Chandelao
Thikana
Present Head
Thakur PRADUMAN SINGH, present Thakur Saheb of Chandelao. Born , married Thakurani Kiran, born about 1967, and has issue.
- Kanwar Veer Aditya Singh
History
Chandelao Garh was the seat of the Chandelao Thikana – an estate in the kingdom of Jodhpur. At its peak, Chandelao Thikana covered five villages. From the garh – or “kot” in the local language – the affairs of the estate were administered.
The Chandelao family belongs to the Rathore clan and to the subclan Kumpawat, or “the sons of Kumpa”. Rao Kumpa was one of the greatest generals of Marwar, as the princely state of Jodhpur was known. The Maharajah of Jodhpur is the chief of the Rathore clan. The present Thakur and your host at Chandelao Garh – Praduman Singh Rathore – is the 16th in line from Rao Kumpa. Rao Kumpa was one of two Marwari generals who led 6,000 soldiers against the 80,000 troops of Sher Shah Suri, the Afghan ruler of Delhi in the battle of Sumelgiri in 1544 A.D. Rao Kumpa nearly won the battle, but was killed. Seeing this brave Rajput General, Emperor Sher Shah Suri said, “for a handful of bajra, I nearly lost the kingdom of Hindustan”. His meaning was that he nearly lost his entire kingdom for the small gain of a victory over Marwar, which he compared to a handful of millet.
Chandelao Garh was built in 1744 by Rao Kumpa’s grandson Rao Puranmal who had annexed Sirohi for the Maharajah of Jodhpur. The estate was granted by the Maharajah to Rao Puranmal for his bravery in battle and for providing a small cavalry for the Maharajah’s army. In return for the estate, the Thakur maintained 8 horses for the Maharajah’s cavalry and was himself expected to take part in any battles.
The revenue for the Chandelao Thikana came from the land it ruled. The farmers would cultivate the fields for the Thakur and in return would receive a share of the harvest. The shepherds were allowed to let their animals graze on the land in return for a share of their herd. In 1952, five years after Indian Independence, this feudal system was abolished. Land reforms were passed, and most of the land was allotted to the tenants. Further reforms in 1972 abolished feudal titles and redistributed most of the remaining land.
The central building of Chandelao Garh is the oldest and was built in 1744. This is the “raola”, or the main living quarters. At that time the central building was surrounded by mud walls for protection. Later Thakurs added various elements of construction to the Garh, including the current high stone walls which were constructed in the early 19th century. Most of the Garh stands as it was constructed – except for the gate. It was reconstructed by Thakur Ugam Singh on the occasion of the marriage of his son, Kr. Umaid Singh, at the beginning of the 20th century. Umaid Singh could not ride through the gate seated on an elephant, so the Thakur ordered the gate to be rebuilt and replaced with a larger one so that a man sitting in a howdah on the back of an elephant could pass through!
Genealogy
The ancestor of the family was Rao Kumpaji, ancestor of the later Kumpawat thikanedars. Rulers were….
- Rao RANMAL [Ranmalla], 13th Rao of Mewar 1427/1438, married (amongst others), Rani Akher Kunwarba Sahiba, daughter of Raj Sahib Jetsinhji of Dhrangadhra, and had issue, twenty four sons. He died .
- Rao Akhairaj, married and had issue.
- ……
- Thakur JAWAR SINGH, Thakur of Chandelao -/1902, 12th in descent from Rao Kumpaji, he adopted Kunwar Ugam Singh as his successor; married and had adoptive issue.
- (A) Thakur Ugam Singh
- Thakur UGAM SINGH, Thakur of Chandelao 1902/- , born , he was adopted by his predecessor in 1898, married 1stly, 1902, a Kumari from Modaw, married 2ndly, 1907, a Kumari from Bhetinda, married 3rdly, 1910, another Kumari from Modaw, and had issue, four sons and two daughters.
- Thakur Umed Singh
- Thakur UMED SINGH, Thakur of Chandelao, born , educated at Chiefs’ College, Ajmer; Superintendent of Police in Jodhpur, married February 1927, a sister of Dewan Bahadur Thakur Madho Singh of Sankhwas, and had issue. He died .
- Thakur Takhat Singh
- Thakur TAKHAT SINGH, Thakur of Chandelao, married Thakurani Sajjan Kanwar, daughter of Col. Thakur Lakshman Singh of Mundota, and his wife, Thakurani Saiyar Kanwar, and had issue.
- Thakur PRADUMAN SINGH, Thakur of Chandelao