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Nadi, a northern mountain pass through the Aravalli range, leading into GIRWA (the circle), the valley in which Udaipur is situated. See RAJ SINGH I vs. AURANGZEB.
Nadwai (Nandwai), an estate with twenty-four villages in northeastern Mewar, in Chittor District near Begun; given by Peshwa SINDHIA to fellow Maratha, HOLKAR.
Nag, (Hindi) a cobra (female: nagin)
Nag: see NAGADITYA, RAWAL.
Nagadhara: see NAGDA.
Nagaditya (Nag), Rawal, fourth ruler of the Guhilot Dynasty (626-646), forerunner of the Mewar Dynasty; son and successor of Rawal MAHENDRA I who ruled for twenty years from IDAR. However, his father having been assassinated by local BHILS, Nagaditya moved his seat of government to Nagadhara (which he renamed NAGDA, after himself). Nagaditya's son, SHILADITYA succeeded him.
Nagahrida: see NAGDA.
Nagahvada: see NAGDA.
Nagan: see NAGRI.
nagara (drum): see NAUBAT.
Nagarai: see NAGRI.
Nagarkhan (nakkakhana): see NAUBATKHANA.
Nagas, native tribes who inhabit the Naga Hills that separate the Indian state of Assam from Myanmar (Burma). Today, many of the fifteen or so tribes comprising the group have been Christianised, however the original Nagas were snake worshippers (naga is Sanskrit for serpent, more specifically, a cobra). See PARSHVA AND THE LORD OF THE NAGAS.
Nagaur, 135 km. from Jodhpur in Marwar. It is mentioned in the Mahabharata and was ruled by the ancient Nag Dynasty. It was also on the trade route from Afghanistan and India to China. Maharana Kumbha conquered Nagaur when Firoz Khan was its ruler.
Nagda (Nagahrada, Nagahvada), an ancient town in a hilly region about 23 km. north of Udaipur. It is reached down a rough country road, about 1 km. from the hill on which stands the famous EKLINGJI TEMPLE. It is one of the most ancient places in this part of India. Capital of the GUHILOTS before they took CHITTOR (AD 734), Nagda-with Chittor and AHAR-eventually became the heart of the region called MEDPAT (later renamed Mewar). When he came to the throne, Rawal NAGADITYA (626-646) found it necessary to move his capital from the IDAR district where his father, MAHENDRA I (ca 606-626) had been assassinated by local BHILS. He made the township of Nagahrada the dynasty's new capital, renaming it Nagda after himself. Soon, it boasted a population of about eight thousand, and became a flourishing merchant centre. It bore the onslaught of many invasions of the Muslim Delhi Sultanate and remained prosperous. However, having no fort as a defence, it was finally devastated in the 13th century by Sultan Iltutmish (1211-1236). This was during the reign of Rawal Jaitra Singh who had established Mewar's shifting capital in this, the original capital of the Guhilots. Jaitra Singh was forced to retreat but, in doing so, was able to retake Mewar's original capital, Chittor, which had been lost to the Malwa Paramaras two centuries earlier. Today, Nagda remains famous for the ruins of three temples, all that are left of this ancient city. The first is ADBUDJI (Peculiar Lord), a Jain temple so named because of its 3-metre high seated figure of the Jain deity within. The other two are the 11th century twin SAS-BAHU (Mother and Daughter-in-law) temples. They are quite small, with some very fine and intricate architecture and carvings, including some erotic figures. Kalbhoj, later known as BAPPA RAWAL (734-753) spent his boyhood near Nagda receiving religious instruction from his guru, HARIT RISHI, before taking Chittor and establishing the Mewar Dynasty.
Nagda Temples: see NAGDA, also SAS-BAHU TEMPLES.
Nagdi River, flows through the Jahazpur District, 60 km. from Bhilwara (210 km. from Udaipur).
Nagindra: see NAGDA.
Nagri, site of an ancient Indian civilisation, now only a village, 11 km. north of Chittorgarh on the Bundi Road, in the Gangrar administrative district (tehsil) of Chittor. The present village of Nagri was formerly called Madhyamika, capital of the Sivi Republic, a kingdom founded by the Sivis, a tribe who migrated there after facing the first known invasion of India by the Greeks; its history has been traced back to the 2nd century AD. During its peak, Nagri was a wealthy realm with gold coins, royal palaces, Hindu and Jain temples, and Buddhist stupas.
nahar (tiger): see NAR.
Nahar Singh. There were several leading members of clans who had this name. They came from Bansi (Saktawat); Bedla (Chauhan Rajput); Bhunas (Baba Ranawat); Boheda (Saktawat); Deogarh (Choondawat); Hamirgarh (Choondawat); Jharol (Jhala); Kaladwas (Chavda); Kanor (Choondawat); Lasani (Choondawat); Loonda (Choondawat); Mangrop (Purawat); Parsoli (Chauhan); Sanwar (Ranawat); Sardargarh (Dodia Rajput); Semari (Saktawat); Shahpura (Sisodia), and Tal (Choondawat). Raja Dhiraj Nahar Singh of Shahpura; an adopted son, succeeded as chief of the estate in 1869. Nahar was the natural son of Balwant Singh of Dhanop. In 1903, he was awarded the K.C.I.E. by the British Government, and was entitled to a 9-gun salute. He became a member of the MEHDRAJ SABA, the Civil Court. Later, he refused to provide the traditional service that nobles gave the Maharana (at that time, Maharana Fateh Singh), claiming he was an independent ruler. However, the British Government ruled that he would have to continue in the service of the Maharana every second year and had to pay Rs. 1 Lakh to the Maharana as a penalty for not attending Court. There was also Nahar Singh, son of an independent chief of Sangramgarh. The Pattawat chief of Deogarh adopted him and he became one of the Sixteen Chiefs (Umara) of Mewar. He had no heir. Nahar Singh, a Saktawat of Lawa, was the father of Man Singh Saktawat. Known as the tiger, he was the twelfth descendant of Saktawat Achaldas of Bansi.
Nahara Magra (Naharamagra), a town and hill 72 km. southwest of Chittor via Mangalwar, and 23 km. Northeast of Udaipur via Dabok. The hill is popularly known as 'Tiger Mount' (from the Mewari 'nahar' meaning 'tiger' and 'magra', 'mountain'), and is where the Maharanas had a hunting lodge surrounded by about thirty palaces belonging to the nobles. Out of season, the tiger and wild boar prowled unmolested, as none of the 'unlicensed' dare shoot in these royal preserves. In legend, Nahara Magra was the sacred mountain of Charan Devi, a prophetic priestess who lived in a cave (see SANGA AND PRITHVI RAJ). Today, with urbanisation, the wild animals have gone, the hunting lodges are in ruins, and the area is open to the public. The only reminders of its legendary past are a couple of large stone shooting boxes on the hill that rises behind the town. See also BAPPA RAWAL AND THE SWORD.
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