Page 12 - SST Class 07
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TRIPARTITE STRUGGLE the great fire pit near Ajmer. The Rajput’s habits
of eating meat (except beef) and other traits
The term tripartite means anything involving three suggest both foreign and aboriginal origins.
parties. The struggle for power among the Gurjara-
Pratiharas, the Palas and the Rashtrakutas is Tomars
known as tripartite struggle . The Tomars rose to power in the 8th century.
Many of the campaigns in North India were over They founded the city of Dhillika (present day
the city of Kannauj. This was because it was Delhi). They were small rulers of parts of Delhi
situated at such a situation that whoever and Haryana. They were defeated by the
controlled Kannauj controlled Ganga valley—a Chauhans.
very fertile region. Chauhans (Chahamanas)
In the early decades of 8th century, Kannauj was The area of influence of the Chauhans was Delhi
ruled by Ayudha rulers. They were too weak in and Ajmer. The most important Chauhan ruler
comparison to their contemporaries like Gurjara- was Prithviraj Chauhan (1179-1192 AD). It was
Pratiharas who were the rulers of Rajputana, Palas during his rule that Muhammad Ghori attacked
who were the rulers of Bengal and Rashtrakutas India. Prithviraj Chauhan defeated this invader in
who were the rulers of Deccan. They were bound 1191 in the battle of Tarain, but he committed a
to bow before their powerful contemporaries. All grave mistake. He did not force to get Punjab
of them had a tempting eye on Kannauj. It freed from the invader. As a consequence,
resulted in regular conflict among the three Muhammad Ghori attacked the very next year
powers. This struggle continued for about a with due preparation and defeated Prithviraj
century in an uncommon and interesting manner. Chauhan in 1192 AD at the same place.
Kannauj was sometimes under one authority and Unfortunately, other Indian kings did not help
sometimes under the other. After about a struggle Prithviraj Chauhan at this time, and this laid the
of hundred years ultimately the Gurjara-Pratiharas foundation of the Muslim rule in India and
succeeded in conquering Kannauj. increased invasions from the north-western
frontier.
THE RAJPUTS
The exploits of Prithviraj
A number of Rajput kingdoms also emerged Chauhan have been written by
during this period. Some people call them Chand Bardai in the famous
descendants of the Central Asian tribes who book Prithviraj Raso .
settled in India after the Hun invasion. The
Rajputs however claim themselves to be Info Bits Prithviraj Chauhan
Info Bits
Kshatriyas or Aryans or those born in Agnikula.
They believed themselves to be the descendants It is believed that Prithviraj Chauhan was caught
of the Sun God (Suryavansha), the Moon God and blinded by Muhammad Ghori. He planned with
(Chandravansha) and from ancient kings. The his poet friend, Chand Bardai, to kill Muhammad
prominent Rajput rulers were—Tomars, Solankis, Ghori because Prithviraj Chauhan had the ability to
Chauhans, Parmaras, Chandelas and Gahadavalas. shoot his target even with his closed eyes, and he
succeeded in it.
Info Bits Solankis
Info Bits
q The word Rajput is taken from Sanskrit word The Solankis ruled in the region of Kathiawar and
raja-putra which means son of a king. its surrounding areas. They are also known as the
Chalukyas of Gujarat. They built the Dilwara
q The Rajputs are divided between the Solar and Temple at Mount Abu and the Sun Temple at
Lunar races and these claiming to come from
Modhera.
Contemporary Social Science-7
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