Arjun Singh

Hi,

Please consider changing your username per Wikipedia's policy. For details, see Wikipedia:Username#Choosing a username. It specifically requires that users refrain from using names of politicians. More importantly, in today's scenario, you might be mistaken for a vandal because of your username for no fault of yours. If you wish to change your username, you can add the request at Wikipedia:Changing username. Thanks, -Ambuj Saxena (talk) 13:32, 25 May 2006 (UTC)

Mr Saxena,

I cannot change my user name because a politician has the same name.

Later Arjun

I second that: if a good faith user, this might just be his actual name (an extremely frequent name in NW India, I expect). But see below: if a sockpuppet, the account will be blocked on those grounds. dab (ᛏ) 09:55, 16 June 2006 (UTC)

Rajput

If you continue reverting Rajput to the sock version, you make yourself obvious as another sock of a banned user. If you are editing in good faith, you are welcome to propose changes to the article, point by point. Further wholesale reverts will get your account banned from editing. dab (ᛏ) 09:47, 16 June 2006 (UTC) Hmmm... Where do I propose changes? Is'nt the article editable by all? Arjun

You are in danger of violating the three-revert rule on Rajput. Please cease further reverts or you may be blocked from further editing. --Telex 10:07, 16 June 2006 (UTC)

Mr Telex,
  Thanks for the heads up.
 Arjun

Proposed changes

Mr Bachmann, I have raised my objections to the last save done by you. There are factual errors and misrepresentation made by you which I have pointed out.

Rajputs (from the Sanskrit tatpurusha compound rājaputra, "son of a king") are a prominent social group of India, Nepal and Pakistan. They claim descent from the ancient royal dynasties of the region. Among Hindus, Rajputs are one of the principal groups belonging to the Kshatriya varna within the Hindu caste system.

My reply:

0 Rajputs are sons of kings i.e a compund of raj and putra and not an obscure tatpurusha compund. This place is for commoners and not sanskrit pandits.
1 Rajputs are not a prominent social group of Pakistan or Nepal.
2 They do not claim descent from ancient royals. They ARE descendants of royals with written genealogies going back to Ram, Lava and Kusha.

Rajput dynasties played a prominent role in the history of northern India. They developed an ethos of warlike chivalry that served as the benchmark for other Indian communities as the latter ascended to regional dominance. This martial ethos did not preclude patronage of the arts: distinctive forms of painting and architecture developed under the aegis of Rajput courts, and classical music found support. Thus, the Rajputs have contributed directly and indirectly to many facets of the Indian crasis.

3 This is out of place. Rather at this point page should mention origins of rajputs and what are there chief areas of inhabitation.

Demographics

Rajput sepoy, late 19th century.
Painting by Raja Ravi Varma.

   4 This painting is out of place. Rajputs were kings who ruled large parts of India. To show a few of them as sepoys is truth but hardly relevant to this page. Instead there should be fotos of kings who ruled.

The 1931 census of British India was the last to record caste affiliation in a manner that provides reliable information on Rajput demographics. Any present-day estimates are therefore speculative; they also vary widely.

The 1931 census reported a total of 10.7 million people self-describing as Rajput. Of this population, about 8.6 million people also self-described as being Hindu, about 2.1 million as being Muslim and about 50,000 as being Sikh by religion. The United Provinces (being approximately present-day Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal combined) reported the largest population of Rajputs, at 3,756,936. Next came the undivided province of Punjab with 2,351,650. The (then united) province of Bihar & Orissa, largely co-terminus with the eponymous present-day provinces, reported a Rajput population of 1,412,440, while Rajputana, which was almost co-terminus with the present-day state of Rajasthan, reported a figure of 669,516. The Central Provinces and Berar reported a figure of 506,087, the princely state of Gwalior of 393,076, the Central India Agency of 388,942, the Bombay Presidency of 352,016, the princely state of Jammu & Kashmir of 256,020, and the Western India States Agency of 227,137 Rajputs. The undivided province of Bengal (including present-day Bangladesh reported a figure of 156,978 Rajputs. The princely states of Baroda and Hyderabad reported figures of 94,893 and 88,434 respectively.

5 Population and demographics can go to the end of the page.

Rajputs typically speak whatever languages are spoken by the general population of the areas they live in. Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, and dialects of these languages are the major native languages (mother tongues) of the Rajputs.

