Thursday, April 8, 2010

The Sengar's Origin

Sengar are a clan of Rajputs mainly found in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh states of India.
The exact vansh of Sengar is Rishivansh. According to an ancient story father of Lord Rama, Raja Dashrath had given his daughter 'SHANTA' to Shringi rishi. The vansh created from that marriage is Sengar rajput. Possible derivation of the 'sengar' name is (apart from 'Sringi' rishi) from 'Chattis-kul-Singar'(the ornament or grand focal point of 36 kshtriya kul), a term often used by bards in praising the ruler. On his visit to the royal court or to a feudal lord, he recited the family's genealogy and also the deeds of the ruler's forefathers. In Mewar, along with other forms of glorification, a bard used terms such as Hindua Suraj (Sun amongst the Hindus), Gau Brahman Pratipal (Protector of Cows and Brahmans), and Chattis-kul-Singar (Ornament Amongst the 36 Rulers). Not only was this visit meant to keep the ruler informed about the good deeds of his ancestors but also a message that he should also follow suit. After reciting all these exaltations, he would bless the ruler, then take his seat in the Durbar.
The locations in which Sengar rajputs dominate are in western UP, eastern UP, western Bihar and adjoining districts of MP -
• Noorpur (about 25 km from Orai, UP): The place has a rich population of Sengar thakurs (about 5000 thakur families).
• Sarawan (about 17 km from Jalaun city, UP): A large fort was built by Raja Shravan Dev of the Sengar rajput clan nearby the Yamuna river. Other nearby sites are Lanka tower, Chourasi Gumbad, etc.
• Jagmanpur (9 km from Rampura, UP): Once the headquarters of the Sengar rajputs under Raja Rup Shah, also houses a large masonary fort. The confluence of five rivers nearby, known the "Panch Nada" is an added attraction for the tourist. The two forts can be visited with due permission from the owners. and some of the villgae there shekhpur bujurg, hadrukh, sirsa, madogrh, etc
• Sahar (near Etawah): Under Akbar’s reign the place probably comprised the bulk of the old pargana of Bidhuna, and to the south of it lay the mahal of Phaphund, whose local limits probably corresponded roughly with those of the pargana which was broken up only in 1894. Then, as now, Phaphund appears to have been occupied for the most part by Sengar rajputs and to judge from the amount of revenue it paid in proportion to its size, it must have been a well cultivated and populated tract of country. Its cultivated area is recorded as 111,546 bighas paying a revenue of 5,432,391 dams, its military contingent being 2,000 infantry and 300 cavalry.
• Lakhnesar: At about the same time the Sengar rajputs in eastern UP were opposing the tyranny of Balwant Singh nazim of the sirkars of Jaunpur, Varanasi, Ghazipur and Chunar. Balwant Singh made it a habit of destroying the power of the local chieftains who offered resistance to Balwant Singh but in only one instance were their efforts successful. This exception was provided by the Sengars of pargana Lakhnesar, who not only treated his demands with contempt but adopted an attitude of open hostility. Not content with the refusal to pay revenue, they attacked and pillaged his treasuries so that eventually, in 1764, he was compelled to proceed against them in person with a large force. Rasra (in pargana Lakhnesar) was then most inaccessible by reason of the jungle which surrounded it and because the houses of the Sengar rajputs were all built with a view to defence. After two day’s conflict in which hundreds of lives were lost, Balwant Singh’s troops managed to set Rasra on fire, forcing the Sengars to withdraw; but so obstinate was their resistance that Balwant Singh had to enter into a compromise. The Sengar rajputs being left in possession of their estates at a low but fixed revenue.
There is a group of 84 villages are called Chaurasi in which all the villages have Sengar thakurs in majority.
Some of the Sengar Rajputs are also in Haswa in Fatehpur district(78 KM from Kanpur).

Vansh Munivansh,Brahamkshatriya,Suryavanshi, Sringi Rishi,Rishi-vanshi
Gotra Gautam
Origin Sarawan, Jagmanpur (Jalon), Bhareh (Etawah), Lakhnesar(Balia), Rura(UP), Datia (MP), Rewa (M.P)