The Idar State: A Rathore Kingdom of the Sabarkantha Hills

Idar state, also written as Edar, was an old Rathore Rajput kingdom set in the Sabarkantha hills of present-day Gujarat, near the border with Rajasthan. Centred on its capital town of Idar, crowned by a historic hill fort, the state occupied a rugged, strategically sited country of rocky hills and passes that long gave it importance among the smaller kingdoms of the region. The ruling line of Idar was of the Rathore clan, traditionally linked to the Marwar, or Jodhpur, Rathores, and in later times its rulers were drawn from the Jodhpur family. As a Rathore principality whose story belongs to the wider world of the clans described in our guide to the Rajputs, Idar bridged the Rajput heartland of Rajasthan and the plains of Gujarat, and this account keeps to broadly established history where particular dates and details are uncertain.

Key Takeaways

• Idar state, also spelled Edar, was an old Rathore Rajput kingdom in the Sabarkantha hills of present-day Gujarat.
• It lay near the border with Rajasthan, in a rugged and strategically sited hill country.
• Its capital was the town of Idar, crowned by a historic hill fort.
• The ruling line was of the Rathore clan, traditionally linked to the Marwar, or Jodhpur, Rathores.
• In later times the rulers of Idar were drawn from the Jodhpur family.
• Idar acceded to the Indian Union after independence in 1947.

Read on for the history, culture, and legacy in detail.

Quick Facts

Who Ruled the State of Idar?

Idar state was ruled by a line of the Rathore clan, one of the great Rajput houses, who governed the hill country around the town of Idar in present-day Gujarat. The Rathore rulers of Idar were traditionally linked to the Marwar, or Jodhpur, Rathores, and in later times the rulers of the state were drawn from the Jodhpur family, a connection that bound Idar to one of the most celebrated Rajput dynasties. Governing from their capital at Idar, crowned by its historic hill fort, the rulers presided over a rugged and strategically placed kingdom near the border with Rajasthan. The dynasty upheld the martial traditions and sense of lineage associated with the Rathores. As a Rathore house set amid the hills between Rajasthan and Gujarat, the rulers of Idar held a distinctive place among the princely states. Their long rule gave the state its character and its heritage within the broader history of the region.

Where Is Idar Located?

Idar is located in the Sabarkantha hills of northern Gujarat, near the border with Rajasthan, in a rugged country of rocky hills, ridges and passes. This setting, on the margin between the Rajput heartland of Rajasthan and the plains of Gujarat, gave the state a distinctive and strategically important position. The town of Idar, which gave the state its name, grew beneath and around a hill crowned by its historic fort, amid this broken and defensible terrain. The hill country shaped the life, economy and defence of the state, which drew strength from its natural fastnesses. The position of Idar near the Rajasthan border tied it closely to the Rathore world of Marwar, while its territory lay within the region of Gujarat. Idar’s location in the Sabarkantha hills is central to understanding its identity as a hill kingdom bridging two regions. Its setting also explains the strategic importance that it long held.

Why Was Idar Strategically Important?

Idar was strategically important because of its rugged hill country and its position on the route between the Rajput lands of Rajasthan and the plains of Gujarat, which gave its fort and passes real military value. The broken terrain of rocky hills, ridges and defiles made the country naturally defensible, and the historic hill fort of Idar commanded the approaches to the town and the surrounding region. Control of such a strongpoint on the margin between regions carried weight in the contests of the great powers that rose and fell across the area. The natural defences of the hills allowed the state to hold out and to retain its identity through changing times. The strategic character of Idar is reflected in the prominence of its fort in its history. This importance, arising from terrain and position, is one of the defining features of the state. Idar’s strength as a hill fastness shaped its long and eventful history.

What Is the Idar Hill Fort?

The Idar hill fort is the most celebrated landmark of the state, a historic fortress rising on the rocky hill above the town of Idar. Set amid the broken terrain of the Sabarkantha hills, the fort commanded the town and the surrounding passes, drawing its strength from the natural defences of the steep and rugged ground. Its ramparts, gateways and structures, raised and extended over time, reflect the long history of the site as a stronghold of the rulers of Idar. The fort served as a refuge and a seat of power in the contests of the region, and its dramatic setting lent it both military value and lasting fame. As a hill fort of the type found across the Rajput country, it belongs to a wider tradition of such strongholds. The Idar hill fort remains the principal heritage emblem of the state and a vivid symbol of its character as a hill kingdom.

Who Were the Rathore Rajputs?

The Rathores were one of the great clans of the Rajputs, famed above all for their rule over Marwar, the kingdom centred on Jodhpur in western Rajasthan. Renowned in tradition for their martial valour and their proud sense of lineage, the Rathores held a place of high honour among the Rajput houses. Branches and offshoots of the clan established their rule in various territories, and the ruling line of Idar was traditionally linked to this celebrated Rathore house of Marwar. As Rathores, the rulers of Idar shared in the values, customs and traditions of the clan. The Rathore name is woven deeply into the history of Rajput Rajasthan, and its connection with Idar tied the hill state to that wider world. The prestige of the Rathore lineage lent the ruling house of Idar a distinguished heritage. The Rathore identity thus forms the ancestral foundation of the dynasty of Idar.

