CHAUHAN RAJPUT STORY

JUSTIC BY-Er.VIKAS SINGH CHAUHAN

 ALL Songara Chauhans belong to the Rajput Chauhan dynasty and draw their lineage from the  second  last  hindu king of Delhi Rao Shri Prithviraj Chauhan  who  occupies lion  share in the Indian history.  Rao Shri Kirtipal son of  Rao  Shri Alhana of Nadol was the founder of Jalore, he captured Jalore in A.D.1182 from the Samant of its solanki ruler. This Rao Shri Kritipal whose father Rao Shri Alhana was Nadola Chauhan is the ancestor of Songara Chauhan clan. Nadola Chauhan Rao Shri Kirtipal established his Suzerainty on Jalore situated on Songiri- Swarngiri Mountain was called Songara Chauhan , instead of,  Nadola Chauhan.          

                        Rao Shri Samarsinhji Songara of Jalore had male issues Udaysinhji and Mansinhji, this Mansinhji - a real brother of Udaysinhji Songara had conquered Abu, Chandravati and Sirohi within very short span. The rulers of Erstwhile Sirohi and Pali were Songara Chauhans. The present rulers of Sirohi are the successors of this Mansinhji Songara Chauhan.

                     Rao Shri Samarsinh father of Udaysinhji and Mansinh is the grandfather of Chanchingdev. This Chanchingdev had male issues Samantsinh (father of Kandev) and Raningdev. This way from Kirtipal to Raningdev all are Songara Chauhans, but, surprisely, Raningdev a real brother of Samantsinh and the son of Chanchingdev was called    “Thakur – Thakore Raningdev ” , why ?

               Rao shri SamantSinhji Songara ruler of Jalore due to some political understanding or  Compulsion, old age, constant attacks from DELHI and  with a view to retain the independence of Jalore against the Muslim invasion during his life time, he placed his son Kanhaddev on the throne of Jalore.This Songara king Kanhaddev was also known by names (i) NaharDev (ii)Shiligram (iii) Golaknath & (iv) Krishna (Lord Krishna’s tenth avtar-incarnation). This Kanhaddev had a brother-Maldev Songara.  Songara king Kanhad dev had two issues,  son Viramdev & Kunwar Virmati Bai. This virmatibai was married with Rao shri Lakhansinhji of Jaisalmer. The songara king Kanhaddev had four queens  namely  (I)  UMADE   (II)  KAMLADE   (III)  JAYTALDE   and  (IV) BHAVALDE.  

                  God or super entity is believed to be immortal. Thy is  not subject to death as mortal human dies. It can do anything, nothing is impossible for such super human, it can appear from anywhere at any time, the people loving, honoring, respecting such super entity are not ready to accept that such person possessing God’s virtues even can die. Some persons    were believing that this Songara king   kanhaddev was tenth Avtar (incarnation) of    Lord Krishna-vishnu .  The Lord, particularly,  Lord Krishna how can die ? Thy is not supposed to be died as mortal human dies and therefore though the  brave Songara king kanhaddev was died in the battle fighting against royal  army, it is said that he was disappeared from the battle  field . Perhaps , he  might  have  taken  calculative back   foot step  for some better preparing and replying the Royal army in the battle field ,this action of Songara king kanhaddev might have been taken as his disappearance from the battle.

                       Rao Shri Kanhaddev & his brave son Viramdev were died in battle fought against the sultan Ala-ud-Din khilji in year 1311, this battle of Jalore was terrible. On going through the “ KANHAD-DE-PRABANDH ” it appears that Jalore resisted the invasion for 3-4 years before it fell , the brave Songara Chauhans had kept up the tradition. Father Rao shri kanhad dev and brave son viram dev sacrificed their lives for their country-mother land Jalore , religion, pride as well as for the honor, respect and protection of the women of mewar and other parts of our present HINDUSTAN. These members of royal family had also sacrificed their lives for preventing the Hindus being converted to Muslims by the sultan khilji and his supporters. At that time, the massive Islamic take over the Hindus - India was underway. The sultan khilji and other Muslim rulers had decided to convert entire Hindustan into Islamic world. One may accept or not, but, this process is continued in one or other way even to-day.

