Guhila (clan)
Gahlot is a clan of Jats[1] and Rajputs. The variations of the name include Gehlot, Guhila, Gohil or Guhilot.
History
The Guhilas of Medapata belonged to this clan. The Atpur Inscription of 977 AD lists 20 kings starting with Guhadatta and ending with Saktikumara. Major cities included Nagahrada and Aghata. Chittor was captured by Bappa Rawal in the 8th century. The Guhilas fought the Paramaras in the 11th century and the Chaulukyas in the 12th century. During the reign of Jaitrasimha (1213-1252 AD), Nagahrada was sacked by Iltutmish. Then Samarasimha (1273-1301 AD) submitted to Ulugh Khan before Ratnasimha was defeated by Alauddin Khalji in 1303 when Chittor Fort was captured.[2]According to 1274 CE Chittor inscription and 1285 CE Achaleshwar (Abu) inscription of Vedasharma, Bappa Rawal "changed his priestly splendour for regal lustre". Based on this, scholars such as D. R. Bhandarkar theorized that the Guhilas were originally Brahmins. G. H. Ojha, however, believed that the statement in Vedasharma's inscription is a misinterpretation of the earlier Atpur inscription. The Atpur inscription describes Guhadatta as a "Mahideva", which according to historian R. V. Somani, can be translated as either "king" or "Brahmin"[3]
In present-day Rajasthan, the Gahlot Rajputs ruled the princely states of Banswara, Dungarpur, Mewar, Pratapgarh and Shahpura.[4]
In Gujarat, they are generally referred to as Gohil and have once ruled the princely states of Bhavnagar, Palitana, Lathi and Vala.[5]
See also
References
- ^ Dipankar Gupta (2004). Caste in Question: Identity Or Hierarchy?. SAGE. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-76193-324-3.
- ^ Sen, Sailendra (2013). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Primus Books. pp. 29–30. ISBN 978-9-38060-734-4.
- ^ Somānī, Rāmavallabha (1976). History of Mewar, from Earliest Times to 1751 A.D. Mateshwari Publications.
- ^ Lodha, Sanjay (2012). "Subregions, Identity, and Nature of Political Competition in Rajasthan". In Kumar, Ashutosh (ed.). Rethinking State Politics in India: Regions Within Regions. Routledge. p. 400. ISBN 9781136704000.
- ^ Virbhadra Singhji (1994). The Rajputs of Saurashtra. Popular Prakashan. p. 38. ISBN 978-81-7154-546-9.