Chauhan
Chauhan or Chahaman(a) is a clan that ruled parts of Northern India in the Middle Ages. The Chauhan gotra is found among the,Rajputs, Jats, Dhangars and Gujjars.
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Origin and History
The Chauhans are Rajputs who come from the region around the lakes of Sambhar and Pushkar in Rajasthan (formerly Rajputana), near Amber and present-day Jaipur.
Chauhan dynasties established themselves in several places in Northern India and in the state of Gujarat in Western India, while the Sakhambari branch remained near lake Sambhar and married into the ruling Pratihara Rajput clan, who then ruled an empire in Northern India. In western India Chauhans are found at Devgadh Baria, founded by Dungarsinhji, a member of the Khichi Chauhan clan about 700 years ago.
The Chauhans later asserted their independence from the Pratiharas, and in the early eleventh century, the Sakhambari king Ajaya-Raja founded the city of Ajaya-meru, now known as Ajmer. In the mid twelveth century, his successor Vigraharaja enlarged the state to include much of northern Rajasthan as well as Haryana and Delhi.
The Chauhan kingdom became the leading Rajput state and a powerful kingdom in Northern India under King Prithviraj III (1165-1192), also known as Prithviraj Chauhan or Rai Pithora . The Chauhan kingdom collapsed after Prithviraj was defeated by Mohammed of Ghor in 1192 at the Second Battle of Tarain, but the Chauhans remained in Ajmer as feudatories of Mohammed of Ghor and the Sultans of Delhi until 1365, when Ajmer was captured by the rulers of Mewar.
A branch of the Chauhans, led by Govinda, the grandson of Pritviraj III, established themselves as rulers of Ranthambore from the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries, when Ranthambore was captured by Rana Kumbha of Mewar.
The Hadas, another branch of the Chauhans, moved into the Hadoti region in the twelveth century, capturing Bundi in 1241, and ruled there until the twentieth century.
Chauhans of the Deora branch established the state of Sirohi in southern Rajasthan, and ruled there from the fifteenth century until Indian Independence.
The last Chauhan king ruled in Mainpuri, a district in Uttar Pradesh of India.
Among Rajputs
The Chauhans were, along with the Paramara (Parmar), Pratihara (Parihara)(Gujjar), and Solanki ghosh(Chalukya) clans, considered to be one of the four Agnivanshi or "fire-born" Rajput clans.the chauhan given birth to ghosh
Religion
In India, the majority of Chauhans are Hindus, but some are Sikhs (particularly in Punjab) and Muslims. In Pakistan, Chauhans are predominatly Muslims. Some Pakistani Chauhans also choose to spell their name "Chohan" (ﻥﺎﮨﻮﮀ).
Chauhan Rulers of Ajmer
- Prithviraja I (Amaraja) (12th century)
- Jagdeva (? - 1152)
- Vigraharaja IV (1152 - 1165)
- Apara Gangeya (1165 - ? )
- Prithviraja II
- Somadeva ( ? - 1179)
- Prithviraj III (Prithviraj Chauhan) (1179 - 1192)
References
- Ram Swarup Joon: History of the Jats, Rohtak, India (1938, 1967)
Famous Chauhans of this day
- Dr. Brij Pal Singh Chauhan - an eminent scientist in cytogenetics and plant breeding.
- Chetan Pratap Singh Chauhan - Cricketer & Member of Parliament
- Sunidhi Chauhan - world renowned singer
- Sandeep Singh Chowhan - E-Commerce Specialist
- Shailendra Chauhan - a poet of national eminence
- Dr. Rajesh Chauhan - an eminent doctor who has been listed in the Who's Who of the World in Medicine & Healthcare.
- Muhammad Ashiq Chohan - Independence-era Pakistani doctor and activist
- Dr. Shyam Vir Singh Chauhan - an eminent scientist in plant physiology.
- Musa Javed Chohan - Senior Pakistani diplomat.
- Asar Chauhan - Renown journalist and columnist. His column "Siyasat Nama" is popular in Pakistanis home and abroad.
- Dr. Shivdan Singh Chauhan- Noted Hindi litterateur and freedom fighter.Recipient of the Soviet Land Nehru Award.
- Naela Chohan - Senior Pakistani diplomat and feminist artist.
- Mr Karan Chauhan - Tubthumper.
Categories
Social groups of India | Social groups of Rajasthan | Gotras of Jats | Rajput clans | Ruling Hindu clans