I RAJESH
YADAV, born to the descendents of this 'humanistic' Royal
family of Ahirwada, was christened as RAO RAJESHVAR PRATAP SINGH
& am lovingly adored as RAJA, by the family.
View my
trajectory after take-off - my photos.
This splendid journey of my family begins, in the annals of history
in the early 16th century i.e. 1527 AD, when my great-grand
father, RAO HUKUM DEV SINGH, an aristocratic Yadav noble of Rao
family, laid the foundation of the Rao dynasty
& established the throne over this valiant piece of land viz.
Ahirwada* Riyasat (Kingdom), as the
first ruler of Rao's & made his headquarters
at Narnaul^.
The erstwhile kingdom of Ahirwada (meaning abode of Ahirs~),
is a region of north India, lying between north latitude 270 47'
to 280 26' and east longitude 750 56' to 760 51'. This region is
241.95 to 265 meters above sea level & lies towards 135 kilometers
south-west of the India's national capital, New Delhi.
~ Ahir is a mispronounced word of ancient
language Sanskrit root Abhira meaning fearless.
* Apart from Narnaul, Rewari ^^ & Kanaud ** (now
Mahendragarh***) were also kingdom's vital cities & served
as one of the basic administrative units viz. Jagirs
(Now in Haryana
province of India).
^ NARNAUL is 135 Kilometres from
Delhi. It's an ancient town but its origin and ancient name
are shrouded in mystery. According to mythology & legend
Narnaul town is a contemporary to the ancient Hastinapur
kingdom. During early-vedhic period, it was known as Nar
Rashtra. It is narrated in the Mahabharta (Later-vedhic
Epic period) that enroute to the Chambal Valley from
Hastinapur, the youngest Pandava brother, Sahdev, gained
control over this town. According to another tale the town was
founded after clearing dense forests abounding with lions.
Hence it came to be known as Nahar-naul (the fear of
lions) or Nahar-haul (abode of lions) and gradually
came to be known as Narnaul. Some people say that while
digging the foundation of this town a nag (serpent) and a naol
(mongoose) came out fighting. The people named the town as
Nagnaol after this incident and later on it came to be
known as Narnaul. According to yet another legend, Raja Laun
of Bikaner who got this town built named it after the name of
his wife, Narlaun. A Sanskrit inscription of 18th-19th
century from Narnaul gives its ancient name as
Nandigrama.
^^ REWARI is 85 kilometers
south-west direction of the India's national capital, Delhi.
It is contemporary to the ancient Delhi (Khandavprastha
forest- Indraprastha kingdom). During later vedhic
(Mahabharata epic) period there was a king named Rewat He had
a daughter whose name was Rewati. But the king used to call
her Rewa lovingly. The king founded and established a city
named "Rewa-wadi" after the name of her daughter. Later
on Rewa got married with Balram, elder brother of Lord Krishna
and the king donated the city "Rewa wadi" as dowry to her
daughter. Later the city Rewa-wadi or Rao-wadi (abode
of Rao's) became Rewari.
** KANAUD took its name from
the Kanaudia group of Brahmans, who were facilited in there
settlements here by RAO HUKUM DEV. It's traditionally driven
from the name of Kanaudia's who started living here during
approx. 1530's.
*** Kanaud was renamed as MAHENDRAGARH
in 1861 by Narinder Singh, the then ruler of the princely
state of Patiala, in honour of his son, Mohinder Singh I and
it thus became MAHENDRAGARH NIZAMAT.
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Rao Hukum Dev founded & facilitated the settlements in Kanaud**
(now Mahendragarh***); alongwith his youngest brother, legendry
RAO RUDA SINGH, who formed the jungle-jagir of Rewari^^
in 1555.
