("son of the
king") Endogamous, or intermarried, groupings called as jatis
("birth") were patterned in traditional Indian culture.
The group's hereditary occupation, over which each jati
held a monopoly, ordered these jatis (and determined their social standing).
The Rajputs were a martial Hindu jati that formerly governed
wide swaths of western India, and they have always claimed to be kshatriyas,
bolstering their claim by tracing their ancestors back to the mythological
Solar and Lunar Lines of rulers.
Their origins are unknown; they first appear at the end of
the first century, and many academics believe they descended from the Hunas
before being absorbed into the tiny kingdoms.
Because they claimed descended from a single mythological
ruler who sprung from a sacrificial fire pit in Mount Abu, Rajasthan, the four
great Rajput clans were known as the Agnikula ("fire lineage").
The Pariharas of southern Rajasthan, the Chauhans of Delhi,
the Solankis of Gujarat, and the Pawars of western Madhya Pradesh were the four
dominating clans.
Regardless of their origins, the Rajputs were warrior
princes whose martial code prioritized death over dishonor and fast retaliation
in the event of an affront.
Rajput monarchs were often feudal vassals under the Moghul
Empire (1525–1707), receiving kingdoms in return for their allegiance and
service.
Following the disintegration of the Moghul Empire, several
of them went on to control tiny princely realms.
They continue to be a powerful governing elite in current
times, thanks to parliamentary politics.
You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.
Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.
