Rawal Jaisal
Rawal Jaisal (r. c. 1153–1168), was a Bhati[1][2] Rajput[3] ruler of Jaisalmer who lived during the 12th century and founded the city of Jaisalmer and Jaisalmer state.
| Jaisal Singh | |
|---|---|
| Rawal | |
 Portrait of Rawal Jaisal inside Jaisalmer fort | |
| Predecessor | Rawal Dusaj |
| Successor | Vijayraj |
| Born | Jaisal Singh Bhati |
| Died | 1168 |
| Clan | Bhati |
| Father | Rawal Dusaj of Deowal |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Sixth in descent from Rawal Deoraj Bhati, he was the eldest son of Rawal Dusaj of Deoraj (Deorawul), which had its capital at Laudrava.[4] When his father appointed Jaisal's younger half-brother Vijayraj Lanjha as his successor, Vijayraj, upon ascending the throne, drove Jaisal out of the kingdom. Then Jaisal founded the Jaisalmer state and the city of Jaisalmer. He was married to daughter of Haibat Khan and named her as 'Somaldevi'.[5]
His descendants were Maharajas of Kapurthala State, Nabha State, Patiala State, Jind State and Faridkot State.[6][7]
Founding of Jaisalmer
While surveying Trikuta hill, a massive triangular rock rising more than 75 metres out of the surrounding sands, as a more secure location for a new capital, Rawal Jaisal met a sage called Eesul, who was staying on the rock. Upon learning that Jaisal was of Yaduvanshi descent, Eesul told him that according to ancient mythology Krishna and Bhima had come to this location for a ceremony, where Krishna had prophesied that a descendant of his Yaduvanshi clan would one day establish a kingdom here. Eesul showed him a spring which Krishna had created and his prophecy carved into a rock.[8] This rock still remains in a well in the Jaisalmer fort. Encouraged by this meeting Jaisal moved his capital to this location and established it in 1156[8] in the form of a mud fort and named it Jaisalmer after himself.
References
- Balfour, Edward (1885). The Cyclopædia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia. Original from Oxford University: B. Quaritch. p. 406.
- "Imperial Gazetteer2 of India, Volume 14, page 2 -- Imperial Gazetteer of India -- Digital South Asia Library".
- Martinelli, Antonio; Michell, George; Nath, Aman (14 October 2004). Princely Rajasthan: Rajput Palaces and Mansions. Harry N. Abrams. ISBN 9780865652408 – via Google Books.
- Balfour, Edward (1885). The Cyclopædia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia. Original from Oxford University: B. Quaritch. p. 406.
- Goel, Sita Ram (1994). Heroic Hindu Resistance to Muslim Invaders, 636 AD to 1206 AD. Voice of India. ISBN 978-81-85990-18-7.
- "History of Sidhu & Brar Clan". Robbie Brar's blog. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
- "Punjabi by nature: Punjab's Game of Thrones". HindustanTimes. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- Crump & Toh 1996, p. 208
Sources
- Crump, Vivien; Toh, Irene (1996). Rajasthan (hardback). London: Everyman Guides. p. 400 pages. ISBN 1-85715-887-3.