How Was Idar Linked to the Jodhpur Rathores?

Idar was linked to the Jodhpur Rathores through its ruling line, which was traditionally connected to the Marwar, or Jodhpur, house, and in later times its rulers were drawn from the Jodhpur family itself. This connection bound the hill state of Idar to one of the most celebrated Rajput dynasties of Rajasthan, giving its ruling house a prestigious origin and a tie to the great kingdom of Marwar. The relationship, reflecting the way Rajput clans branched into related ruling families across different territories, is treated by historians as part of the broadly recorded traditions of the Rathore houses. Through this link, Idar shared in the prestige and heritage of the Jodhpur Rathores while governing its own kingdom in the Sabarkantha hills. The connection with Jodhpur remained central to the identity of the rulers of Idar. This tie to the Marwar house is one of the most distinctive features of the history of the state.

How Did the State of Idar Originate?

Idar originated as an old kingdom of the hill country of present-day Gujarat, with a long history reaching back through many eras before it took shape as the Rathore state recorded in later times. The site of Idar, with its commanding hill fort, had been a seat of power of considerable antiquity, held by different ruling houses over the course of its history. According to the traditions of the Rathore clan, a line connected to the Marwar, or Jodhpur, house came to rule the state, and its later rulers were drawn from the Jodhpur family. The precise details of these origins are drawn from the genealogies and traditions of the Rajput houses and are treated by historians with appropriate caution. What is clear is that Idar endured as a hill kingdom of long standing. The state thus took shape as a Rathore principality in the Sabarkantha hills, bridging the Rajput country of Rajasthan and the plains of Gujarat.

What Was the Landscape of Idar Like?

The landscape of Idar was one of rugged hills, rocky ridges and wooded tracts, the broken country of the Sabarkantha region in northern Gujarat near the Rajasthan border. This terrain, distinct from the open plains of much of Gujarat, gave the state its defensible character and its strategic importance, with the historic hill fort rising amid the stony heights above the town. The hills, with their passes and fastnesses, shaped the life, economy and defence of the kingdom. The country supported agriculture in its valleys and tracts, in keeping with the general pattern of the region, while the hills provided natural strongholds. The rugged landscape distinguished Idar from the lowland states around it and lent it both beauty and military value. This hill country is central to the identity of the state. The landscape of Idar remains one of its most distinctive features and the setting of its enduring heritage.

What Was the Capital Town of Idar Like?

The capital town of Idar, which gave the state its name, lay in the Sabarkantha hills of northern Gujarat and served as the seat of the Rathore ruling house. Dominated by the historic hill fort that rose above it, the town was the political, administrative and cultural centre of the state, adorned with the palaces, temples and residences of the ruling dynasty. Its dramatic setting amid the rocky hills gave it a distinctive character among the capitals of the region. The town was a centre of court life, governance and ceremony, drawing its importance from its command of the surrounding hill country. Its heritage reflected the status and patronage of the ruling house and the long history of the site as a seat of power. As the capital, Idar was the focus of the life of the state. The town of Idar remains the enduring centre of the state’s heritage and identity in the hills of Gujarat.

What Was the Culture and Heritage of Idar Like?

The culture and heritage of Idar reflected its character as a Rathore Rajput state set amid the hills between Rajasthan and Gujarat, blending the traditions of the Rajput houses with the wider cultural life of the region. The court of the rulers upheld the martial customs, codes of honour and sense of lineage characteristic of the Rathores, while the state shared in the devotional, artistic and social traditions of Gujarat. Temples, shrines and the palaces and fort of the capital formed part of its heritage, expressing the faith and patronage of the ruling house. The position of Idar on the margin between regions gave its culture a distinctive blended character. The heritage of the state, bound up with its hills and its fort, reflected its long history as a seat of power. This cultural life distinguished Idar within its region. The culture and heritage of Idar remain among the most interesting aspects of its identity.

What Was the Architecture of Idar Like?

The architecture of Idar was dominated by its historic hill fort and the palaces, temples and residences of the ruling house, reflecting the character of a Rathore state of the hill country. The fort, rising on the rocky heights above the town, combined the defensive strength of a hill stronghold with the structures of a seat of power, its ramparts and gateways following the broken contours of the hill. The palaces and residences of the capital were built in the traditions of the Rajput houses, adapted to the resources and setting of the region, while the temples and shrines expressed the devotion of the dynasty. The building traditions drew on the wider styles of Rajasthan and Gujarat, meeting on the margin between the two regions. This architecture expressed the status, taste and faith of the ruling house. The architecture of Idar, above all its hill fort, remains among the most distinctive aspects of the heritage of the state.

How Was Idar Governed?

