Frederickdube at 13:22, 29 October 2025

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{{Short description|Maharaja of Marwar from 1619 to 1638}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Raja Gaj Singh I
| title = [[Raja]]<br/>[[Maharaja]]
| jahngir or shahjah ke samkalin =
| type =
| image = Gaj Singh of Marwar.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| succession = [[Kingdom of Marwar|Maharaja of Marwar]]
| reign = 7 September 1619 – {{Nowrap|6 May 1638}}
| reign-type =
| coronation = 1620, Sringar Chowki, [[Mehrangarh Fort]], in the [[Kingdom of Marwar]] ([[Jodhpur State]])
| cor-type =
| predecessor = [[Sur Singh|Sawai Raja Sur Singh]]
| successor = [[Jaswant Singh of Marwar|Maharaja Jaswant Singh]]
| succession1 =
| spouse = Maharani Sisodini Pratap Deviji
| spouse-type = Consort
| consort = yes
| spouses = {{ubli|[[#Marriages and concubines|Among others]]:
|Kachwahi Kalyan Deviji
|Chauhan Amrat Deviji
|Songiri Mansukh Deviji
|[[Anara Begum]]
}}
| issue = {{ubl|[[Amar Singh Rathore]] |[[Jaswant Singh of Marwar|Jaswant Singh]]}}
| issue-link = #Issue
| issue-pipe = (among others)
| full name = Maharaja Gaj Singh Rathore Ji Bahadur Sahab
| house = [[Rathore dynasty|Rathore]]
| father = [[Sur Singh|Sawai Raja Sur Singh]]
| mother = Rani Kachwahi Sobhag Devi
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1595|10|30|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Lahore]], [[Subah of Lahore]], Mughal Empire
| death_date = {{date of death and age|1638|5|6|1595|10|30|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Agra]], [[Agra Subah|Subah of Agra]], Mughal Empire
| burial_date =
| burial_place =
| occupation =
| signature =
| religion = [[Hinduism]]
}}

'''Gaj Singh Rathore''' ({{IPA|mwr|ɡədʒ sɪ̃ɳ rɑːʈʰoːɽ}}; 30 October 1595 – 6 May 1638) was the ruler of the [[Kingdom of Marwar]], who reigned as '''Gaj Singh I''' from 7 September 1619 until his death in 1638. He held the title of [[Raja]] and, after {{circa|1630}}, assumed the higher title of ''Maharaja''.{{sfn|Richards|1993}}

== Early life ==
Born on 30 October 1595, Gaj Singh was the eldest surviving son of [[Sur Singh]], [[Raja]] of [[Marwar]]. His mother, Rani Sobhag Deviji (née Krishnavati Bai), was the daughter of Sekhavat Kachwahi Durjan Sal.

In 1608, he accompanied his father to the court of [[Jahangir]]. In 1609, [[Mahabat Khan]], who was then on an expedition against the [[Rana of Mewar]], was misinformed that the Rana's family was being sheltered by Sur Singh in the fort of [[Sojat]]. Acting on this misinformation, Mahabat Khan granted Sojat to Karam Singh, a grandson of [[Chandrasen Rathore]]. The error was later rectified through the intervention of Bhatai Govinddas, and Sojat, along with [[Nagaur]], was restored to Gaj Singh by Abdullah Khan.{{sfn|Bhargava|1966|pp=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.533618/page/n79/mode/2up 65–66]}}

[[Jalore|Jalor]], which was under the control of Bihari Pathans at the time, was granted to Gaj Singh as a ''jagir'' by Jahangir. Gaj Singh successfully brought Jalor under his control after killing over seven thousand Pathans.{{sfn|Bhargava|1966|p=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.533618/page/n81/mode/1up 67]}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=Agrawal |first=Ashvini |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AZdCrUxFAHEC&pg=PA92 |title=Studies in Mughal History |date=1983 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ. |isbn=978-81-208-2326-6 |pages=92}}</ref>

== Reign ==
Gaj Singh was at Jodhpur when Sur Singh died in Mahikar, Deccan. Hearing the news, he immediately proceeded to Deccan leaving a noble named Rajsingh Kumpawat in-charge of Jodhpur.{{sfn|Bhargava|1966|p=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.533618/page/n84/mode/1up 70]}} Jahangir sent a tika to Gaj Singh and had granted him the pargana of [[Jaitaran]], [[Sojat]], [[Siwana]], [[Sasalmari|Satalmar]], Jodhpur, [[Terwa Dahigawan|Terwada]] and Gondwada and also bestowed upon him a mansab of 3000 Zat and 2000 Sawar along with the title of Raja.{{sfn|Bhargava|1966|p=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.533618/page/n84/mode/1up 70]}}

