In this guide
On the plains of Tarain, near Thanesar in present-day Haryana, two battles in successive years changed the course of Indian history. In 1191, Prithviraj III — the Chauhan ruler of Ajmer and Delhi — defeated the invading Muhammad of Ghor. In 1192, Muhammad returned with a better-prepared army and won decisively. Within a few years, the Delhi Sultanate was established. Prithviraj became a legend, celebrated by bards for centuries. But the Chauhans' story begins long before Tarain, and continues long after.
Origins: Sambhar
The early Chauhans ruled from Shakambhari, today's Sambhar, beside the great salt lake. Tradition names Vasudeva as the founder, perhaps in the seventh century. The Chauhans served for a time as feudatories of the Gurjara-Pratiharas before becoming independent as the Pratihara empire weakened.
The rulers of Ajmer
| Ruler | Period (approx.) | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| Ajayaraja | early 12th century | Founded Ajayameru — Ajmer — and the fort of Taragarh (Garh Beetli) |
| Arnoraja (Anaji) | mid-12th century | Built the Anasagar lake at Ajmer; fought Turkish raiders |
| Vigraharaja IV (Visaladeva) | c. 1150–1164 | Captured Delhi from the Tomaras; built a Sanskrit college at Ajmer; wrote the play Harakeli Nataka; called Kavi-bandhava |
| Prithviraj III | c. 1177–1192 | Fought the Chandelas, Chalukyas and Gahadavalas; victory at Tarain (1191); defeat and death (1192) |
The Sanskrit college built by Vigraharaja IV was later converted into a mosque, the Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra, after the Ghurid conquest. Fragments of his play were found inscribed on slabs there — a rare survival of a royal literary work in stone.
Prithviraj III and Tarain
Prithviraj came to the throne young and quickly became known for his military campaigns — against the Chandelas of Bundelkhand (the battle of Mahoba), the Chalukyas of Gujarat, and in rivalry with the Gahadavala ruler Jaichand of Kannauj.
| Battle | Year | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| First battle of Tarain | 1191 | Prithviraj defeated Muhammad of Ghor; Muhammad was wounded and retreated |
| Second battle of Tarain | 1192 | Muhammad returned with a larger, more mobile army of mounted archers; Prithviraj was defeated, captured and killed |
Historians explain the defeat through several factors: Muhammad's better cavalry tactics and discipline; divisions among Rajput rulers (Jaichand did not join Prithviraj); over-confidence after the first victory; and the Rajput reliance on massed forces rather than mobile reserves.
The consequences were profound: Delhi and Ajmer passed under Ghurid control, and Qutbuddin Aibak laid the foundations of the Delhi Sultanate.
Sources and legends
| Source | Nature |
|---|---|
| Prithviraja Vijaya by Jayanaka | A Sanskrit poem composed in Prithviraj's lifetime; historically valuable |
| Prithviraj Raso by Chand Bardai | A heroic Hindi (Pingal) epic; the surviving text contains many later additions |
| Persian chronicles (e.g., Tabaqat-i-Nasiri by Minhaj-us-Siraj) | Ghurid perspective |
Famous stories — Prithviraj's elopement with Samyogita, Jaichand's daughter, or his shooting Muhammad of Ghor blind with an arrow guided by sound — come from the Raso and later tradition. They are part of Rajasthan's cultural memory, but historians do not treat them as established facts.
The later Chauhan branches
The Chauhan story did not end in 1192. Branches of the family ruled elsewhere in Rajasthan and resisted the Delhi Sultanate fiercely.
| Branch | Centre | Key episode |
|---|---|---|
| Ranthambore Chauhans | Ranthambore (Sawai Madhopur) | Hammir Dev refused to surrender Mongol rebels who had sought refuge with him; Alauddin Khalji besieged and took the fort in 1301; the defenders chose death — a saka and jauhar |
| Jalore Chauhans (Sonigara) | Jalore | Kanhadadeva resisted Alauddin; Jalore fell in 1311; the story is told in Padmanabha's Kanhadade Prabandh |
| Hada Chauhans | Bundi and Kota | Ruled the Hadoti region into the modern era; Kota separated from Bundi in the seventeenth century |
Hammir's story is celebrated in Nayachandra Suri's Hammir Mahakavya and in later literature and folk songs.
Why the Chauhans matter
- Ajmer — the city they founded became the political centre of Rajasthan and later a British headquarters.
- Tarain — a turning point in Indian history.
- Culture — Vigraharaja IV's patronage of Sanskrit; the bardic tradition of the Raso.
- Resistance — Ranthambore and Jalore became symbols of Rajput resistance.
Practice
Prelims-style:
- Who founded Ajmer?
- Which Chauhan ruler wrote the Harakeli Nataka?
- What was the Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra originally?
- In which years were the two battles of Tarain fought?
- Which text by Padmanabha describes the resistance of Jalore?
Mains-style (50 words): Distinguish between the Prithviraja Vijaya and the Prithviraj Raso as historical sources.
Mains-style (100 words): Examine the causes of Prithviraj III's defeat in the second battle of Tarain.
A note on dates and numbers. Exam patterns, vacancies and schedules change from year to year. Always confirm the current details in the latest notification on the Rajasthan Public Service Commission website .
Get the next RAS guide by email
New guides every week. No spam, unsubscribe any time.