Gohil
Encyclopedia
Prince Siladitya was undergoing military training at Vallabhi University. Four other princes of the period Nagar Sen, son of King Rajeeve Sen, Vaibhav Sen, and son of Satpal Sen and Anant Sen, son of King Ajit Sen were his class mates. The Hun attack that came on 13th of Falgun V.S 580 disturbed the atmosphere of the university. The young princes collected all available troops in order to fight the Huns. They pushed the enemy towards Karry River. The next day fresh troops arrived from Bhavnagar, Raghav Kot and Anandpur. They surrounded and eliminated the Huns. However by then Prince Siladitya had fallen. He was the lone causality and died on 13th day of Falgun of A.D 523. The shocked widow chose to mount the funeral pyre. She had decided to become a Sutee. However her-in-laws and other members of the royalty convinced her to delay it till her deliverance. Anguished Subhaga Devi desired a change of place. She shifted to Bir Nagar near Chitor along with Pushpawati. Bir Nagar was named after Emperor Bir Sen the fourth son of Kanak Sen.Bir Nagar was co-located with Chitor.
,GUHADITYA SEN or GOHIL SEN'
Thirty seven days later a son was born to Queen Puspwati. The infant Prince was named Guhaditya or Gohil Sen. As per the Hindu Almanac Prince Guhaditya was born on Chaitra Sudhi Panchami or 5th of Chaitra Sudhi, (V.S 581 or A.D 523). His grand mother Subhaga Devi raised him to maturity. Siladitya’s mother Subhga Devi has been referred at page 72 in ‘Udaipur Rajya Ka Itihas’ by G H Ojha. He was always under the protective care of the Emperors of Vallabhi Empir. The prince became a Great Hindu Emperor of Vallabhi Empire. His progeny still survives. As per the prevalent fashion he initiated the Gohil clan in his name.
Guhaditya seems to have been vet-nursed by Kamalavati, a Brahmini who resided at Bir Nagar or Chitor. Infant Goha or Gohaditya grew up under her tender care. Later his progeny became famous as Grahlot or Guhilot. (Refer to Tod Annals pages 39, 99 100, 137, 251, 162, 171, 191, 192, 252, 253, 254, 258, 259, 266, 267, 268, 282 and 291- and ‘Udaipur Rajya Ka Itihas’ by G.H Ojha pages 72 to 83 and page 90).
1. Emperor Kanak Sen (V.S 156-250) had four sons- 2.[Chandar Sen, Raghav Sen, Dhir Sen, and Bir Sen]. 2-Bir Sen(V.S 580 or A.D 525)was married to Pusp Madhvi, the daughter of Kushan Satrap of Gujarat 'Rudradama'. 3- Uttam Sen, 4- Vijay Sen,----- 12- Shiladitya Sen (V.S 543 to or A.D 486),13- Guhaditya,14- Bhoj Aditya ruled from V.S 606 or A.D 549. He married Namvati Devi from the Royal family of Sikanda Gupta. 15- Mahinder Sen, 16- Naag Aditya,17- Siladitya-II,18- Aprajit, 19 Mahender–II, 20- Kal Bhoj,21- Khuman. Mangal or Matat, and 22-Bhatribhat.
The illustrious Kanak Sen was also known as Bappa Rawal. Not only was he the progenitor of the house of Mewar but also that of many other Suriyavans clans including the Sikarwars and the Bargujars. He captured and established his seat at Chitor V.S-191. A branch of Gohil clan remained at Bhavnagar near Vallabhi while the fief of Sisoda was allocated to the other branch. In Rajasthan they became famous as Guhilots.(Edited by Col D R Singh Sikarwar from original documents. They are the progeny of Raghav Sen, the second son of Maharaja Kanak Sen- contact 9415021582 before editing).
The Gohils of Saurashtra stayed their chief Mohodas, also referred as Kunwar Pal, father of Sejakji. The Gohils came to the court of the Chalukya ruler Sidhraj Jaisinh and were appointed governors. Sejakji conquered a vast area and carved out his own principality with Sejakpur as his capital. He also married his daughter Valum Kunverba to the Yuvraj of Junagarh, and became right-hand man of the Solankis. Sejakji was chief from 1240 to 1254 and turned himself into a huge force in Gohilwar.
Sejakji had four sons, Pratap Pal or Somraj, Mulraj, Shahji and Sarangji. The eldest, Pratap Pal, had no son, so Mulraj's son Ranoji became chief from 1290 to 1309. Shahji and Sarangi were given the jagirs of Mandvi and Arthilla, which later became the princely states of Palitana and Lathi.
