Tomar or Tanwar (also called Tomara, Tuar, Tur and Toor) is a clan of Rajputs that ruled parts of Northern India at different times. The Tomar Rajputs claim descent from Chandravanshi lineage and Pandavas, especially Arjuna of Mahabharata.
Initially, they ruled over Delhi until the 12th century when the territory was taken over by the Chahamanas (Chauhan) Rajputs of Shakambhari. After this some branches of the Tomars migrated and established the Tomara Rajput Dynasty of Gwalior in central India, ruling from the 14th to the 16th centuries. While some refused to migrate and settled around parts of Delhi. Those Tomars who didn’t migrate, settled in parts of Delhi, in Haryana, the ‘Torahwati region’, and in Western Uttar Pradesh, the ‘Satha Chaurasi’ (Satha-84) region’, while the settlement of Tomars who migrated to Gwalior came to be known as ‘Tomargarh’ that includes Bhind, Morena and Gwalior of Madhya Pradesh. Some Tomars also ruled on others parts such as Tanwarawati (Toravati) state of Patan, Rajasthan, Nurpur state of Himachal Pradesh and Beja state of Shimla.
They were renowned for patronising arts, music, and architecture. Some examples of the Tomar Rajput architecture includes Man Mandir, Gujari Mahal of Gwalior fort, Lal Kot or Qila Rai Pithora, Anang Tal Baoli, Suraj kund, Yogmaya temple, Asigarh fort, Tahangarh fort (Tribhuvan Pal Naresh), Patan fort, forts of Ballabhgarh, Badalgarh & Mahendragarh (Narnaul). Famous musician Tansen learnt music in Gwalior city and initially began his career as a musician in the court of Raja Man Singh Tomar.
Some sub-clans of the Tomar Rajputs include,
- Pathania Tomars- ruled the Nurpur Kingdom of Himachal Pradesh.
- Zarral/Jarral Tomars- fought against Muhammad Ghori in the battles of Tarain as allies of Prithviraj Chauhan. They ruled the Rajouri part of Jammu Kashmir.
- Janjua Tomars- derived their name from the word meaning “aggressive warrior”. They ruled the Beja Kingdom situated in Himalayan foothills, bordered by Patiala and Mahlog.
- Jhaghara Tomars- this sub-clan name was derived from the word meaning “the men hungry for war". They separated from the main Tomar branch after Delhi was given to the Chauhans.
- Jatu Tomars- descendents of Thakur Jatu Singh Tanwar. This branch ruled and formed their villages in Haryana.