Gahlot

Gahlot is a gotra (clan) of India. It traces its ancestry to the Suryavanshi Kshatriyas. The variations of the name include Gehlot, Guhila, Gohil or Guhilot. It is associated with the Rajput community, and Gahlot Rajputs once ruled in Banswara, Dungarpur, Mewar, Pratapgarh and KucheraShahpura. These areas were all in the region now known as the state of Rajasthan. In Gujarat, they are generally referred to as Gohil and have once ruled the princely states of Bhavnagar, Sihor, Palitana, Lathi and Vala.

Gahlot is a gotra (clan) of Non-Rajput castes like Mali and Jat also.

History

The Atpur Inscription of 977 AD lists 20 kings starting with Guhadatta and ending with Saktikumara. Major cities included Nagahrada and Aghata. Chittor was captured by Bappa Rawal in the 8th century. The Guhilas fought the Paramaras in the 11th century and the Chalukyas in the 12th century. During the reign of Jaitrasimha (1213-1252 AD), Nagahrada was sacked by Iltutmish. Then Samarasimha (1273-1301 AD) submitted to Ulugh Khan before Ratnasimha submitted to Alauddin Khalji in 1303 when Chittorgarh Fort was captured.

First Jauhar of Chittor

Ala ud din Khilji, the Sultan of Delhi, sent a marauding army across India in the 14th century CE; this army, commanded by Malik Kafur, defeated the Guhilot rulers of Mewar in 1303. The impending fall of Chittorgarh, the main bastion of the Guhilots, occasioned the famous Jauhar of 1303 AD., when the womenfolk, led by Rani Padmini, collectively committed suicide rather than risk personal dishonor at the hands of the victorious invading army.

The Gehlots settled in Ahar, where they were known as Aharya.

See also

• Rajput clans