There is this stirring tale of Hamirji Gohil, the 16-year-old newly-married chieftain of Lathi, who sacrificed his life in 1401 defending the Somnath temple from the attack of Muzaffar Shah. Hamirji Gohil's cenotaph still stands at the entrance to the fabled Somnath temple.
Ranoji was another warrior and conqueror like his grandfather Sejakji. He further expanded his territories and founded a new capital, calling it Ranpur. He was a staunch opposer of the spread of Islamic rule in Gujarat and Kathiawar and in time he was expelled from there and slain by Muslim invaders.
He was succeeded by his son Mokhdaji. He conquered Umrala from the Kolis, and wrested back the island of Piram or Pirambet from the Muslims. There he set up the capital of his principality of Ghogha, ruling for a long period of 38 years. He was killed in battle in 1347, succumbing to wounds inflicted by the sword of none other than Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
Mokhdaji's first wife, Sarvaiya princess of Hathasani in Kathiawar, bore him a son Dungarsinhji who succeeded as chief of Ghogha. In 1723, his descendant Bhavsinhji founded the city of Bhavnagar, establishing his capital there.
The second wife of Mokhdaji was the Parmar princess of Rajpipla. Their son Samarsinhji, who assumed the name Arjunsinhji, succeeded to the gadi of Rajpipla as his maternal grandfather Chokrana had no male issue. Thus the Gohils extended their sway over Rajpipla too for the next six centuries, ruling from Junaraj (Old Rajpipla) in the hills, and deep in the vortex of the forests there. They shifted their capital in 1730, after the weakening of the Mughal empire, to Nandod (New Rajpipla) in the plains on the banks of the Karjan, a tributary of the holy Narmada.
Mokheraji, conquered Umrala from the Kolis and Gogha from the Muslims, succumbed fell to the sword of Muhammad bin Ghias ud-din Toghluk's in 1347. His great-great-grandson, Sarangji, assumed the title of Raol to honor the help and services, provided to him by the Raol Patai of Champaner, helped him recover his throne from his uncle.
Raol Dhunaji moved his capital to Sihor ca. 1600, where it remained for over a century. However, Sihor was found to be vulnerable to attacks, and when pressurized by the Marathas, Thakore Bhavsinhji decided to scout a more secure area to set up his capital, as a mode of defense against the Maratha predators. Bhavnagar became the capital in 1723, under Thakore Bhavsinhji. Bhavnagar has been the capital and name of the state, ever since. A wise and politically astute ruler, Bhavsinhji followed a policy of conciliation with the Muslim rulers of Surat and with the British. Bhavnagar prospered and expanded through trade and commerce. He died in 1764, having divided his territories between his twin sons.
Akherajji, the inheritor of Bhavnagar, sided with the Marathas against the Mogul Viceroy of Gujerat. He assisted the British in reducing the pirate stronghold of Talaja, and sheltered Raghunath Rao Peshwa, when a refugee. His son, Raol Shri Vakhatsinhji spent his entire reign fighting various foes. Kathis, Jats, Kolis, Gaekwads, Babis, even his Palitana clansman all savoured the cut of his sword. His campaign in Chital against the united Kathi uprising became one of the key battles during his reign. The Kathis were routed with heavly losses. Vajesinhji, the son and successor of Vakhatsinhji, succeeded in making peace with the Kathis in 1829. He reigned for thirty-six prosperous years, leaving his throne to his grandson Akherajji III in 1852. He died without sons two years later, being succeeded by his brother Jaswantsinhji. The latter improved the administration and placed the revenues of his state on a sound footing, but died leaving a minor son as successor in 1870.
Takhatsinhji assumed full ruling powers in 1878, continuing in the footsteps of his illustrious father. He died in 1896, celebrated as one of the most generous, loyal and benevolent princes of his age. His son and successor, Raol Shri Bhavsinhji II continued his good works. He saved countless lives during the severe famine of 1899-1900, through a number of relief works. He also contributed generously during to the war effort during the Great War. These and other numerous services were rewarded with the hereditary title of Maharaja and increased gun salutes. A great supporter of female emancipation he promoted monogamy, advanced education and abolished "purdah". At his death in 1919, he left a flourishing state to his minor son, Maharaja Krishna Kumarsinhji.
The last independent ruler of his line, Maharaja Krishna Kumarsinhji, like his brothers, received an advanced education, within India and in England. He received full ruling powers on attaining his majority in 1931. He governed as a model ruler, closely involved in advancing the cause of independence for India. One of the first rulers to accede to the new Republic of India, he served as the first Indian Governor of Madras between 1948 and 1952. He died at Bombay in 1965, being succeeded by his son, Maharaja Raol Shri Dr Veerbhadrasinhji. Maharaja Vijayarajsinhji Gohil succeeded his father as titular Maharaja and Head of the Royal House of Bhavnagar in 1994.