesh. According to their tradition, their ancestor migrated from Jaipur to Bilaspur. After three generations, his descendants moved to Ram Sarai in the Garhwal region. After another four generations, four brothers from the family moved to the Shimla region. The eldest brother became administrator of Madhan; the third youngest - Jai Chand - became the administrator of Theog; and the youngest became the administrator of Ghund.[8]

In addition to the above, there were Zaildari estates which were granted by the Rajas of Bilaspur to Chandel Mian families residing in Bilaspur. As an example, Mian Mangal Singh Chandel, was appointed as the Zaildar of Naina Devi Dhar, by Raja Bijai Chand of Bilaspur. Mian Mangal Singh Chandel belonged to the Kalyanchandia mian family of Bilaspur and was the descendant of Rup Chand the second son of Raja Kalyan Chand, the 30th Raja of Bilaspur, who ruled from 1600 to 1636 AD. Rup Chand was given the jagir of Bhakra.

Jagirs

A Chandela family held the jagirs of Ramgarh in present-day Haryana. The ruling family descended from Kalal Chand (or Kali Chand), a member of the Bilaspur royal family.

References

  1. ↑ R. B. Mandal (1981). Frontiers in Migration Analysis. Concept. p. 172.
  2. ↑ R. K. Dikshit 1976, p. 10.
  3. ↑ R. K. Dikshit 1976, p. 6.
  4. ↑ Sen 1999, p. 309.
  5. ↑ Manohar Laxman Varadpande (1987). History of Indian Theatre: Classical theatre. Abhinav Publications. p. 290. ISBN 978-81-7017-430-1.
  6. ↑ R. K. Dikshit 1976, p. 7.
  7. ↑ R. K. Dikshit 1976, p. 7-8.
  8. ↑ Mark Brentnall (2005). The Princely and Noble Families of the Former Indian Empire: Himachal Pradesh. Indus. p. 284. ISBN 9788173871634.

Bibliography

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