Origin of ‘Singh’ surname: The Hindu Rajputs

[KALKI]

Singh is a title, middle name, or surname which originated in the Indian subcontinent.

The word Singh means lion from the Sanskrit, the name is used as a surname to represent males and not females, it has been used as a word meant to represent the lion.

The Hindu Rajputs started using Singh in preference to the classical epithet of "Varman". Among the Rajputs, the use of the word Simha came into vogue among the Paramaras of Malwa in 10th century CE, among the Guhilots and the Kachwahas of Narwar in the 12th century CE, and the Rathores of Marwar after the 17th century.

By the sixteenth century, "Singh" had become a popular surname among Rajputs.


Facts:

Sikh Guru Nanak was born: 1469


Singh surname was adopted by the Sikhs in 1699, as per the instructions of Guru Gobind Singh.

Singh is used by all baptized male Sikhs, regardless of their geographical or cultural binding; the women use Kaur.


3 well known Hindu warriors with the surname Singh (before the creation of the Sikh religion).

Hammir Singh (1326–1364)

Kshetra Singh (1364–1382)

Lakha Singh (1382–1421)

[KALKI]

Rana Hammir (1314–78), or Hammir, was a 14th-century ruler
of Mewar in present-day Rajasthan, India.

Father: Ari Singh
Birthdate: estimated between 1226 and 1286
Death: 1303



Following an invasion by the Delhi sultanate at the turn of the 13th century, the ruling Guhilot clan had been displaced from Mewar. Hammir Singh, who belonged to an impoverished cadet branch of that clan, regained control of the region, re-established the dynasty after defeating the Tughlaq dynasty, and became the first of his dynasty to use the royal title 'Rana'.

Hammir also became the progenitor of the Sisodia clan, a branch of the Guhilot clan, to which every succeeding Maharana of Mewar has belonged.

He built the Annapoorna Mata temple located in the Chittor Fort in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan

was the first ruler using the title Rana before his name. He belonged to the Guhilot dynasty.[citation needed] After an invasion by the Delhi sultanate at the turn of the 13th century, the ruling Guhilot dynasty had been removed from Mewar. Rana Hammir belonged to a cadet branch of that clan; however regained control of the region, re-established the dynasty, and also became the propounder of the Sisodia dynasty clan, a branch of the Guhila dynasty, to which every succeeding Maharana of Mewar belonged.[citation needed]

A distant kinsman of Rawal Ratan Singh, by name 'Laksha' or Lakshman Singh, joined Rawal Ratan Singh against invasion of Delhi Sultan Alauddin Khilji. He died along with his seven sons performed saka (fighting to death), while their women committed jauhar (self-immolation in preference to becoming enemy captives). Laksha was descended in direct patrician lineage from Bappa Rawal, and hence belonged to the Gehlot(Guhilot) clan. Laksha came from the village of Sisoda near the town of Nathdwara and thus his children came to be known as 'Sisodia'. Laksha had nine(or Eight) sons, of whom the eldest, Ari, married Urmila, a pretty lady from the nearby village of Unnava, who belonged to a poor Rajput family of the Chandana clan. Rana Hammir was the only child of this couple.

Both Laksha and Ari died while defending Chittor under leadership of Rawal Ratan Singh and left behind young Hammir. He was almost an infant, however grew up under the guidance of his uncle Ajay(who too was engaged in same war and was saved as he got injured), the second son of Laksha. Rana Hammir gave his uncle an initial proof of his bravery when, at a young age, he killed a treacherous King of kantaliya named Munja balecha (chouhan of bali State) who was causing chaos in the nearby area. It is said that this event impressed his uncle that he immediately bestowed on Hammir with the claims of ruler ship.

