Rajput Kingdoms

Rajput Kingdoms Culture

The Rajput historically held dear cultural values such as bravery and loyalty. Since the Rajputs lived in a king-based society, they also naturally valued the monarchy system. Their Hindu warrior stock naturally influenced their style of government, which was fractious, to say the least.

The Rajput played a large part in fending off the Muslim invasion of Northern India. But this caused a split within their society. However happy they were to fight invaders, they also fought among themselves, as their values of loyalty and fealty were only directed at their clans.

With these fragmented kingdoms, there was never any genuinely unified Rajput society, and they tended to waste many resources due to their infighting. The military held resources such as infantry, cavalry, and elephants, but allegiance to individual leaders fanned the flames of rivalries, creating losses.

Fig. 2- Rajput Architecture, Public Domain

The culture perpetuated itself by holding onto power through a system in which, according to legend, the king's first son was his only possible heir. Any sons born subsequently became warriors, thus strengthening the fighting culture and maintaining the dynasty's hold in Northern India.

The Rajput were masters of irrigation, creating manmade lakes and canals, and irrigation dams, which benefited the peasantry. Though industry, in general, deteriorated over time for the Rajput, there were active industries, including but not limited to:

• cotton cloth
• wool
• weapons
• salt
• pottery
• statues
• gur
• sugar
• oil
• liquor.

The Rajput had a feudal economy, meaning that most transactions were land-based. Revenue from these transactions accounted for ten percent of their total output. Trade also included cash and some farming goods mixed in with the land. Due to being cash-poor, there was no financial control at the hands of the monarch. Despite this condition, taxes were generally low, and the economy was prosperous. For the most part, the upper classes paradoxically lived in worry-free luxury.

Art and architecture were also important industries to the Rajput. The upper-class Brahmin produced plenty of religious works reflecting their Hindu heritage, while their counterparts, the Kshatriya, erected many castles and forts and had a talent for painting.

Women in Rajput Society

The Rajput historically kept their women in seclusion. They claimed to respect women, even granting them the freedom to choose their husbands to whom they were devoted. However, at the same time, the culture considered women to be inferior. Polygamy was quite common in Rajput society, though there were strict rules of intermarriage based on the caste systems at play.

Having a daughter was even considered a bad omen, and parents frequently slaughtered their daughters immediately following birth. Widow immolation was also quite common.

Rajput Kingdoms Significance

The main religion among the Rajputs was Hinduism. People also practiced Jainism and Buddhism, but Hinduism was far more popular. The Buddha was even relegated to a position as one of Vishnu's avatars, who were highly worshipped in Rajput society. Temples featuring Hindi gods and goddesses proliferated in the culture.

Fig. 3 - Vishnu and his avatars, Public Domain

The caste system was intricate and strict and tied to religious practices. Brahmins and Kshastriyas were considered the elites and hence received respectful treatment. Vaishyas and Shudras were among the lower castes.

Rajput Kingdoms Fall

Unfortunately for the Rajputs, their kingdoms never coalesced into a viable empire. You may have already guessed the reasons based on what we have learned in this explanation. Let's see if you were right as we look at five reasons for the fall of the Rajput kingdoms:

1. Outdated technology - the weaponry and military equipment of the Rajput were ancient and woefully outdated for their time. They just couldn't keep up with the latest advancements in military technology.
2. Failure of feudalism - sadly, their embrace of feudalism just didn't work out for the Rajput.
3. Love of fighting - unfortunately for them, the Rajput loved a good fight, as evident from their initial skirmishes with the White Huns, their clan-based heterogeneity and loyalty only to those clans, and their constant infighting. This was just too much conflict to maintain an empire, and they were scarcely able to fight a familiar foe as they were so busy fighting among themselves.
4. Caste system - the caste system of the Rajput, as one might expect, caused great resentment, fracturing the people even further. For example, only one caste was responsible for militarily defending the kingdom: the Kshatriyas.
5. Loss of resources - Again, due to the constant aggression against their neighbors, the Rajputs could not keep their wealth of resources.

The Rajput kingdoms perhaps provide valuable lessons for modern-day politicians: a divided society is as good as dead. However, the legacy they left from their proud warrior culture is evident in the myriad examples of striking art and architecture that can be found today in the Rajputistan region of India.

Rajputs were also revered by the British occupiers, who admired them for their loyalty and courage and found them ripe for collaboration. Interestingly, the British, before the Modern period, believed the Rajput shared heritage with white Europeans, even admiring their "Aryan" beauty and describing them as built like Greek statues. There was an affinity for the Rajputs among the British, though you can see their contradictions from the following quote: