जोधा जंगम छेड़िया जद, पमंग पिछोला पाया।
उण दिन रावत पदवी दिवि,रावत कांधल कहलाया।।
An intrepid whose broad sword was the foundation of the Rathore States of Jodhpur & Bikaner. This is no hyperbole but Truth.
Rawat Kandhal is unsurpassed in annals of history except maybe by Veer DurgaDas RathoreJi for his fidelity, chivalry & loyalty to rightful heirs to throne.
As humble homage to Rao, later Rawat Kandhal Ji, perhaps the most illustrious yet most unsung of the Rathore Braves ! His prowess at arms was enough to have a kingdom for himself rather than fight for Jodha & Bika but then he was a RAJPUT.
Third son of Rao Ranmal, brother to Jodha & Uncle to Bika. Rathores are conspicuous by their titles of Rao but Kandhal was given this title for his dauntless bravery against insurmountable odds.
After assassination of Rao Ranmal by Kumbha & Chunda. Rathores escaped to Marwar fighting their way but one of younger brothers of Jodha & Kandhal, Mandalo Ji was left behind at Chittorgarh. No one had the guts to get him, Kandhal volunteered & got back Mandalo Ji safe from grip of Sisodias in Chittorgarh. Jodha gave the title of RAWAT to Kandhal for his valour. He was the foundation of the Rathore States of Both Jodhpur & Bikaner, unheard of in annals of history. He was the man who forced MahaRana Kumbha to leave Marwar to Rao Jodha by his incessant battles & his valour. Rao Kandhal with his brother Rao Jodha made a treaty & tactical alliance with Rana Kumbha, known as 'Awal-Bawal ki Sandhi' in 1453.
He took Bika to newer lands on a slur by Jodha & was the founder of Bikaner in true sense. While Bika looked after affairs of settling the new kingdom, Rawat Kandhal, the sword arm of Bikaner.
whose prowess of arms was legendary, his valour acknowledged far & wide, was extending territory of Bikaner to North into Delhi Sultanate around Hisar against the Lodis. This was bound to end in a conflict & Rawat Kandhal was more than eager. He was literally the Second Sanga & Bhishma of the nascent States of Rathores, Jodhpur & Bikaner.
Rathores of Jodhpur & Bikaner owe their fortunes to this colossus, a giant among Men. He was instrumental to both.
Rawat Kandhal had fought 52 battles in his life 09 for his father Rao Ranmal, 20 for his brother & scion of Jodhpur, Rao Jodha & the last 22 for the terrestrial expansion of the state of Bikaner, his nephew, Rao Bika.
His last battle took place against the Lodi governor Sarang Khan who had marched from Hisar to check Rathores. Imperial army met Rathores under Kandhal at Sahwa. During the battle, saddle of Kandhal broke giving Sarang the advantage. Kandhal was encircled & died fighting not before killing 21 imperial soldiers at 73 years of age.
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Bikaner commemorative volume remembers the services of Rawat Kandhal. Riding and fighting at the age of 73. |
Death of Rawat Kandhal was mourned by Rathores across the nation.
His son Rao Bagha was with him at Sahwa. He called his cousin Rao Bika & his father’s elder brother, Rao Jodha to avenge the death.
Rathores assembled an army against the Sultanate & marched north, Sarang was entrusted the task of subduing rising power of Rathores. However, Lodi governor was no match for Rathores & was killed In the battle.
Rao Bagha too was killed in battle at Sahwa.
After his death, instead of his grandson Rao Banir who was then a minor, the titles of Rawat Kandhal went to Rao Raj Singh (of Rajasar who later on founded his own principality of Jaitpur) owing to political intrigue.
Rao Banir went to Sahawa, and later shifted his seat to Shivgarh Ghanghu where he finally settled. Many junior thikanas emerged from his descendants later on, including Churu, Ghantel, Khandawa, Kallasar, Lohsana, Karanpura, Jaitpur, Depalsar, Dudwa, Lakhau, Jhariya, Jhanjhani, among others.
The Kandhalot clan- the descandants of Rawat Kandhal which formed an integral part of the Bikaner state are today divided into 3 subdivisions- Rawatot (descendants of Rawat Raj Singhji), Banirot (descandants of Rao Banirji- son of Rao Bagha) and Saidasot (descendants of Rao Ardakmalji). The headseat of the Kandhalot clan was the Thikana of Rawatsar (made by the descendants of Rawat Raj Singhji).