The Rao's reigned Ahirwada for next eleven generations i.e. 330
years i.e. till 1857 and witnessed the rise & fall of the Sikh,
Rajput, Maratha & Moughal dynasties, till RAO MOHAN PRATAP SINGH,
his son RAO DALCHAND & his cousin RAO TULARAM, fought
the imperialistic tendencies of British & their hegemonistic
colonization of the nation (India), the first war of Indian Independence,
1857, & were later forced to migrate safely in secrecy.
The modern period of our ancestry, five generations after RAO DALCHAND
SINGH (1857 till date) i.e. 145 years on the magnitude of
time, is the one full of oblivion, selfless work & full of struggle.
RAO
DYNASTY
(AHIR RULE FROM 1527 to 1857)
YADAV RULE OF
330 YEARS
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RAO HUKUM
DEV SINGH ^^^^^^ [1527-1565]
--------------------------------- RAO RUDA SINGH ~~
[1565-1603] *************************************************************
****************************************************************
I ********************************************************
***************************************************************RAO
RAM SINGH I (RAMOJI) ~~~ [1603-1618]********************************************************
****************************************************************
I ********************************************************
****************************************************************RAO
SHAHBAZ SINGH ` [1618-1659]********************************************************
****************************************************************
I ********************************************************
******************************************************************RAO
NANDRAM SINGH ******[1659-1713]
--------------------------- RAO MANN SINGH
[1713-1720]
******** I
****************************************************************
RAO BALKISHAN SINGH ~~~~~~ [1720-1739] ------------ RAO
'BAHADUR' GUJARMAL SINGH `` [1739-1750]
***********************************************************************************************************************
I ****
********************************************************************************************************************
RAO BHAWANI SINGH (^1) [1750-1758]
**********************************************************************************************************************
I **
***********************************************************************************************************************
RAO RAM SINGH II [1758-1785]
**********************************************************************************************************************
I **
***********************************************************************************************************************
RAO HIRA SINGH (^2) [1785-1788]
**********************************************************************************************************************
I **
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I*
*****************************************************************I*
*******************************************************
I
RAO SAMAR PRATAP SINGH (^3a)88********************************
RAO TEJ SINGH (^3b)**************************************
RAO BAKBASH SINGH
I*
**************************8*******8******************************I
*********************************************************
RAO MOHAN PRATAP SINGH (^4a)****RAO PURAN SINGH (^4b) ------------ RAO NATTHURAM SINGH
(^4c) ------------------ RAO JAHAWAR SINGH*********
I*
*********************************I*
**************************************I *********** ********
******************************
RAO DALCHAND PRATAP SINGH (^5a)****RAO TULARAM SINGH (^5b) *************RAO GOPALDEV
SINGH (^5c)***********************
********************************
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^^^^^^ RAO
HUKUMDEV SINGH remained out of rule from 1540 to 1556
when Sher Shah Suri came to the Delhi throne & later
Sher Shah s' son Islam Shah & grand son Adil Shah
ruled Delhi. It was after the 2nd battle of Panipat,
when Akbar-the-great defeated Rao Hemchandra (Hemu) that
Rao Hukum Dev could return. All these years he remained
in exile.
Sher Shah was born at Narnaul in 1486
at a small village Hired Simla (Simli). Sher Shah had
immense liking and love for the land of his birth.
Ibrahim Khan Suri, grand father of Sher Shah Suri, ruled
Narnaul as a Jagir under Bahlol Lodi & Ibrahim
Lodis' rule. (Source : K.R. Qanungo, Sher Shah and His
Times.)
In 1555 Humayun came to power for an
year, it was now when RAO RUDA SINGH formed the
jungle-jagir of Rewari. But soon next year in 1556
Humayun was out again.
At this juncture in 1556,
a remarkable local noble appeared on the scene. He was
Rao Hemchandra (popularly called Hemu), a resident of
Rewari. He had a very humble origin, but by dint of his
ability and sheer strength of character, he rose up to
lofty heights.
~~ RAO RUDA SINGH was also a noble
of Emperor Humayuns' , Shahjahans' &
Akbar-the-greats' Court.
~~~ RAMOJI's sister
Rupali was married to a Yadav Maratha Jagirdar Jadhav
Rao, who had descent from ancient Yadav kingdom of South
India Deogiri. Jadhav Rao & Rupali gave birth to
Jijabai - legendary Maratha King Chatrapati Shivajis'
mother.
` RAO SHAHBAZ was married to
grand-daughter of greaest king of Mewar in Rajputana,
Maharana Prapap. He was named so by Emperor Akbar-the-great.
****** In 1672,
RAO NANDRAM SINGH revolted against Emperor Aurenzeb due
to Satnami rebellion. As Ahirwada practiced
devotionalism, opposed the fanatic ways of Aurenzeb. His
economic exploitation and religious harassment led the
Raos of Narnaul to challenge his authority. This led to
Satnami rebellion. The Satnamis fought with courage and
determination but could not succeed against the
well-organised and well-equipped Mughal force. Two
thousand men of this sect fell fighting on the field and
many of them were killed during the pursuit. Thus from
now onwards Ahirwada compulsorily had conscription as
its state policy. He also founded Dharuhera. The robber
Hathi Singh was taken into service by the famous chief
of Bharatpur, and Hathi Singh's rising power was
intolerable to Nand Ram and his brother Man Singh. The
latter, in collaboration with his brother, secretly put
the notorious dacoit to death at Agra, and thus avenged
the death of his father. Nand Ram died in 1713. He was
succeeded by his eldest son Balkishan.
~~~~~~
RAO BALKISHAN SINGH
fell in the battle of Karnal on in 1739 while fighting
against Nadir Shah. Emperor Muhammad Shah was so much
impressed with the Rao's bravery and heroism that on
Nadir's departure he granted to Balkishan's brother
Gujar Mal the title of Rao 'Bahadur' and Commander of
five thousand. His territories were largely increased by
the addition of Hisar, Jhajjar, Dadri, Hansi &
Hisar.
`` RAO
'BAHADUR' GUJARMAL checked Nadir Shah at
Karnal as commander-in-chief
of Rao Balkishan when he launched a fierce attack on India in
1739. A fierce battle was fought here. Balkrishan, the
Rao of Rewari, who fought heroically at the head of an
army of 5,000 strong, was killed in this battle. Nadir,
the victor, praised the late Rao's heroic deeds.
Rao Gujar Mal's two
bitterest enemies were the Baluch chief of Farmkhnagar
and Bahadur Singh of Ghasera, a descendant of Hathi
Singh who was now acting independently of Suraj Mal, the
Jat Raja of Baharatpur. Gujar Mal counteracted their
malicious designs by attaching himself with Raja Suraj
Mal. Gujar Mal was also on friendly terms with Bahadur
Singh's father-in-law Todar Mal of village Nimrana. The
latter invited Gujar Mal to his residence and there
killed him under pressure of Babadur Singh in 1750.In
him (Gujar Mal) power of his family reached its highest
point. He erected forts at Guravvada and Gokulgarh, near
Rewari. At Gokulgarh what were popularly known as "Gokul
Sikka" rupees were minted. He founded the AHIRWADI Jagir
in Meerut pargana (district) & made Jhajar a part of
Ahirwada and built his father's tomb at Rewari and a
great water tank near it.
^1) RAO
BHAWANI SINGH was lazy and careless fellow. In
consequence, his estates began to dwindle rapidly.
Baluch Nawab of Farrukhnagar, the Nawab of Jhajar and
the Raja of Jaipur encroached upon his territory.
Bhawani Singh was killed in 1758 by his own manager
Tulsi Ram, who in turn was done away with shortly
afterwards. Tulsi Ram`s son Mittar Sain succeeded to the
post of the manager under the next chief Rao Ram Singh
II.
^2) RAO HIRA SINGH hosted the famous Maratha
general, Mahadji Sindhia stayed at Rewari in 1787.He was
a worthless fellow & helped him to retain Rewari.