6 This section is irrelevant. In India the word rajput is associated with a few dialects only: rajasthani and hindi.  

Origins

Main article: Origin of Rajputs

The traditional occupations of the Rajput are war and agriculture. As many scholars have pointed out, these areas lend themselves uniquely to the ingress of groups that were not formerly affiliated with those professions. The gradual accommodation of the new entrants into the social and family circle of the traditional community is the essential quid pro quo of the Sanskritization that the aspirant community essays. This phenomenon of gradual inclusion has indubitably obtained in the case of the Rajputs, with certain Jat and Maratha dynasties being among the most recent to venture the claim of affiliation with the Rajput community. In view of this, to seek a single and common, definitive origin for every present-day Rajput is widely recognised as being an exercise in futility. We however present both traditional legends and some scholarly speculations made by researchers on the origin of the Rajputs.

7 This is false. The author is ignorant about rajput lineages and how they were are protected. This gradual assimilation of people into rajput fold is just not correct. Also the author is claiming things legendary which are beleived as true by all rajputs. This is malicious, 

Legendary accounts

Main article: Rajput clans

As Kshatriyas, the Rajputs regard themselves as being descended from the vedic warrior class. Legend ascribes to the Rajputs an origin stemming from certain Hindu deities; every Rajput must eventually belong to one of three great patrilineages, being:

• the Agnivanshi lineage, claiming descent from Agni, the Hindu Fire-god;
• the Suryavanshi lineage, claiming descent from Surya, the Hindu Sun-god;
• the Chandravanshi lineage, claiming descent from Chandra, the Hindu Moon-god.

Some scholars also count Nagavanshi, Rishivanshi and Vayuvanshi as traditional lineages. The Yaduvanshi lineage, claiming descent from the Hindu god Krishna, are in fact a major sept of the Chandravanshi lineage.

The aforementioned three patrilineages (vanshas) sub-divide into 36 main clans (kulas), which in turn divide into numerous branches (shakhas) to create the intricate clan system of the Rajputs. The principle of patrilineage is staunchly adhered to in determining one's place in the system and a strong consciousness of clan and lineage is an essential part of the Rajput character. As the EB (1911) states, this tradition of common ancestry permits a poor Rajput yeoman to consider himself as well born as any powerful landholder of his clan, and superior to any high official of the professional classes. Authoritative listings of the 36 Rajput clans are to be found in the Kumārpāla Charita of Jayasimha and the Prithvirāj Rāso of Chandbardai.

Among the legends mentioned above, the one which addresses the origin of the Agnivanshi Rajputs is particularly interesting, not least because they were the earliest to rise to political prominence. This legend begins with the puranic legend wherein the traditional kshatriyas of the land were exterminated by Parashurama, an avatara of Vishnu. Later, the legend says, sage Vasishta performed a great Yajna or fire-sacrifice, to seek from the gods a provision for the defense of righteousness on earth. In answer to his prayer, a youth arose from the very flames of the sacrifice -- the first Agnivanshi Rajput. In some versions of the legend, all the Rajput lineages rose thus from the sacred flames.

8 This section has nuggets of info which is ok but the language is rather poor.  It seems to be a carryover from British impression of Indian caste system.

Modern hypotheses

Many scholars view the Agni kunda (fire-sacrifice) legend as suggesting, in an allegorical manner, the possibility that people who were not hitherto regarded as kshatriyas/Rajputs could come to be regarded as such after the customary fire-sacrifice based purificatory rituals. This legend has been used as the basis for Modern Historians tend to view rajputs as descendants of Scythic pastoral people. This theory has been substantiated by anthropological research which has yielded compelling proofs of them being scythic.Evidence has been traced to their geneology too.Many Rajputs who call themselves of Yadav lineage too have been found to be of same scythic stock somewhat similar to Pathans following jewish customs (like circumcision on 8th day) who like Rajputs also trace their lineage from Jadon ,nothing to do with yaduvansh of lord Krishna

9 This is pure non-sense. Mainly Brits wrote that rajputs are scythic. Rajputs do not beleive this.

Political history

Main article: History of Rajputs

During the centuries-long rule of northern India, the Rajputs constructed several magnificent palaces. Shown here is the Chandramahal in Jaipur, Rajasthan, which was built by Kachwaha Rajputs

Rajput history, being a part of broader north Indian history, can be classified easily into several distinct periods.

11 Parts of the following section I had used to create a separate article.  Rest of the stuff is wrong including the heading that invasions started after 11th century A.D but rather were occuring every year, multiple times from 7th century A.D. This is mis-representation. 

Early history (7th-11th centuries AD)

The first Rajputs kingdoms are attested to in the 7th century and the Rajputs rose to prominence in Indian history in the 9th and 10th centuries.

Islamic invasions (11th-16th c.)