He soon after proceeded to the Mughal outpost at Mahikar. Forces of [[Ahmednagar]] led by Amber Jeo which the Raja repelled successfully. For his services, he was granted the title ''Dalthaman''. When Prince Khurram (later [[Shah Jahan]]) was given charge of the Deccan, Gaj Singh took a leave and proceeded to Agra in Jodhpur. Jahangir raised his mansab to 4000 Zat and 3000 Sawar and granted him the parganas of Jalor and [[Sanchore]].{{sfn|Bhargava|1966|p=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.533618/page/n85/mode/1up 71]}}

On 5 May 1623, Gaj Singh was deputized along with Mahabat Khan and Parviz Mirza to hunt down the rebel Prince Khurram. On the eve of his departure, he was given [[Phalodi]] in jagir and his mansab was raised to 5000 Zat and 4000 Sawar.{{sfn|Bhargava|1966|p=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.533618/page/n86/mode/1up 72]}}

On 16 October 1624, a battle was fought between the imperial army and Khurram's army. Gaj Singh was initially not willing to take active part in this battle and encamped himself on the left side if the river. The rebel army almost won when Bhim Sisodia, ally of Khurram, challenged him to take part in the battle. The coarse language caused Gaj Singh to take active part in the battle and soon the rebel army was enrouted. The reason of Gaj Singh's unwillingness might have been due to the close relation he shared with Khurram, who was born of the Jodhpur Princess, [[Jagat Gosain|Jodh bai]], who was the uterine sister of his father Sur Singh. Another reason might have been that, he had judged the days of the [[Jahangir|Emperor]] was numbered and wanted to be on good side of Khurram. However, his wish could not be fulfilled. Still, due to this victory, he received the rank of 5000 Zat and 5000 Sawar by Jahangir.{{sfn|Bhargava|1966|pp=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.533618/page/n87/mode/2up 73–74]}}

Raja Gaj Singh with Khan Jahan Lodi was in Deccan when Jahangir died. Gaj Singh then deserted Khan Jahan.{{sfn|Bhargava|1966|pp=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.533618/page/n87/mode/2up 73–74]}}

Gaj Singh visited the court of [[Shah Jahan]] soon after his accession. The Emperor renewed Gaj Singh's mansab and awarded him ''Khasa Khilat'' (a special robe of honour), a sword, a horse, an elephant and a kettledrum.{{sfn|Bhargava|1966|p=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.533618/page/n89/mode/1up 75]}} He was deputed against [[Khan Jahan Lodi]], the rebel governor of Deccan on 22 February 1630. He was made the commander of one of the three armies against Khan Jahan and faced the guerrilla tactics of the rebels valiantly. For his services he was awarded pargana of Mahrot in jagir and the title of 'Maharaja' was conferred upon him.{{sfn|Bhargava|1966|p=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.533618/page/n89/mode/1up 75]}}

He was deputed with Asaf Khan against the sultan of Bijapur in December 1631. In March 1636, he was awarded a horse with its special golden equipment and returned from Deccan along with the Emperor Shah Jahan. He was then deputed in the army under [[Shah Shuja (Mughal prince)|Prince Shuja]].{{sfn|Bhargava|1966|page=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.533618/page/n90/mode/1up 76]}}

== Personal life and succession ==
=== Marriages and concubines ===
Gaj Singh was officially married to eleven Rajput princesses:<ref name=":2" />
#Kachwahi Kalyan Deviji
#Chauhan Amrat Deviji
#Sisodiya Pratap Deviji
#Chandravat Kashmir Deviji
#Bhatiyani Lachal Deviji
#Sonagari Mansukh Deviji
#Waghel Kasumbha Deviji
#Jadeja Norang Deviji
#Kachwahi Suraj Deviji
#Naruki Kachawahi Keshar Deviji
#Bhatianiji Udaikunwar Deviji