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| Painting of the Rawatsar Fort with Ranjeet Burj on the right. |
Rawatsar was established in 1584 by Rawat Raghodas through conquest. It was then an area called Sihagoti as it was under the Siyaag Jaats and some parts were also ruled by Guhilot Rajputs. They had a common oppressor, the Nawab of Rania who would raid and pillage at will in the area.
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| Rawat Raghodas with his followers at Sihagoti establishing Rawatsar. |
Rawat Raghodas defeated him and 120 villages of the Hanumangarh region fell before him establishing the thikana of Rawatsar. Rawat Raghodas earned the title of Rawat which carries a great deal of dignity along with the headseat of the Kandhalot clan (descendants of Rawat Kandhal) for his contributions in Battles in the Deccan, South India, Gujarat and Sultanpur. The headseat of the clan shifted to Rawatsar from Jaitpur (from where the Rawat had originally belonged). He also constructed the Khetarpal ji Temple where many pilgrims come from all around Rawatsar, Punjab and Harayana. Which history dates back to When Rawat Raghodas had gone to Battle along with the Bikaner contingent numbering anywhere from 60,000 to 80,000 troops to Burhapur, the armies supplies of food and water had depleted due to a drought. Due to the pressure he faced he saw it better to kill himself rather than failing his followers. While he was trying to kill himself, it is said that Lord Bhairav appeared in front of him and guided him to go to a certain place where he would find rations for the entire army and an idol of his. He did so and this idol was placed in the Khetarpal ji Temple which is still there.
Rawatsar Ramdev Ji Khetarpal Ji Mela
Every year a large fair held here known as Ramdevji and KhetarPalji Mela (Jan-Feb). Large group of devotees come here from far to attend the fair. In the temple, large number of devotees make a Darshan of Baba Ramdev Ji and Baba Khetarpal Ji. In rawtsar tehsil kinkriya is another fair which is held every year several times for kesranath ji which is consider a treatment of snake.
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| Ranjeet Burj Rawatsar |
The descendants of Rawat Raghodas also proved themselves to be worthy of the title of Rawat which is still in use today. Although there are innumerable instances of gallantry in all Rajput clans, the title of Rawat was only earned by 2 Thikanas in the Rathore dynasty, Rawatsar and Jaitpur.
Rawatsar later on became a Sirayat from a Thikana which made it among the 4 major Thikanas of Bikaner.
1:- Rawat Raghodas Established Rawatsar in 1584 and earned the headseat of the Kandhalot clan (descendants of Rawat Kandhal) shifting it from Jaitpur to Rawatsar through his contributions in various Battles in Deccan, South India, Gujaratand Sultanpur. Established the Khetarpal ji Temple.
2:- Rawat Jagat Singh Succeeded his father and martyred fighting as a commander in the Bikaner contingent in the Mughal army in a Battle against the ruler of Gujarat.
3:- Rawat Raj Singh
4:- Rawat Lakhdir Singh Hosted Guru Govind Singh in Rawatsar and pleased by the hospitality of Rawatsar the guru gave a boon to the lands of Rawatsar that after some years the land which was totally barren would become green.
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| Indira Gandhi Canal near Rawatsar |
This actually came true in the future with the Indira Gandhi Canal. Now even Rice can be seen growing in Rawatsar even though it has sand dunes all around it.
5:- Rawat Chattar Singh Rallied support in 1740 along with Thakur Kushal Singh of Bhukarkaand defeated the Marwar forces under Maharaja Abhai Singhwhich had besiedged the Junagarh fort. Also defeated Malla Godara, a Johiya ruler who had occupied the Bhatner fort. The Bhatner fort was also captured.
6:- Rawat Anand Singh Battled the Marwar forces when Maharaja Abhai Singh again attacked Bikaner in 1747. Rebelled against the Bikaner ruler, Maharaja Gaj Singh for extracting extra taxes but was later embroiled in fines and due to this Rawatsar fort was besieged by the Bikaner forces. He then constructed a new fort named Anand Garh.
7:- Rawat Jai Singh Faced an era of total anarchy where he had to wage a relentless struggle against various groups such as Raths, Johiyas and Bhatis who repeatedly invaded areas in and around Rawatsar due to Rawatsar being the Northern most frontier of Bikaner.
8:- Rawat Amar Singh Continued to defy the Bikaner ruler. He was forced to abdicate, however was successful in escaping and re-establishing authority. In return the Bikaner ruler again forced him to abdicate in favour of his brother, Rawat Himmat Singh.