Idar was governed by its Rathore ruling house through a system that combined the authority of the ruler with the service of nobles, officials and local functionaries who managed the affairs of the state. At the head stood the ruler, supported by ministers and officers responsible for revenue, justice and the general administration of the territory. The state comprised the capital town with its hill fort and the surrounding hill country of the Sabarkantha region. Revenue came chiefly from the land and the produce of the country, in keeping with its agrarian character, while the hills provided natural defences. The nobility and local chiefs held responsibilities within this structure, a common pattern among the princely states. This system of governance allowed the Rathore dynasty to maintain its rule over the hill country for generations. The administration of Idar reflected the traditions of a Rajput principality set between Rajasthan and Gujarat.

What Were Idar's Relations with the Great Powers?

Idar, set on the margin between Rajasthan and Gujarat, engaged over its history with the great powers that rose and fell across the region, including the Mughals, the Marathas and later the British. As a hill state commanding strategic passes, Idar navigated the shifting balance of power through a combination of alliance, accommodation and the defence of its own territory from its natural strongholds. Its position near the Rajasthan border and within the region of Gujarat shaped these dealings, tying it to the wider politics of both regions. The rulers of Idar, drawing on their Rathore connections and their hill fastnesses, managed their relations to safeguard the interests of the state. These engagements were shaped by the wider contests of the age. Through such dealings, the dynasty preserved its rule over Idar. The state’s relations with the great powers form an important strand in its history and illustrate the diplomacy of a strategically placed hill kingdom.

How Did Idar Become a Princely State under the British?

Idar became a princely state within the framework of British paramountcy that took shape across India during the nineteenth century. As British power extended over the subcontinent, many ruling houses, including that of Idar, entered into arrangements that recognised their rule over their territories while acknowledging the overarching authority of the colonial power. Under this system Idar was counted among the princely states associated with the region of Gujarat and the wider structure of the states, retaining its own ruler, administration and internal governance. This status allowed the Rathore dynasty, linked to the Jodhpur house, to continue governing the hill country under British paramountcy. The princely-state framework shaped the modern history of Idar until the independence of India. Within this arrangement the state preserved its traditions and its distinct identity as a Rathore hill kingdom. Idar’s standing as a princely state is an important part of its story in the era before independence.

How Did Idar Join Independent India?

Idar, like the other princely states, acceded to the Indian Union after the independence of India in 1947, when the states were integrated into the new nation. With the end of British paramountcy, the rulers of the princely states joined India, and their territories were brought into the republic through the great process of integration that reshaped the political map of the subcontinent. Idar became part of independent India and its territory was absorbed into the structure of the region of Gujarat, within which its hill country lay. This transition ended the era of Idar as a separately governed principality, though the ruling family retained its historical standing and heritage. The integration of the states was one of the defining achievements of the early years of independent India. Idar thus became part of the modern nation, its old hill kingdom joining the state of Gujarat.

Idar Today

Idar is remembered today chiefly through its historic hill fort and its heritage as an old Rathore kingdom of the Sabarkantha hills, which draw visitors interested in the history of the princely states and the rugged beauty of the region. The fort, palaces and temples of the town reflect the long history of the site as a seat of power and the character of a hill state bridging Rajasthan and Gujarat. The former ruling family retains its historical association with the state and its heritage, and its link to the Jodhpur Rathores. The hill country and its fort continue to shape the identity of Idar. For readers of Indian history, Idar offers a vivid example of a Rathore hill kingdom set on the margin between two regions. Its legacy endures in the hill fort, the Rathore heritage and the strategic hill country of its capital in northern Gujarat.

Sources & Further Reading

• Archaeological Survey of India (asi.nic.in).
• Ministry of Culture, Government of India (indiaculture.gov.in).
• Department of Tourism, Government of Gujarat (gujarattourism.com).

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Idar state?

Idar state, also spelled Edar, was an old Rathore Rajput kingdom in the Sabarkantha hills of present-day Gujarat, near the border with Rajasthan. Its capital was the town of Idar, crowned by a historic hill fort, and its ruling line was traditionally linked to the Marwar, or Jodhpur, Rathores.

Where was Idar located?

Idar was located in the Sabarkantha hills of northern Gujarat, near the border with Rajasthan, in a rugged country of rocky hills and passes. Its strategic position lay on the margin between the Rajput heartland of Rajasthan and the plains of Gujarat.

Who ruled Idar?

Idar was ruled by a line of the Rathore clan, one of the great Rajput houses, traditionally linked to the Marwar, or Jodhpur, Rathores. In later times the rulers of Idar were drawn from the Jodhpur family, binding the state to that celebrated dynasty.

Why was Idar strategically important?

Idar was strategically important because of its rugged hill country and its position on the route between Rajasthan and Gujarat, which gave its fort and passes real military value. The broken terrain made the country naturally defensible, and the hill fort commanded the approaches to the town.

What is the Idar hill fort?

The Idar hill fort is the most celebrated landmark of the state, a historic fortress rising on the rocky hill above the town. It commanded the town and the surrounding passes and drew its strength from the natural defences of the steep and rugged ground.

What happened to Idar after independence?

Idar acceded to the Indian Union after independence in 1947 and its territory was integrated into the region of Gujarat. This ended its era as a separately governed principality, though the ruling family retained its heritage and its link to the Jodhpur Rathores.