Jalore Knowledge Guide

History

In ancient times Jalore was known as Jabalipura - named after saint. The town was also known as Suvarngiri or Songir, the Golden Mount, on which the fort stands. According to some historical sources, in 8th-9th centuries, one branch of the Gurjara-Pratihara was ruling at Jablipur (Jalore). It was a flourishing town in the 8th century. Jalore was ruled by the Paramaras in the 10th century. Kirtipala, the youngest son of Alhana, the Chahamana ruler of Nadol, was the founder of the Jalore line of Chauhans. He captured it from the Parmars in 1181 and took the clan name Songara, after the place. His son Samarasimha succeeded him in 1182. Udayasimha was the next ruler under whom Jalore had a golden period. He was a powerful and able ruler ruling over a large area. He recaptured Nadol and Mandor from the Turks. In 1228, the Delhi Sultan Iltutmish circled Jalore but Udayasimha offered stiff resistance. He was succeeded by Chachigadeva and Samantasimha. Samantasimha was succeeded by his son Kanhadadeva. During the reign of Kanhadadeva, Jalor was attacked and captured in 1311 by the Delhi's Turkic Sultan Alauddin Khalji. Kanhadadeva and his son Viramadeva died defending Jalore. Jalore was the hometown of Jeevant Kunwar, mother of Maharana Pratap (1572–1597). She was the daughter of Akhey Raj Songara. Rathore rulers of Jodhpur used the Jalore fort to safe-keep their treasure. Dungara Ram Choudhary, of IIT-JEE 2002 AIR 1 fame, hails from this hamlet. The Turkic rulers of Palanpur State of Gujarat briefly ruled Jalor in the 16th century and it became part of the Mughal Empire. It was restored to Marwar in 1704, and remained part of the kingdom until shortly after Indian Independence in 1947. Ambliara princely state in Gujarat are the pedigree of Jalore Maharani Popadevi. Ambliara has a small princely state in Mahi Kantha Agency Present days near Bayad taluka of Aravalli District Gujarat. There are 12 Math (Big Hindu monasteries) and 13 Takiya (Masjid). Jalore is known as the "Cradle of the Marwari horse" - an indigenous horse breed famed for its beauty, endurance and loyalty to the horsemen who fought interminable wars on horseback.