Tomar Rajputs

The Tuar Rajputs (also spelt "Tomar, Tanwar") is a royal Rajput clan of the Chandravanshi or Lunar lineage. They reside mainly in Northern India with small numbers in Pakistan. They are amongst the foremost of the 36 Royal Races of India.

History

According to legend, "Tomar/Tanwar/Tuar Rajputs" are the descendants of the Pandava Prince Arjun, through his great grandson Emperor Janamejaya, son of Emperor Parikshit.

King Yudhishtra, who founded the Capital of Indraprasta in the kingdom of Hastinapur, later abdicated in favour of Parikshit, the grandson of his brother Arjun. Hastinapur was later said to be flooded and the Pandava kingdom was later asserted elsewhere.The modern city of Delhi is believed to be on the site of Indraprasta ["Delhi" by Upinder Singh, Berghahn Books, 2007, p201] . Delhi was established in 736CE by the Tomar/Tuar king Anangpal Tomar-I who re established the Pandava ancestral capital.

The Tomar Rajput dynasty of Delhi lasted until Maharaja Anangpal Tomar-II, who to quote Lt. Col. Tod,in his 'Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan was "justly entitled to be termed the paramount sovereign of Hindustan".

Tomars did not lose control of Delhi in battle, but the then Tomar Rajput ruler Anangpal Tomar II appointed his grandson (daughter's son, and son of King of Ajmer), Prithviraj Chauhan, as the heir apparent. Some historians believe that Prithvaraj was merely a caretaker king as long as his grandfather was alive. Prithviraj was never crowned the Delhi, hence adding weight to the view that the Chauhan ruler usurped the thrown from his maternal grandfather.

According to records kept by "Jagas" of Tomar/ Tanwar Rajputs, King Anangpal made Prithviraj only as caretaker when he went on a religious pilgrimage, as his own sons were very small at that time. When King Anangpal returned back, Prithviraj refused to hand over the kingdom. ("note:-" should be mentioned that "Jagas" are hereditary tribal record keepers of Rajputs)

Following their loss of control at Delhi, a branch of the Tomar clan established itself in the area of modern Gwalior in northern Madhya Pradesh. Man Singh Tomar built the fortress citadel which still stands there.

The Mughal emperor Akbar captured Gwalior in 1559. Some Tomar Rajputs converted to Islam during the Muslim-Mughal rule; Tomar Muslim Rajputs are found in western Rajasthan, Pakistan and Sind.

Tomars moved from Delhi to Haryana (Bhiwani, Mahendergarh and Karnal Districts), Madya Pradesh (Gwalior, and Morena and Bhind Districts), Punjab, and Rajasthan (Patan State and surrounding areas). They are spread from Punjab, to Western Uttar Pradesh (Meerut, Badaun, Bareilly, Baraut, Muzaffarnagar Ghaziabad, Aligarh, Bulandshahr), Eastern U.P, significant parts of Himachal Pradesh, to western Rajastan to Northern Madhya Pradesh and even some in Pakistan.

Vikramaditya

The great Vikramaditya of the year 56BC is claimed to be an ancestor of the Tuar Rajputs. ["Essays on Indian Antiquities" by James Prinsep, Edward Thomas, Henry Thoby Prinsep, J.Murray 1858, p250] ["Pre-Mussalman India" by M. S. Nateson, Asian Educational Services 2000, p131] ["The cyclopædia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia" by Edward Balfour, B. Quaritch 1885, p502] ["Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan" by James Tod, William Crooke, 1920, p912]

In the Hindu tradition in India and Nepal, the widely used ancient calendar is Vikrama Samvat or Vikrama's era. This is said to have been started by the legendary king following his victory over the Sakas in 56 BC.

Major Tomar Kingdoms

Delhi

Chronology of Tomar Kings of Delhi
# Anangpal I 736 A.D.
# Gangeya 772
# Prithvimal 793
# Jagdev 812
# Narpal 833
# Udaysangh 848
# Jaidas 863
# Vachhal 879
# Pavak 901
# Vihangpal 923
# Tolpal 944
# Gopal 965
# Sulakhan 983
# Jaspal 1009
# Kanvarpal 1025 (Masud captured Hansi briefly in 1038)
# Anangpal I 1046 (1052 inscription on the Iron pillar at Mahrauli)
# Tejpal 1076
# Mahipal 1100
# Dakatpal (Arkpal or Anangpal II) 1115 A.D.