The fertile and prosperous plains of northern India had always been the destination of choice for streams

Important relocations

Prithviraj Chauhan proved to be the last Rajput ruler of Delhi. The Chauhans, led by Govinda, grandson of Prithviraj, later established a small state centered around Ranthambore in present-day Rajasthan. The Songara sept of the Chauhan clan later ruled the town of Jalore, while and Hada sept of the same clan established their rule over the Hadoti region in the mid-13th century. The Tomaras later established themselves at Gwalior, and the ruler Man Singh built the fortress which still stands there. As we have seen, Muhammad's armies later brought down the Gahadvala kingdom of Kannauj in 1194 AD. Some surviving members of the Gahadvala family are said to have refugeed to the western desert, where they formed the Rathore clan and founded the state of Marwar. Other relocations surmised to have occurred in this period include the emigration of Rajput clans to the Himalayas. The Katoch clan, the Chauhans of Chamba and certain Rajput clans of Nepal are counted among this number.

12 Jalore was a state and Songaras ruled a kingdom and not a town. Ghadvalas and rathores are different rajput brnaches. This section is quite irrelevant and ridden with factual errors.

13 in the section below the errors are too numerous to write all of them. The first line itself is wrong. Delhi sultante was not founded by Aybak. It washes over Khilji's invasion as a walk in the park which is misrepresenting history. There was a lot of treachery invloved and the other page seems to record them well.

Conflict with the Sultanate

The Delhi Sultanate was founded by Qutb ud din Aybak, Muhammad of Ghor's successor, in the early 13th century. Sultan Alauddin Khilji (1296-1316) conquered Gujarat (1297), Malwa (1305), Ranthambore (1301), Chittorgarh (1303) and Jalor (1311), all after long sieges and fierce resistance from their Rajput defenders.

14 Section below is all confused chronlology. Irrelevant details about Karamvati and Humayun are expounded but not the treachery against Sanga.  Rather odd choice of putting in details to events which warrant no text.

Mughal era (16th-18th c.)

The Delhi sultanate was extinguished when Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat in 1526. Rana Sanga rallied an army to challenge Babur. He was betrayed by one of his Rajput generals and was defeated by Babur at the Battle of Khanua on March 16, 1527. While the Rajput rulers had to submit to Babur, they retained control of their states.

Second Jauhar: Rana Sanga died soon after the battle; shortly afterwards, Mewar came under the regency of his widow, Rani Karmavati. The kingdom was menaced by Bahadur Shah, ruler of Gujarat. According to one romantic legend of dubious veracity, Karmavati importuned the assistance of Humayun, son of her late husband's foe.

15 This section below is written by an ignorant historian. Impression created is rajputs gave daughters to mughals happily.  This is erroneous. Such was the tumult of one person giving there daughter to muslims that Maharana Pratap banned all marriages of his rajputs with this other group. Some rajputs to this day do not marry with those rajputs who gave there daughters away. So author is creating a false impression either deliberately or out of ignorance.

Mughal-Rajput alliance

Babur's son Humayun was an ineffectual ruler who perforce spend long periods in exile. His son was made of a different mettle; Akbar consolidated his inheritence and expanded what had been the "Delhi sultanate" into a wide empire. A main factor in this success was indubitably his co-option of native Rajput chiefs into his empire-building project; his reign countenanced, for the first time, the involvement of Hindus in the affairs of the empire. The Rajput chiefs collaborated with alacrity, an alliance cemented by marriage, with numerous Rajput noblewomen being wed to mughal grandees. The Kachwahas were the first to give a daughter to Akbar; they pioneered a trend that soon turned pervasive and played no small role in extending Rajput influence across the Indian sub-continent, from Bengal to Afghanistan to the Deccan. Indeed, two successive mughal emperors, Jehangir and Shah Jehan, were born to Rajput mothers.

16 This section below is complete bullshit. Rajputs were far richer then mughals and had bigger and more beatiful castles then mughals.  Even the thought of Taj Mahal was conjured up by ShahJahan when he had revolted against his father and was living in Jag Mandir at Udaipur courtesy of Rana Karan Singh, grandson of Maharana Pratap.

Rajput chiefs served as mughal officers and administrators across the mughal empire and enjoyed much influence in the government. In this period, the aristocratic image of the Rajputs can be said to have finally crystallized; consequently, caste-divisions became rigid. The trend of political relations between Rajput states and the central power was the precursor for similar relations between them and the British.

18 Language used below is borderline malicious. Mewar has a unique position in Hindu mind and not just rajput mind. Battle of Haldighati was not as cut and dry as written here. Amar Singh did not enter vasssalage immediately as this section makes one believe. He fought close to a dozen wars with mughals after his father's demise.  I wonder what is the author trying to prove by glossing over the truth?

