PRESENT HEAD OF HOUSE:

HH Maharaja Raol Shri Vijayrajsinhji Virbhadrasinhji Sahib, 29th and present Maharaja Raol of Bhavnagar since 26th July 1994. (Bhavnagar House, Bunglow no.2, Ruia Park, Juhu-North, Bombay - 400049, India)

born 29th April 1968, married HH Maharani Samyukta Kumari, daughter of Thakur Vijai Singh Mankotia of Tiara, and his wife, Thakurani Jaishree Kumari, daughter of Thakur Kishan Singhji of Kunadi, and has issue.

STATES AND ESTATES:

Saurashtra, Kathiawar, Gohilwar, Bhavnagar, Lathi, Limbda, Sihor, Palitana, Vala etc.

Adpur, Alampur (Dewani), Anghad, Bakrol, Bhojapara, Bhojavadar, Chamardi (Vachhani), Chitravav (Devani), Dared, Dhola (Devani), Gadhali, Gadhol, Gadhula, Gandhol, Haliyad, Lakhanka, Limri, Kantodia, Kathodia, Katodia (Vachhani), Khijadia (Dosaji), Navapura, Pachhegam (Devani), Ramanka (Devani), Rampura, Ratanpur Dhamanka, Samadhiala (Charan), Sandhkhakhara, Songadh (Vachhani), Toda Todi, Vadod (Devani), Vangadhra, Vavdi Dharvala, Vavdi Vachhani,

BRANCHES:

Aharya (at Dungarpur), Sisodia (at Mewar), Peeparra (at Marwar), etc.

Lathiya Gohils, Uni Gohils, Gochar Gohils

PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY: The Gohil rajputs claim descent from the Pandavas [NOTE: The Gahlots have a very curious tradition that the Maharanas of Udaipur are of Persian descent. They state that Pratap Chand Galot, the conqueror of Chitor, was married to a granddaughter of the famous Persian monarch, Nausherwan, whose wife was Marian, daughter of Maurice, the Greek Emperor of Byzantium.], specifically Lord Arjuna, active at the time of the Mahabharata. They are of the lunar race i.e. Chandravanshi, though Col. James Tod makes them of the solar race i.e. Suryavanshi. The founder of the Gahlot clan was said to be Guhila or Gohil, a younger son of the last Raja of Vallabhi, and who established himself at Idur and later at Nagda. In the late 8th century A.D. the Gohil rajputs captured Khergadh in Rajasthan from the Bhils and founded a state at the basin of Luni river which included 350 villages with the capital at Khergadh. They held power there until they were ousted by the Rathore rajputs around 1212. Rulers were .....

• Raja Siladitya VII, last Raja of Vallabhi, his kingdom was attacked by invaders from Gujarat (possibly either Scythians or Parthians); married (amongst others) (a), Rani Pushpawati, married (b), a Brahmin lady, and had issue. He died after 524C.E.

  • Rao Karna Raja (by the Brahmin lady), married and had issue.

    • Rao Writket, he founded a kingdom between the Jumna and Ganges rivers; he afterwards established himself in Saurashtra

  • Raja Grehaditya [aka Keshavaditya, Guhadatta / Guhila / Gohaditya / Gohil], 1st Gahlot Chief at Idur 566/586, he came from Kathiawar and was granted a stretch of land near Idar by the Bhil Chief; he was nicknamed 'Goha' because he was born and lived in a cave while still young; married and had issue, the Grehlote or Gehlote or Guhilot clan.

    • Rawal Bhoja Gahlo [aka Bhogaditya], 2nd Gahlot, Chief at Idur 586/606, he commissioned the construction of a tank at Eklingji; married and had issue.

      • Rawal Mahendra I, 3rd Gahlot Chief at Idur 606/626, married and had issue.

        • Rawal Naga(ditya), 4th Gahlot Chief at Nagda 626/646, he built the capital at Nagda, he was attacked by Bhil tribesmen, who killed his family; he married and had issue. He died after 646.

          • Rawal Shiladitya, 5th Gahlot Chief at Nagda 646/661, married and had issue. He died after 661.

            • Rawal Aparajita, 6th Gahlot Chief at Nagda 661/688, he was also killed in a battle with the Bhils; married and had issue. He was killed in battle after 688.

              • Rawal Mahendra II [aka Nagaditya], 7th Gahlot Chief at Nagda 688/734, married (amongst others), a sister of Raja Mun (or Man) Singh Mori (i.e. Maurya), Chief of Malwa and Lord of Chittor, and had issue. He was killed in 734 by his brother-in-law.

                • Rawal Kalabhoja alias Bappa Rawal (continued below)

.........................................................

• Rawal Kalabhoja [Dynastic Tree], 8th Rawal and 1st at Chittor and 1st Dewan of Eklingi 734/753, he was nicknamed 'Bappa' meaning child, as he was only three years old when his father died; he was saved by a Brahmin priest and hidden in a hill fort, possibly called Ahore; he soundly defeated a Muslim army in about 712, he was incited to kill his maternal uncle and take his territory in around 728 or 734, after which he established himself at the new capital of Chittor and assumed the titles of Rawal, Hindua Surya {Sun of the Hindus}, Rajguru {Preceptor of Sovereigns} and Chakwa {Universal Lord}; married (amongst others), a Princess of Sunderdweep, and had issue, the Aharya clan of the Guhilot lineage. He died 753.

