Volume 1

The annals and antiquities of Rajasthan, or The central and western Rajpoot states of India / by Lieutenant Colonel James Tod.

  • James Tod
Date:
1895
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The annals and antiquities of Rajasthan, or The central and western Rajpoot states of India / by Lieutenant Colonel James Tod. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    make inclusions on Mewar and the first exploit of the celebrated Rana Hatnir was liis killing the B dla chieftain of Choteela The present chief of Dhauk is a Balia, and tlie tribe yet preserves importance in the peninsula. Jhala Macwahana.—This tribe also inhabits the Snurashtra peninsula^ It is styled Rajpoot, though neither classed with the Solar, Lunaf, nbr Agnicula races; but though we cannot directly prove it, we haye every right to assign to it a nor* them origin, It is a tribe little known iu Hiudusthan or even .Rajasthan, into which latfer country it was introduced entirely through the medium of the ancient lords of Saurashtra, the present family of Mew; r; a sanction which, covers every defect. A splendid act of self-devotion of the Jhala chief, when R «na Bratap was oppressed with the whole weight of Akbar’s power, obtained, wi h the gratitude of this princa, the highest honours he could confer,—his daughter in marriage, and a seat on his right hand, That it was the act and not his rank in the scale of the thirty-six tribes, which gained him this distinction, we have decided proof in later times,, when it was deemed a mark of great condescension that the preset.t Rana should sanction a remote branch of his own family bestowing a daughter in marriage on the Jhala ruler of Kotah,* d; This tribe has given its name to one of the largest divisions of Saurash- tra, Jhalawar, which possesses several towns of importance. Of these Banka- lieer, Hulwud, and Drangdra, are the prinoipal. Regarding the period of the settlement of the Jhalas tradition is silentf as also on their early history : but the aid of its quota was given to the Rana against the first attacks of the Mahomedans ; and in the heroic history of Prithwiraja we have ample and repeated mention of the Jhala chieftains tylio distinguished themselves in his service, as well as in that of bis anta- gonist, and the name of one of these, as recorded by the bard Chund, I have seen inscribed on the granite rock of the sacred Girnar, near their primitive abodes, where we leave them. There are several subdivisions of the Jhala, of which the Macwahana is the principal. Jaitwa, JetWa, or Camari.—This is an ancient tribe, and by all authorities styled Rajpoot; though, like the Jhala, little known out of Sau- rashtra, to one of the divisions of which it has given its name, Jaitwar. Its present possessions are on the western coast of the peninsula : the residence of its prince, who is styled Rana, is Purbunder. In remote times their capital was Goomlee, whose ruins attest consider- able power, and afford singular scope lor analogy, in architectural device, with the style termed Saxon of Europe. The bards of the Jaitwas run through a long list of one hundred and thirty crowned heads, and in the eighth century have chronicled the marriage of their prince va Ith the Tuar refounder of Delhi. At this period the Jaitwa bore the name of Camar ; and Sehl Camar is reported to be the prince who was driven from Goondee. in the twelfth century, by invaders from the north. With this change tlie name ofO^ar was sunk, and that of Jaitwa assumed, which has induced the author to style them Camari; and as they, with the other inhabitants of this peninsula, have all the appearance of Scythic descent, urging no pretensions, to connection with the ancient races of India, they may be a brand] of thar * His son Madhu Sing, the present administrator, is the offspring of the celebrated Zalim and a Rauawut chieftaiu’s daughter, which has entitled bis (Madhu Sing’s) issue to marry far above their scale in rank. So much does superiority of blood rise ab >ve all wordly considerations with a Raj’ oot, that although Zalim Sing held the reins of the richest and best ordered state of Rajasth m he deemed his family honoured by his obtaining to wife for his grandson the daughter of a Cutchwaha minor chieftain.
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