                It is said in “Kanhad-De-Prabandh” that FIROZA a daughter-princess of the sultan Khilji fell in love with Viramdev son of Kanhaddev Songara who was on attendance at the court of Khilji in place of his father. son Viramdev defeated PUNJU wrestler in the game. Firoza impressed by the game played and won by viram dev, she fell in his love. In fact, it was a conspiracy hatched by the sultan to kill this viram dev songara. The sultan khilji forced viram dev to marry his daughter Firoza , ultimately,  the quarrel picked up and turned into Jalore battle. khilji was in search of a cause for capturing Jalore and he did get it in refusal of viram dev to marry his princess Firoza. Firoza was a princess , she was a daughter of khilji, but , her mother was not one of the queens-begums of khilji, she was born out from Harem, she was a daughter of female attendant AASMANI KHAVAS. The prostitutes were too used to keep in harem and therefore viram dev songara did not think it proper to marry this TURK GIRL-TARKADI CHHORI and under the pretext of coming with Barat-Jaan-wedding procession, he left Delhi for Jalore and met in the battle . The real cause of the invasion with the sultan khilji was the determination to put an end to the independence of Jalore as was done with the other states of RAJPUTANA.  Jalore was the part of mewar, the sultan khilji had been long anxious to add mewar to his sultanate and Jalore was going to be more and more powerful which made khilji mad-ferocious to attack on it. Khilji had consolidated his authority in Mewar, Kanhaddev’s semi independent status was construed as contumacy and his country was invaded.

                 “EVERY THING IS FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR” – Firoza had put this maxim into service in its true concept having real meaning thereof. Firoza was not only a glamours beauty, she was very shrewd politician and intellectual diplomat. She utilised her beauty as an instrument to get the chief in army Samsukhan who was also a brother-in-law of the sultan Khilji, Samsukhan’s wife Khuja begum (sister of sultan), sadal, sahi malik and other worriors of royal army freed from captivity. All these were war prisoners, Maldev Songara and Viramdev Songara had  made them surrendered in the long drawn war after fall of Sivana. If these nearest relatives of the sultan would not had been released from the war custody, the sultan would had been forced to withdraw the siege laid on jalore or would had been compelled to enter into a political treaty at the unilateral conditions favourable to the subjects of Jalore and Jalore’s sovereign itself, but, the rular Viramdev Songara and incharge of army Maldev Songara failed to read written on the wall, it was time to strike the iron, the royal army was exhausted in long drawn war, all the circumstances and prevailing situations were in favourable of Jalore, but, unfortunately, Jalore missed an opportunity. Firoza utilised her beauty as the opener of the prison lock, all the war prisoners got released. Firoza not only got release of these war prisoners, she also obtained rewards- gifts including the elephants which were snached by the Jalore army from the royal army ( the royal army had captured these elephants in Somnath – Gujarat War). Foriza also received an assurance for no sudden attack on royal army i.e. the jalore’s army would not attack on royal army.

                           This FIROZA in her second visit of Jalore had come with the arm’ament. She was a troop member of the women  army headed by GULBAHISTA, this Gulbahista  was also a chief security officer of the Sultan’s Harem. Jalore could not visualize the hidden ar’mour . when the hands of Jalore were free&up,the legs &heads of DELHI were under the stone, it was not desirable at all for the rular of Jalore to do all these for the sake of exellency, nobleness, royalness, broad heartedness and proud. In fact, the rular of Jalore etc. had been allured by sorceress  and hypocrite Firoza. Returning from Jalore Firoza furnished all  the secret informations to the Sultan at Delhi  which became very important and helpful  to the royal army and the  sultan too in the last war in which we lost Kandev and Viramdev both. We can see , how much she was shrewd ? After sacrifice of these brave Kings Kanhad dev Songara and Viramdev Songara, Maldev Songara a real brother of Kandev, who was chief in charge of Jalore army was appointed as the governor of Chittod  at the instance of this Firoza, she spared no prominent Songara Chauhan to look after Jalore !!! Firoza’s first visit of Jalore started it downfall and in her second visit Jalore lost every thing. Firoza had played a pivot role in degradation of Jalore, in remembrance of this remarkable venture in the period during which Jalore remained under domains of invaders her monument was built up on Swarangiri – Jalore, it exists as “ FIROZA KI CHHATRI”. In the battle of Jalore, lastly, the Sultan khilji sent a strong force under the commandment of kamaluddin Garg, with the help of some ambitious local persons the task of kamaluddin became easy, songara king kanhad dev, his son viramdev and their army men were killed in a close combat and the fort was captured. It was fall of songara chauhans . Jalore ,Bhinmal and sanchor were kept under the dominance of Muslims.

