Rajput clans


Rajput is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Rajput covers various patrilineal clans historically associated with warriorhood: several clans claim Rajput status, although not all claims are universally accepted. According to modern scholars, almost all Rajputs clans originated from peasant or pastoral communities.

Lineages

Genealogies of the Rajput clans were fabricated by pastoral nomadic tribes when they became sedentary. In a process called Rajputization, after acquiring political power, they employed bards to fabricate these lineages which also disassociated them from their original ancestry of cattle-herding or cattle-rustling communities and acquired the name 'Rajput'.
There are three basic lineages among Rajputs. Each of these lineages is divided into several clans . Suryavanshi denotes descent from the solar deity Surya, Chandravanshi from the lunar deity Chandra, and Agnivanshi from the fire deity Agni. The Agnivanshi clans include Parmar, Chaulukya, Parihar and Chauhan.
Lesser-noted vansh include Udayvanshi, Rajvanshi, and Rishivanshi. The histories of the various vanshs were later recorded in documents known as vamshāavalīis; André Wink counts these among the "status-legitimizing texts".
Beneath the vansh division are smaller and smaller subdivisions: kul, shakh, khamp or khanp, and nak. Marriages within a kul are generally disallowed. The kul serves as the primary identity for many of the Rajput clans, and each kul is protected by a family goddess, the kuldevi. Lindsey Harlan notes that in some cases, shakhs have become powerful enough to be functionally kuls in their own right.

Suryavanshi lineage

The Suryavanshi lineage are clans who claim descent from Surya, the Hindu Sun-god.
  • Kachhwaha
  • *Shekhawat
  • *Naruka
  • *Bandhalgoti
  • Rathore
  • *Vadhel
  • Guhila or Gohil
  • *Sisodia or Sisodiya
  • **Chundawat
  • Gahadavala
  • Bargujar

    Chandravanshi lineage

The Chandravanshi lineage claims descent from Chandra, The lineage is further divided into Yaduvansh dynasty descendants of King Yadu and Puruvansh dynasty descendants of King Puru.

Chandravanshi Clans

  • Tomar
  • *Pathania
  • Chandel or Chandela
  • Katoch

    Yaduvanshi Clans

  • Bhati/Bhatti
  • Jadaun
  • Raksel
  • Samma
  • *Chudasama
  • *Jadeja

    Agnivanshi lineage

The Agnivanshi lineage claim descent from Agni, the Hindu god of fire.

Agnivanshi Clans

  • Parihar
  • Parmar
  • *Panwar
  • *Mori
  • *Sodha
  • *Ujjainiya
  • Chauhan
  • *Hada
  • *Deora
  • *Khichi
  • *Bhadauria
  • *Negi
  • Solanki
  • *Vaghela

    Battalion (Regiment) Clans

In medieval Indian history, Rajputs made several regiments, special battalions and mercenaries specially during Rajput Era to fight against foreign invaders which consisted of Rajput soldiers from some or all Rajput clans. Their descendents still use those regiment Rajput surnames

Regiment Clans

  • Purbia
Purbiya are Rajput led mercenaries and soldiers from the eastern Gangetic Plain – areas corresponding to present-day western Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Other Clans

  • Bais
  • Bundela
  • Gaur
  • Gautam
  • Jamwal
  • Pundir
  • Minhas
  • Jhala
  • Sengar
  • Banaphar
  • Dor
  • Jethwa

    36 royal races

The 36 royal races is a listing of Indian social groups purported to be the royal clans of several states and Janapads of the northern Indian subcontinent. Among the historical attempts at creating a comprehensive listing of the 36 are the Kumarapala Prabandha of Acharya Jinamandan Gani of 1435 AD, Prithviraj Raso of uncertain date, and British officer James Tod's 1829 Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan.

''Kumarapala Prabandha'' list

The Kumarpal Prabandha list provides 36 clans starting with dynasties mentioned in the classics, Surya and its Ikshvaku sub-branch, Chandra and its Yadu branch. It also mentions some of the later famous clans: Parmar, Chauhan, Chaulukya, Pratihara Ratt, Chandela. It also mentions other Deccani dynasties like Shilahara, Chapotkata, Nikumbh etc. Many of the names are less known. Notably, it includes the Mourya.
Kumarpal Prabandha was consulted by Tod, and he refers to it as Kumarpal Charit.