Dulha Rai was the founder of the Kachhwaha dynasty and also the 1st king from this dynasty who ruled the territory of Dhundhar, with his capital at Khoh in present-day Rajasthan. He started his rule from Dausa which he obtained as a dowry from the Chahamanas of Shakambhari. Making Dausa as his base, he started conquering the region of Dhundhar and soon was recognised as the ruler of this region by the Chahamanas after he successfully suppressed the rebellious Bargujar Rajputs. [4][5][6]

Dulha Rai
Raja of Khoh
1st Kachhwaha Ruler of Amber
Reign1028–1033[1]
PredecessorAlan Singh Chanda (Chanda dynasty of Meenas)
SuccessorRaja Kakil Deo
Raja of Dhundhar
Reign1006 (at Dausa)
BornNarwar[2]
Died1033 CE
Khoh
SpouseMaroni[3]
Regnal name
Dulhe Rae
DynastyKachhwaha
FatherSorha Deva
ReligionHinduism

History

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The Kachwaha Rajputs claim descent from Kusha, son of the legendary Rama. Their ancestors allegedly migrated from Rama's kingdom of Kosala and established a new dynasty at Gwalior.[7][8] After 31 generations, they moved to Rajputana and took away the kingdom of Dhundhar from Alan Singh Chanda.

Some historians associate Dulha Rao, the founder of the Jaipur Kachhwaha lineage, with the Kachchhapaghata dynasty that ruled over a part of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in 10th century. It is possible that Dulha Rao descended from the Narwar branch of this dynasty.[9] VS Bhargava associates Dulha with the successor of the last ruler of the Nawar branch, Tejaskaran.

According to Jadunath Sarkar, Dulha's grandfather Ishwar Singh, the ruler of Narwar, renounced his throne and divided his estate among his younger brother and his nephew and travelled North of Chambal to live a life of religious recluse. After his death, his son Sodha crowned himself king again but soon died and was succeeded by his son Dulha who built support for his cause and soon received the fort of Dausa in dowry from the Chauhans of Lalsot.[10] M. L. Sharma suggests that Dulha was placed in Dausa particularly to help fight the Bargujar chief who partly controlled the city.[11] Dulharai defeated Alan Singh Chanda, the ruler of the Chanda dynasty and captured Dhudhand.[12] Dulha Rao soon defeated the Meenas of Khoh and Manchi and later completed the conquest of Dhundhar by defeating the Bargurjar after which he was granted the captured land by the Chauhans.[13][14] Dulha chose Khoh as his capital after Dausa.[15]

Death and succession

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Dulha Rai died at Khoh in Rajasthan in 1133[16] and Kakil Dev was chosen as his successor.[17]

Sources

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  1. ^ Melia Belli Bose (25 August 2015). Royal Umbrellas of Stone: Memory, Politics, and Public Identity in Rajput Funerary Art. BRILL. p. ३६. ISBN 978-90-04-30056-9. Retrieved 27 January 2024. Duleh Rai (early-twelfth century), Kakil Dev (r. 1133-35), and Hanwant Dev (r. 1137-51).
  2. ^ Sinha, Amita; Rajora, Neha (2014). "Gaze and the picturesque landscape of Amber, India". Studies in the History of Gardens & Designed Landscapes. 34 (4): 309–322. doi:10.1080/14601176.2013.874305. The Kachhawas (also Kachchwahas) trace their descent from Kush, son of Lord Ram, and claim solar dynasty. Originally from Narwar, near Gwalior, they migrated to this part of Rajasthan, known as Dhoondhar in 967 CE and established their capital at Dausa.
  3. ^ Meena, Madan (2021). "Rulers, Criminals and Denotified Tribe: A Historical Journey of the Meenas". Tribe-British Relations in India. Springer Nature. pp. 275–290. doi:10.1007/978-981-16-3424-6_17. ISBN 978-981-16-3423-9. S2CID 240554356. After conquering Khoh Gong, Dulhe Rai first married the daughter of Ralan Singh of Lalsot and later to extend his power he also married Maroni, the daughter of Badgujar, and thus, entered into matrimonial alliance with the two Rajput states in the vicinity.
  4. ^ Rima Hooja (2006). A history of Rajasthan. Rupa & Co. pp. 393, 395. ISBN 9788129108906. OCLC 80362053. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  5. ^ Indian States A Biographical, Historical, and Administrative Survey. Asian Educational Services. 2006. pp. 173, 175. ISBN 978-81-206-1965-4. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  6. ^ Sarkar, Jadunath (1994) [1984]. A History of Jaipur: C. 1503–1938. Orient Longman Limited. pp. 22, 23, 24. ISBN 81-250-0333-9. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  7. ^ Prasad, Rajiva Nain (1966). Raja Man Singh of Amber. pp. 1.
  8. ^ Rima Hooja 2006, pp. 388.
  9. ^ Rima Hooja 2006, pp. 389.
  10. ^ Rima Hooja 2006, pp. 392.
  11. ^ Rima Hooja 2006, pp. 393.
  12. ^ Meena, Madan (2021). "Rulers, Criminals and Denotified Tribe: A Historical Journey of the Meenas". Tribe-British Relations in India. pp. 275–290. doi:10.1007/978-981-16-3424-6_17. ISBN 978-981-16-3423-9. S2CID 240554356. Archived from the original on 8 February 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  13. ^ Sarkar, Jadunath (1994) [1984]. A History of Jaipur: C. 1503–1938. Orient Longman Limited. p. 23. ISBN 81-250-0333-9. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  14. ^ Rima Hooja 2006, "Following the matrimonial alliance, the Chauhans encouraged the young Kachchwaha to subdue the Badgujars...Ralhan-Si handed over the newly acquired portion of Dausa and its surrounding territory to Dulha Rai, thereby helping to establish Kachchwaha dominion in that area 111 . Dausa now became the capital of Dulha Rai Kachchwaha".
  15. ^ Rima Hooja 2006, p. 395.
  16. ^ Indian States A Biographical, Historical, and Administrative Survey. Asian Educational Services. 2006. pp. 173, 175. ISBN 978-81-206-1965-4. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023.
  17. ^ Sarkar, Jadunath (1994) [1984]. A History of Jaipur: C. 1503–1938. Orient Longman Limited. pp. 22, 23, 24. ISBN 81-250-0333-9. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Kakil succeeded his father Dulha about 1070 A.D.