Shekhawat

Shekhawat is a sub-clan of Kachwaha Rajputs found mainly in Rajasthan, India. The Shekhawat clan claims descent from the great rajput warrior Maharao Shekha Ji. The Shekhawats were the most prominent among all sub clans of Kachwahas of Jaipur. Shekhawats were the rulers of Shekhawati.

History

The Shekhawat Rajputs ruled over the Shekhawati region for over 500 years. The Shekhawats are the most prominent among all the sub-clans of the Kachwaha Dynasty of Jaipur. Sir Yadunath Sarkar in his book Fall of The Mughal Empire, wrote that "Shekhawats were the bravest among the sub-clans of Kachawaha Dynasty of Jaipur".This is clear from the following poetry on Shekhawats in Rajasthani language -

:"आम ज उमदा नीपजे गेंहू अर गुड़ ताड़।",:"नर नाहर तो नीपजे शेखा घर ढ़ूंढ़ाड़।।".

The Shekhawat rulers constructed more than 50 forts and palaces in their Thikanas in Shekhawati and other thikanas. The Shekhawati region has many beautiful kaleidoscopic forts and magnificent Castles. The walls of the palaces and castles are richly painted. Frescoes were introduced first of all by the Shekhawat Rajputs in their Forts in Shekhawati. They were the first patrons of the wall painting tradition in Shekhawati.

Shekhawati was established by the Shekhawat Rajputs and it was ruled by them till India’s Independence.

Maharao Shekha Ji from Dhundhar or [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/j/jaipur.html Amer] established his own independent kingdom with the capital at Amarsar; he was the first independent Ruler in Dhundhar after ruler of Amer. After him Rao Raimal, Rao Suja and Rao Lunkaran become the rulers of Amarsar. Rao Manohar succeeded his father Rao Lunkaran and founded Manoharpur later renamed [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/s/shahpura_th.html Shahpura] (The present ruler of Shahpura is the Tikai of Shekhawat sub clan). The Shekhawats conquered the Jhunjhunu, Fatehpur, Narhar of Kaimkhanis and established their rule on them.

Rao Suja’s younger son Raja Raisal was a brave king; he conquered Khandela from Nirbans and succeeded as the Raja Sahib of [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/k/khandela.html Khandela] . He had 12 sons among them 5 were died in battle. His seventh son Raja Girdhar succeeded as the Raja of Khandela and his descendents are known as Girdhar Ji Ka Shekhawats. Raja Raisal’s elder son was Thakur Lal Singh, he was granted [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/k/khachariawas.html Khachariawas] Thikana and his son Kesari Singh founded [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/k/khatu.html Khatu] . As Akbar called Lal Singh Lad Khan, this name become famous, and his descendents are known as Ladkhani. Raja Raisal’s third son Rao Tirmal was the ancestor of “Rao Ji Ka” Sept of Shekhawats. He was granted the parganas of Nagore and [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/k/kasli.html Kasli] (with 84 villages). Rao Daulat Singh son of Rao Jaswant Singh of Kasli, founded [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/s/sikar.html Sikar] in 1687. Raja Raisal’s fifth son Rao Bhojraj was brave and a generous person; he received the Udaipurwati as his Jagir by his father. He was the ruler of Udaipurwati (The group of 45 villages of Udaipurwati was known as Pentalisa) and he was ancestor of the Bhojraj Ji Ka sept of Shekhawats. Descendents of Rao Bhojraj founded many Thikanas and ruled over them. Bhojraj Ji Ka Shekhawats ruled over two territories; one was Pentalisa and another was Panch Pana. Pentalisa comprised Jhajhar, Gudhagorji, Khirod, Chirana etc. and Panch Pana comprised the Thikanas of [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/k/khetri.html Khetri] , [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/b/bissau.html Bissau] , [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/m/mukangarh.html Mukandgarh] , [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/n/nawalgarh.html Nawalgarh] , [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/d/dundlod.html Dundlod] , [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/m/mandawa.html Mandawa] , [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/m/mahansar.html Mehansar] , [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/a/alsisar.html Alsisar] , [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/i/inderpura.html Inderpura] , [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/m/malsisar.html Malsisar] , [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/m/mandrella.html Mandrella] , [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/a/arooka.html Arooka] , [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/c/chowkari.html Chowkari] , [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/h/heerwasigra.html Hirwa] , [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/h/heerwasigra.html Sigra] , Surajgarh, etc.
Thakur Shardul Singh, a descendent of Rao Bhojraj Ji, conquered Jhunjhunu in 1730 from the Kayamkhani Nawabs. Thakur Shardul Singh had six sons, namely, Thakur Jorawar Singh, Thakur Kishan Singh, Kunwar Bahadur Singh (died in his Kunwarpadi), Thakur Akhe Singh, Thakur Nawal Singh Bahadur and Thakur Kesari Singh. Unfortunately, Bahadur Singh had expired in an early age. Later on Thakur Shardul Singh’s estate was divided into five equal shares among his five sons. These five shares were known as Panchpana. It was a second territory, ruled by Bhojraj Ji Ka. Panchpana comprised the Thikanas of Khetri, Bissau, Mukandgarh, Nawalgarh, Dundlod, Mandawa,Mehansar, Alsisar, Malsisar,Tain, Mandrella, Arooka, Chowkari, Hirwa, Sigra, Surajgarh, etc. Akhe Singh died without issue, so his share was given to the other brothers. Thakur Shardul Singh’s sons and their descendents founded many new well planned and prosperous Thikanas. [ [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/misc/shekhawat.html Shekhawat/ Shekhawat Dynasty] ,Indian Princely States, Genealogical Gleanings Royal and Noble Lineages. (Spacial help from "Bhanwar Chain Singh Shekhawat" of Jhajhar is gratefully acknowledged)] Many Thikanas had their own flags and emblems. The Shekhawats ruled over the highest number of Thikanas in Jaipur Rajwara.