Gwalior

;Chronology of Tomars Kings of Gwalior
# Beersingh Deo (1438-)
# Pulkit tomar Jr.
# Dungar Singh
# Man Singh Tomar (1486-1516), 'Father of Dhrupad'
# Name

In 1517 AD the Fort was taken by Ibrahim Lodhi and subsequently by Babar.

Tomars Of Gwalior
# Virsingh nearly A.D.1375
# Uddhharandev A.D.1400
# Vikramdev
# Ganapatidev A.D.1419
# Dugarendrasingh
# Kalyanmalla
# Mansingh A.D.1486

Patan , Rajasthan

Established by "King Anangpal II" while he was ruler at Delhi, Patan is a city in Rajasthan ruled by the Tomars since 12th Century AD. Patan was capital of Tanwarawati state. It is one of the oldest remaining states still ruled by the Tanwar's who are direct descendents of Anang Pal Tomar.

Chronology of Tomar Rulers at Patan:
# Rao Salunji (Saalivaahan)
# Rao Nihaalji
# Rao Dothji (Dohthaji)
# Rao Popatraj ji
# Rao Peepalrajji [Fought against Bhinvraj Sankhla of Bihar and killed him, founded Patan Fort]
# Rao Ranaji
# Rao Alsiji(Aasalji)
# Rao Kamalji (Kavarsi)
# Rao Mahipalji
# Rao Bhopalji, founded the Sarun Mata Temple in 1276 VS/ 1332 AD, the temple of Kuldevi of Tanwar Rajputs.
# Rao Bachrajji
# Rao Bhaadarji
# Rao Bahadur Singhji
# Rao Prithvirajji
# Rao Kalyaan Ji
# Rao Kumbhaaji
# Rao Baharsiji
# Rao Jagmaalji
# Rao Purnamalji
# Rao Laakhanji
# Rao Loonkaranji
# Rao Kanwalrajji (Kevalji), married and had issue.
# Rao Udoji, moved away from Patan and established Thikana Gaonri (or Gaondi), and was ancestor of the Thakur Sahebs of Mandholi.
# Rao Aasalji (qv)
# Rao Kheebu (Pevji)
# Rao Sahamalji
# Rao Karpooriji
# Rao Beekoji
# Rao Chhotaa Aasalji
# Rao Balbhadra Singhji
# Rao Dalpat Singhji
# Rao Pratap Singhji
# Rao Kesri Singhji (Sinhraj)
# Rao Fateh Singhji
# Rao Jaswant Singhji
# Rao Ghaasiramji
# Rao Bamsiramji
# Rao SAMRATH SINGHJI -/1757
# Rao SAMPAT SINGHJI 1757/1790
# Rao JAWAHAR SINGHJI 1790/-
# Rao LAXMAN SINGHJI
# Rao KISHAN SINGH -/1873
# Rao MUKUND SINGH 1873/-, born about 1862, son of Kunwar Pratap Singh, younger brother of # Rao Kishan Singh.
# Rao KHUMAN SINGH, married and had issue.
# Rao MAHARAJ SINGH
# Rao Sahib UDAYA SINGH, married 1928 in Kathmandu, Rani Thagendra Rajya Lakshmi Kumari Devi, daughter of Gen. HH Shri Tin Maharaja Mohun Shamsher Jung Bahadur Rana of Nepal, Prime Minister of Nepal
# Rao Sahib BIR BIKRAM SINGHJI -/1991, born 18th August 1932, married 28th April 1960, Rani Sahiba Raghuraj Kumari [presently the Rajmata Sahiba of Patan] , daughter of Maharaj Pratap Singhji of Bhupalgarh (Mewar)
# Rao Sahib DIGVIJAY SINGHJI, Rao of Patan and Head of the Tomar clan in India, since 11th September 1991.

Buhana:
## Bhawani singh, Rao of Buhana (Jhunjhunu)in 1234.
## Baba Umad Singh (Maharaj), lok Devta of Buhana, Dist Jhunjhunu (Rajasthan),Baba Umad Singh Seva & Vikash Samiti, Buhana