The Khaljis had allocated their newly acquired territories to the administration of Maldev, ruler of the nearby state of Jalore, who had associated with them during the war years. In a requirement to settle and co-opt the citizens of the land to his rule, Maldev arranged for the marriage of his widowed daughter Songari with Rana Hammir, the scion of an impoverished cadet branch of the erstwhile ruling dynasty. Rana Hammir Singh thus re-established the state of Mewar in 1326 and engineered a coup d'état against his father-in-law. The dynasty thus founded by Hammir came to be known as Sisodia after the mountain village where Rana Hammir belonged

Conflict against the Tughluq dynasty

The Rajput bardic chroniclers such as Nainsi (17th century) claim that amid the turmoil caused by the end of the Khalji dynasty in Delhi, Hammir Singh gained control of Mewar. He evicted Maldev's son Jaiza, the Chauhan vassal of the Delhi Sultantate, from Mewar. Jaiza fled to Delhi, prompting the Delhi Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq to march against Hammir singh. According to Muhnot Nainsi, Hammir Singh defeated Tughluq near the Singoli village, and imprisoned the Sultan . He then released the Sultan three months later, after the Sultanate ceded to him Ajmer, Ranthambor, Nagaur and Sooespur; and paid 5 million rupees and 100 elephants as ransom.

However, Nainsi's claim is inaccurate, and in reality, Hammir Singh and Muhammad bin Tughluq never met.

The narrative given in the Rajput bardic chronicles is not corroborated by any other evidence. That said, the claims of Hammir's successes are not entirely baseless: a 1438 Jain temple inscription attests that his forces defeated a Muslim army; this army may have been led by a general of Muhammad bin Tughluq. It is possible that subsequently, Muhammad bin Tughluq and his successors did not assert their authority in the present-day Rajasthan, and Hammir Singh's authoritiy was recognized by other Rajput chiefs, making Mewar practically independent of the Delhi Sultanate till Pashah Jehangir and Rana Amar Singh came to terms in 1615

[KALKI]

Kheta, or Kshetra Singh (died 1382), was the Maharana (r. 1364–1382) of Mewar Kingdom. He was the son of Maharana Hammir Singh. In his reign, he conquered Ajmer and Mandalgarh.

After his death he was succeeded by Rana Lakha Singh (1382-1421).

ana Kshetra, who ruled Mewar from A.D. 1364 to A.D. 1382, was the son and successor of the celebrated Rana Hammir. He greatly enlarged the kingdom. He captured Ajmer and Jahazpur, re-annexed Mandalgarh, Mandsore, and the whole of Chappan to Mewar. He obtained a victory over the Sultan of Delhi, who was utterly defeated at Bakrole. Kshetra Singh also took the Sultan of Gujarat prisoner in a battle. The Kumbalgarh inscription says that "he captured Zafar Khan. Sultan of Patan (First Independent Sultan of Gujarat). Maharana kshetra singh died in 1382 AD during a campaign against the Hada of bundi.

Rana Kshetra Singh further increased his fame by defeating the Sultan of Malwa and killing his general Ami Shah.

[KALKI]

Laksha Singh (1421) was the third Maharana of the Mewar Kingdom.

He was the son of Maharana Kshetra Singh and ruled from 1382 until his death in 1421, when he was killed in battle.

Lakha was married several times and had at least eight sons. His son Mokal Singh by his wife Rani Hansa Bai of Mandore(now in Jodhpur) became the fourth Maharana in 1421.

During his reign, Lakha took the remaining Mewar territories from Delhi. His eldest son Chunda took oath to safe guard his motherland against all external powers who were trying to overpower the Mewar state in the exchange of his father's marriage to Rani Hansa Bai. After having some misunderstanding with Rani Hansa Bai and Rao Ranmal(brother of Rani Hansa Bai) Rana Chunda left the Chittorgarh fort and went to Begu Fort in Chittorgarh district and ruled their itself. The followers of Chunda are known as Chundawats.

Rao Lakha Singh was one of the most successful Maharanas. He extended his dominions by the subjugation of Merwara and the destruction of its chief stronghold, Beratgarh, on the ruins of which he founded Badnore.

It was in this time that the tins and silver Mines of Jawar were discovered in the country conquered from the bhils by his father. With the revenues thus augmented he rebuilt the palaces and temples destroyed by Alauddin Khalji, excavated reservoirs and lakes, raised immense ramparts to dam their waters, and constructed a number of forts.

He conquered the Sankhla Rajputs of Shekhawati (Nagarchal territory) and like his father, he defeated the imperial army of Delhi led by Sultan Firuz Shah Tughlaq at Badnor.

[DeAth_St4r]

dang! always thought it was a Sikh thing

[BulletProofYogi]

Very informative. Nice work.

[balti]

Originally Posted by DeAth_St4r

dang! always thought it was a Sikh thing

Originated with Hindus.

Sikhism is 600 years old.