The Rathore kingdom of Kishangarh was a princely state of the Rathore Rajput clan in present-day Rajasthan, founded in the early seventeenth century by Kishan Singh, a Rathore prince of the house of Jodhpur, the ruling line of Marwar. Belonging to the wider world of the Rajput ruling houses described in our guide to the Rajputs, the kingdom of Kishangarh held its place among the states of Rajasthan, first under the paramountcy of the Mughals and later under the British, until its accession to India after 1947. The state is celebrated above all for the distinctive Kishangarh school of miniature painting, one of the great traditions of Rajput art, and especially for the renowned portrait tradition associated with the figure of the Bani Thani, which flourished under the ruler and poet Raja Sawant Singh, also known by his devotional name Nagari Das. Because several early dates and details rest on tradition and local record, this guide keeps to general terms where the account is uncertain.
Quick answer: The Rathore kingdom of Kishangarh was a princely state of the Rathore Rajput clan in present-day Rajasthan, founded in the early seventeenth century by Kishan Singh, a Rathore prince of the house of Jodhpur in Marwar. It held its place among the states of Rajasthan, under the Mughals and later the British, until its accession to India after 1947. The state is celebrated above all for the distinctive Kishangarh school of miniature painting and especially the Bani Thani tradition, which flourished under the ruler and poet Raja Sawant Singh, known as Nagari Das.
Key Takeaways
- The Rathore kingdom of Kishangarh was a princely state of the Rathore Rajput clan in present-day Rajasthan.
- It was founded in the early seventeenth century by Kishan Singh, a Rathore prince of the house of Jodhpur in Marwar.
- The state held its place among the states of Rajasthan, first under the Mughals and later under the British.
- Kishangarh is celebrated above all for the distinctive Kishangarh school of miniature painting.
- The renowned Bani Thani portrait tradition flourished under the ruler and poet Raja Sawant Singh, known as Nagari Das.
- The princely state of Kishangarh acceded to the Indian union after independence in 1947.
Read on for the history, culture, and legacy in detail.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | The Rathore state of Kishangarh |
| Region | Present-day Rajasthan (near Ajmer) |
| Capital | Kishangarh |
| Ruling Clan | The Rathore Rajputs (branch of Jodhpur/Marwar) |
| Founder | Kishan Singh (early 17th century) |
| Famous For | The Kishangarh school of painting and the Bani Thani |
| Notable Ruler | Raja Sawant Singh (Nagari Das) |
| Acceded to India | After independence in 1947 |
What Was the Kingdom of Kishangarh?
The kingdom of Kishangarh was a princely state of the Rathore Rajput clan in present-day Rajasthan, founded in the early seventeenth century as a new state carved out by a prince of the house of Jodhpur. Belonging to the wider world of the Rajput ruling houses, the state of Kishangarh held its place among the many states of Rajasthan, ruled by its line of Rathore rulers from the town of Kishangarh. The kingdom is remembered above all for the distinctive school of miniature painting that flourished under its patronage, one of the great traditions of Rajput art. The state endured through the periods of Mughal and British paramountcy until its accession to India after 1947. As one of the notable Rathore states of Rajasthan, Kishangarh holds an important place in the history and art of the region. Its story spans the founding of the state and the flowering of its celebrated painting down to the modern era.
Where Is Kishangarh Located?
Kishangarh is located in present-day Rajasthan, in the region near the city of Ajmer, in the heart of the land long associated with the Rajput states of the north-west. The town, which gave its name to the state, is set amid the plains and low hills of central Rajasthan, in a landscape of the semi-arid country characteristic of the region. The state of Kishangarh lay among the other Rajput states of Rajasthan, bounded by their territories and bound to them by the shared history and rivalries of the region. The town is associated with its fort, its palaces and the nearby waters of a lake, which form part of its heritage and its setting. The position of Kishangarh in central Rajasthan placed it within the heartland of the Rajput states and their culture. This geography of plain and hill in central Rajasthan formed the enduring setting of the kingdom of Kishangarh.
Who Were the Rathores?
