Kachhwaha

Painting depicting Raja Man Singh Kacchwaha

The Kachhwaha is a Rajput clan found primarily in India. They claim to be descendants of Kusha, hence from the Suryavanshi (Solar) dynasty. The Kachhwahas ruled the Kingdom of Amber in present-day Rajasthan, India.

Etymology

According to Cynthia Talbot, Kachhwaha is a Sanskrit word which means tortoise. According to other sources, the clan name ‘Kacchwaha’ has been derived from the name of Kusha, Rama’s son, so they also claim descent from Rama’s son Kusha and thus from the Suryavanshi lineage.

Origin

Original Jharshahi Flag (Kovidar/kachnar dhvaj)

The Kacchwahas claim descent from Kusha, son of the Hindu God Rama{{. According to James Mills, the ancestors of Kacchwaha Rajputs had migrated from Kosala and established a new dynasty at Gwalior and later migrated to Rajasthan in 1028 AD. Some historians associate Dulha Rao, the founder of the Jaipur-Kachhwaha lineage, with the Kachchhapaghata dynasty of 10th century.

According to Rima Hooja, the Kachhwahas were initially referred to by names such as Kachhapaghata, Kachwaha and Katsawaha. The variant Kachawa became popular in the late 16th century during the reign of Raja Man Singh, a Mughal Subahdar of Bihar Subah (1587-1594), and of Bengal Subah (1595-1606. Several inscriptions and manuscripts, such as those found in Balvan, Chatsu, Sanganer and Rewasa are cited in support of this theory.

.

Sub-Clans

There are approximately 71 subclans of the Kachhwahas. The prominent ones are:

Notable people

Khoh Kingdom

Amber Kingdom

Jaipur State

Alwar State

Kohra Estate

Amethi Estate

Shekhawati Region

See also

•Rajput clans

•Rajputana

References

  1. ↑ Sen, Sailendra Nath (2007). Textbook of Indian History and Culture. New Delhi, India: Macmillan India Limited. p. 167. ISBN 978-1-4039-3200-6.
  2. ↑ The Rajput Palaces: The Development of an Architectural Style, 1450–1750 p. 88 – "the Kachwaha Rajputs (who had previously ruled in Gwalior) established themselves in an adjacent region, founding Dhundar as their capital in 967 AD ISBN 9780195647303."
  3. ↑ “Out of thirty six major clans of the Rajputs, ten belong to Suryavanshi (Sisodia, Rathor, Kachhwaha etc.) and ten to Chandravanshi”, Kumar Suresh Singh (1998). People of India: Rajasthan. Anthropological Survey of India. ISBN 978-81-7154-769-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ↑ “12. The suryavanshi are divided into three major clans: the Guhilot, Kachwaha and the Rathod (Karve 1965: 166).”, Maya Unnithan-Kumar (1997). Identity, Gender, and Poverty: New Perspectives on Caste and Tribe in Rajasthan. Berghahn Books. ISBN 978-1-57181-918-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ Metha, Arun (2004). History of Medieval India. ABD Publishers. ISBN 978-81-85771-95-3.
  6. ↑ Chakravarti, Anand (1975). Contradiction and Change: Emerging Patterns of Authority in a Rajasthan Village. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-560523-5.
  7. ↑ "Kingdom of Amber", Wikipedia, 29 June 2025, retrieved 1 August 2025
  8. ↑ Talbot, Cynthia (2015). "Imagining the Rajput Past in Mughal–era Mewar". The Last Hindu Emperor: Prithviraj Cauhan and the Indian Past, 1200–2000 (illustrated ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 146–182. doi:10.1017/CBO9781316339893.006. ISBN 9781316339893. This is a reference to Pajjun's family name, Kachhwaha, which means tortoise
  9. ↑ Prasad, Rajiv Nain. Raja Man Singh Of Amber.
  10. ↑ “Also, there are people in India by surname Kushwaha & Kachhwaha, who claims to be descendants of Lord Rama.”, Suresh Kumar Pareek (22 August 2024). Know the God through the Lens of Science. Notion Press. ISBN 979-8-89519-587-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ↑ “The Kachhwahas are suryavanshi (of the Sun dynasty), tracing their descent from Kush, son of Lord Rama.”, DK (2 November 2009). Great Monuments of India. Dorling Kindersley Limited. ISBN 978-1-4053-4782-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ↑ Bhatnagar, V. S. (1974). Life and Times of Sawai Jai Singh, 1688-1743. Impex India.
  13. ↑ Bahadur, Krishna Prakash (1977). Caste, Tribes & Culture of India. Ess Ess Publications.
  14. ↑ Nijjar, Bakhshish Singh (2008). Origins and History of Jats and Other Allied Nomadic Tribes of India: 900 B.C.-1947 A.D. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. ISBN 978-81-269-0908-7.
  15. ↑ Ahmad, Imtiaz (2002). "Mughal Governors of Bihar Under Akbar and Jahangir". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 63: 281–288. JSTOR 44158096.
  16. ↑ "Peshawar, Pakistan, 1980", Crossing the River Kabul, Potomac Books, pp. 153–155, doi:10.2307/j.ctt1p6jhvp.50, retrieved 24 December 2023
  17. ↑ History of Rajasthan by Rima Hooja Section:The Kachwahas of Dhoondhar p. 2 ISBN 9788129108906
  18. ↑ Meena, R. P. RPSC RAS Prelims: History of Rajasthan Complete Study Notes With MCQ. New Era Publication.
  19. ↑ Crooke, William (1896). The Tribes and Castes of the North-western Provinces and Oudh. Office of the superintendent of government printing.
  20. ↑ Aberigh-Mackay, George (1878). The Native Chiefs and Their States in 1877: A Manual of Reference. Times of India Steam Press.
  21. 1 2 Hooja, Rima (2006). A History of Rajasthan. Rupa & Company. ISBN 978-81-291-0890-6.
  22. ↑ Bayley, C. S. (2004). Chiefs and Leading Families in Rajputana. Asian Educational Services. ISBN 978-81-206-1066-8.

Further reading