Mewar

Last updated

Historical Region of Rajasthan, India
Mewar
LocationSouthern Rajasthan
Language Mewari
Dynasties Moris (up to 734 AD)
Guhilas (Guhilots) (7341303), Sisodias (13261952)
Historical capitals Nagda, Chittaurgarh, and Udaipur
Map of the Mewar Region Map rajasthan mewar.png
Map of the Mewar Region

Mewar or Mewad is a region in the south-central part of Rajasthan state of India. It includes the present-day districts of Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Pratapgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Pirawa Tehsil of Jhalawar District of Rajasthan, Neemuch and Mandsaur of Madhya Pradesh and some parts of Gujarat.

Contents

For centuries, the region was ruled by Rajputs. The princely state of Udaipur emerged as an administrative unit during the period of British East India Company governance in India and remained until the end of the British Raj era.

The Mewar region lies between the Aravali Range to the northwest, Ajmer to the north, Gujarat and the Vagad region of Rajasthan to the south, the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh state to the south and the Hadoti region of Rajasthan to the east.

Etymology

The word "Mewar" is vernacular form of "Medapata" (IAST: Medapāṭa), the ancient name of the region. The earliest epigraph that mentions the word "Medapata" is a 996–997 CE (1053 VS) inscription discovered at Hathundi (Bijapur). The word "pata" or "pataka" refers to an administrative unit. According to the historian G. C. Raychaudhuri, Medapata was named after the Meda tribe, which has been mentioned in Varāhamihira's Brihat-Samhita. [1] The 1460 Kumbhalgarh inscription associates the Medas with Vardhana-giri (modern Badnor in Mewar region). [2] Historian Sashi Bhusan Chaudhuri associates the ancient Medas with the modern Mer people. [3]

The 1285 CE (1342 VS) Mount Abu (Achaleshwar) inscription of the Guhila king Samarasimha provides the following etymology while describing the military conquests of his ancestor Bappa Rawal (Bappaka): "This country which was, in battle, totally submerged in the dripping fat ('medas' in Sanskrit) of wicked people by Bappaka bears the name of Śrī Medapāṭa." Historian Anil Chandra Banerjee dismisses this as a "poetic fancy", but acknowledges the 'terrible' battles fought between the Rajputs and the Arabs. [4]

Geography

The northern and eastern portions of Mewar are made up of an elevated plateau while the western and southern portions were rocky and hilly with dense forests. [5] The watershed divide between drainage of the Bay of Bengal and drainage of the Gulf of Khambhat runs almost through the centre of Mewar. [6] The northern and eastern part of Mewar is a gently sloping plain, drained by the Bedach and Banas River and its tributaries, which empty northwest into the Chambal River, a tributary of the Yamuna River. The southern and western part of the region is hilly, and marks the divide between the Banas and its tributaries and the headwaters of the Sabarmati and Mahi rivers and their tributaries, which drain south into the Gulf of Khambhat through Gujarat state. The Aravalli Range, which forms the northwestern boundary of the region, is composed mostly of sedimentary rocks, like marble and Kota Stone, which has traditionally been an important construction material.

The region is part of the Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests' ecoregion. Protected areas include the Jaisamand Wildlife Sanctuary, the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, the Bassi Wildlife Sanctuary, the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary and the Sita Mata Wildlife Sanctuary.

Mewar has a tropical climate. Rainfall averages 660 mm/year, and is generally higher in the southwest and lower in the northeast of the region. Over 90% of the rain typically falls in the period of June to September every year, during the southwest monsoon.

