The history of human settlement in the western Indian state of Rajasthan dates back to about 100,000 years ago. Around 5000 to 2000 BCE many regions of Rajasthan belonged as the site of the Indus Valley Civilization. Kalibangan is the main Indus site of Rajasthan, here fire altars have been discovered, similar to those found at Lothal.Frontiers of the Indus Civilization
Around 2000 BCE, Sarasvati River flowed through the Aravalli Range in the state. During the Vedic Period present Rajasthan region known as Brahmavarta (The land created by the gods and lying between the divine rivers Saraswati and Drishadwati). Matsya kingdom (c. 1500–350 BCE) was one of the most important in the Vedic kingdom. The main ruler of kingdom was king Virata, who participated in Kurukshetra War by the side of Pandavas. After Vedic Period, Rajasthan was ruled by many Mahajanapadas includes- Matsya, Surasena, Kuru, Arjunayanas, Sivis and others.
The early medieval period saw the rise of Gurjara-Pratihara Empire from 700 to 1150 CE. Pratiharas acted as a barrier against the Muslim conquests from the 8th to the 11th century, it was the power of the Pratihara army that effectively barred the progress of the Arabs beyond the confines of Sindh, their only conquest for nearly 300 years.
Later some Rajput kingdoms such as the Chahamanas of Ajmer, Sisodias of Mewar, Rathores of Marwar, Gohils of Kathiawar and the Shekhawats of Shekhawati. Prithviraj Chauhan led a coalition with Gaurs who defeated the Ghurid army; the Gohils and Sisodia of Chittor, who continued to resist the Mughals against heavy odds eventually gave rise to the leadership of Maharana Hammir, Maharana Kumbha, Maharana Sanga, Maharana Pratap and Maharana Raj Singh.
In his long military career, Maharana Sanga achieved a series of unbroken successes against several neighbouring Muslim kingdoms, most notably the Lodi dynasty of Delhi. He united several Rajput clans for the first time since the Second Battle of Tarain in 1192 and marched against the Timurid ruler Babur. Maharana Pratap in the 16th century, both men became a symbol of Rajput valour against the Mughal invasions.
The other famous rulers of Rajasthan includes Maldeo Rathore of Marwar, Rai Singh of Bikaner and Kachhwaha rulers of Amber in Jaipur including Man Singh I and Sawai Jai Singh. While few other kingdoms who rose in the early modern period include the Godara and the Johiya of Jangaldesh, the Sinsinwars of Bharatpur State, and the Ranas of Dholpur. Suraj Mal was the greatest ruler of Bharatpur, Rajasthan. Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner State was the notable ruler of the modern period. His greatest achievement was the completion of the Gang Canal Project in 1927.
Among many of Rajasthan's most important architectural works are the Jantar Mantar, Dilwara Temples, Lake Palace Resort, City Palace of Jaipur, City Palace of Udaipur, Chittorgarh Fort, Jaisalmer Havelis and Kumbhalgarh also known as the Great Wall of India.
The British made several treaties with rulers of Rajasthan and also made allies out of local rulers, who were allowed to rule their princely states. This period was marked by famines and economic exploitation. The Rajputana Agency was a political office of the British Indian Empire dealing with a collection of native states in Rajputana.Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 16, p. 156.
After Indian Independence in 1947, the various princely states of Rajputana were integrated in seven stages to form the present day state of Rajasthan on 1 November 1956.
Periodization of Rajasthan history
Pre-historic period (Stone Age) Early Stone Age (c. 10,00,000 – 1,00,000 BCE) Middle Stone Age (c. 1,00,000 – 40,000 BCE) Later Stone Age (c. 40,000 – 8000 BCE) Neolithic Age (c. 8000 – 5000 BCE)
Proto-historic period (c. 5000 – 1500 BCE) Chalcolithic Age (c. 5000 – 3000 BCE) Bronze Age (c. 3000 – 1500 BCE)
Iron-Age and Ancient period (c. 1500 – 300 BCE) Vedic Period (c. 1500 – 600 BCE) Mahajanapadas and Tribal kingdoms (c. 600 BCE – 300 BCE) In this period Rajasthan was ruled by kingdoms including Sivi, Salwa, Malava, and others. These kingdoms also ruled under Maurya Empire.
Classical period (c. 300 BCE – 550 CE) Many tribal kingdoms ruled independently under Kushan Empire, Gupta Empire.
Early medieval period (c. 550 – 1000 CE) This period is also known as "Rajput Period", because of rise of many Rajput dynasties and kingdoms.
Late medieval period (c. 1000 – 1568 CE) This period marked by struggles and resistance against Muslim expansion by Rajput kingdoms.
Modern period (c. 1568–1947 CE) Mughal invasions and resistance against them. (c. 1568–1720) Maratha influences (c. 1720–1817) Princely states of Rajputana ruled under the British Empire (c. 1817 – 1947)
Post-independence period (c. 1947 onwards) Unification of Rajasthan (c. 1948 – 1956)
Proto-historic period (c. 5000–1500 BCE)
Indus Valley Civilisation
Sindhu–Saraswati civilization, or the Indus Valley Civilisation, was a Bronze Age civilisation in the northwestern regions of India, lasting from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE, and in its mature form from 2600 BCE to 1900 BCE.
Baror (Sri Ganganagar) and Karanpura (Hanumangarh) are major Indus-Valley Civilization sites of Rajasthan.
Kalibangān civilization
Kalibangān is a town located in Tehsil Pilibangān in Hanumangarh district. It is also identified as being established in the triangle of land at the confluence of Drishadvati and Sarasvati River. The prehistoric and Pre-Mauryan character of Indus Valley civilization was first identified by Luigi Tessitori at this site. Kalibangan's excavation report was published in its entirety in 2003 by the Archaeological Survey of India, 34 years after the completion of excavations.
