The Deora Chauhans of Sirohi

The Deora Chauhans, also known as the Devda Chauhans, were a Rajput dynasty of southern Rajasthan, a branch of the great Chauhan clan who ruled the state of Sirohi near Mount Abu. Belonging to the wider world of the Rajput ruling houses described in our guide to the Rajputs, the Deoras established their rule in the hill country of southern Rajasthan, in the region of the Aravalli ranges and the celebrated heights of Mount Abu, where the famous Dilwara Jain temples stand. The state of Sirohi is known in particular for the Sirohi sword, a type of blade long associated with the region and prized for its craft. The Deora Chauhans ruled Sirohi as a princely state, first within the world of the Rajput states and later under British paramountcy, before acceding to India after the independence of 1947. Because several early dates and details rest on tradition and local record, this guide keeps to general terms where the account is uncertain, while presenting the well-established outlines of the Deora house and its heritage.

Key Takeaways

• The Deora Chauhans, also known as the Devda Chauhans, were a Rajput dynasty of southern Rajasthan.
• They were a branch of the great Chauhan clan and ruled the state of Sirohi near Mount Abu.
• The state lay in the hill country of southern Rajasthan, in the region of the Aravalli ranges.
• The famous Dilwara Jain temples stand on Mount Abu, in the region associated with the state.
• Sirohi is known in particular for the Sirohi sword, a type of blade long associated with the region.
• The Deoras ruled Sirohi as a princely state under British paramountcy, acceding to India after the independence of 1947.

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

Quick Facts

Who Were the Deora Chauhans?

The Deora Chauhans, also known as the Devda Chauhans, were a Rajput dynasty of southern Rajasthan, a branch of the great Chauhan clan who ruled the state of Sirohi near Mount Abu. Belonging to the wider world of the Rajput ruling houses, the Deoras established their rule in the hill country of southern Rajasthan, in the region of the Aravalli ranges, and governed the state of Sirohi across the centuries. The dynasty is remembered as one of the notable Rajput houses of the region, holding its place among the states of Rajasthan, first within the world of the Rajput kingdoms and later under British paramountcy. The Deoras ruled Sirohi until its accession to India after the independence of 1947. As a branch of the Chauhans and the ruling house of Sirohi, the Deoras hold an important place in the history of southern Rajasthan. Their story is bound up with the hills, the temples and the crafts of the region.

Where Was the State of Sirohi Located?

The state of Sirohi was located in southern Rajasthan, in the hill country of the Aravalli ranges near the celebrated heights of Mount Abu, a land of hills, valleys and plains on the southern edge of the region. The state lay in a region of rugged terrain, bounded by the Aravalli hills and set within the wider world of the Rajput states of Rajasthan, with the town of Sirohi as its seat. The nearby heights of Mount Abu, famous for the Dilwara Jain temples, lay in the region associated with the state. This geography of hill and valley in the Aravalli country shaped the history, defence and culture of the state. The position of Sirohi in southern Rajasthan placed it among the states of the region and in contact with its neighbours. This geography of the Aravalli hills near Mount Abu thus formed the enduring setting of the state of Sirohi.

What Are the Names Deora and Devda?

The dynasty is known by the names Deora and Devda, alternative renderings of the name of this branch of the Chauhan clan that ruled Sirohi. The two forms refer to the same house and lineage, and the variation reflects the different ways the name has been recorded and transmitted over time. The name denotes the branch of the Chauhans that established itself in southern Rajasthan and ruled the state of Sirohi, distinguishing it from the other branches of the great Chauhan clan. Recognising these variant spellings helps readers identify the dynasty across the different sources and accounts in which it appears. As with many such names, the precise origin and preferred form are matters of tradition and scholarly discussion rather than firm record. The names Deora and Devda thus both denote the same Rajput house, the branch of the Chauhans remembered as the ruling dynasty of Sirohi in southern Rajasthan.

Who Were the Chauhans?

