Dhundhar

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Dhundhar (ढ़ूंढ़ाड़) or Dhundhad (ढ़ूंढ़ाड़)is the region of Jaipur around Dhundh River. ढ़ूंढ़ नदी के निकटवर्ती भू-भाग को ढ़ूंढ़ाड़ (जयपुर) कहते हैं. Dudi Jats gave name to Dhund River also founded Dhundhar and Dudiya Khera towns in Jaipur region. Jaipur region, in later times was also known as Kachwaha Kingdom, Amber Kingdom, Jaipur Kingdom) is an historical region of Rajasthan state in western India. It includes the districts of Jaipur, Dausa, Sawai Madhopur, and Tonk and the northern part of Karauli District. The region lies in east-central Rajasthan, and is bounded by the Aravalli Range on the northwest, Ajmer to the west, Mewar region to the southwest, Hadoti region to the south, and Alwar, Bharatpur, and Karauli districts to the east.

Geography

In 1900, at the times of Jaipur Kingdom, region had a total area of 15,579 square miles (40,349 km²).

The southern and central portions of the region lie in the basin of the Banas River and its tributaries, including the Dhund River, which gives its name to the region. The northern portion of the region is drained by the Ban Ganga River, which originates in Jaipur district and flows east to join the Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh state.

History

The Meenas kings were the early rulers of Dhundhar and later on the region was governed by the Kachwaha dynasty of Rajputs, claiming descent from Rama, king of Ayodhya. Kachwahas ruled from the 11th century until after India's independence in 1947. The Kachwaha kingdom, whose first capital was at Dausa then Amber, was later known as Jaipur, after the new capital established in 1727 by Maharaja Jai Singh II (ruled 1700-1743).

The state is said to have been founded in the eleventh century or 1097 by Dūhaladeva (popularly known by his folk name of Tejkaranj -'the Bridegroom prince'), who hailed from Gwalior; he and his Kachwaha kinsmen are said to have absorbed or driven out the local Meenas and Bargujar Rajput chiefs. The Meenas became a key ally of the Kachwahas. Their original capital in the Dhundhar region was Dausa, then Jamwa Ramgarh then Amber before the shift to Jaipur.

Throughout the disintegration of the Mughal Empire, the armies of Jaipur were constantly at war. Towards the end of the 18th century, the Jats of Bharatpur and the chief of Alwar (also a Kachwaha) declared themselves independent from Jaipur and each annexed the eastern portion of Jaipur's territory. This period of Jaipur's history is characterized by internal power-struggles and constant military conflicts with the Marathas, Jats, other Rajput states, as well as the British and the Pindaris (Jaipur's former mercenary allies). Nevertheless, enough wealth remained in Jaipur for the patronage of fine temples/palaces, continuity of its courtly traditions and the well-being of its citizens and merchant communities.

Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II (1922-1949) acceded the state of Jaipur to the Government of India in 1948, shortly after India's independence. Jaipur then became the capital of Rajasthan.

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