Chandel (Rajput clan)

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For other uses, see Chandel.

The Chandel is a Rajput clan of India who are synonyms of Vrishni clan of Haihaya race.[1][2] They are highest clan among the Kshatriyas and were the chief of the Chandras tribe. Families belonging to this clan ruled many states in India and occupied various feudal estates. The most notable of these Chandel royal family is Chandel Empire, who ruled India from Jejakabhukti.[3]

Origin

Early text and inscriptions

Historians Such as CV Vaidya and GS Ojha consider these Chandel Rajput to be of Pure Chandra lineage and Highest clan among Lunar dynasty.[5][6][7] According to Ballads of Chedi, the Chandel were descendants of Haihaya king Maheshman who was the founder of Maheshmati [8][page needed]

The epigraphic records of the dynasty, as well as contemporary texts such as Balabhadra-vilasa and Prabodha-chandrodaya, suggest that the Chandelas belonged to the legendary Lunar dynasty (Chandravansha).[4] A 954 CE Khajuraho inscription states that the dynasty's first king Chandravarman was a descendant of sage Chandratreya (Lord Chandra), who was a son of Atri. A 1002 CE Khajuraho inscription gives a slightly different account, in which Chandratreya is mentioned as a son of Indu (the Moon) and a grandson of Atri.[11] The 1195 CE Baghari inscription and the 1260 CE Ajaygadh inscription contain similar accounts.[12] The Balabhadra-vilasa also names Atri among the ancestors of the Chandelas,Coz Saptrishi Atri was the Father of Lord Chandrma and the Chandelas were Bramh-Kshatriyas so they proudly accept the name of Atri during Rajtilaka by Bramhins priest.

Loving couple, Khajuraho.

Local Fairytales

The Mahoba-Khanda legend of the dynasty's origin goes like this: Hemaraja, a priest of the Gaharwar king of Benares, had a beautiful daughter named Hemavati. Once, while Hemavati was bathing in a pond, the moon god Chandra saw her and made love to her. Hemavati was worried about the dishonour of being an unwed mother, but Chandra assured her that their son would become a great king. This child was the dynasty's progenitor Chandravarma. Chandra presented him with a philosopher's stone and taught him politics.[13][4] The dynasty's own records do not mention Hemavati, Hemaraja or Indrajit. Such legends appear to be later bardic inventions. In general, the Mahoba-Khanda is a historically unreliable text.[11] Prithviraj Raso is also considered an historically unreliable text.[14][15][16]

Celestial dancer (Devata) mid-11th century, Chandela period, Madhya Pradesh. Metropolitan Museum of Art.

British theory & debunk

The British indologist V. A. Smith theorised that the Chandelas were of either Bhar or Gond origin, this theory was not supported by some scholars including C V Vaidya because this Bhar and Gond Origin theory was based on Marriage of Durgavati to a king of Gond kingdom Dalpat shah who was not a Gond but a Kachhhwaha Rajput adopted by King Amandas Gond according to Akbarnama.[17] After the decline of Kalchuri Rajput remaining Kalchuri Rajput kingdom adopted tribal's which lead to the beginning of Gond Kingdom in which Dalpat Shah a Kachhwaha Rajput was adopted by a Gond King Amandas Gond.[18][17] Historian R. K. Dikshit also not find Bhar and Gond Origin theory convincing: he argues that Maniya was not a tribal deity.[19] Also, the dynasty's association with Gond territory is not necessarily indicative of a common descent: the dynasty's progenitor may have been posted as a governor in these territories.[20]

History

Bilaspur Princely State or Chandel of Kahlur

According to Bilaspur Past and Present, Bilaspur Gazetteer and Ganesh Singh's book Chandravansh Vilas and Shashivansh Vinod confirm that the foundation of Kahlur Princely State was laid by Birchand Chandel, His father who reigned at Chanderi in the Chedi to northern Mahismati region, Hariharvarman Chandel (71st king of Chanderi) made his son Govindvarman Chandel the king of Chanderi and in old age came north with Bir Chand Chandel.[21]

Chandelas or Chand Chandel dynasty of Kumoan

Fort and the capital city of Kali Kumaon, Champawat, 1815.

The Chand Kings were Chandel Rajput ruling clan of Kumaon.[22] Kumoan[23] Chand dynasty founded by Som chand chandel,[24] which ruled the region after the decline of Katyuri Kings in 11th century CE till they were defeated by the Kingdom of Gorkha in 1790 CE.[25] Chand dynasty ruled over the parts of the Farwestern Nepal called Doti in present day Sudurpashchim Province.[26]

Chandelas of Jejakabhukti

The Chandelas of Jejakabhukti or Chandelas of Mahoba was a famous Hindu Rajput dynasty , which independently ruled Central India from the 8th to the 13th century. The Chandelas of Mahoba was founded by the Haihayavanshi Chandel king Chandravarman. They ruled from Mahoba, Jejakabhukti, Uttar Pradesh. The Chandel emperors of Kalinjar were not only successful conquerors and efficient rulers but also had more inclination towards architecture, religion and love.

Chandel Empire during its decline around 1202 A.D.

[27][28][29][30]

Chandels of Mirzapur

Bijaigarh in modern Mirzapur district of Eastern Uttar Pradesh was ruled by a family of Chandel Rajputs who traced their line to the Burhur Chandels of Rewa. They were notable for their conflict with the Bhumihars of Benares state and for participating in the Indian rebellion of 1857.[31]

Zaildari

A group of Chandel families claiming a common origin once held the zaildaris of Ghund, Madhan, and Theog in present-day Himachal Pradesh. According to their tradition, their ancestor migrated from Chanderi to Bilaspur. After three generations, his descendants moved to Ram Sarai in the Garhwal region. After another four generations, four brothers from the family moved to the Shimla region.

The eldest brother became administrator of Madhan; the third youngest - Jai Chand - became the administrator of Theog; and the youngest became the administrator of Ghund.[32]

References

  1. ↑ R. B. Mandal (1981). Frontiers in Migration Analysis. Concept. p. 172.
  2. ↑ R. B. Mandal & (1981). Frontiers in Migration Analysis. Concept. p. 172.
  3. ↑ Yaman ), डॉ अशोक कुमार ‘यमन’ ( Dr Ashok Kumar (8 January 2022). मध्यकालीन भारतीय संगीत का इतिहास ( Madhyakalin Bharatiya Sangeet ka Itihas ) (in हिन्दी). Kalpana Prakashan.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 R. K. Dikshit 1976, p. 3.
  5. ↑ Yaman ), डॉ अशोक कुमार ‘यमन’ ( Dr Ashok Kumar (8 January 2022). मध्यकालीन भारतीय संगीत का इतिहास ( Madhyakalin Bharatiya Sangeet ka Itihas ) (in हिन्दी). Kalpana Prakashan.
  6. ↑ Pandey, Dhanpati (1998). Pracheen Bharat Ka Rajneetik Aur Sanskritik Itihas (in हिन्दी). Motilal Banarsidass Publishe. ISBN 978-81-208-2380-8.
  7. ↑ Lal, Lallu (1882). Premasāgara (in हिन्दी). Navalakiśora.
  8. ↑ Upadhyay 1980.
  9. ↑ Brentnall, Mark (2004). The Princely and Noble Families of the Former Indian Empire: Himachal Pradesh. Indus Publishing. ISBN 978-81-7387-163-4.
  10. ↑ Pāṇḍeya, Trilocana (1962). Kumāūm̐ kā loka sāhitya (in हिन्दी). Alamoṛā Buka Ḍipo.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 R. K. Dikshit 1976, p. 4.
  12. ↑ R. K. Dikshit 1976, p. 5.
  13. ↑ Jai Narayan Asopa (1976). Origin of the Rajputs. Bharatiya Publishing House. p. 208.
  14. ↑ Vijayendra Snatak (1997). "Medieval Hindi Literature". In K Ayyappap Panikkar (ed.). Medieval Indian literature: an anthology (Volume 1). Sahitya Akademi. p. 142. ISBN 978-81-260-0365-5.
  15. ↑ Freitag, Jason (2009). Serving empire, serving nation: James Tod and the Rajputs of Rajasthan. BRILL. pp. 3–5. ISBN 978-90-04-17594-5.
  16. ↑ R. V. Somani (1976). History of Mewar, from Earliest Times to 1751 A.D. Mateshwari. p. 30. OCLC 2929852.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Beveridge, H. (1907). The Akbarnama Of Abul Fazl Vol.2.
  18. ↑ "Rani Durgavati: The symbol of syncretic culture between Rajputs and Tribals". Times of India Blog. 16 August 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  19. ↑ Dikshit, R.K. (1976). The Candellas of Jejākabhukti. Abhinav Publications. p. 8. ISBN 978-81-7017-046-4.
  20. ↑ Dikshit, R. K. (1976). The Candellas of Jejākabhukti. Abhinav Publications. p. 7. ISBN 978-81-7017-046-4.
  21. ↑ Mark Brentnall (2005). The Princely and Noble Families of the Former Indian Empire: Himachal Pradesh. Indus. p. 50 52. ISBN 9788173871634.
  22. ↑ Edwin ChandelThomas ofAtkinson(1971)pg504
  23. ↑ knownOmacanda asHāṇḍā(2002)pg46
  24. ↑ Pandey(1993) pg197-332
  25. ↑ Pandey(1993) pg197-332
  26. ↑ Acharya, Baburam (1 December 1976). "Prithvi Narayan Shah". Regmi Research Series: 225.
  27. ↑ Early Rulers of Khajur (Second Revised Edition).
  28. ↑ Edwin Thomas Atkinson 1971, p. 504.
  29. ↑ Kuśa rājavaṃśa pradīpa & kr̥shṇapāla Siṃha, ‎Rāma Sahāya Brahma Bhaṭṭa, ‎Baśīra Ahamada 1976, p. 55.
  30. ↑ Nimara ka samskrtika itihasa & Ramnarayan Upadhyay 1980, p. 17.
  31. ↑ Downs, Troy (1992). "Rajput revolt in Southern Mirzapur, 1857–58". Journal of South Asian Studies: 29–46.
  32. ↑ Mark Brentnall (2005). The Princely and Noble Families of the Former Indian Empire: Himachal Pradesh. Indus. p. 284. ISBN 9788173871634.

Bibliography

References

Bibliography

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