In 19th century Sikar was the largest & wealthiest Thikana and the Khetri was the second wealthiest Thikana of the Jaipur State.

Shekhawati was the largest Nizamat of the Jaipur State, almost the whole of which is occupied by Shekhawats. The Shekhawat chieftains of the region retained a nominal loyalty to the Kachwaha Rajput’s capital state of Jaipur, who in turn honoured them with the hereditary title known as Tazimi Sirdars. The Rulers of the Shekhawati’s Thikanas were the Shekhawat sub clan of Kachwaha Dynasty of Jaipur Princely State. Shekhawats was the most prominent among all the Kachawas of Jaipur. Col. J.C. Brooke in his book Political History of India wrote that for the recruitment of Horse-army there is no region in India at par with Shekhawati.

Demographics

The Shekhawat population is concentrated all over the Shekhawati and in Jaipur.

=Prominent faces

Historical

* Maha Rao Shekha
* Rao Raimal
* Raja Raisal, Rajah of Khandela
* Rao Bhojraj, ruler of Udaipurwati and ancestor of “Bhojraj Ji Ka” Shekhawats
* Rao Bhairo, the ancestor of "Bhairo ji Ke" Shekhawats
* Thakur Todermal, ruler of Udaipurwati
* Thakur Shyam Singh, ruler of Bissau
* Thakur Nawal Singh Bahadur, ruler of Nawalgarh and Mandawa
* Thakur Shardul Singh, ruler of Jhunjhunu
* Raja Ajit Singh, ruler of Khetri

Modern

* Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Indian politician; Vice-President of India
* Mrs. Pratibha Devi Singh Patil Shekhawat, the current President of India, wife of Mr. Devi Singh Shekhawat
* Piru Singh Shekhawat, Indian soldier; winner of Param Vir Chakra
* Admiral V.S.Shekhawat, Chief of the Indian Navy
* Bishan Singh Shekhawat, Journalist; Politician and Social Worker
* Sriram Singh Shekhawat, awarded Arjuna award and PadmaShri.
* Kripal Singh Shekhawat,awarded PadmaShri.

Further reading

*Ranbir singh Shekhawat(DUNDLOD) "History of Shekhawats,"Jaipur,2001 ISBN 81-86782-74-5
*Rao Shekha
*History of Jaipur
*Shekhawati Ka Itihas
*Jhunjhunu Mandal Ka Itihas
*Sikar Ka Itihas
*Kalia Mahal (Bhorki,Teh.Udaipurwati,Distt.Jhunjhunu )

External links

* [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/misc/shekhawat.html Shekhawat Dynasty] , Indian Princely States, Genealogical Gleanings Royal and Noble Lineages.