                             After sacrifice of kanhaddev songara and viramdev songara, khilji conquered Jalore , it became the part of sultanate –empire of Delhi till India became independent .Ofcourse, for some period Jalore was restored to Mewar ,but , the Muslin rulers continued their dominance on it till 1947, when India became independent sovereign.

                           After sacrifice of Rao shri KANHADE SONGARA and VIRAMDE SONGARA, their Pedigree does not come to an end nor ceases. In the last war MALDEV SONGARA a brother of KANHADE SONGARA was servived , he was appointed as the governor of  Chittod. JESO SONGARA son  of  this MALDEV had forced the sultan to part with sambhar.

                            At the time of last war the queen MEGALDEVIof viramdev songara was at her parental home at siyalcot  with a minor son AMBRAJ. This Ambraj Viramdev songara is the grand father of Rao shri AKHERAJ(I) who got written famous epic “KANHAD DE PRABANDH” . Rao shri Akeraj songara is the son of Rao shri Khetsinhji songara.

            “ESKANDAR-E-SAMI-SULTAN-UL-AZAM ALLADIN YA MAUDDIN MAHAMMADSHA ”-Alludin khilji was believing himself as Alexander II and was trying to establish the same. This khilji did get prepared the coins of his name and described him as Alexander II on the coins. The great Alexander once upon a time had decided to be the empire of entire universe and accordingly he entered in to India, but, the brave Hindu king porus forced this Alexander to return and during return journey he was murdered. Khilji also made with the same fate i.e he died unnatural death in January 1316.

                       It also requires to remember that Lohani Nawabs of Palanpur claim that their ancestor who was a minister of parihar ruler had captured Jalore from him, but, the claim of Palanpur Nawabs has no historical support , however they are trying to keep-up their heads.

                       Jain Muni Gyan sundarji says in his “RATANPURIYA GACHH” that songara chauhan Ratansinh had established a new kingdom of his own name “ RATANPAR NAGAR"  in vikram samvat year 1082 [ Perhaps this Ratanparnagar may be a village of sanchor Taluka of Jalore district, State of Rajasthan. This Ratanpar village of Sanchor Taluka is not far away from Jalore]. The direct discendent of songara chauhan king Ratansinh accepted Jainism. These discendent and his family members were called “RATANPURA”. The are ten branches/sub gotras of Ratanpura,they are Songara, Ramsena, Katariya, Bohra and others on the names of persons of Ratanpura family.

                       It is useful to note here that there is an ancient village namely “RAMSIN” near Jalore.The Songara chuhans habitants of this Ramsin village are called “RAMSENA”. Songara chauhans of “RAMSAN” village of Banaskantha district ,state of Gujarat are also called “RAMSENA” after the name of this village Ramsan and therefore the say of Muni Gyan sundarji in regard to acceptance of Jainism by the descendent of songara king Ratansinh seems not to be correct /true. Ramsena,Songara chauhans and katariya all these are kshatriyas , no Songara chauhan or Ramsena is a Jain.

                    It is painful to say that prior to independence, not only the Muslims invaders had tried to put an end to the “ HINDU INDIA-BHARAT VARSH ”, but , during years 1143 to 1172 , a Hindu- chalukya king kumarpal who adopting Jainism became jain under impression of famous HEMCHANDRACHARYA had also destroyed so many Hindu temples and the destroyed hindu temples were converted to jain temples. It is the misfortune of Jalore that the ruler of sambhar vigrahraj chauhan had too put Jalore badly on fire. Jalore was so badly burnt in that fire as it was destroyed completely.

                      These Kanhaddev and viramdev had left behind them glorified memories,they are very popular amongst all rulers of Rajputana region, these members of royal family are well sung heroes of folk songs being sung in entire Rajsthan as well as some parts of Gujarat, it is the matter of pride for songara chauhans that one of their ancestors was Kanhaddev songara.