The report concluded that Kalibangan was a major provincial capital of the Indus Valley Civilization. Kalibangan is distinguished by its unique "fire altars" and world's earliest attested "ploughed field".It is around 2900 BCE that the region of Kalibangan developed into what can be considered a planned city.
The Kalibangan pre-historic site was discovered by Luigi Pio Tessitori, an Italian Indologist (1887–1919). He was doing some research in ancient Indian texts and was surprised by the character of ruins in that area. He sought help from John Marshall of the Archaeological Survey of India.
The excavation unexpectedly brought to light a twofold sequence of cultures, of which the upper one (Kalibangan I) belongs to the Harappan, showing the characteristic grid layout of a metropolis and the lower one (Kalibangan II) was formerly called pre-Harappan but is now called "Early Harappan or antecedent Harappan". Other nearby sites belonging to IVC include Balu, Kunal, Banawali etc.
Ganeshwar civilization
Ganeshwar is located near the copper mines of the Sikar-Jhunjhunu area of the Khetri copper belt in Rajasthan. The Ganeshwar-Jodhpura culture has over 80 other sites currently identified.Hooja, Rima. "The Transition to Food Production." In A History of Rajasthan, 206-08. New Delhi: Rupa, 2006
The period was estimated to be 3000–2000 BCE. Historian Ratna Chandra Agrawala wrote that Ganeshwar was excavated in 1977. Excavations revealed copper objects including arrowheads, spearheads, fish hooks, bangles and chisels. With its microliths and other stone tools, Ganeshwar culture can be ascribed to the pre-Harappan period.
Ganeshwar saw three cultural phases: Period 1 (3800 BCE) which was characterized by hunting and gathering communities using chert tools Period II (2800 BCE) shows the beginnings of metal work in copper and fired clay pottery Period III (1800 BCE) featured a variety of pottery and copper goods being produced.Joshi, M.C, ed. "Indian Archaeology: 1987-88 A Review." Archaeological Survey of India, 1992, 101-02. Accessed 7 March 2018. asi.nic.in/nmma_reviews/Indian Archaeology 1987-88 A Review.pdf
Ancient and Classical Period (c. 1500 BCE – 550 CE)
Matsya kingdom (c. 1400 – 350 BCE)
Matsya kingdom was one of the Early Vedic age Janapada, in time which developed into a proper kingdom in Later Vedic age. The kingdom was also a part of solasa (sixteen) Mahajanapadas (great kingdoms). Painted Grey Ware culture (PGW) chiefdoms in the region were succeeded by Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW) from c. 700–500 BCE, associated with the rise of the great mahajanapada states (mahajanapada states Kuru, Panchala, Matsya, Surasena and Vatsa)
It was located in central India near Kuru. It was founded by Matsya Dwaita, a son of the great emperor Uparachira Vasu.
Geography
To the north of Central Matsya was Kuru. Kuru territories like Yakrilloma were located to the east. To its west was Salwa, and to its northwest was Mahothha. Nishada, Nishadha, and Kuru territories like Navarashtra were located in south of Matsya.
History and role in Kurukshetra War
The entire Matsya royal family came to fight for the Pandavas in the Mahabharata war. Virata came with his brothers, Uttara, and Shankha. Shweta also came from the south with his son Nirbhita.
On the first day, Uttara died fighting Shalya. At the death of his half-brother, Shweta was infuriated and started wreaking havoc in the Kuru armies. Bhishma came and killed him. On the seventh day, Dronacharya killed Shankha and Nirbhita. On the fifteenth day, Dronacharya killed Virata. All of Virata's brothers also died fighting Dronacharya. The remnant of the Matsya army was slaughtered at midnight by Ashwastamma on the eighteenth day.
By the late Vedic period, they ruled a kingdom located south of the Kurus, and west of the Yamuna river which separated it from the kingdom of the Panchalas. It roughly corresponded to Jaipur in Rajasthan, and included the whole of Hindaun, Alwar with portions of Bharatpur as well as South Haryana. The capital of Matsya was at Viratanagari (present-day Bairat) which is said to have been named after its founder king, Virata.
Matsya Union
In the modern era, another United States of Matsya was a brief union of four princely states of Bharatpur, Dholpur, Alwar and Karauli temporarily put together from 1947 to 1949. Shobha Ram Kumawat of Indian National Congress was the first and last chief minister of the State from 18 March 1948 until 15 May 1949. Maharaja of Dholpur became its Rajpramukh.
On 15 May 1949, the Matsya Union was merged with Greater Rajasthan, to form the United State of Rajasthan, which later became the state of Rajasthan on 26 January 1950.
Ancient kingdoms (c. 700 BCE – 550 CE)
Northern Rajasthan region Salwa Yaudheya Kanyaka kingdom Dwaita kingdom Amvastha kingdom
Eastern Rajasthan region Nishadha Arjunayanas
Central Rajasthan region Nishadas
Western Rajasthan region Abhira Sudra Sivi kingdom Sindhu kingdom
Southern Rajasthan region Malava Gurjara kingdom Kunti kingdom
These warrior kingdoms defeated many foreign invaders like Saka, Huna, and others.
Foreign empires invasion (c. 100 – 300 CE)
These foreign empires Satraps, Kushans and Hunas invade and ruled some regions of western and northeast Rajasthan.
They also face strong opposition from indigenous kingdoms like Sivis, Arjunayanas, Yaudheya and Malavas. Later these foreign kingdoms were defeated by the Satavahanas and the Guptas.
Early Medieval period (c. 550–1000 CE)
Gurjara-Pratihara Empire (c. 550–1036 CE)