 |
Jakham River: see NATURAL FEATURES OF MEWAR.
Jalal Khan Korchi, according to James Tod in his Annals, this was one of the Mughal envoys whom Emperor AKBAR sent to discuss a peace treaty with Maharana PRATAP SINGH I of Mewar (1573). (Some sources state that the three envoys Akbar sent to negotiate with Pratap Singh were 1. Man Singh; 2. Raja Bagarvandas in October, 1573; and 3. Raja Todermal in December, 1573.) Although Pratap was not opposed to a treaty, he refused to sacrifice his sovereignty and Mewar's independence. The negotiations failed.
Jalam Singh. There were a couple of leading members of clans who had this name. They came from Kaladwas (Chavda), and Kanor (Choondawat).
Jalim Singh. There were several leading members of clans who had this name. They came from Delwara (Jhala Rajput); Kareda (Choondawat); Peethwas (Choondawat); Pipalya (Saktawat), and Semari (Saktawat).
Jalod, the estate (jagir) held by the son of Kunwar Jaswant Singh, brother of Maharana AMAR SINGH I (1597-1620).
Jalor: see JALORE.
Jalore (Jalor), an important fortress and town in Marwar, 145 km. from Jodhpur, and one of the most significant divisions of the erstwhile State of Marwar. The previous name of Jalore was Sonagir, the Golden Mount, on which the fort stands. The Chauhans who settled there adopted the name Sonagir (Songara Chauhans). It was also the original home of Jeevant Kunwar, a wife of Maharana UDAI SINGH II and the mother of Maharana PRATAP SINGH I (1572-1597). She was the daughter of Akhey Raj Songira.
Jamoli, the jagir of the descendants of Vijai Singh, son of Jagmal, who was the ninth son of Maharana Udai Singh II (1537-1572). Their title is 'Baba'.
Genealogy: Vijai Singh; Agar Singh; Prithvi Singh; Devi Singh; Nath Singh; Swaroop Singh; Pratap Singh Fateh Singh.
Janana Mahal (Udaipur): see ZANANA MAHAL.
Jarga (mountain rage): see JARGAJI HILLS.
Jargaji Hill, Mewar's highest peak; part of the JARGAJI HILLS around KUMBHALGARH. Its height is 1311 m. above sea level.
Jargaji Hills, the mountainous tract of the ARAVALLIS north of Udaipur where KUMBHALGARH is located. The entire mountain range in this area is known as Jarga. After the monsoon season, it is abundant with lush greenery.
Jarkhana (Dhaneria), a village 55 km. from Udaipur near Mavli; jagir of the Dhaneria family, descendants of Maharaj Arjun Singh of SHIVRATI. The estate, and the title of 'Maharaj (Baba)' was given to Arjun's second son, Bahadur Singh.
Genealogy: Bahadur Singh; Jawan Singh; Balwant Singh; Madan Singh; Prithvi Singh; Mod Singh; Udai Singh.
Jasol, a Rathore estate in the Barmer District (Jodhpur); Kher was the capital, which was taken by Rathore Asthan, son of Siha Rathore. MEHWA was the original capital; in the 17th century it shifted to Jasol. Asthan established his kingdom here, and it existed for eight generations. Mallinath, an ancestor of the Jasol family, then expanded his territories up to Osian in Marwar. His younger brother, Viram's son Chunda, took Mandore from the Pariharas. Mallinath went to Mandore, blessed his nephew and gave him the title of Rao. Chunda's progeny prospered and became the kings of Marwar. Mallinath's descendants remained small landholders in the Barmer District. KALLA, one of the heroes of the third sack of Chittor came from Jasol (Mehwa).
Jaswant Singh. There were several leading members of clans who had this name. They came from Bansi (Saktawat); Barlias (Sisodia); Delwara (Jhala Rajput); Deogarh (Choondawat); Dharyavad (Sisodia); Gogunda (Jhala Rajputs); Lasani (Choondawat); Mangrop (Purawat); Prasad (Sisodia); Semari (Saktawat), and Roopnagar (Solanki).
Jaswant Singh, Kunwar, son of Maharana PRATAP SINGH I (1572-1597) and brother of Maharana AMAR SINGH I (1597-1620); his sons had jagirs at Karunda and Jalod.