Mandholi:

ub Clans

Pathania Rajputs

Pathania is the name of a branch of the Tomar/Tuar Rajputs. It is one of the ruling Rajput Clans of India. Their Kingdom was at Nurpur, founded in the 12th Century, situated in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. The kingdom included Pathankot and a large tract on the plains of the Punjab; also the whole of the present Nurpur Tahsil of Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, with the addition of Shahpurkandi, now in Gurdaspur , and also a small tract to the west of the Ravi, called Lakhanpur, now in Jammu & Kashmir State. Rana Jethpal (12th Century A.D.), the younger brother of Anang Pal II of Delhi, came to Jallandhar Doab also called Bist Doab to carve out a territory for himself. After crossing the Beas river he captured a fort called Bhet, and for this reason it is said, he acquired the name Rana Bhet. After that he became master of the Fort and the town of Paithan, now known as Pathankot, and from then onwards, he came to be known as a Pathania Rajput instead of a Tanwar Rajput. Pathania Rajputs live in and around Himachal Pradesh, in North India. The Pathania clan ruled the Kingdom of Nurpur, till 1849 A.D.,They were famous for their resistance against foreign rule, which they proved by giving battle to invaders till 1849 A.D., after which the Kingdom was annexed by the British, the Raja being a minor. This clan has to its credit three Maha Vir Chakra winners in the Indian Army. This clan has also won many other gallantry awards while serving in the British army of India.

Janghára Rajputs

Known as a large and turbulent branch of the Tomar/Tuar Rajput clan ["Memoirs on the History, Folk-lore, and Distribution of the Races of the North Western Provinces of India" by Henry Miers Elliot, John Beames, Trübner & co., 1869, p141] , the "Janghara Rajputs" were readily recruited by the British Indian Army.

The turbulent nature of the tribe is further enhanced by the origin of the name "Janghara" being derived from the words, "Jang" (war) and "Ahára" (hunger) meaning "the men who hunger for war". ["Handbook on Rajputs" by A. H. Bingley, 1899, republ.1986, p84]

After the fall of Delhi to the Chauhans, the Janghara sept parted from the main Tomar branch in disgust. They entered Rohilkhund under the leadership of the prince "Dhápu Dhám" who's warlike nature was proverbial. A couplet sung by women of the clan states "Below is Earth, above is Rám. Between the two, fights Dhápu Dhám" ["Handbook on Rajputs" by A. H. Bingley, 1899, republ.1986, p85]

The "Janghara Rajputs" of Bareilly claim to have ejected the "Gwálas" in 1388CE. in 1405CE they expelled the "Ahirs" from their Kingdoms. The "Katehriya Rajputs" were also defeated and exiled from Rohillkhund by the "Janghara Rai's ". ["Handbook on Rajputs" by A. H. Bingley, 1899, republ.1986, p85]

Janjuá Rájputs

It is interesting to note that the Janjua Rajputs also ruled in Mathura Uttar Pradesh during the 12th century AD near the Tuar settlements, before being exiled to Punjab where they flourished a warlike repute. They also claim Arjun Pandav descent and also allege to be descendants of the founder of Delhi ["The Sikhs, an Ethnology" by A. E. Barstow, 1985, p129] The name Janjua also appears to be similar to Janghara, displaying that the derivation "Janjua" may also have been from the word "Jang" (war). The name Jangju has been used for the tribe too. ["Sûrya India" publ. A.Anand, 1993, p53]

The British held a high regard for the Janjua Rajputs;

Diaspora in Uttar Pradesh

There are many Tomar Rajputs villages in Uttar Pradesh, over four hundred of them in Western Uttar Pradesh. These villages are mainly spread across the Meerut, Ghaziabad, Badaun, Bareilly, Hardoi, Muzaffar Nagar, Bulandshahr and Aligarh districts. The distribution of some of these villages is as follows:

* 84 villages near Pilkhua in the Ghaziabad district
* 1 villages near khandauli in Agra district
* 1 village(Bhatyana) near Hapur in the Ghaziabad district
* 5 villages near Khurja in the Bulandshahr district
* 24 villages near Baraal in the Bulandshahr district
* 24 villages near Garhmukteshawar in the Meerut district
* 22 village near Khautali in the Muzaffar Nagar district
* 12 villages near Siana in the Bulandshahr district
* 6 Village in Delhi
* 3 village in near khandwa m.p(atoot bhikari,atoot khas,metaval)
* Some villages in Badaun and Bareilly District

Tomar/Tanwar Rajputs are also found in the, Bhiwani, Karnal, and Mahendergarh districts of Haryana; the Morena district in Madhya Pradesh, near Gwalior; and the Patan state near Jaipur.

Some of the Tomars from Morena district of MP have relocated to Dholpur District of Rajasthan. The major Villages of Tomars in Dholpur are - Sunderpur, Diwan Ka Pura, Gunpur, Chilpura etc.
* some villages in ballia district of eastern U.P. (Halpur, Narayanpur, Karramer, Kenthauli, Jigidsar etc.)

