Parmar (clan)
Paramara (also known as Parmara and Parmar) is the name of a prominent Arya [1] [2] clan of medieval India, which ruled the Dhar and Ujjaini kingdoms from the 9th century to the 14th century. Modern-day Paramara descendants are located throughout northern, western and central India. Paramaras are also spread throughout the nations of the former British Empire, particularly Canada and the United Kingdom, as well as in the USA and in Sindh, Pakistan, where they constitute 40% of the population of the Dadu district; here they are called Panhwars.
The Ponwar clan of the Marathas, who ruled the states of Dewas, Dhar, Rajgarh in Malwa and Chhatarpur in Bundelkhand from the 18th century to the mid-20th century, claim the same descent as the Paramaras. Here they are also known by the names Punwar, Panwar, Puar, Panhwar and Pawar. Paramara are Agnivanshi Rajputs.
History
Parmar Name Meaning and Origin
Indian (Rajasthan and neighboring states): Hindu (Rajput) name meaning ‘one that strikes the enemy’, from Sanskrit para ‘alien’, ‘enemy’ + mara ‘strike’, ‘kill’. The Parmars ruled in Malwa, which is now part of Madhya Pradesh. They consider themselves one of the Agnikulas or ‘Fire Tribes' [3].
Ancient and Medieval History
There are three schools of thought about the origin of the Paramara clan.The most widely accepted school of thought is that the Paramaras – along with the Chauhans, the Pratiharas (Parihars) and the Solankis (Chalukyas) – were one of the four Agni kula ("fire-born") clans of the Rajputs. In a second school of thought, the Paramara clan is said to have been a tribe of central India that rose to political prominence as the feudatory of the Rashtrakutas. In a third school of thought, the Paramara clan is said to have originally been an inseparable part of the Rashtrakutas, which later branched out from the Rashtrakutas (Rathore)and declared themselves to be a distinct Rajput clan.
Whatever the origin, the Paramaras established themselves as the rulers of Malwa in central India in the ninth century, ruling from their capital at Dhar. In this situation, the Paramaras enjoyed great political power and clout in ancient India. The Paramaras ruled until 1305, when Malwa was conquered by Ala ud din Khilji, the Khilji Sultan of Delhi. It was during these medieval times that their political power and clout started diminishing.
Modern history
Political power was greatly reduced further still during the consolidation of the British Empire in pre-independence India, with the royals of this clan cooperating with the British conquerors. After India gained independence from Britain in 1947, the Paramara royalty acceded their political powers to the central Indian government in New Delhi. In lieu of these surrendered powers, the Paramara royals received generous financial grants, called the "Privy Purse", from the central government, which helped them to maintain a lavish style of living, as well as maintaining the general upkeep of royal palaces, forts and other architectural marvels. This Privy Purse was later abolished by the central government, under the direction of Indira Gandhi. The Paramara royalty became increasingly complacent and did not adjust to the new political mechanisms of the emerging democracy, although the traditional support of ordinary Rajputs was maintained.[citation needed]
Both royal and ordinary Paramaras eventually fell behind other castes in economic development. By the mid-1980s, an economic, developmental and political gulf had emerged between them and other castes, and so Paramaras began focusing on careers in government. However, the liberalization of the Indian economy in the 1990s saw less government involvement in economic affairs. Merchant, intellectual and scheduled castes continued to thrive by moving into entrepreneurship, but not so the martial caste of the Rajputs. While some few have managed to gain in-roads into the contemporary political system, most Paramaras in general hold very little political power or clout.
Culture and society
As with any culture spread over a wide geographical area, there are variations in what can be considered traditional Paramara custom. However, members of the Paramara clan typically follow Rajput social traditions and customs.
Social status
Most people with the surname Parmar or its post-Ujjain Pawar variations have a high social standing in terms of being Rajputs. There is, though, a taboo of "low caste" for some Paramaras, especially in Gujarat and Pakistan. This may be traced to the defeat and destruction of the Paramara empire by the Gujarati kings, who are likely to have subjugated the defeated Paramaras into menial labor. Many Paramaras in these regions do not know that they are Rajputs, who are quite powerful socially. Upon the restoration of the Paramara clan during the Maratha empire, the Paramara clan ruled most of northern India and also Sindh and Punjab in Pakistan. This historical geographical diversity may have led to the many variations of the Paramara name. The Paramara Rajputs hold the distinction of being the last Rajput rulers of India, in addition to being one of the original ones.
