Unexplored

In the medieval period, Osian was a large and bustling town and caravans from Arabia, Persia, Afghanistan and central Asia arrived here for trade. Osian was also the capital of the Gurjara Pratihara dynasty from the 8th to 12th century. Osian was an important centre of pilgrimage between the 8th and 9th centuries. This can be known from the surviving Hindu temples of the Vaishnava, Surya (Sun) and Shakti (mother goddess) sects. The Brahminical influence was very strong in Osian during that period and later, Jainism also flourished in the place through the Gurjara Pratihara dynasty. But still, various Hindu devotees visit the Osian temple dedicated to the goddess Sachiyamata. In ancient times, Osian was known as Ukeshpur.

Nagaur finds mention even in the Mahabharata. The kingdom of Ahichhatrapur which Arjuna is said to have conquered and subsequently offered to his Guru Dronacharya, was perhaps some of the area of the Nagaur district. It was the capital of Jangaldesh. The foundation of city dates back to 4th century BC. Nagas originally ruled over this place and about 7th century onwards the Chauhans became the overlords of Nagaur and it was included in Sapadalaksha.
Nagaur city was at the centre of Muslim invasion from Central Asia. The Nagaur fort is the famous place of historical importance.

The founder of Tonk was Nawab Mohammad Aamir Khan. This former princely state, founded in the year 1824, was originally the seat of the Bairath civilization. The area was also ruled by the Mauryas and then by Harsha Vardhana. The place was part of the Bairath State. It was ruled by famous Rajput dynasties like the Chauhans, Sisodias. Holkars, Solankis and others. In the year 1950, the region was converted into a district and it became a part of Rajasthan.

Kishangarh was founded by the Jodhpur prince Kishan Singh in 1609 by Kishan Singh.

In 1840, Prithvi Singh, became the 15th Maharaja of Kishangarh, and reigned till his death in 1879, after which he was succeeded by his son, Sardul Singh . He was a courtier of the Mughals, and was rewarded for services rendered to the emperor Akbar. In 1818, Kishangarh first came into direct relations with the British by entering into a treaty, in common its neighbouring states, for the suppression of the Pindari marauders by whom the country was at that time overrun. The chief, who held the title of Maharaja, was a Rajput of the Rathor clan.

Maharaja Madan Singh ascended the throne in 1900 at the age of sixteen, at a time when the state was reeling from the impact of a devastating drought. The administration under him and his diwan was widely deemed worthy of approbation; irrigation from tanks and wells was extended and factories for ginning and pressing cotton were started. A social reform movement for discouraging excessive expenditure on marriages made remarkable impact during his reign.

The present maharaja sic is Brijraj Singhji. The town of Kishangarh has a beautiful palace-hotel known as PhoolMahal. The city also has a large pond known as the Gond Talav. There are many picnic and religious places situated at the banks of Gond Talav such as Mukham Vilas and Bhairu Ghat. The city also have a small temple of nine planets known as NavGrah. The Kishangarh Fort is being surrounded by canal that was built by Kishan Singh.

Dungarpur district is the stronghold of the Bheels, a tribe whose history of occupancy in the Aravalli range is said to date back to 4000 BC.Founded in 1197. The rulers of Dungarpur claim descent from the Rajput house of Mewar. The first rulers of Dungarpur were Kunwar Mahap and his descendants who resided in the town of Galiankot, where their ruined castle still stands. Towards the end of the 12th century, Samant Singh, the eldest son of the ruler of Mewar, had to leave Mewar in favor of his younger brother Kumar Singh. Samant Singh drifted into the hilly area of Bagar and, within the next century, Samant Singh's successors controlled the whole province of Bagar. Rawal Udai Singh of Bagar was killed at the battle of Khanua in 1527, fighting for Mewar against Moghul Emperor Babur. His territory was thereafter divided between his two sons, forming two separate states. Prithvi Raj remained in Dungarpur while his brother Jagmal Singh became independent ruler of Banswara.

Dulha Rai, the real conqueror of Dhundar, was a youth of remarkable beauty and valour and hence got his name “Dulha Rai” or the “bride groom prince”. His fame attracted to his banners, the voluntary support of all the spirited chiefs in the neighbourhood. Dulha married the daughter of Ralhansi, the Chauhan Raja of Lalsot, and received as his wife’s dowry, half the share of the fort of Dausa, which his father-in-law owned. The other half belonged to a Bargujar family. After securing half of Dausa fort by marriage, Dulha Rai, with the armed help of his wife’s kinsmen and no small amount of chicanery, expelled the Bargujars from their portion of Dausa, and this city became the first capital of the Kachhawahas in Dhundhar land.

Barmer was a beehive of activity till a few centuries ago, and a number of important kingdoms flourished at various times in the district during the medieval age. The chief principalities of Barmer at the time were Khed, Kiradu, Pachpadra, Jasol, Tilwara, Sheo, Balotara and Mallani. It was the Panwara clan, which had strong links with the Solanki dynasty of Gujarat, whose sphere of influence extended right across the Barmer region at the time. Later they wrested Mandore, which was the former capital of Jodhpur and held it for a while. Meanwhile, Khed and Mallani districts were captured by the Guhil Rajputs who were ruling over Mewar at the time.

In 1212AD Rao Siha, founder of the Rathore clan, conquered Khed in Barmer district and planted the Rathore flag in the area. The region was regained by the Guhil Rajput Pratap Singh, but was later reclaimed by the Rathore Rao Asthan. Not much is known about the history of Barmer for a while after that until a ruler Tribhuvansi ascended the throne, which led to fratricidal feud with his cousin Mallinath. The ambitious Mallinath (after whom the town of Mallani was later named) sought the assistance of the Sultanate ruling at Delhi at the time and defeated Tribhuvansi’s army in 1374.

The district is named after the former Princely State of Banswara. There are two traditions regarding the etymology of Banswara. According to one tradition, it is derived from the name of the Bhil chief Bansia who ruled over this area before being killed by Maharaval Jagmal Singh in 1529 CE. According to the other tradition, the name is derived from the Bans Vara (the country of bamboos) due to the abundance of bamboos in the dense forests of this region.