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Lal Kot - the first fortified city of Delhi, built by the Tomar (Tanwar) Gurjar ruler Anangpal Tomar. A symbol of the dynasty that laid the foundations of Delhi. Laal Kot Fort was the first fortified city of Delhi. It was built by the Gujjar chief, Maharaja Anangpal Tomar II of the Tomara (Tanwar) dynasty around the mid-11th century (c. 1050-1060 CE).

It served as:

-The capital of the Tomar Kingdom.

- A massive defensive fortress protecting Delhi.

-The earliest known fortified urban settlement of medieval Delhi.

Later, in the late 12th century, Prithviraj Chauhan III expanded Laal Kot by building a larger outer fortification, which became known as Qila Rai Pithora.

Today, the surviving walls of Laal Kot are considered the oldest surviving fortifications in Delhi, marking the beginning of Delhi's long history as a major political center.

The Tomara (Tanwar/Tomar/Tur) dynasty was a Gurjar dynasty known for ruling regions of present-day Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. The most famous rulers of this dynasty were Anangpal I and Anangpal II. They are credited with establishing Anangpur and re-establishing Delhi (now the capital of India). Villages of the Tomara Gurjars still exist in Delhi and surrounding areas. The Tomars ruled roughly from the 8th century CE to the mid-12th century CE. (Credit: @gurjara.imperium (ig))

Left to Right: Raja Pranav Singh Landhora of Landhaura Estate with His Highness Maharaja Ranjeet Singh Judeo lll of Samthar State

- Samthar State: was an 11-gun salute princely state in the Bundelkhand region of present-day Uttar Pradesh. Its capital was Samthar (formerly known as Samshergarh). During the British period, it formed part of the Bundelkhand Agency under the Central India Agency. It was ruled by the Khatana Dynasty of the Gurjar community.

- Landhora Estate: also known as Landhaura Riyaasat, was one of the largest Estates in the Upper Doab, located in present-day Uttarakhand, with its capital at Landhaura. The estate was founded by a Gurjar chief of the Panwar clan (Branch: Khubar).

- Relation between the 2 kingdoms:

The Samthar State and the Landhaura (Landhora) Estate were both important Gurjar-ruled polities. Rajmata Krishna Kumari Panwar ji was married to His Highness Maharaja Radha Charan Singh Judeo, the last official ruler of Samthar State.

The palace was built by Raja Kheemchand Mawai of Dhanpura. This magnificent haveli served as the seat of his administration and the political, cultural, and residential center of the Mawai rulers. It stood as a symbol of their authority, heritage, and architectural legacy, remaining the heart of their rule for generations.

Photo 1: A close-up of the 12th-century inscription of King Vigraharaja IV (Visaladeva) of the Chahamana (Chauhan) dynasty, engraved on the Delhi-Topra pillar. The inscription, written in Sanskrit and Nagari script, commemorates the king's achievements and is an important epigraphic source for the history of 12th-century North India.

Photo 2: A portrait of Gurjar Samarat Bisal Dev Chauhan (Vighraraja lV)

Gurjaras or Nandipuri Gurjaras) were a prominent Gurjar dynasty that ruled the Lata region of southern Gujarat, India, from approximately 580 CE to 738 CE.

The dynasty was a branch of the wider Gurjara clans originating from the Gurjadesa/Gurjaratra region. They were historically centered in Nandipuri (identified with modern Nandod near Bharuch). The line was established by Dadda Gurjar l.

The Gurjaras of Lata are primarily famous for three historical achievements: repelling early Arab invasions, issuing highly detailed copper-plate grants, and maintaining a strategic buffer zone between warring empires in early medieval India.

A sandstone victory scene relief attributed to the 10th-century Gurjara Chahamana (Chauhan) dynasty, discovered in Sikar, Rajasthan. The panel depicts armed warriors engaged in battle and is an example of late medieval north Indian sculptural art. It is generally dated to the 10th century CE and reflects the martial iconography associated with the Chahamanas.

These are the ruins of Gurjargarh Fort, also known as the Sadholi (Sadhauli Hariya) Fort or Saharanpur Gurjargarh Fort, located in present-day Sadhauli Hariya, Saharanpur district, Uttar Pradesh.

According to the traditions preserved by the royal family, the fort was built in the 18th century by the Panwar (Parmar) Gurjar rulers of the Khubar branch. The dynasty traces its ancestry to Maharaja Jograj Singh Gurjar, remembered in family tradition as a warrior who resisted the invasion of Timur in the Saharanpur region. The last ruler of the state was Maharaja Hari Singh Panwar, popularly known as Raja Hariya Gurjar or Raja Hariya Singh, a cousin of Raja Ram Dayal Singh Panwar of Landhora Estate. During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, he fought against the British in the Saharanpur region. Family accounts state that, after prolonged resistance, British forces-supported by allied princely states-overpowered his army. Raja Hariya escaped into the forests with his family, after which the British demolished much of Gurjargarh Fort. Only these ruins survive today.

The village Sadhauli Hariya is said to have been named after Raja Hariya Singh. Family records further state that he was eventually captured by the British and martyred in 1870. His son, Rai Sahib Kunwar Asa Ram Panwar, later served as a magistrate. The Panwar lineage continued through his four sons: Kunwar Mansa Ram Panwar, Kunwar Atma Ram Panwar, Kunwar IPS Sangat Singh Panwar, and Kunwar Shyam Singh Panwar.

Information shared by Kunwar Hardik Singh Khatana, great-grandson of Kunwar Shyam Singh Panwar.

Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri, MVC, VSM (22 November 1940-17 November 2018) was a decorated General Officer in the Indian Army. Kuldip Singh Chandpuri was born on 22 November 1940 in a Sikh Gurjar family in Montgomery, Punjab, British India (now in Punjab, Pakistan). His family then moved to their native village, Chandpur Rurki, in Balachaur. He was an active member of the NCC and cleared the NCC examination when he graduated from the Government College, Hoshiarpur in 1962.

Chandpuri was the third generation in his family who have served in the Indian Army as officers. Both his younger uncles were flying officers in the Indian Air Force. Chandpuri was the only child of his parents.

He is known for his bravery and leadership in the Battle of Longewala during the India-Pakistan war of 1971, for which he was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, the second highest Indian military decoration, by the Indian government. The 1997 Hindi film Border was based on the battle, with his role played by Sunny Deol. He was a councillor in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation from 2006 to 2011.

Credit - @pradhan_editz x @gurjara.imperium (Instagram)

Captain Madan Pal Chauhan was a highly decorated officer and war hero of the Indian Army who made the ultimate sacrifice during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War. Serving as an Air Observation Post (AOP) pilot, he displayed exceptional tactical brilliance and valor on the Western front, crucially halting enemy momentum. He hailed from Jasala village located in the Shamli district of Uttar Pradesh, India. He served as a pilot in the Air Observation Post (AOP), flying light unarmed aircraft deep behind enemy lines to spot artillery targets and gather vital intelligence. The 1971 Shakargarh Battle: On 9 December 1971, at just 27 years of age, Captain Chauhan orchestrated and directed a massive airstrike during the fierce tank battles on the Shakargarh front. His accurate targeting and relentless guiding of firepower single-handedly disabled and destroyed 40 Pakistani tanks within a two-hour window, completely breaking the enemy’s advance. In recognition of his supreme courage, leadership, and operational brilliance under intense enemy fire, he was posthumously awarded the Vir Chakra (VrC), India's third-highest wartime gallantry decoration.

Sadhguru Bhola Ram Ji Maharaj

Born into the Bhati Gotra of the Gurjar community, Sadhguru Bhola Ram Ji Maharaj belonged to the Karoliya Bhati lineage. His ancestors are believed to have migrated to Rajasthan from Bhatner-Dadri, a historic principality associated with the Bhati Gurjars.

A revered saint and spiritual guide, Maharaj Ji dedicated his life to devotion, wisdom, and the upliftment of society. His teachings continue to inspire countless devotees, and his sacred samadhi remains a place of deep faith and श्रद्धा.

The Forgotten Garh of The Chauhan Bagdawat Gurjars

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Hidden in the historic lands of Malwa stands a place that is more than a fort — it is a symbol of faith, heritage, and centuries-old legacy.

This ancient fort belonged to the Bagdawat Gurjars of the Chauhan clan and houses a sacred temple dedicated to Bhagwan Devnarayan Gurjar Ji. It is believed that this temple, dating back to the 12th century, was completed by Dillipati Gurjar Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan Ji in honour of his ancestor, Bhagwan Devnarayan Ji.

The region around this Garh was once the stronghold of the Khatana Gurjars. The ruler of this land was Raja Dooda Ji Khatana, whose daughter, Princess Sadu Satwanti Ji Khatana, was married into the Chauhan Gurjar lineage with the great warrior Rawat Rao Swai Bhoj Ji Bagdawat.

The bond between the Khatana and Chauhan Gurjars became a part of history — the Khatana Gurjars supported and protected the Chauhan lineage, preserving their clan and providing them land and shelter, including Gotha Nagari.

The walls of this temple preserve detailed records — the lineage, clan, expenses of construction in different years, and even accounts of the Brahmins who were fed. Every detail was documented.

Even today, this entire region remains connected with the Chauhan Gurjar heritage.

A sacred stone inside this temple, now covered with steel, is believed by devotees to be a slab brought from the sea near Dwarka.

The priests of this temple traditionally belong to the Bagdawat Gurjar community of the Chauhan clan. It is also believed that the Raj Gaddi (royal throne) of Bhagwan Devnarayan Bagdawat Gurjar Ji is preserved here — a place where devotees feel the divine presence of Devnarayan Ji even today.

This is not just a monument — it is a living chapter of Gurjar history, devotion, and ancestral memory.

212 Years old haveli of Bhati Gurjar Zamindars

Descendant of Raja Rao Kasal Singh Bhati

His Highness Maharaja Chhatar Singh Deo Bahadur (8 October 1843 – 16 June 1896), also known as HH Maharaja Chhatar Singh Judeo Khatana and Raja Bahadur, was the 7th Raja and the 1st Maharaja of Samthar State. He reigned from 3 February 1865 until his death on 16 June 1896. He was succeeded by his son, His Highness Maharaja Sir Bir Singh Ju Deo.

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1st Photo: Original photograph of His Highness Maharaja Chhatar Singh Deo Bahadur.

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2nd Photo: AI-generated colourised image of Maharaja Sahib.

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Samthar State

Ruling House: Khatana Dynasty

Ruler's Title: His Highness Maharaja

First Raja: Raja Madan Singh Khatana (also known as Rajdhar Madan Singh Khatana, Madan Singh Gurjar, or Madan Singh Rajdhar)

Last Official Ruler: His Highness Maharaja Radha Charan Singh Judeo

Current Titular Maharaja: His Highness Maharaja Samarjeet Singh Judeo

Salute: 11-Gun Salute

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#samtharstate #princelystate #gurjar #khatana #samthar