Economically, Paramaras in the business sector are quite well off financially, while those in agricultural sector are able to make ends meet. But the Paramaras inhabiting the vast tribal belt stretching across Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat find themselves amongst the economically most marginalized sections of contemporary Indian society.
Titles and family structure
Over the centuries, the Rajputs and their branch clans have developed and refined a system of honorifics specifically built for quick identification of familial position. One of three titles is appended to a male's name in order to show which male ancestors are alive. The title of "Bhanwar" indicates that the speaker's grandfather is still alive. "Kanwar" indicates that the man's father is still alive. Finally, "Thakur" indicates that the speaker's father and grandfather are dead. This allows listeners to assess the level of familial responsibility held by the speaker without having to ask intrusive questions. Rajput families are modeled on a patriarchal system wherein power and responsibility flow from the top to the bottom. The eldest surviving male of the eldest surviving generation holds the most power.
Professions
Women in Rajasthan and Haryana as a rule are not allowed to step outside the house to work. In Punjab and Maharashtra, Paramara women work shoulder to shoulder in various walks of life, including agriculture. In such a system, women traditionally remain at home to take charge of household duties, while men are typically employed outside the home. Women typically remain within the walls of the home and remain veiled in the presence of elders and strangers.
Men in Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh,Uttarakhand, Bihar and Orissa generally enter careers in uniformed services, such as the military, police and paramilitary forces. Those in Gujarat often enter business professions, while those in Rajasthan and Sindh take government and police jobs, though most are agrarian. The Paramara in Haryana are fundamentally an agrarian community. Maharashtrian and Sindhi Paramaras often choose professions in agriculture or government services, with a particular tendency not to venture out of their home state. This may be because Marathi and Sindhi Paramaras (and, to a certain extent, the Punjabi Paramaras) have adopted the language and culture of their adopted regions, unlike the Hindi- or Urdu-speaking Paramaras. The Paramaras of the business professions dominate the contemporary business scene in the western Maharashtra, especially in the Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Sholapur districts.
Religion
Parmaras are SIKHS Depending on the region they live in, Parmars may also be Muslim, Sikh, and Christian.
Clothing
Paramara men traditionally, especially in rural areas, wear large turbans called "safa", which come in various colours, shades and hues. Women typically wear a full-sized sari. The sari covers the body below the waist, and is then wrapped around the breasts and back with a small portion covering the head. Their faces are covered with a ghunghat, which is made by dropping a portion of the folded sari from their foreheads. They wear a bindi placed firmly between both the eyebrows, and bangles around their wrists. Often, Paramara women pierce their noses as well as both ears, wearing jewellery called "moti" in the nose. Large amounts of other gold jewellery are common, including necklaces and anklets.
Dynasty
Paramara kings of Malwa
- Upendra (c. 800 – c. 818)
- Vairisimha I (c. 818 – c. 843)
- Siyaka I (c. 843 – c. 893)
- Vakpati (c. 893 – c. 918)
- Vairisimha II (c. 918 – c. 948)
- Siyaka II (c. 948 – c. 974)
- Vakpatiraja (c. 974 – c. 995)
- Sindhuraja (c. 995 – c. 1010)
- Bhoj or Bhoja I (c. 1010 – c. 1055), author of Samarangana-sutradhara
- Jayasimha I (c. 1055 – c. 1060)
- Udayaditya (c. 1060 – c. 1087)
- Lakshmanadeva (c. 1087 – c. 1097)
- Naravarman (c. 1097 – c. 1134)
- Yasovarman (c. 1134 – c. 1142)
- Jayavarman I (c. 1142 – c. 1160)
- Vindhyavarman (c. 1160 – c. 1193)
- Subhatavarman (c. 1193 – c. 1210)
- Arjunavarman I (c. 1210 – c. 1218)
- Devapala (c. 1218 – c. 1239)
- Jaitugideva (c. 1239 – c. 1256)
- Jayavarman II (c. 1256 – c. 1269)
- Jayasimha II (c. 1269 – c. 1274)
- Arjunavarman II (c. 1274 – c. 1283)
- Bhoj or Bhoja II (c. 1283 – ?)