According to the 2011 Census of India this region has a population of 9,045,726 people.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajasthan</span> State in Northwestern India

Rajasthan is a state in northwestern India. It covers 342,239 square kilometres (132,139 sq mi) or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern side, where it comprises most of the wide and inhospitable Thar Desert and shares a border with the Pakistani provinces of Punjab to the northwest and Sindh to the west, along the Sutlej-Indus River valley. It is bordered by five other Indian states: Punjab to the north; Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to the northeast; Madhya Pradesh to the southeast; and Gujarat to the southwest. Its geographical location is 23°.3' to 30°.12' North latitude and 69°.30' to 78°.17' East longitude, with the Tropic of Cancer passing through its southernmost tip.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aravalli Range</span> Mountain range in western India

The Aravalli Range is a mountain range in Northern-Western India, running approximately 670 km (420 mi) in a south-west direction, starting near Delhi, passing through southern Haryana, Rajasthan, and ending in Ahmedabad Gujarat. The highest peak is Guru Shikhar on Mount Abu at 1,722 m (5,650 ft). The Aravalli Range is arguably the oldest geological feature on Earth, having its origin in the Proterozoic era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maharana Pratap</span> Rajput ruler of Mewar from 1572–1597

Pratap Singh I, popularly known as Maharana Pratap, was a king of Kingdom of Mewar, in north-western India in the present-day state of Rajasthan. He is notable for leading the Rajput resistance against the expansionist policy of the Mughal Emperor Akbar including the Battle of Haldighati.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chittorgarh</span> City in Rajasthan, India

Chittorgarh is a major city in the state of Rajasthan in western India. It lies on the Berach River, a tributary of the Banas, and is the administrative headquarters of Chittorgarh District. It was a major stronghold of the Rajput State of Medapata. The city of Chittorgarh is located on the banks of river Gambhiri and Berach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banas River</span> River in Rajasthan, India

The Banas is a river which lies entirely within the state of Rajasthan in western India. It is a tributary of the Chambal River, itself a tributary of the Yamuna, which in turn merges into the Ganga. The Banas is approximately 512 kilometres in length.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kumbhalgarh</span> Fort at Rajsamand District of Rajasthan

Kumbhalgarh, also known as the Great Wall of India, is a fortress on the westerly range of Aravalli Hills in the Rajsamand district of the Rajasthan state in India. Situated approximately 84 km (52 mi) from Udaipur, it was built during the 15th century by Rana Kumbha. The wall of Kumbhalgarh is the second longest continuous wall in the world, spanning 38 kilometers, second only to the Great Wall of China. It is also the birthplace of great king and military leader Maharana Pratap of Mewar.

Gahlot is a clan of Jats and Rajputs. They ruled a number of kingdoms including Mewar, Banswara, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh, Shahpura, Bhavnagar, Palitana, Lathi and Vala. The variations of the name include Gehlot, or Guhila.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Udaipur district</span> District of Rajasthan in India

Udaipur district is one of the 50 districts of Rajasthan state in western India. The historic city of Udaipur is the administrative headquarters of the district. The district is part of the Mewar region of Rajasthan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kumbha of Mewar</span> Maharana of Mewar from 1433–1468

Rana Kumbha or Kumbhkaran Singh (1433–1468), popularly known as Maharana Kumbha, was the ruler of the Kingdom of Mewar. He belonged to the Sisodia clan of Rajputs. It was during his reign that Mewar became one of the most powerful political powers in northern India. He is said to be the most potentially stabled sovereign of his time and his dynasty in general.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ratnasimha</span> Ruler of Mewar from 1302–1303

Ratnasimha was a ruler of the Medapata (Mewar) kingdom in present-day Rajasthan, India. He belonged to the Rawal branch of the Guhila dynasty, which ruled from the Chitrakuta fort. The last ruler of this branch, he was defeated by Alauddin Khalji during the Siege of Chittorgarh in 1303 CE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chittor Fort</span> Historic fort in Rajasthan, India

The Chittorgarh, also known as Chittod Fort, is one of the largest living forts in India. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fort was the capital of Mewar and is located in the present-day city of Chittorgarh. It sprawls over a hill 180 m (590.6 ft) in height spread over an area of 280 ha above the plains of the valley drained by the Berach River. The fort covers 65 historic structures, which include four palaces, 19 large temples, 20 large water bodies, 4 memorials and a few victory towers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Rajasthan</span> Brief history of the Indian state of Rajasthan