^3a) & (^3b) RAO TEJ SINGH now controlled Ahirwada &
increased its boundaries by controling Tauru, Sohna,
Nuh, Hodal, Bhora, Palwal, Tapukara, Kot Kasimi Pataudi
and Bawal.
Lord Lake defeated Daulat Rao Sindhia
in September, 1803 and captured Delhi and a large part
of the territory lying between the river Yamuna Vally
the Ghaggar. Thus, Narnaul, Kanaud & Rewari and the
whole estate (Ahirwada) of Rao Samar Pratap Singh &
Rao Tej Singh was forcibly taken possession of by the
British East India Company. In 1808-09, all these
villages were settled by Fraser, the Magistrate of
Delhi. Rao Samar & Rao Tej Singh died in 1816 &
1823 respectively. Samar Pratap Singh was succeeded by
RAO MOHAN PRATAP SINGH (^4a). Tej Singh s' property was
divided among his three sons, RAO PURAN SINGH(^4b), RAO
NATTHU RAM (^4c) and Rao Jawahar Singh. The youngest
brother Jawahar Singh died childless and his estate was
equally divided between remaining brothers, Puran Singh
and Nathu Ram. On their death their estates were
inherited by their respective sons RAO TULA RAM (^5b)
and RAO GOPAL DEV (^5c). RAO DALCHAND PRATAP (^5a) was
the commander-in-chief of Rao Mohan Pratap Singh &
Rao Gopal Dev that of Rao Tularam. Raos' staked
everything and played a significant role in throwing off
the British, in 1857. This as noted below, cost them
their kingdom.
The British' rule of about half a
century from 1803 to 1857, produced a great deal of
discontent and disaffection among almost every section
of the society in Ahirwada & especially the Rao
rulers. The Sepoy Mutiny on 10th 'May, 1857 at Ambala
and Meerut sparked the revolt from Ahirwada as well.
These activities pleased Emperor Bahadur Shah II (Zafar)
& he supported the Raos'. Raos' in turn sent their
military to join the revolteers at Delhi, Meerut &
Ambala. But with the end of the revolt & arrest of
Emperor Zafar, when Delhi fell to British on September
20 1857, the fierce BATTLE
OF NARNAUL (3RD ANGLO-AHIR WAR) WAS FOUGHT ON NOVEMBER
16 1857. Col. Gerrard was given a tough fight by Rao
Mohan 's forces along with Rao Tularam 's & the
Patiala Infantry and the Multani Horse Cavalry of
British Military were completely beaten. At this
juncture, the Guides and the Carabineers came to their
rescue and saved the English, after being ordered a
heavy bombardment by Major Caulfield. The Ahir army
killed Captain Wallace a key commander. Now, the Ist
Bengal Fusiliers swooped upon the Ahir military's'
Artillery & captured some of the guns. This
encouraged the British cavalry, Horse Artillery Guns
& 23rd Panjab Infantry & they successfully
overpowered Ahirwada military might. The battle of
Narnaul was undoubtedly one of the most decisive battles
of the uprising of 1857. After the battle, Tularam,
Gopaldev, Mohan Pratap & Dalchand moved into
Rajasthan; then joined Tantya Tope's forces for one
year. Governer General Lord Canning wanted to persecute
the Raos', for the opposition made by them, so they went
in hiding forever.
NOTE: Kamini Kaur cousin of
Maharaja Ranjit Singh's 2nd wife Chand Kaur, was married
to Rao Mohan Pratap Singh. Kamini Kaur & Gyan Kaur -
Tularam's mother, were sisters. Gyan Kaur got married to
Rao Mohan Pratap's cousin Rao Puran Singh - Rao
Tularam's father. The Kaur sisters (Chand, Kamani (Kammo) &
Gyan) were grand-daughters of Sardar Jai Singh of
Kanheiya Misl.
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I feel over-emotional
to mention about the 10th Maharaja (King) of Ahirwada, His Highness
His Excellency RAO MOHAN PRATAP SINGH {born in 1776} (Dalchand's
father & Tularam's cousin-uncle), who was married to Kamini Kaur
of Kanahia Misl.