- Mahlakadeva (c. ? – c. 1305)
- Sanjeev Singh Parmar (c. 1305 - 1327)
King Bhoj
King Bhoj, who ruled from about 1010 to 1060, was a great polymath and philosopher king of medieval India. His extensive writings cover philosophy, poetry, medicine, veterinary science, phonetics, yoga and archery. Under his rule, Malwa became an intellectual centre of India. Bhoj also founded the city of Bhopal to secure the eastern part of his kingdom. The Bhoja Airport at Bhopal is named after King Bhoja.
Pawar rulers of Malwa, Western Madhya Pradesh
The royal family of Bakhatgarh (a prominent parmar clan of Malwa, and perhaps the oldest) is presently headed by Thakur Saheb Bhagwat Singhji Panwar. The Pawars of Bakhatgarh are from the Mahipawat clan of Paramara Rajputs. They are the descendants of King Bhoja. The Bakhatgarh was founded in 1799 till 1948 when it was merged with the Indian Union. A number of developmental projects were undertaken during the reign of the last ruler Shriman Thakur Saheb Rai Singhji Panwar such as building of hospitals, boys and girls school, Libraries in Bakhatgarh. The palace and other administrative buildings of Bakhatgarh were built during his tenure.
Pawar rulers of Paramara lineage
The royal family of Phaltan, located in present-day Maharashtra, also trace their descent from the Paramara dynasty. The family, which settled in Maharashtra in 12th century, is probably the oldest dynasty in Maharashtra. The current surname of the members of this family is Naik Nimbalkar. It is not generally known except to some historians that this family was originally part of the Paramara dynasty. The Naik Nimbalkar family was very intimately related to Chatrapati Shivaji Bhosale, as both the maternal and paternal grandmothers of the latter were from this family; his daughter was also married to a Naik Nimbalkar.
One branch at todays Nasik
One branch of the Royal Puars family, by descent Rajputs of the Puar clan, adopted many generations back, in 12th century, the family name of Dalvi. Who at present are Hindu Rajput-Marathas, native to Lakhmapur (or old Lakshmipur) and nearby area,( had Ahiwantwadi Fort) near Wani-Dindori, Nasik and have the social honor of being “Deshmukh”. The name Dalvi means the brave king / chief who rules the people and fights wars. The Dalvis of Lakhmapur held many important positions as regional war-lords and Chiefs of private armies. The origin reference about Naik-Nimbalkar of Phaltan state and Dalvi- Deshmukh of Nasik is available in many British records and Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 20, p. 101. A rebellious member of the Povar or Dalvi (M. H. E. Goldsmith's Report on the Peint State (1839) Bom. Gov. Sel. XXVI (New Series), 108.) family of Peint then Part of Baglana, was sent to Delhi by order of Aurangzeb and sentenced to death, for revolt, but spared life after he embraced Islam. During the Maratha supremacy the Peint estates were for a long period placed under attachment by the Peshwas. In reward for services rendered in 1818, the family were reinstated in their former position by the British government.
Contributions to Indian culture and society
The Paramaras have made invaluable contributions to numerous fields, including art, architecture, literature and science, as outlined below:
- The famous Jain temples at Dilware on Mount Abu in Rajasthan were built by two Paramara brothers who happened to be ministers.
- Veer Vikramaditya, Raja Bhoja, Veer Babu Kunwar, Dr Yashwant Pawar, Shri Sharadchandra Rao Pawar, etc., have all made invaluable contributions to the Indian politics.
- Late Shreemant.Maloji Raje Naik Nimbalkar was the first water resource minister in Maharashtra Government.Now his grandson Shreemant.Ramraje Pratapsinha Naik Nimbalkar is the Water Resource Minister in Maharashtra Government. He is MLA from Phaltan since 1994.
- Lalita Pawar was one of the most significant Indian film actresses of her time.
- Thakur Sher Singh Parmar – aka Swami Apratimanandji, was a famous Hindi literary figure.
- Jayraj Parmar is a British student, currently a famous Gujarati footballer.
See also
References
- ^ Jamanadas, K. "Rajput Period Was Dark Age Of India". Decline And Fall Of Buddhism: A tragedy in Ancient India. New Delhi: Bluemoon Books. Retrieved 2007-05-31.
{{cite book}}: External link in|chapterurl=|chapterurl=ignored (|chapter-url=suggested) (help) - ^ Rose, Horace Arthur (1990). Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province. Asian Educational Services. p. 300. ISBN 8120605055.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|couathors=ignored (help) - ^ Hanks, Patrick (2006). Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195081374.
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