The Rathores are one of the great Rajput clans of north-western India, a house long associated with the region of Marwar and the city of Jodhpur, from which the ruling line of Kishangarh descended. As a leading Rajput clan, the Rathores shared in the martial traditions, codes of honour and heritage of the Rajputs, and they built powerful states in Rajasthan, among which Marwar, with its capital at Jodhpur, was one of the greatest. The house of Kishangarh was a branch of the Rathores, founded by a prince of the Jodhpur line, and it took its place among the Rathore states of the region. The traditions of the clan and its branches are preserved in local accounts and the history of Rajasthan. The Rathores are counted among the foremost Rajput clans of the north-west. The Rathore clan thus gave Kishangarh its ruling house, linking the state to the wider heritage of the Rathores of Marwar.
Who Founded the State of Kishangarh?
The state of Kishangarh was founded in the early seventeenth century by Kishan Singh, a Rathore prince of the house of Jodhpur, the ruling line of Marwar, who established the new state and gave it his name. According to the generally accepted account, Kishan Singh, as a prince of the Rathore house, carved out a new domain for himself in the region, founding the state and the town of Kishangarh as its seat. The founding of the state reflected the way Rajput princes established new branches and domains, extending the presence of the great clans across the region. The new state took its place among the other Rajput states of Rajasthan, ruled by the line descended from its founder. The date and details of the founding rest in part on tradition and local record and are described in general terms. The founding of Kishangarh by Kishan Singh thus stands as the origin of the state and its Rathore ruling house.
How Did Kishangarh Relate to Marwar and Jodhpur?
Kishangarh was closely linked to Marwar and its capital Jodhpur, for the ruling house of Kishangarh descended from a prince of the Jodhpur line, the ruling house of Marwar. This connection of kinship bound the two states together, and the rulers of Kishangarh shared in the heritage and traditions of the Rathores of Marwar, even as they ruled their own distinct state. The relationship between a parent state such as Marwar and a branch state such as Kishangarh reflected the way the great Rajput clans extended their presence through new branches and domains. Over their history, the states maintained ties of kinship and shared heritage, within the wider web of relations among the Rajput states of Rajasthan. The details of this relationship are drawn from the history of the region and described in general terms. The link between Kishangarh and Marwar thus reflects the kinship of the Rathore houses and their place in the history of Rajasthan.
How Did Kishangarh Relate to the Mughals?
Kishangarh, like the other Rajput states of Rajasthan, related to the Mughal empire as a state under Mughal paramountcy, bound to the empire by the arrangements that governed the Rajput states in the age of Mughal power. During the period when the Mughals were the paramount power of northern India, the Rajput rulers, including those of Kishangarh, entered into relations with the empire, serving within its framework while ruling their own states. These relations shaped the political life of the Rajput states and brought them into the wider world of the Mughal court, its culture and its art, an exchange that influenced the development of Rajput painting. The connection with the Mughals forms an important part of the history of Kishangarh and the Rajput states of the age. The details of these relations are drawn from the broadly recorded history of the period and described in general terms. The relationship of Kishangarh with the Mughals thus placed the state within the framework of Mughal paramountcy in its early history.
What Is the Kishangarh Fort?
The Kishangarh fort is one of the principal monuments of the state, a fortress associated with the Rathore rulers that stands among the historic structures of the town. Built in the tradition of the Rajput forts of Rajasthan, the fort served as a seat of the rulers and a stronghold of the state, reflecting the martial heritage and the architecture of the Rajput houses. The fort, together with the palaces and other structures of Kishangarh, forms part of the royal heritage of the state and a reminder of its history. The architecture of the fort reflects the styles and traditions of Rajput fortress-building in the region. The details of its history and features are drawn from the record of the region and described in general terms. The Kishangarh fort thus stands as a notable monument of the Rathore state, a reminder of the rule and the martial heritage of the dynasty of Kishangarh.
What Is the Phool Mahal?
The Phool Mahal, meaning the Palace of Flowers, is a celebrated palace of the Rathore rulers at Kishangarh, remembered as one of the notable royal buildings of the state. Set by the waters of the lake associated with the town, the Phool Mahal reflects the architecture and taste of the Rajput court, with its halls and chambers bound up with the royal life of the state. The palace forms part of the royal heritage of Kishangarh, alongside the fort and other historic structures, and it is counted among the principal monuments of the town. Its setting by the lake adds to the beauty and distinction of the palace. The details of its history and features are drawn from the record of the region and described in general terms. The Phool Mahal thus stands as a celebrated palace of the Rathore rulers of Kishangarh and a notable monument of the royal heritage of the state.