Rana Pratap

Third Jauhar: However, these relations were not universally approbated. Mewar, which justly enjoys a unique position in the Rajput mind, held out and valiantly gave battle to Akbar. After a brave struggle, during which the ladies of the fort perfomed Jauhar for the third and last time in its history, Chittor finally fell to Akbar in 1568.

Mewar's ruler, Udai Singh, had retired to the nearby hills prior to this event; he was succeeded, while in exile, by his son Rana Pratap as head of the Sisodia clan. Even in exile, the Sisodias did not rest; they harassed the mughal administrators of the land enough to cause them to make accommodatory overtures. Rana Pratap, a present-day Rajput icon, rebuffed every such overtures of friendship from Akbar, and rallied an army to meet the mughal forces. He was defeated at the battle of Haldighati on June 21, 1576 and was forced to withdraw to the Aravalli ranges. However, he carried out a relentless guerilla struggle from his hideout in those hills.

Although Rana Pratap never gave in to the mughal power, his son Amar Singh entered into the vassalage of the mughals and thus regained control of his state. The Rajputs thereafter remained loyal to the mughal dynasty and empire for over two centuries, until that empire disintegrated. Indeed, even as late as in the 19th century, Rajput courts rarely failed to formally affirm their loyalty to the (by now entirely powerless) mughal emperor in all their official communiques and documents.

19 This section is irrelevant and most likely should find a place on page of marathas.

Maratha and British suzerainty (18th-20th c.)

Jodhpur was conquered by Sindhia, who levied a tribute of 60,000 rupees, and took from it the fort and town of Ajmer.

Rajput rulers of Rajputana and Central India acceded to newly-independent India after 1947, and Rajputana, renamed Rajasthan, became an Indian state in 1950.

20 This section below is fine but should be higher up on the page and not to the end.

Culture and ethos

The Rajput ethos is martial in spirit, fiercely proud and the

21 This below is laughable assertion.

By the late nineteenth century, there was a shift from an emphasis on questions regarding the political relations amongst the Rajputs to a concern with kinship (Kasturi 2002:2).

22 This below seems correct.

According to Harlan (1992:27), many Rajputs of Rajasthan are nostalgic about their past and keenly conscious of their genealogy, emphasizing a Rajput ethos that is martial in spirit, with a fierce pride in lineage and tradition.

23 Malicious inter mix of Harlan and Kasturi as they are saying things that are 180 degrees apart.

These lineages were linked to different networks, both sacred and profane. Branches on a stratified lineage could be either Hindu or Muslim (Kasturi 2002:2).

 24 Completely irrelevant quote below.

The following excerpt from the Encyclopedia Britannica (1911) sheds some light on the contemporary social values of the community:

The tradition of common ancestry permits a poor Rajput yeoman to consider himself as well born as any powerful

 25 Perhaps a new page for this section. See no reason why riddle rajput page with this kind of info.

Cognate communities

The mainstream Rajput community comprises of Hindus

Cognate Hindu communities

Certain Hindu communities claim partial descent from the he

Non-Hindu Rajputs

Sikh Rajputs: The census of 1931 recorded the existence Muslim Rajputs: The census of 1931 recorded a p

Normally, there is no inter-marriage between Muslim and Non-Muslim Rajputs; however, Muslim Rajputs are not religiously barred from intermarriage with Muslims of other communities. Nevertheless, Muslim Rajputs usually marry amongst themselves, and depart from the custom of endogamy only seldom. The Thukrai community of East Champaran district in Bihar, India are among those noted for maintaining a strict tradition of Muslim Rajput endogamy.

The great majority of Muslim Rajputs today live in Pakistan. Detailed information on the community is available at the Muslim Rajputs page.

Famous Rajput people

The Rajputs have contributed to many facets of Indian life, both historically and in the modern age. A few prominent Rajputs are mentioned below:

Historical heroes

• Bappa Rawal
• Prithviraj Chauhan
• Rani Padmini
• Rana Sanga
• Rana Pratap
• Mirabai

Modern age

• Vishwanath Pratap Singh, Prime Minister of India (Dec.2, 1989-Nov.10, 1990)
• Chandra Shekhar, Prime Minister of India (Nov.10, 1990-June 21, 1991)
• Jaswant Singh, Leader of Opposition, Rajya Sabha
• Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Vice-president of India.
• Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, olympic silver medalist

Proposed deletion of Rawat Rajputs

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Nomination of Rawat Rajputs for deletion

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