Rao Mohan Pratap, later became popular, as His Holiness MOHAN BABA
- a Bhakti saint & a Sufist, venerated in many parts of north,
north-wesat & western India; He settled in Gujarawala (Pakistan)
after 1857. He then settled in Kabul (Afganistan), after his devoted
follower Guru Ram Singh (Kukas of Punjab) was caught in 1872 fighting
the British. Mohan Baba died in Kabul on June 7th, 1874, at the
age of 98 years & entrusted the responsibility & struggle
for freedom of humans from all forms of sufferings & vices.
RAO DALCHAND {born in 1804 & died in 1889} thus settled in Ahirwadi,
a jagir of Ahirwada, now scattered across 693 villages of Saharanpur,
Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Bagpath, Bulandshahr, Moradabad,
Agra & Mathura districts of U.P., northern province of India.
Rao Dalchand & his three generations down (via his son RAO ISHWAR
PRATAP SINGH, grand-sons RAO SHALAG PRATAP SINGH (a columnist in
Aurbindo's Mumbai weekly "Indu Prakash" as well as a militant
revolutionary of Hindustan Socialist Republican Army - HSRA, was
also an activist of Lala Lajpat Rai's "Servents of People Society",
Indian Society of Oriental Art, 1907 & an Extremist Congressman
of Indian National Congress Party) ; & RAO MAHENDRA PRATAP
SINGH , Shalag's brother, became famous after being proclaimed
as the President of Independent India, just before World War I,
by Gadar Party, San Francisco, U.S.A.; Mahendra was also associated
to Indian Independence League, California, U.S.A. apart from Indian
Majlis, Cambridge, Free India & Home Rule Societies in London,
U.K.), till my grand-father RAO SHANKAR PRATAP SINGH, a renowned
Gandhian, a Socialist (Lohia suporter), a Sarvodiya leader with
Loknayak Jai Prakash & a front-runner in Bhave's Bhudan Movement,
for which he donated all his land & properties; remained the
freedom-fighters, till India gained independence in 1947, when my
father MAJ.
(RETD.) RAO DIGYARAJ PRATAP SINGH was merely 14 years old.
| The above fifteen generations
have always remained the most amiable, enigmatic, anarchical
& enchanting individuals throughout their lives. It is
this flow of more than last 475 years that is passing on from
one generation to another, that has become a conscious responsibility
to be followed by me in this life - the sixteenth generation.
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My birth in 1976, to the grand-daughter of vertern World-war I soldier,
SUBEDAR MAJOR RAO SADIRAM & daughter of CAPT. RAO TARA SINGH
of Indian National Army (INA), MRS.
VIDYAWATI DEVI, makes me stand proud on this planet.
It's the versatile contributions & gallent lives of these venerable
men of my past, whose micro-vita flows as blood in my body &
as thoughts in my mind, that encourages me to carry this aura
upto the ultimate zenith of perfection, in this sixteenth generation
of mine.
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SOURCES :
1. H.B.W. Gariick, Report of A Tour in the Panjab and
Rajputana in 1883-84 (Archeological Survey of India).
2.
Prof. K.C. Yadav,Kurukshetra University, Haryana Ka lilhas,
(Hindi) & The Revolt of 1857 in Haryana &
Maryann.
3. M.L. Bhargava, The Geography of Rigvedic India,
Lucknow.
4. Abul Fazl, Akbar-nama & Ain-i-Akbarl.
5. Man Singh, AbhirkuWipika, (Urdu).
6. Gurgaon
District Gazetteer, 1910.
7. Aitchison C.V., Collection of
Treaties, Engagements and Sanads, 1870.
8. M.S. Leigh, The
Punjab and the War.
9. Khushwant Singh, History of Sikhs.
10. Rajput & Maratha Rule in India.
11. Archives of
Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, UP &
Delhi. |
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