Gaj Singh also had at least three concubines, including [[Anara Begum]]. She was originally the wife of a [[Nawab]] of Delhi, whom Gaj Singh had abducted and taken into his household as a ''[[Concubinage|khawas]]''.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Raghuveer |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.446006/page/75 |title=Jodhpur Rajay Ki Khyat |date=1988 |pages=182–183, 200–201}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b6BjAAAAMAAJ |title=Maru-Bhāratī |date=1970 |publisher=Biṛlā Ejyūkeśana Ṭrasṭa. |pages=98 |language=hi}}</ref> Anara went on to become an important figure in Gaj Singh's ''[[Durbar (court)|durbar]]'', playing an instrumental role in his decision to nominate his second son, Jaswant Singh, as successor over the first-born [[Amar Singh Rathore]], who was instead granted the territory of [[Nagore]] as compensation.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Sabita |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0bSmDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT131 |title=The Politics of Marriage in India: Gender and Alliance in Rajasthan |date=2019-05-27 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-909828-6 |pages=131 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Joshi |first=Varsha |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2j1uAAAAMAAJ |title=Polygamy and Purdah: Women and Society Among Rajputs |date=1995 |publisher=Rawat Publications |isbn=978-81-7033-275-6 |pages=70 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Issue ===
Gaj Singh had nine children, of which four survived till adulthood:<ref name=":2" />
#[[Amar Singh Rathore]], son of Sonagari Mansukh Deviji
#Chandravati Bai, daughter
#[[Jaswant Singh of Marwar|Jaswant Singh]], son of Sisodiya Pratap Deviji, who succeeded Gaj Singh following his death in 1638<ref>{{Cite book |last=Adams |first=Archibald |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6ohCAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA97 |title=The Western Rajputana States: A Medico-topographical and General Account of Marwar, Sirohi, Jaisalmir |date=1899 |publisher=Junior army & navy stores, Ltd. |pages=79 |language=en}}</ref>
#Sugdha Bai, daughter of Anara Begum

== Death and legacy ==
Gaj Singh died soon after his return to [[Agra]] on 6 May 1638 and was cremated on the bank of river [[Yamuna]].{{sfn|Bhargava|1966|page=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.533618/page/n90/mode/1up 76]}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hooja |first=Rima |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tosMAQAAMAAJ |title=A History of Rajasthan |date=2006 |publisher=Rupa & Company |isbn=978-81-291-0890-6 |pages=589 |language=en}}</ref>

The [[khyat]] ''Gajsinh ri Khyat'' chronicles the events in the Raja Gaj Singh's life from his [[coronation]] in V.S. 1676 (1619 AD) to his death in 1638 AD. It also records Gaj Singh conferring various charitable [[Grant (money)|grants]] including lakh pasav and [[Sasan (land grant)|Sasan]] lands to the [[Charan]]s.{{sfn|Sharma|Sankhala|2010}}

== Ancestry ==
{{ahnentafel
|collapsed=yes |align=center
|boxstyle_1=background-color: #fcc;
|boxstyle_2=background-color: #fb9;
|boxstyle_3=background-color: #ffc; |boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc;
|1= 1. '''Gaj Singh'''
|2= 2. [[Sur Singh]], Raja of [[Jodhpur State|Marwar]]
|3=3. Sobhag Devi
|4= 4. [[Udai Singh of Marwar|Udai Singh]], Raja of [[Jodhpur State|Marwar]]
|5= 5. Manrang Devi
|6= 6. Kachwaha Durjan Sal
|7=
|8= 7. [[Maldev Rathore|Maldeo]], Rao of [[Jodhpur State|Marwar]]
|9= 8. Swarup Devi
|10= 9. [[Askaran]], Raja of [[Narwar]]
|11=
|12= 10. Kachwaha Karamsi of Amarsar
|13=
|14=
|15= }}

==See also==
*[[Rulers of Marwar]]

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist|20em}}

===Sources===
* {{cite book |last1=Bhargava |first1=Visheshwar Sarup |title=Marwar and the Mughal Emperors (1526-1748) |date=1966 |publisher=Manshiram Manoharlal |location=Dehli |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.533618}}
* {{cite book |last1=Richards |first1=John F. |title=The Mughal Empire |date=1993 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge; New York |isbn=978-0-521-25119-8 |page=80 |language=en |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/mughalempire0000rich/page/180/mode/2up }}
* {{Cite journal |last1=Sharma |first1=Vasumati |last2=Sankhala |first2=Kamal Kishore |date=2010 |title=Thikana Vyavasthantargata Lipibaddha Sampada ke katipaya Sandarbha |url=http://rajhisco.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/RAJHISCO-Vol-26B.pdf |language=mwr |issn= 2321-1288 |volume=26 |journal=Proceedings of the Rajasthan History Congress |pages=191–198 |via=Rajhisco}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gaj Singh}}
[[Category:Monarchs of Marwar]]
[[Category:People from Lahore]]
[[Category:1595 births]]
[[Category:1638 deaths]]

Gaj Singh I - Revision history

Frederickdube at 13:22, 29 October 2025