Guhila (clan)

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Guhila is a clan of Rajputs. [1] [2] They ruled a number of kingdoms and principalities including Mitaron, [3] Mewar, Banswara, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh, Shahpura, Bhavnagar, Palitana, Lathi and Vala. [4] [5]

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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 Chaulukyas 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 was defeated by Alauddin Khalji in 1303 when Chittor Fort was captured. [6]

According to 1274 CE Chittor inscription and 1285 CE Achaleshwar (Abu) inscription of Vedasharma, Bappa Rawal "changed his priestly splendour for regal lustre". Based on this, scholars such as D. R. Bhandarkar theorized that the Guhilas were originally Brahmins. G. H. Ojha, however, believed that the statement in Vedasharma's inscription is a misinterpretation of the earlier Atpur inscription. The Atpur inscription describes Guhadatta as a "Mahideva", which according to historian R. V. Somani, can be translated as either "king" or "Brahmin" [7]

In present-day Rajasthan, the Gahlot Rajputs ruled the princely states of Banswara, Dungarpur, Mewar, Pratapgarh and Shahpura. [4]

In Gujarat, they are generally referred to as Gohil and ruled the princely states of Bhavnagar, Palitana, Lathi and Vala and Rajpipla. [5]

See also

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References

  1. Brajadulal Chattopadhyay (2006). Studying Early India: Archaeology, Texts and Historical Issues. Anthem. p. 116. ISBN   978-1-84331-132-4. The period between the seventh and the twelfth century witnessed gradual rise of a number of new royal-lineages in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, which came to constitute a social-political category known as 'Rajput'. Some of the major lineages were the Pratiharas of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and adjacent areas, the Guhilas and Chahamanas of Rajasthan, the Caulukyas or Solankis of Gujarat and Rajasthan and the Paramaras of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
  2. David Ludden (2013). India and South Asia: A Short History. Simon and Schuster. p. 89. ISBN   978-1-78074-108-6. In the ninth century Cahamanas (Chauhans), Paramaras (Pawars), Guhilas (Sisodias) and Caulukyas were splitting off from sprawling Gurjara Pratihara clans...
  3. India Today. Thomson Living Media India Limited. 1999.
  4. 1 2 Lodha, Sanjay (2012). "Subregions, Identity, and Nature of Political Competition in Rajasthan". In Kumar, Ashutosh (ed.). Rethinking State Politics in India: Regions Within Regions. Routledge. p. 400. ISBN   9781136704000.
  5. 1 2 Virbhadra Singhji (1994). The Rajputs of Saurashtra. Popular Prakashan. p. 38. ISBN   978-81-7154-546-9.
  6. Sen, Sailendra (2013). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Primus Books. pp. 29–30. ISBN   978-9-38060-734-4.
  7. Somānī, Rāmavallabha (1976). History of Mewar, from Earliest Times to 1751 A.D. Mateshwari Publications.