THE RAJPUTS

THE RAJPUTS

The poets of the 14th century mention 'Rajput' as a tril: comprising t~rty-six clans. Some of these played an in portant role in the history of the period under consideratiol Different historians have different views with regar to the origin of the Rajputs. According to Colonel Todd, t}; Rajputs were the offspring of the foreign invaders in Hunas, Sakas and Kushans, who adopted Hinduism an established matrimonial alliances with the Indians. Anothc view is that the Rajputs were descendants of pure Aryan Rajputs believe themselves to be kshatriyas descended frO! the sun or moon families mentioned in the Mahabharatl Some Rajputs profess themselves as belonging to tI1 Agnikula.

This theory was first put forward by Chand Bard, in his book Prithviraj Rasa. According to him, in order t safeguard the Vedic religion a yajna fire was kindled, ou of which four Rajput families, i.e. Chauhans, Chaulakya (Solanki), Paramaras, and Pratiharas sprang. This theory i: rejected by most of the historians. Probably, Rajput was no originally the name of any tribe or class. Some of thl foreigners and Indians, who were very brave and warlikE and probably belonged to royal families, began to be called Rajputs. But gradually, the term lost its original significanc~ of occupation and began to denote a community. It ij significant that the word, 'Rajput', seems to have come int~ common usage after the invasions of the foreigners in the eighth century AD.