Mewar (मेवाड़ مئور also called Udaipur Kingdom) is a region of south-central Rajasthan state in western India. It includes the present-day districts of Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, and some of the part of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The region was for centuries a Rajput kingdom that later became a princely state under the British. It was ruled by the Chattari rajputs of Mori Guhilot Parihar and Sisodia dynasties for over 1,400 years.
It was originally called Medhpaat, and Lord Shiva (Ekling Nath) is called The King of Mewar so he is called as a Medhpateshwar (lord of Medhpaat) later on it was due to long journey of words Medhpath became Mewar, Mewar region it includes lies across the Aravali Range to the northwest, Ajmer lies to the north, Gujarat and the Vagad region of Rajasthan lie to the south, the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh state lies to the southeast, and the Hadoti region of Rajasthan lies to the east.
[edit] Geography
The northern part of Mewar is a gently sloping plain, drained by the Bedach and Banas River and its tributaries, which empty northwest into the Chambal River, a tributary of the Yamuna River. The southern part of the region is hilly, and marks the divide between the Banas and its tributaries and the headwaters of the Sabarmati and Mahi rivers and their tributaries, which drain south into the Gulf of Cambay through Gujarat state. The Aravalli Range forms the northwestern boundary of the region, composed mostly of sedimentary rocks, like marble and Kota Stone, which has traditionally been an important construction material.
The region is part of the Kathiawar-Gir dry deciduous forests' ecoregion. Protected areas include the Jaisamand Wildlife Sanctuary, the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, the Bassi Wildlife Sanctuary and the Sitamata Game Sanctuary.
Mewar has a tropical climate. Rainfall averages 660 mm/year, and is generally higher in the southwest and lower in the northeast of the region. Over 90% of the rain typically falls in the period June to September every year, during the southwest monsoon.
[edit] History
[edit] Gahlot Dynasty of Mewar
A certain Kanak-Sen left Koshala in the 2nd century and settled in Saurashtra. His descendents established themselves and became rulers at Vallabhi. Ages later, Prince Grahaditya also known as Guhil obtained the small kingdom of Idar. His name became the patronymic Grahilot, later corrupted to Gahlot. They sometimes supported the Pratiharas (the dominant clan in Rajasthan) along with Chauhans against Arab invasions of 7th century. Later the wilds of Idar had to be abandoned and the clan settled at Ahar, and the new name Aharya came into use. Around the 12th century sons of Karan Singh I, namely Mahup established himself at Dungarpur while his younger brother Rahup established himself near Sisodia village. Later the term Sisodia supplanted both Gahlot and Aharya.[1]</ref>[2]
[edit] Gahlot rulers at Idar
- The dynasty moved to a new capital city, Nagda.
[edit] Gahlot rulers at Nagda
- Last King of Mori Dynasty of Malwa, Mun Singh Mori, kills Mahendra II, his brother-in-law, to conquer Mewar.
- Kalbhoj son of Mahendra II returns with allies to recover Mewar from his uncle and establishes himself at the new capital of Chittor.[1]</ref>[2]
[edit] Gahlot rulers at Ahar
[edit] Gahlot rulers at Dungarpur
[edit] Gahlot rulers at Nagda
[edit] Gahlot rulers at Chittor
- Interregnum - Sanchore Rulers at Chittor under Alauddin Khilji (1303–1326)
- Galhot dynasty is replaced by its junior branch Sisodia founded by Rahup.[1]</ref>[2]
[edit] Sisodia Dynasty of Mewar
Rana Laksha of Sisodia clan with all his 10 sons had rallied in defense of Chittor but in vain. The Sardars decided that it was time to safeguard the royal lineage. There is mention of only two sons of Rana Laksha by name, Ari Singh I and Ajay Singh. Ari Singh I had a son named Hamir Singh I who was taken by his uncle Ajay to Kelwara for safety. After the defeat of Mewar at Chittor by Alauddin Khilji in which Rana Laksha and his son Ari Singh perished, the people began to rally behind Ajay who began a guerrilla campaign till he too died in 1320s. The Sardars now picked Hamir Singh I as head of the Sisodia clan and rightful heir to the throne of Mewar. He married the daughter of Maldeo of Jalore who now governed Chittor for the Delhi Sultanate. He overthrew his father in law and reclaimed his ancestral homeland.[1]</ref>[2]
[edit] Sisodia Dynasty at Chittor
[edit] Sisodia Dynasty at Udaipur
[edit] Head of Sisodia Dynasty of Udaipur
[edit] Economy
The economy of the Mewar region relies primarily on tourism, the marble and stone industry, mining, handicraft, zinc smelters, cement and tire factories, as well as agriculture. Major crops include maize, groundnut, soybean, wheat, and mustard. Opium is also grown in the adjoining regions of the southeast (Pratapgarh and Nimbahere). Fishery also thrives in the region's various lakes, supported by a government fisheries department.
[edit] Tourism
- The massive Chittorgarh hilltop fort is one of the main tourist attractions of Mewar. The fort is a depiction of Rajput culture and values. It stands on a 2.4 square kilometre site on an 180 m high hill that rises rapidly from the plains below. The fort was sacked thrice by a stronger enemy. The first sacking occurred in 1303 by Alauddin Khilji. In 1535 Bahadur Shah of Gujarat besieged the fort causing the women to commit Jauhar. In 1568 Mughal emperor Akbar razed the fort to the rubble and once again the history repeated itself. In 1616 Mughal emperor Jehangir restored the fort to the Rajput but it was not resettled.
- Udaipur, also known as the city of lakes, is a world famous and a very popular tourist destination with its grand palaces, lakes, temples, gardens and narrow lanes.
- The Lake Palace is a palace inaugurated in 1746 that is completely made of marble and situated in the middle of lake Pichhola.
- Jaisamand Lake
- Udaisagar lake
- Fatehsagar lake
- Shilpgram, a crafts village located north west of Udaipur, hosts a crafts fair every year which is one of the biggest in India.
- Eklingji, a temple dedicated to lord Shiva the Ruling deity of Mewar.
- Keshariaji, a temple of Rishabhdev
- Nathdwara, a temple of Lord Shrinathji is one of the most important pilgrimage site of India.
- Haldighati, a mountain pass in Rajsamand district that hosted the battle between Rana Pratap Singh and the Mughal emperor Akbar.
- Kumbhalgarh, a 15th century fortress, built by Rana Kumbha, with 36 kilometres of walls. Over 360 temples are within the fort. It also has a wildlife sanctuary.
- Charbhuja Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
- Rajsamand, a huge lake near the city which derives its name from.
- The Ranakpur village is home to one of the most important Jain temples, that escaped the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's efforts to destroy Hindu and Jain temples because it is hidden in a geographically difficult terrain.
[edit] See also
[edit] Further reading
- Mewar through the ages, by D. L. Paliwal. Sahitya Sansthan, Rajasthan Vidyapeeth, 1970
- The Kingdom of Mewar: great struggles and glory of the world's oldest ruling dynasty, by Irmgard Meininger. D.K. Printworld, 2000. ISBN 8124601445.
- Costumes of the rulers of Mewar: with patterns and construction techniques, by Pushpa Rani Mathur. Abhinav Publications, 1994. ISBN 8170172934.
rathore mertiya
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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