Gahlot

Gahlot is a gotra (clan) of India. The variations of the name include Gehlot, Guhila, Gohil or Guhilot. It is associated with the Rajput community, and Gahlot Rajputs once ruled in Banswara, Dungarpur, Mewar, Pratapgarh and Shahpura. These areas were all in the region now known as the state of Rajasthan.[1] In Gujarat, they are generally referred to as Gohil and have once ruled the princely states of Bhavnagar, Palitana, Lathi and Vala.[2]

Gahlot is also a gotra of non-Rajput castes such as the Mali[3] and Jat.[4]

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 Chalukyas 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 submitted to Alauddin Khalji in 1303 when Chittorgarh Fort was captured.[5]

First Jauhar of Chittor

Ala ud din Khilji, the Sultan of Delhi, sent a marauding army across India in the 14th century CE; this army, commanded by Malik Kafur, defeated the Guhilot rulers of Mewar in 1303. The impending fall of Chittorgarh, the main bastion of the Guhilots, occasioned the famous Jauhar of 1303 AD.,[6] when the womenfolk, led by Rani Padmini,[7] collectively committed suicide rather than risk personal dishonor at the hands of the victorious invading army.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lodha, Sanjay (2012). "Subregions, Identity, and Nature of Political Competition in Rajasthan". In Kumar, Ashutosh. Rethinking State Politics in India: Regions Within Regions. Routledge. p. 400. ISBN 9781136704000.
  2. ↑ Virbhadra Singhji (1994). The Rajputs of Saurashtra. Popular Prakashan. p. 38. ISBN 978-81-7154-546-9.
  3. ↑ Kumar Suresh Singh, Anthropological Survey of India (1998). People of India: Rajasthan. Popular Prakashan. p. 614. ISBN 978-8-17154-769-2.
  4. ↑ Dipankar Gupta (2004). Caste in Question: Identity Or Hierarchy?. SAGE. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-76193-324-3.
  5. ↑ Sen, Sailendra (2013). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Primus Books. pp. 29–30. ISBN 978-9-38060-734-4.
  6. ↑ Karkra, B. K. (2009). Rani Padmini The Heroine Of Chittor. Rupa & Company. ISBN 9788129115270.
  7. ↑ Aanald Webb, Rani Padmini Of Chittore : A Historical Romance
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