What Is the Kishangarh School of Painting?
The Kishangarh school of painting is one of the great traditions of Rajput miniature painting, a distinctive style that flourished under the patronage of the rulers of the state and is celebrated among the schools of Indian art. The Kishangarh style is renowned for its refined and idealised beauty, its delicate treatment of the human figure, its lyrical landscapes, and its themes drawn from the devotion to Krishna and the love of Radha and Krishna. The school is especially associated with the court of Raja Sawant Singh, also known as Nagari Das, whose devotion and poetry are reflected in the art of his time. The paintings of the Kishangarh school are counted among the treasures of Rajput painting, admired for their elegance and their devotional feeling. The details of the school and its history are drawn from the study of Indian art and described in general terms. The Kishangarh school of painting thus stands as the most celebrated contribution of the state to Indian art and culture.
What Is the Bani Thani?
The Bani Thani is the celebrated portrait tradition associated with the Kishangarh school of painting, a famous image of an idealised feminine beauty that has become an emblem of the art of Kishangarh. The figure of the Bani Thani is renowned for its distinctive and stylised features, its elongated eyes and refined grace, which embody the idealised beauty characteristic of the Kishangarh style. The tradition is bound up with the court of Raja Sawant Singh and with the devotional themes of the love of Radha and Krishna that pervade the art of Kishangarh. The Bani Thani has become one of the most recognisable images of Rajput painting, celebrated as a masterpiece of Indian art and an emblem of the Kishangarh school. The details of the tradition are drawn from the study of Indian art and described in general terms. The Bani Thani thus stands as the most famous image of the Kishangarh school and a treasure of Indian painting.
Who Was Raja Sawant Singh (Nagari Das)?
Raja Sawant Singh, also known by his devotional name Nagari Das, was a ruler of Kishangarh remembered as a poet and a devotee of Krishna, under whose court the celebrated painting of Kishangarh flourished. As a ruler of the Rathore state, Sawant Singh was devoted to the worship of Krishna and composed devotional poetry under the name Nagari Das, and his piety and artistic sensibility are reflected in the flowering of the Kishangarh school in his time. His court is especially associated with the refined and devotional art of Kishangarh, including the famous Bani Thani tradition. The figure of Sawant Singh holds an honoured place in the memory of the state as a ruler, poet and patron of art. The details of his life belong to the history of the state and the study of Indian art and are described in general terms. Raja Sawant Singh, as Nagari Das, thus stands as the celebrated poet-ruler linked to the golden age of Kishangarh painting.
How Was the State Governed?
The state of Kishangarh was governed by its Rathore ruler, supported by ministers, officials and the nobility of the state, within the framework of a Rajput princely state of Rajasthan. The ruler held the sovereign authority of the state, governing from Kishangarh and presiding over its administration, defence, and its relations with the paramount power, whether Mughal or British, and with the neighbouring states. The government of the state managed its revenue, its land and its communities, in the manner of the Rajput states of the region. The administration developed over the long history of the state and adapted to the frameworks of Mughal and then British paramountcy. The details of the government are drawn from the record of the region and described in general terms. The system of rule enabled the state to endure as a self-governing princely state until its accession to India. The governance of Kishangarh thus rested on its Rathore ruler and the institutions of the state.
How Did Kishangarh Relate to the British?
Kishangarh related to the British as one of the princely states of Rajasthan, entering into arrangements with British power by which the state retained its internal self-government under British paramountcy. As the British became the paramount power in India, the Rajput states of the region, including Kishangarh, came under the overarching framework of paramountcy while their rulers continued to govern their states. Under these arrangements the dynasty preserved its rule and the internal administration of the state, within the wider framework of British power in India. The state took its place among the many princely states of Rajasthan in this period. The details of these arrangements are drawn from the record of the period and described in general terms. The relationship of Kishangarh with the British thus combined the preservation of the Rathore state with the acknowledgement of British paramountcy, until the end of British rule in India.
