Question

Article on rajput political culture and state formation in 17th century

Answer 1

The term "Rajput" acquired its present meaning only in the 16th century, although it is also anachronistically used to describe the earlier lineages that emerged in northern India from 6th century onwards. In the 11th century, the term "rajaputra" appeared as a non-hereditary designation for royal officials. Gradually, the Rajputs emerged as a social class comprising people from a variety of ethnic and geographical backgrounds. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the membership of this class became largely hereditary, although new claims to Rajput status continued to be made in the later centuries. Several Rajput-ruled kingdoms played a significant role in many regions of central and northern India until the 20th century.

Answer 2

Rajput (from Sanskrit raja-putra, "son of a king") is a caste from the Indian subcontinent. The term Rajput covers various patrilineal clans historically associated with warriorhood: several clans claim Rajput status, although not all claims are universally accepted.

Rajput
Rajpoots 2.png
An 1876 engraving of the Rajputs of Rajputana, from the Illustrated London News
Classification
Forward caste
Religions
Hinduism, Islam[1][2][3] and Sikhism
Languages
Hindi, Punjabi, Bhojpuri,[4] Urdu, Gujarati, Maithili,[5] Marwari, Sindhi
Region
Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Azad Kashmir, Bihar, Sindh