Rao Sahab
Rao Sahab is a feudal title of Indian Sub-Continent used by Ahir or Yadav kings.[1][2] Also among Ahir who belongs to Yaduvanshi Lineage "Rao" is a Sub-caste.[3][4]
The female varient of the title is Rao Sahabni or Rao Sabani also used to describe the Wife of Rao Sahab.
Etymology
The Rao word is Synonymous for the Ahirs of Haryana traced their origin to Hindu deity Krishna[5] and It was also stated that name of the state is also believed to be derived from the Abhirayanas (the original inhabitants of this region). It is also possible that the word Abhirayanas has its origin in the word Abhir or Ahirs.[6][7]
History
In the early 15th century, the king of Tijara Ruda Singh Rao, a Yadav Carved out Rewari from the Jungle-Jagir Obtained it from Mughal emperor Humayun. He created Rewari as the Capital of Ahirwal Region. Many people from the caste in this area founded Jagirs. People and other Kings called these Jagirdars Rao Sahab who are Dominant and powerful in the Region.[8]
Rulers with Title Rao
Rao Gopal Dev
Rao Gopal Dev was a 19th century revolutionary in Rewari,[9] who along with his cousin Tula Ram[10] fought the British in the 1857 revolt.[11]
Rao Ruda Singh
Rao Ruda Singh, an Ahir ruler of Tijara, wwas awarded the jagir of the forests of Rewari in 1555 in return for his commendable strategic assistance.[12] Ruda Singh made Bolni village, 12 km south-east of Rewari, his headquarters. He cleared the forests and established new villages. [13]
Rao Mitrasen Ahir
Rao Mitrasen was the son of Rao Tulsiram and was a Chandravanshi Ahir ruler who ruled Rewari. Rao Raja Mitrasen fought against Muslim invaders, the British, the Kachwahas of Jaipur and the Shekhawat Rajputs etc.
Rao Gulab Singh
Gulab Singh was the son of Rao Mitrasen Ahir. Gulab Singh planned to establish an independent state near Rewari with Munim Beg. Gulab Singh fought against the Scindia Marathas and defeated the Scindia army in 1790. Then Gulab Singh was defeated by the combined forces of Scindia and Najaf Quli and had to return to Gokulgarh.[14]
Rao Ram Singh
After Ruda Singh, his son Rao Ram Singh (Ramoji) took over the throne of Rewari.Ram Singh built a fort in Bolni and stationed soldiers there for security purposes. He was a fearless warrior and after a long struggle he was successful in neutralizing the criminals. Ram Singh was on the throne of Rewari during the reigns of Akbar and Jahangir.[12][13]
In 1784, Rao Ram Singh defeated the Maratha invasion of Rewari. After the death of Rao Mitrasen, the Marathas attacked Rewari again but could not defeat Rao Ram Singh.[15] Rao Ram Singh was martyred in the battle.[16]
Rao Shahbaz Singh
Rao Ram Singh was succeeded by his son and successor, Shahbaz Singh.[12] Rao was a great warrior and was martyred in a battle with a dacoit named Hathi Singh, a Badgujar of Dhana.[13]
Rao Balkishan
Balkishan died fighting against Nadir Shah in the Battle of Karnal on 24 February 1739. Pleased with his bravery, Mohammad Shah gave the title of "Rao Bahadur" to Balkishan's brother Gujarmal and gave him a sardar of 5000.[12] The boundaries of his kingdom were expanded and 52 villages of Hisar district and 52 villages of Narnaul were added to it. His fiefdom included Rewari, Jhajjar, Dadri, Hansi, Hisar, Kanaud, and Narnaul, among other important towns. In the year 1743, a few other villages with a mansabdari of Rs. 2,00,578 were also annexed.[13]
Rao Gujarmal Singh
Gujarmal also had friendly relations with Bahadur Singh's father-in-law, Todarmal of Neemrana. In the year 1750, Todarmal invited Rao Gujarmal on the advice of Bahadur Singh and killed him through deceit. The power of the Ahir family was at its peak during the time of Rao Gujarmal.
