Rajput History Archive > Clan
Sisodia Clan (Guhilot / Gehlot)
The Sisodias of Mewar represent the premier dynasty of the Suryavanshi Rajputs, holding an unbroken sovereign lineage of over 1,400 years. Descended from Guhaditya and Bappa Rawal (c. 734 CE), the clan derives its name from the estate of Sisoda, established by Rahap after the sack of Chittor. Known for their unyielding refusal to bow before foreign imperial dominance, their motto "जो दृढ़ राखे धर्म को, तिहि राखे करतार" (He who steadfastly upholds righteousness, God protects him) remains inscribed upon the Mewar coat of arms.
Detailed Historical Chronicle
Origins and Lineage of Mewar The Sisodias are the direct branch of the ancient Guhilot (Gahlot) dynasty, tracing their pedigree through Rama’s son Lava of the Ikshvaku Suryavansh line. Epigraphic evidence from the 8th-century Manmori Inscription and the 10th-century Atpur (Ahar) Inscription of 977 CE establishes Guhaditya as the royal progenitor, followed by Kalabhoja (celebrated in bards and epigraphs as Bappa Rawal).
In 734 CE, Bappa Rawal wrested the impregnable rock fortress of Chittorgarh from the Mori Rajputs with the blessings of the Pasupata Shaiva sage Maharishi Harita Rashi. At this momentous juncture, Bappa Rawal dedicated the entire realm of Mewar to Bhagwan Shri Eklingji (Mahadeva), declaring that the god was the true King of Mewar, while the monarchs ruled merely as his *Diwans* (Prime Ministers).
Branching into Sisodia Following the catastrophic siege of Chittorgarh in 1303 CE by Alauddin Khilji and the glorious Jauhar of Rani Padmini with the martyrdom of Rawal Ratan Singh, the elder Rawal branch ceased. The sovereignty was revived by Rana Hammir Singh of Sisoda in 1326 CE. Rana Hammir expelled Maldeo Songara, recaptured Chittor, established the title Maharana, and firmly inaugurated the Sisodia branch of the Guhilots.
The Golden Era of Resistance and Chivalry Under Maharana Kumbha (r. 1433–1468), Mewar blossomed into a bastion of arts, architecture, and military invincibility. Kumbha erected 32 of the 84 defensive fortresses across Mewar, including Kumbhalgarh and the colossal Vijay Stambha.
His grandson, Maharana Sangram Singh I (Maharana Sanga, r. 1508–1528), united all Rajput clans under the sacred banner of *Pati Perawan*, vanquishing the Sultans of Malwa, Gujarat, and Delhi at Gagron, Idar, Khatoli, and Dholpur, before clashing in the fateful Battle of Khanwa (1527) against Babur.
In the late 16th century, Maharana Pratap Singh (r. 1572–1597) mounted a legendary war of national resistance against Akbar’s Mughal Empire. Refusing lavish imperial enticements, Pratap endured years in the Aravalli wilderness, fought the epic Battle of Haldighati (1576), and reclaimed nearly all of Mewar through the Battle of Dewair (1582).