Dewal (caste)

Vajrabhata was the eldest son of Satyashraya or Harichandra Bhojabhatta Pratihara, who went on the Abu-Bhinmal Path as a feudatory of Varmalata Chavda. As repeated Arab-Chawda conflicts weakened Chavda, it marked the sudden rise of Nagabhatta Pratihara I (730760) . This was the period when the Arab campaign was carried out by Junaid, Khalid Hasham (724–763 AD).

According to al-Biladuri's Fatuhu-e-Buldan, Junaid sent expedition to Baras (Bharuch), Marmad, Mandal, Dalmaz, Ujjain Baharimand, Vallamala (Jaisalmer) and Jurz (Gurjara) (Ancient name of Rajasthan, Gujarat) These campaigns politically weakened the Chavda Rajputs of Bhinmal, the Mori / Moriya Rajputs of Chittor and the Gurjara rulers of Bharuch (Lata), And created an opportunity for the rise of Nagabhata I[1]

Galaka Inscription (795 CE) by Galaka, contemporary of Nagabhata's grand-nephew Vatsaraja Pratihara (780-800) hails "Nagabhatta for defeating the invincible Gurjaras" (Here the Karnavamsi Gurjara dynasty of Bharuch) - named after Nagabhatta (Nagaloka) was reputed by Bharatvadhra II Chauhan as a feudal ruler. [2]

The Gwalior inscription of Bhoja Pratihara speaks of conquering the Mlechchas (Arabs led by Junaid and Tamin) of Nagabhatta I. [3]

"स्तस्यानुजोसौ मघवमदमुषो मेघनादस्य संख्ये सौमित्त्रिस्तीव्रदण्डः प्रतिहरणविधेयः प्रतीहार आमोत् तहन्शे प्रतिहारकेतनभृति त्रैलोक्यरक्षास्पदे देवो| नागभट : पुरातनमुनर्मूतिर्बभूवाद्भुतं । येनासौ सुक्कतप्रमाथिबलनम्लेच्छा।।"

In that family, which extended shelter to the triple world and bore the emblem of Pratihāra, the king Nāgabhața appeared as an incarnation' of the Old Sage in a strange way. Wherefore he seemed to break up the complete army of the kings of Mlecchas the destroyers of virtue,with four arms lustrous because of the glittering and terrible weapons.

Therefore, Emperor Nagabhatta I - established the royal Pratihara dynasty with Bhinmal as its capital. [4]

However, Nagabhatta I was not succeeded by his sons. Instead of his sons he was succeeded by his nephews Kakustha and Devaraja in quick succession. Nagabhatta had a son Lakshmivar (760–787 CE), and his grandson Pragasena Pratihara was a contemporary of the emperor Vatsaraja Pratihara (780–800) (son of Devaraja Pratihara). Imperial capital was transferred to the Avanti / Ujjain during the reign of Vatsaraja, From which Bhinmal was given to the descendants of Nagaloka or Nagabhata I. Therefore, the Pragasen Pratihara of Bhinmal became the feudatory of his cousins and was followed by the Karamsain or Karmayat, a contemporary of the Pragasen emperor Nagabhata II Pratihara. There were many revolts by the feudatories under the rule of Emperor Rambhadra Pratihara (833-836 CE) who saw an opportunity to break free. King Vasudeva Pratihara, son of King Karamsen of Bhinmal, helped the next king, Mihirabhoja Pratihara (836–885), crush these recurring feudatories. During the reign of the emperor, Bhoja Pratihara (910–913), Both the Pratiharas of Mandore and the Pratiharas of Abu revolted and reigned only with the help of Balraj Pratihara of Bhinmal.[5]

Banaraj was followed by his son Harichandra Pratihara, whose son was King Sagirath Pratihara. The Sagi River flowing from the Jaswantpura hills in Bhinmal is named after him. Sagirath Pratihar's son was Raja Chakravarti Pratihara whose daughter was married to Rao Lakshman Chauhan of Nadol (950-982 CE).

Jalore or Jabalipura was founded by the Jabali Pratihara. Chakravarti had a son Suran, whose son Raja Man Pratihara ruled Bhinmal when the Parmara Emperor Vakpati Munja (972-990 CE) invaded the region. — After the conquest, Vakpati Munja divided these conquered territories among the Paramara princes - His son Aranyaraj Parmar was given to Abu, his son Chandan Parmar to Jalore and his nephew Dharnivar Parmar to Jalore. This put an end to the nearly 200 years of Pratihara rule over Bhinmal.

The son of Raja Man Pratihar, Deval Singh Pratihara was a contemporary of King Mahipala Parmar of Abu (1000–1014 AD). King Devalasingh made several attempts to free his country or to reestablish the Pratihara hold on Bhinmal but in vain. Finally he settled in the south west of Bhinmal for territories consisting of four hills - Dodasa, Nadavana, Kala-Pahad and Sundha. He made Lohiana (present-day Jaswantpura) his capital. Therefore, his decendants are now part of this subclan. cadet branch of the Pratihar Rajputs residing in Bhinmal gradually became the Deval Pratihara Rajput while another Bargujar Pratihara Rajput group who migrated from Bhinmal to Rajor (Alwar)

Gradually, his jagir consisted of 52 villages in and around the modern Jalore district. Cadet branch of Pratihar Rajputs living in Bhinmal gradually became Deval Pratihar Rajput ,[6]

Sundha Mata Temple was built in the 12th century by the Deval Pratiharas with the support of the royal Chauhans.

In 1311, one of Alauddin's daughters fell in love with Kanhaddev's son Veeramdev Chauhan, however, viram swear he would never wedlock with a turk in all his lives, which led to tensions between the two states and Alauddin attacked Jalore. The Deval Pratihara Rajputs participated in the resistance to Alauddin Khilji of Chauhan Kanhaddeva of Jalore. Kanhaddev's army achieved some initial successes against the invaders, but the fort of Jalore eventually Alauddin's commander Malik Kamal fell into the hands of an army led by al-Din. Kanhaddev and his son Veeramdev were killed, thus ending the Chaman dynasty of Jalore.[7] [8]

Maharana Pratap stayed in Loyanagar for some time during his struggle against the Mughal emperor Akbar.

Thakur Dhaval Singh Deval of Lohiana supplied manpower to Maharana Pratap and married his daughter to Maharana, in return Maharana gave him the title of "Rana", who remained with his dynasty till this day. [9] Some villages of Deval Pratiharas: Puran, Panseri, Gajapura, Kalapura, Shivgarh in Bhinmal tehsil of Jalore; Dadoki, Silasan, Tejwas, Roda, Chitrodi in Raniwara tehsil of Jalore; Jitpura, Vada, Pahar in Jaswantpura Tehsil of Jalore, Ghazipura and Pahadpura in Jaswantpura Tehsil of Jalore. Sinla Arena (Pali)

There are 4 sub-branches: Manavat Devals, Dharavat Devals, Akhawat and Vaghavat Devals. Malwara Thikana in Jalore belongs to Vaghavat Dewal.