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Glossary Terms
| Term (EN) | Definition | Exam Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Chahamana (Chauhan) | Rajput dynasty ruling from Ajmer (c. 800–1192 CE); reached peak under Prithviraj III; fought two Battles of Tarain against Muhammad Ghori | High |
| Prithviraj Raso | Medieval Rajasthani epic composed by court poet Chand Bardai; chronicles Prithviraj III's campaigns and court; foundational document of Rajasthani literature | High |
| Battle of Tarain (1192) | Decisive battle where Muhammad Ghori defeated Prithviraj III; marks beginning of Delhi Sultanate period; end of Rajput political supremacy in north India | High |
| Guhila / Sisodia | Ruling dynasty of Mewar (Chittorgarh); one of Rajasthan's oldest continuous lineages; Bappa Rawal (c. 728 CE) established Mewar sovereignty; Sisodias from 1326 CE | High |
| Bappa Rawal | Guhila founder (c. 713–753 CE) credited with defeating Arab forces post-712 CE; established Eklingji temple; began Mewar rulers' identity as Shiva's steward | High |
| Rana Kumbha | Mewar ruler (1433–1468 CE); defeated Malwa Sultan at Sarangpur; built Kumbhalgarh fort; composed Sangita-raja; erected Vijay Stambha (1448 CE) | High |
| Vijay Stambha | Tower of Victory (1448 CE) at Chittorgarh; 9 storeys, 37 metres; 157 sculptural panels; appears on Rajasthan's state emblem; built by Rana Kumbha | High |
| Sangita-raja | Musicological treatise in 5 books authored by Rana Kumbha; covers Patha, Gita, Vadya, Nritya, and Rasa Ratna; most cited cultural achievement of any Rajput ruler in RPSC PYQs | High |
| Kumbhalgarh Fort | Fort in Rajsamand built by Rana Kumbha; 36-km perimeter wall (2nd longest in world); UNESCO World Heritage (2013); contains 360 temples | High |
| Rana Sanga (Rana Sangram Singh) | Mewar ruler (1508–1528 CE); assembled 100,000-strong pan-Rajput confederacy; lost Battle of Khanwa (1527) to Babur's Timurid artillery; ended Rajput political hegemony hopes | High |
| Battle of Khanwa (1527) | Battle 37 km west of Agra; Babur's tulugma cavalry tactics and artillery defeated Rana Sanga's confederacy; confirmed Mughal strategic supremacy in India | High |
| Maharana Pratap | Mewar ruler (1572–1597 CE); refused Mughal suzerainty; Battle of Haldighati (1576); 25-year guerrilla resistance from Aravalli forests; re-established capital at Chavand | High |
| Haldighati | Mountain pass near Khamnor (Rajsamand); site of 18 June 1576 battle; tactically inconclusive but symbolically critical in Mewar resistance narrative | High |
| Chetak | Maharana Pratap's horse; wounded in Haldighati battle, carried Pratap to safety before dying; symbol of Rajput loyalty and sacrifice; cenotaph at Haldighati | Medium |
| Rathore Dynasty | Ruling dynasty of Marwar (Jodhpur); traced to Siahaji (c. 1212 CE from Kanauj); consolidated by Rao Jodha (founded Jodhpur 1459 CE) | High |
| Meherangarh Fort | Fort founded 1459 CE by Rao Jodha in Jodhpur; rises 122 metres on natural rock; contains Moti Mahal, Phool Mahal, Sheesh Mahal; tested in RPSC Mains 2024 | High |
| Kachhwaha Dynasty | Ruling dynasty of Amber-Jaipur; Man Singh I (Akbar ally; 7,000-zat mansab); Sawai Jai Singh II (founded Jaipur 1727; built Jantar Mantar) | High |
| Jauhar | Self-immolation by Rajput women to avoid capture/dishonour during fort sieges; performed at Chittorgarh three times (1303, 1534, 1568); symbol of Rajput honour code | High |
| Jaipur (Planned City) | Founded 1727 CE by Sawai Jai Singh II on Bhoomikar 9-sector grid; pink sandstone uniformity; UNESCO Walled City inscription 2019; India's first systematically planned capital city | High |
| Jantar Mantar | Five astronomical observatories built by Sawai Jai Singh II (1724–1735 CE); Jaipur Jantar Mantar has 19 instruments including 27m Samrat Yantra; UNESCO 2010 | High |
| Prithviraj III | Last great Chauhan ruler (r. 1179–1192 CE); won First Battle of Tarain (1191); lost Second Battle of Tarain (1192) to Ghori; patronised Chand Bardai's Raso | High |
| Hammiradeva | Last Chauhan ruler of Ranthambhor (r. 1282–1301); refused to surrender Mongol asylum-seeker Muhammad Shah to Alauddin Khalji; fort fell 11 July 1301; immortalised in Hammiramahakavya | High |
| Dilwara Temples | Jain temples at Mount Abu (11th–13th centuries); finest Maru-Gurjara Jain architecture; Vimal Vasahi (1031 CE) and Luna Vasahi (1231 CE) in white marble | High |
| Bhati Dynasty | Ruling dynasty of Jaisalmer; Rao Jaisal founded Jaisalmer fort (1156 CE) on Trikuta Hill; medieval trade-route camel hub; 12th–15th century Jain temples inside fort | Medium |
| Tulugma Tactics | Timurid flanking cavalry tactic used by Babur at Khanwa (1527); simultaneous encirclement from both wings while artillery attacked the centre; decisive against Rana Sanga's traditional infantry | Medium |
Topic 2 of 138 | Paper I, Unit 1 — History | Generated: 2026-04-06