  • Rao Asil, he was overlooked in the succession and moved to Gujarat, where he founded the village of Asilgarh in Sorasht and the line of Asil Gehlotes

  • Rawal Khuman I, Rawal of Chittor and Dewan of Eklingi 753/773 (see Sisodia Dynasty)

Unknown number of Raos at Khergadh or Kerdhar

• Rao Dhuhad, Rao of Khergadh aka Khed, married and had issue.

  • Rani Bheem Kanwar, married (as his 3rd wife), married Rawal Salivahan II, 2nd Rawal of Jaisalmer.

• Rao Jaitmalji, Rao of Khergadh, married and had issue.

  • ?Rao Maheshdasji (qv)

  • Rani Gohiliji, she married Rawal Kailan, 4th Rawal of Jaisalmer, born 1150, died 1219.

• Rao Maheshdasji, last Rao of Khergadh, he was attacked by Rao Soningji, the Rathore chief, who bribed his father-in-law, the Dabhi commander of the Gohil army, and which resulted in his death in the subsequent battle; married and had issue. He lived around 1212.

  • Rao Zanzarji (qv)

• Rao Hadal, Rao of Khed, married and had issue.

  • Rani Goel [?Gohil] Kanwar, married Rawal Chachakdeo I, 5th Rawal of Jaisalmer 1219/1241.

  • Rani Champa De, married Rao Asthanji, 1st Rathore Rao of Kher 1273/1292,

• Rao Zanzarji, Chief of the Gohil Rajputs; he was 22nd in descent from the celebrated Maharaja Shalivahan; after his father's death he fled to the court of the Rawal of Jaisalmer, who was his mamaji, and found shelter there until his own death some years later, married and had issue.

  • Thakore Sejakji (qv)

• Thakore Sejakji, Thakore of Sejakpur and Chief of the Gohil Rajputs 1240/1254, born 1194, he migrated to Gujarat and took service with the Maharaja of Patan, and while he was there, the Ra Mahipal of Junagadh, spotted him and soon afterwards made him commander of his army and later rewarded him with the grant of Shahpur along with 24 villages in jagir, he also added a further 40 villages by conquest; and was able to found his capital near present day Chotila, in Saurashtra, in 1250, naming it Sejakpur after himself; married (amongst others), (a), Rani Uma De, and had issue. He died 1254.

  • Thakore Shri Somrajji Sejakji

  • Thakore Shri Sarangji Sejakji, he was granted the chovisi of Arthila as his patrimony, ancestor of the Thakores of Lathi.

  • Thakore Shri Shahaji Sejakji, he was granted the jagir of Mandvi as his patrimony, ancestor of the Thakores of Palitana.

  • Thakore Shri Mulrajji Sejakji (qv)

  • Kumari Shri Valam Kunverba (Amarkunvari), married Kumar Shri Khengarji (later Ra Khengar III), son of Ra Mahipal of Junagadh (see Chudasama Dynasty).

• Thakore Shri Mulrajji Sejakji, Chief of the Gohil Rajputs 1254/1290 and Governor of Sorath, he was able to establish the kingdom of Gogha, with his capital at Piram (or Pirambet), an island in the Gulf of Cambay, near present day Bhavnagar; married and had issue. He died 1290.

  • Thakore Shril Ranjoi Mulrajji (qv)

• Thakore Shril Ranjoi Mulrajji, Chief of the Gohil Rajputs 1290/1309, he established a new Gohil capital at Ranpur but was expelled from there and slain by Muslim invaders in 1309; married and had issue. He was killed in battle in 1309.

  • Thakore Shri Mokhdaji Ranoji (qv)

• Thakore Shri Mokhdaji Ranoji, Chief of the Gohil Rajputs 1309/1347, he conquered Umrala from the Kolis, and wrested back Piram (Ghoga) from the Muslims; married 1stly, Rani Sarvaiyaji, a Chudasama Princess of Hathasni in Kathiawar, married 2ndly, Rani Parmariji, daughter of Rao Chokrana, Rao Saheb of Junaraj (Old Rajpipla) in the western Satpuras, which was earlier part of the Imperial kingdom of Ujjain; and had issue. He succumbed to sword wounds inflicted in battle by the army of Sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq in 1347.

  • Thakore Shri Dungarsinhji Mokhdaji (by the Sarvaiya Rani), Chief of the Gohil Rajputs 1347/1370, married and had issue, the rulers of Bhavnagar.

  • Thakore Shri Samarsinhji Mokhdaji (by Rani Parmariji), he succeeded to the gadi of Rajpipla on the death of his maternal grandfather, who had no male issue; he then assumed the name of Arjunsinhji, married and had issue (see Rajpipla)

  • Thakore Shri Gondmalji Mokhdaji [Jituji], he founded Sarod state on the banks of the Mahi River in Jambusar Taluka.