Jaswant Singh, Raja, of Marwar; a contemporary of Maharana RAJ SINGH I (1653-1680) and a vassal of the Mughal Empire. After Emperor Aurangzeb had taken Kabul, he appointed Jaswant Singh its Governor. When Jaswant Singh died at Kabul, Aurangzeb ordered the entire Marwar Court to report to Delhi. On the way, one of the Ranis gave birth to Prince Ajit Singh. Suspecting that Aurangzeb may try to kill the infant, Durgadas Rathore and other Marwar nobles managed to smuggle the babe away from Delhi. They took him to Mewar and requested Maharana Raj Singh to shelter him. The Maharana agreed and secluded the infant prince at Kelwa and refused Aurangzeb's demand for the return of the boy, and action that prompted Aurangzeb to attack Udaipur. See RAJ SINGH I, MAHARANA.
Jat, the Mughal term for a foot soldier.
Jata Shankar Temple (Jatashankar Mahadev Devalaya), north of the KIRTI STAMBH (Tower of Victory), Chittorgarh. Carved figures adorn the outer walls and ceiling of its corbelled dome (i.e., supported by stone projections). It is situated on the fort's western parapet, with a panoramic view of the lower town and the plain.
Jauguis/Jogis: see YOGIS.
jauhar (johar), the act of self-immolation, the horrendous ritual by Rajput women who, rather than being taken and raped by an enemy, committed suicide by fire. It occurred three times at Chittor, when the fort was under siege and defeat was imminent. Neither Rajput men nor women hesitated to face death rather than surrender to the foe. On such occasions, all members of the clan determined to die as Rajputs, the women choosing death to dishonour and committing jauhar. Queens, serving maids, even old women and children in the doomed fortress, after ritual bathing, marched to a large fire chanting their own funeral dirge, and threw themselves into the flames to be burned alive. In Chittor this happened, it is believed, at the MAHASATI, the cremation ground near the Tower of Victory. The men donned yellow robes, and rode out fight to the bitter end. We have come across two explanations as to the derivation of this practice. The first is that it is a Hebrew word: in similar circumstances, a group of Hebrew women were said to have committed the same grisly act; the word, and the deed, eventually travelled through Persia to India. The second explanation is that it is derived from Jatugriha, 'a house built of lac or other combustibles', an allusion to the story in the MAHABHARATA (i. Chap. 141-151) of the attempted destruction of the Pandavas by setting such a building on fire.
Jawan (Javan) Singh. Apart from Maharana Jawan Singh, there were several leading members of clans who had this name. They came from Amargadh (Kanawat); Jarkhana (Sisodia); Kotharia (Chauhan); Kurabad (Choondawat); Loonda (Choondawat); Rood (Saktawat), and Vijaipur (Saktawat).
Jawan Singh, Maharana, sixty-eighth ruler of the Mewar Dynasty (r. 1828-1838); succeeded Maharana BHIM SINGH (1778-1828); ruled for ten years from Udaipur. Following the financially disastrous invasions by the MARATHAS, and despite partial recovery by BRITISH administration, Mewar's outstanding debt continued to grow under Bhim's successor, Jawan Singh, which is not surprising. With the money coming in once more, and with British administrator James TOD out of the picture (he had returned home to England), Jawan slipped easily into a life of debauchery, paying scant attention to affairs of state. He assumed the British would continue to look after everything. His drinking, vice and unbridled extravagance soon warranted a stern warning from the British: if the debts were not discharged, territorial collateral would be demanded. The warning went unheeded. In 1837, the MEWAR BHIL CORPS was set up in association with the British Army, to control increasing crime amongst the native Bhil population. On the plus side, Mewar painting continued to flourish under Jawan, with Western-style portraiture of notable figures supplementing the traditional Rajput style of hunts and courtly occasions. Jawan also added more rooms to the City Palace, which was now stretching quite a distance along the eastern shore of PICHOLA LAKE. Not surprisingly, one of the greatest scandals of the House of Mewar is rumoured to have occurred during Jawan Singh's reign. It is known as the CURSE OF MEWAR, involving a Nautch girl (professional entertainer). Possibly it was because of the curse, or perhaps it was coincidence, that Jawan Singh, having no heir, had to adopt a son, his cousin Sardar Singh who was the son of Shivdan Singh of the Bagore branch of the family, who succeeded Jawan.
Jaywanti Bai, Rani, a wife of Maharana UDAI SINGH II (1537-1532) and mother of Maharana PRATAP SINGH I. She was the daughter of Akshey Raj Songara Chauhan of Jalore.
|