9:- Rawat Himmat Singh
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| Battle of Hanumangarh, fought by Rawat Vijay Singh in 1804 |
10:- Rawat Vijay Singh Captured the Bhatner fort along with the Mahajans and Bikaner forces in 1804 and renamed it as Hanumangarh fort. Initiated the process of construction of a new fort for Rawatsar.
11:- Rawat Bhom Singh
12:- Rawat Nahar Singh Constructed a Temple dedicated to the Saint Ramdev. Rawat Nahar Singh had contracted a skin disease and he decided to go to Runecha, where the main Temple of Baba Ramdev was but he was stopped on his way by a messenger from the saint himself who told him to build a Temple of his in Rawatsar. Rawat Nahar Singh agreed and it is said that his disease miraculously cured.
13:- Rawat Zorawar Singh Acting as an acception in the history of Rawatsar, he had cordial relations with the Bikaner court and provided foot soldiers and horsemen to the Bikaner contingent to aid the British in the Sikh wars in 1857 and again at the time of the mutiny in 1857.
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| Rawat Saheb Ranjit Singhji of Rawatsar, 1868 AD. |
14:- Rawat Ranjeet Singh Constructed the Ranjeet Burj at the Rawatsar Fort which contains gold carvings and a room of mirrors but was later assassinated on the order of Maharaja Dungar Singh of Bikaner due to his defiance to pay high taxes to the Bikaner ruler levied on him.
15:- Rawat Hukam Singh Joined Mayo College in 1885 but passed away at the age of 25.
16:- Rawat Man Singh Studied at Mayo College. Was falsely charged for treason, disloyalty and bribery and was detained in the Junagarh fort for 12 years. When his sentence was about to end, he was assassinated. It is said that Maharaja Hari Singh of Kashmir(a friend of Rawat Man Singh from Mayo College) himself came to free him from abdication but was unsuccessful as Maharaja Ganga Singh denied his bail.
17:- Rawat Tej Singh Studied at Mayo College from 1928 to 1934. He became a part of the committee which formed a new constitution for Bikaner. After the independence declaration he was recruited in the civil service in Rajasthan. Maharaja Ganga Singh who although had Rawat Tej singh's father (Rawat Man Singh) assassinated, he had been kind to Rawat Tej Singh and married him with Rani Lakshmi Kumari Chundawat from the Thikana of Deogarh which was among the most important Thikanas of Mewar. She herself was a great achiever and this marriage proved to be an important marital alliance for Bikaner.
18:- Rawat Ghanshyam Singh A titular head of Rawatsar, he passed his senior Cambridge from Mayo College. He joined the Indian Air Force in 1958 and retired as Wing Commander in 1980. He saw active service in the 1961 Goa Operation as also Indo China war in 1962. In 1965 Indo-Pak war he was based in Jodhpur and was commended for his work as Radar Controller Officer. A similar function was carried out by him during the 1971 war against Pakistan.
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| Painting of IPS Balbhadra Singh |
19:- Rawat Balbhadra Singh Brother of Rawat Ghanshyam Singh and Son of the late Rawat Tej Singh Rawatsar, passed his Senior Cambridge From Mayo College and M.A. (History) from Dungar College, Bikaner. He retired as the Director General of the Rajasthan Police. He Joined the Indian Police service in 1967, held positions in the Police department, served as First Secretary in the Embassy of India in Washington DC and also served as the Director Vigilance and security, Indian Airlines. He has been bestowed with Police medal for meritorious service and President's Police Medal.
Bahadur Singh of Rawatsar
The Bhatner fort is only 24 miles from Rawatsar, so the Rawats invariably played a key role in its annexation. In 1799, the Maharaja Surat Singh of Bikaner sent a force of 2000 under the leadership of Bahadur Singh (the fourth son of Rawat Anand Singh) to take back Bhatner which had been occupied by Bhatti Muslims along with Thakur Madan Singh of Bhukarka and Rawat Padam Singh of Jaitpur. The Bhattis led by Ahmad Khan were defeated at Dabli and the Bikaner Forces erected a fortification known as Fatehgarh. The Bikanerforces were unable to resist the famous George Thomas of Hissar who with the Bhatti allies took Fatehgarh in 1799. However Bahadur Singh recaptured it by a sudden assault. However Fatehgarh was again lost and Bahadur Singh martyred during the struggle. Although he did not become a Rawat, he left his mark in the Rawatsar house.
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