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In the 7th and 8th century a group of people emerged

who called themselves Rajputs which meant 'Sons of Kings'.
They were warriors who hailed from Rajasthan and parts
of Central India. They belonged to three kinds of
ancestries; Suryavanshi, Chandravanshi and Agnivanshi.
Under Agnivanshi were the clans of Pratiharas, Solankis,
Paramaras and Chauhans. These clans established
Kingdoms in Marwar, Ujjain, Malwa, Kannauj, Ajmer and
Gujarat.

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Rajputs were known for their courage and loyalty. Rajput

women were trained for war and did not hesitate to go
into the battlefield if their men were outnumbered. However, if the King and all his men were killed in a battle,
Rajput women preferred to commit suicide rather than
allow themselves to be taken as prisoners. This ritual was
known as 'Jauhar'.
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One of the most prominent Rajput Kings was Prithviraj

Chauhan. He ascended the throne at the age of 13, after
the death of his father. He was adept at military targets
and was known to hit moving targets merely by listening
to the sound. His kidnapping of Princess Sanyogita is legendary. During her wedding to another man, Prithviraj
bravely rode into the venue, abducted her and sped away.
Her father's soldiers chased him but were unable to catch
him. He got away and married his beloved.

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In the meantime, he spread his empire and controlled most

of Rajasthan and Haryana, unifying Rajputs against Muslim
invasion. A muslim conqueror named Mohammad
Shahab-ud-din Ghori was capturing nearby kingdoms. As
he covered more areas, he became a threat to Prithviraj's
territory.
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At the second battle of Tarain, Prithviraj was defeated and

captured. It is said that he was tortured and his eyes were
blinded with red-hot iron rods. Thereafter in an archery
contest, he displayed his skills by hitting targets in spite of
being blinded. Ghori is said to have praised him for this feat.
On hearing his voice, Prithviraj is believed to have aimed an
arrow in his direction that killed his enemy. In 1192 AD, Prithviraj Chauhan died, ending an era of profound bravery,
courage and mortality.

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Maharana Pratap, Bappa Rawal and Rani Padmini have all

made an indelible mark on the pages of Indian history. Maharana Pratap, the ruler of Mewar, is synonymous with
Rajput valour and chivalry. He continued his combat
against the Mughals and other infiltrators for the rest of his
life. Gradually the power of the Rajputs dwindled as they
were no match for the Mughals. When the British arrived
in India, the Rajput States became colonies, this ending the
reign of the Rajputs forever.
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