The history of human settlement in the western Indian state of Rajasthan dates back to about 100,000 years ago. Around 5000 to 2000 BCE many regions of Rajasthan belonged as the site of the Indus Valley Civilization. Kalibangan is the main Indus site of Rajasthan, here fire altars have been discovered, similar to those found at Lothal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingdom of Mewar</span> Kingdom in India (550s–1949)

The Kingdom of Mewar, sometimes known as Udaipur State, was an independent kingdom in Rajputana region of India, ruled by the Sisodia dynasty. It was established around the 6th century by the minor rulers of the Nagada-Ahar region of Udaipur and later, in the 10th century, it transformed into an independent state under Rawal Bharttripatta II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourism in Rajasthan</span> Overview of tourism in Rajasthan, India

Rajasthan is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India, for both domestic and international tourists. Rajasthan attracts tourists for its historical forts, palaces, art and culture with its slogan "Padharo Mhare Desh " The capital city, Jaipur, also known as Pink City, is a very popular tourist destination and is a part of the Golden Triangle. The Walled City of Jaipur is only the second Indian city to be recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, after Ahmedabad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chahamanas of Shakambhari</span> Dynasty that ruled Sapadalaksha

The Chahamanas of Shakambhari, colloquially known as the Chauhans of Sambhar or Chauhans of Ajmer, were an Indian dynasty that ruled parts of the present-day Rajasthan and neighbouring areas in India, between the 6th and 12th centuries. The territory ruled by them was known as Sapadalaksha. They were the most prominent ruling family of the Chahamana (Chauhan) Rajput clan.

The Guhilas of Medapata colloquially known as Guhilas of Mewar were a Rajput dynasty that ruled the Kingdom of Mewar region in present-day Rajasthan state of India. The Guhila kings initially ruled as Gurjara-Pratihara feudatories between end of 8th and 9th centuries and later were independent in period of the early 10th century and allied themselves with the Rashtrakutas. Their capitals included Nagahrada (Nagda) and Aghata (Ahar). For this reason, they are also known as the Nagda-Ahar branch of the Guhilas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mewar-Malwa Conflict</span> Military conflict between the Kingdoms of Mewar and Malwa

The Mewar- Malwa conflict was a series of wars between the Kingdom of Mewar and the Islamic Sultanate of Malwa. The conflict erupted due to mutual territorial expansion triggered by both sides on each other. The war was fought in what is now known as the Indian states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The Rana branch of the Guhilas, following their successful recovery of the Rajput stronghold of Chittorgarh and the entire region of Mewar alongside Rajputana after the Battle of Singoli, embarked on an ambitious expansion at the cost of their neighboring kingdoms. On the other side, with the invasion of Timur, the Lame Delhi Sultanate grew weak with its multiple subahs gaining independence which included Malwa, adjacent to Mewar.

References

  1. G. C. Raychaudhuri (1940). History of Mewar from the Earliest Times to 1303 A.D. Kanjilal, Calcutta University Press. p. 8. OCLC   917040797.
  2. Dineschandra Sircar (1963). The Guhilas of Kiṣkindhā. Sanskrit College. p. 38. OCLC   161579.
  3. Sashi Bhusan Chaudhuri (1955). Ethnic settlements in ancient India. Calcutta: General. p.  26. OCLC   2278769.
  4. Anil Chandra Banerjee (1958). Medieval studies. A. Mukherjee & Co. p.  19. OCLC   254699661.
  5. Imperial Gazetteer of India : Provincial Series Rajputana. Calcutta: Superintendent of Government Printing. 1908. pp. 106–168.
  6. Gupta, R.K.; Bakshi, S.R., eds. (2008). Studies in Indian History: Rajasthan Through the Ages Vol. 5. New Delhi: Sarup & Sons. pp.  64–77. ISBN   978-81-7625-841-8.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Mewar at Wikimedia Commons

Further reading