The Gurdwara and the Gokulgarh fort are relics of this period. The Gokul coinage was introduced during this period. Gujarmal also built a stupa and a reservoir in his father's name. He founded the villages of Brahmanpur and Morna in Meerut and Ramgarh, Jaitpur and Srinagar in Rewari.[17]
Rao Bhavani Singh
Rao Gujarmal's son Bhavani Singh succeeded him. Bhavani Singh proved unsuccessful. Parts of his kingdom were captured by the Baloch Nawab of Farrukhnagar, the Nawab of Jhajjar and the Raja of Jaipur, and Bhavani Singh was left with only 22 villages. He was assassinated by a chieftain from his own kingdom in 1758.[13]
Rao Tej Singh
A rebel chieftain from Delhi, Najaf Quli Khan, captured Gokulgarh fort. The Delhi Emperor Shah Alam II, along with Begum Samru, decided to punish him. On 12 March 1788, Shah Alam camped in Bhadavas and attacked Najaf Quli at night, causing heavy losses to Najaf Quli. Due to the impact of Begum Samru's artillery, Quli Khan was forced to surrender.[13]
The rule of Jauki Ram was unbearable for the entire state. Then Tej Singh, a relative of the Rao of Rewari, who was the ruler of Tauru, came forward at the request of Rao Ram Singh's mother. He attacked Rewari and put Jauki Ram to death and established his own power.[18]
Rao Tularam Singh
Raja Rao Tularam Singhji (9 December 1825 – 1863), was an Ahir ruler,[19][20] He was a leading figure in the 1857 independence revolution in Haryana.[21] After the 1857 revolution, he left India and sought help from the rulers of Afghanistan, Iran and the Russian Tsars for the purpose of India's war of independence. But his plan failed due to his death on 23 September 1863 at the age of 38. [22]
Rao Kishan Gopal
Rao Tula Ram's brother Rao Kishan Gopal was the commander of his Rewari army.[13] He was also an officer in the British East India Company.[23] The freedom struggle started in Meerut under the leadership of Ahir Veer Rao Kishan Gopal and it was he who killed General Timle in the Battle of Nasibpur.[24]
References
- ↑ Rajasthan, Part-1, Kumar Suresh Singh Rajasthan, Anthropological Survey of India, 1998, ISBN-9788171547661, page-44,45
- ↑ Gopal Bhargava (2011). Art and Culture of Haryana. Gyan Publishing House, 2011. p. 168. ISBN 9788178358895. Retrieved 2 Aug 2020.
- ↑ Singh, K.S. (1998). People of India. Anthropological Survey of India. ISBN 978-81-7154-766-1.
The word 'Ahir' is derived from ahi, which means snake and the one who shakes a snake is called Ahir. Its synonyms are Yadav and Rao Saheb.
- ↑ Mishra, Dwarka Prasad (1956). The History of Freedom Movement in Madhya Pradesh. Government Print., Madhya Pradesh. p. 55.
- ↑ Singh, S. K. (1998). India's Communities. Anthropological Survey of India. p. 58. ISBN 978-0-19-563354-2.
- ↑ Chopra, Pran Nath (1982). Religions and Communities of India. Vision Books. p. 139. ISBN 978-0-391-02748-0.
The name of the State of Haryana may have been derived from its ancient inhabitants: Abhirayana Ahirayana-Hirayana-Haryana.
- ↑ Goel, Brij Bhushan (1984). Co-operative Management and Administration. Deep & Deep. p. 59.
- ↑ Prem, Kiran (1988). Haryana District Mahendragarh. Haryana Gazetteers Organization. p. 42.
The Raos of Rewari were the most powerful and dominating in the state Rewari which was was carved out of a jungle-jagir by Ruda Singh, a Yadav noble from Tijara, who obtained it in 1555 from the Mughal Emperor Humayun.
- ↑ S. D. S. Yadava (2006). Followers of Krishna: Yadavas of India. Lancer Publishers. p. 54. ISBN 9788170622161.
- ↑ Yadav, Kripal Chandra (1965). Rao Tula Ram, a hero of 1857. Rao Tula Ram Smarak Samiti. pp. 12, 18, 40.
- ↑ Sharma, Suresh K. (2006). Haryana: Past and Present. Mittal. pp. 252–53. ISBN 978-81-8324-046-8.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 S. D. S. Yadava (2006). Followers of Krishna: Yadavas of India. Lancer Publishers. p. 82. ISBN 9788170622161.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 District Administration, Mahendragarh. "Mahendragarh at A Glance >> History". District Administration, Mahendragarh. india.gov.in. Archived from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
- ↑ Jadunath Sarkar (1992). Fall of the Mughal Empire. Sangam. pp. 38–39. ISBN 978-0-86131-749-3. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
- ↑ Man Singh, Abhirkuladipika (Urdu), 1900, Delhi p. 123
- ↑ Krishnanand Khedkar, The Divine Heritage Of the Yadavas, p. 193
- ↑ S. D. S. Yadava (2006). Followers of Krishna: Yadavas of India. Lancer Publishers. p. 51. ISBN 9788170622161.
- ↑ S. D. S. Yadava (2006). Followers of Krishna: Yadavas of India. Lancer Publishers. pp. 52, 53, 54. ISBN 9788170622161.
- ↑ S. D. S. Yadava (2006). Followers of Krishna: Yadavas of India. Lancer Publishers. p. 19. ISBN 9788170622161.
- ↑ S. C. Bhatt, Gopal K. Bhargava (2006). s+and+Union+Territories:+In+36+Volumes.+Haryana%22 Land and People of Indian States and Union Territories: In 36 Volumes. Haryana. Kalpaz Publications, Delhi. p. 341. ISBN 9788178353562.
{{cite book}}: Check|url=value (help) - ↑ "Republic Day Celebrations". The Tribune. January 28, 2008.
- ↑ Haryana (India) (1988). Haryana District Gazetteers: Mahendragarh. Haryana Gazetteers Organization. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
- ↑ S. D. S. Yadava (2006). Followers of Krishna: Yadavas of India. Lancer Publishers. p. 82. ISBN 9788170622161.
- ↑ Jawaharlal Handoo (1971). "Kaśmīrī aura Hindī ke lokagīta: eka tulanātmaka adhyayana". the University of Michigan: Viśāla Pablikeśanza, 1971. p. 315. Retrieved 9 Feb 2016.