How Did Kishangarh Join India?
Kishangarh joined the Indian union after independence in 1947, when the princely state, like the other princely territories, acceded to India with the end of British paramountcy. The accession of Kishangarh integrated the historic state into the new nation, bringing to a close its history as a self-governing Rathore state under its rulers. In the reorganisation of the country that followed, the region came to form part of the state of Rajasthan within the Indian union, together with the other Rajput states of the region. The rulers, like the other princes, took their place within the new order as the princely states were integrated into India. The details of this accession belong to the broadly recorded history of the period and are described in general terms. The joining of Kishangarh to India thus marked the transition of the historic state into the modern nation, while the heritage of the Rathore dynasty and its celebrated art endured.
Why Is Kishangarh Significant?
Kishangarh is significant above all for its contribution to Indian art, as the home of one of the great schools of Rajput miniature painting, celebrated for its refined and idealised beauty and its devotional themes. The Kishangarh school, and especially the famous Bani Thani, stand among the treasures of Indian painting, admired for their elegance and feeling, and they give the state a distinctive place in the history of art. The patronage of the ruler and poet Raja Sawant Singh, known as Nagari Das, marks the golden age of this art and the devotional culture of the court. As a Rathore state of Rajasthan, Kishangarh also holds its place in the history of the Rajput states, under the Mughals and the British. For students of Indian history and art, Kishangarh offers a vivid example of a Rajput state and its flowering of painting. Kishangarh thus holds an honoured place in the history of Rajput art and the states of Rajasthan.
Kishangarh Today
Kishangarh is remembered today above all for its celebrated school of painting and the famous Bani Thani, which continue to be admired as treasures of Indian art, together with the heritage of its fort, palaces and the town founded by the Rathore rulers. The Kishangarh style of painting is honoured across India and beyond as one of the great traditions of Rajput art, and the image of the Bani Thani has become one of the most recognisable emblems of Indian painting. The fort, the Phool Mahal and the other historic structures of Kishangarh stand as reminders of the Rathore state and its royal heritage, set in the landscape of central Rajasthan. The town is also known in modern times for its connection with trade and industry in the region. Scholars and lovers of art continue to study and celebrate the painting and heritage of Kishangarh. For readers of Indian history, Kishangarh offers a striking example of a Rajput state whose legacy endures above all in its celebrated art.
Sources & Further Reading
- Archaeological Survey of India (asi.nic.in).
- Ministry of Culture, Government of India (indiaculture.gov.in).
- Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the kingdom of Kishangarh?
The kingdom of Kishangarh was a princely state of the Rathore Rajput clan in present-day Rajasthan, founded in the early seventeenth century by Kishan Singh, a prince of the house of Jodhpur in Marwar. It is celebrated above all for the distinctive Kishangarh school of miniature painting.
Who founded Kishangarh?
Kishangarh was founded in the early seventeenth century by Kishan Singh, a Rathore prince of the house of Jodhpur, the ruling line of Marwar, who established the new state and gave it his name. The state took its place among the Rajput states of Rajasthan.
What is the Kishangarh school of painting?
The Kishangarh school of painting is one of the great traditions of Rajput miniature painting, celebrated for its refined and idealised beauty, its delicate figures and its devotional themes drawn from the love of Radha and Krishna. It flourished under the patronage of the rulers of Kishangarh.
What is the Bani Thani?
The Bani Thani is the celebrated portrait tradition of the Kishangarh school, a famous image of idealised feminine beauty renowned for its stylised features and elongated eyes. It has become one of the most recognisable emblems of Rajput painting and a treasure of Indian art.
Who was Raja Sawant Singh?
Raja Sawant Singh, also known by his devotional name Nagari Das, was a ruler of Kishangarh remembered as a poet and devotee of Krishna, under whose court the celebrated painting of Kishangarh flourished. His piety and sensibility are reflected in the art of his time.
When did Kishangarh join India?
The princely state of Kishangarh acceded to the Indian union after independence in 1947, with the end of British paramountcy. In the later reorganisation of the country, the region came to form part of the state of Rajasthan.