Diaspora in Haryana

There are several Tanwar Rajput villages in Bhiwani District of Haryana, namely Bapaura, Dinod, Devsar, Tigrana, Haluwas, Paluwas, Kairu, Jeetwan Baas, Bajina, Dhani Mahu etc., and a significant proportion of Bhiwani City comprises Tanwar Rajputs.

Further, there are also several Tanwar Rajput villages in Mahendergarh District of Haryana, one of the largest being Dhanoda, followed by Kheri-Talwana, Bassai, Bhandor Unchi, Chitlang, Pali, Nombi, Bojawas, Pathera, Khudana, and many more.

Further, there are also several Tanwar Rajput village in Yamuna Nagar District of Haryana, namely Maheshwari.

Modern Tomar Personalities

* Mr. V.P. Singh, D.I.G. (Retd.) B.S.F., recepient of Police Medal for Gallantry in the 1971 Indo Pak war [Village Bapora, District Bhiwani] .

* Lt. General V.K. Singh, G.O.C. in C, Eastern Command. [Village Bapora, District Bhiwani] .

* Mr. S.P.S. Tanwar, D.I.G. (Retd.) B.S.F., [Village Bapora, District Bhiwani] .

* Brig. (Retd.) Virpal Singh. [Village Bapora, District Bhiwani] .

* Professor Raghuvir Tomar, an Electronics Engineer with Ph.D. from IIT Kanpur,worked most of his life in Canadian/American High-Tech Industry, now back to India as a Canadian citizen, and as a Professor at the LN Mittal Institute of Information Technology, Jaipur. Read more about him at http://www.lnmiit.ac.in/faculty/rtomar/rtomar.html. Also enjoy his humorous contributions (uniquely borrowed characters like Madame Tharsa, uniquely borrowed concepts like Zeroland,etc.) at Hindustan.net.

*Dr.K.S.Tomar - Professor, (J.B.R.A Medical College,Kolkata,W.B.)

* Capt.Parmal Singh Tomar I.P.S ,Captain of Mahar Regiment in Indian army & First I.P.S officer from morena Distt.Retd as I.G

* Sudhakar Vardhan Singh Tomar ( Chairperson of World Pulses Convention and Agricultural commodities expert)

* Dr. Ramesh Chand Tomar (Former 2 times BJP MP from Hapur Constituency, UP)

* Usha Rani Tomar (Former MP from Aligarh, UP)

* Shokhinder Singh Tomar -- Wrestler

*Dr.Shailendra Singh Tomar (Kolkata)

*Er.Satyendra Singh Tomar (M.Tech-Chemical Engineer, Gwalior)

*Vipendra Singh Tomar (Reaching heights in Stock Broking,Gwalior,Tomar Building)

* Narendra Singh Tomar - President BJP MP State

* Ashutosh Tomar (presently in UK) - Renowned Engineer for his work on Fourier transforms and signal processing.

* Satendra Singh Tomar- N.S.U.I President Gwalior

* Prabhat Singh Tomar --D.I.G Border Security Force (from Indore,MP)

* Lt Gen (Retd) YS Tomar; PVSM, Formar Adjutant General of Indian Army and commandant IMA Dehradun

* Karan Singh Tanwar - MLA from Delhi Cantonment (Nariana), New Delhi (A Tanwar Rajput of clan Rava/Raya Rajput)
* Durgesh Singh Tomar - Linux Network Administrator & Website Designer , Doeacc Society , Gorakhpur

*prof. ganga singh tomar former H.O.D. of geography in st. xaviers kolkata. [ballia]

* Kuwanr Rhishiraj Pratap Singh Tanwar- Software Engineer(Completed B.E. in Information Technology and also getting Knowledge in 11 Computer language and 4 Spoken Language) Son of Thakur Suneel Pratap Singh Tanwar an Orthopedic Specialist, Indore.

* Akash Tomar- Software Engineer(working for Adobe Systems), Delhi

* Siddhartha Tomar -R&D Engineer (Working For NOKIA RnD Bangalore)

References

Further reading

* Harihar Niwas Dwiwedi; "Gwalior Rajya Ke Abhilekh" ("Inscription of Gwalior State"), "Madhya Bharat Puratattv Vibhag" (Archealogy Department of Central India), Gwalior 1947
* Harihar Dvivedi; "Tomaron ka Ithihaas" {"The history of the Tomars"), Gwalior

External links

* [http://rajputindia.org/index.php?title=Tomar RajputWorld.com]
* [http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00artlinks/txt_flood_pillars.html Pillars, Palimpsests, and Princely Practices]
* [http://www.webdunia.com/dharm/jain/gopachal/19_gopachal9.htm Gopachal]