The Chauhans are one of the great Rajput clans of northern and western India, a house of wide renown in the history of the Rajputs, from whose stock the Deora branch of Sirohi descended. As a leading Rajput clan, the Chauhans shared in the martial traditions, codes of honour and heritage of the Rajputs, and they are remembered for their role in the history of Rajasthan and the neighbouring regions, with branches established in various parts of the country. The Deoras were one such branch, who established their rule in southern Rajasthan and the state of Sirohi, taking their place among the Chauhan houses of the region. The traditions of the clan and its branches are preserved in local accounts and the history of Rajasthan. The Chauhans are counted among the foremost Rajput clans. The Chauhan clan thus gave rise to the Deoras of Sirohi, linking them to the wider heritage of the Chauhans of northern and western India.

What Is the Significance of Mount Abu?

Mount Abu is the celebrated hill of southern Rajasthan, rising amid the Aravalli ranges in the region associated with the state of Sirohi, and famous above all for the Dilwara Jain temples. As the highest point of the Aravallis, Mount Abu holds a notable place in the geography and heritage of the region, long a centre of pilgrimage and devotion, set amid cool hills above the plains. The heights of Mount Abu, with the renowned Dilwara temples, lay in the region linked with the Deora state of Sirohi, and they form a celebrated part of the heritage of southern Rajasthan. The hill remains an important heritage and pilgrimage site today, renowned for its temples and its scenery. The details of its history and association with the state are drawn from the record of the region and described in general terms. Mount Abu thus stands as a celebrated hill of southern Rajasthan in the region associated with the Deora state of Sirohi.

What Are the Dilwara Temples?

The Dilwara temples are a celebrated group of Jain temples on Mount Abu in southern Rajasthan, renowned above all for their exquisite marble carving, counted among the great achievements of temple art in India. Built in the tradition of Jain temple architecture, the Dilwara temples are famous for the astonishing delicacy and richness of their carved marble, which adorns their ceilings, pillars and halls with intricate ornament. The temples stand among the foremost monuments of Jain art and devotion in India, drawing pilgrims and admirers to the heights of Mount Abu. The Dilwara temples lie in the region associated with the Deora state of Sirohi, and they form a celebrated part of the heritage of southern Rajasthan. The details of the temples and their art are drawn from the study of the region and described in general terms. The Dilwara temples thus stand as a celebrated monument of Jain art in the region associated with the state of Sirohi.

What Is the Sirohi Sword?

The Sirohi sword is a celebrated type of blade long associated with the state of Sirohi, prized for the skill of its craft and remembered as one of the distinctive products of the region. The sword, bearing the name of the state, is known in tradition as a finely made and effective blade, reflecting the craft of the sword-makers of the region and the martial culture of the Rajput states. The Sirohi sword became renowned beyond the state, a mark of the craftsmanship associated with the region and its warriors. The tradition of the Sirohi sword forms a distinctive part of the heritage and the martial lore of the state. The details of the sword and its making are drawn from the tradition and record of the region and described in general terms. The Sirohi sword thus stands as a celebrated craft and a distinctive emblem of the martial heritage of the Deora state of Sirohi.

Who Founded the State of Sirohi?

The state of Sirohi was founded and ruled by the Deora Chauhans, who established their rule in the hill country of southern Rajasthan and built the town of Sirohi as their seat. According to the history and traditions of the region, the Deora branch of the Chauhans established the state in the Aravalli country and founded the town of Sirohi as its capital, which gave its name to the kingdom. The founding of the state reflected the way the Rajput clans and their branches established new domains across the region. The new state took its place among the Rajput states of Rajasthan, ruled by the Deora line. The dates and details of the founding rest in part on tradition and local record and are described in general terms. The founding of Sirohi by the Deoras thus stands as the origin of the state and its ruling house in southern Rajasthan.

How Was the State Governed?

The state of Sirohi was governed by its Deora Chauhan ruler, supported by ministers, officials and the nobility of the state, within the framework of a Rajput princely state of southern Rajasthan. The ruler held the sovereign authority of the state, governing from the town of Sirohi and presiding over its administration, defence and its relations with the neighbouring states and, later, with the British. The government of the state managed its revenue, its land and its communities, in the manner of the Rajput states of the region, adapted to the conditions of the hill country of the Aravallis. The administration developed over the long history of the state and adapted to the framework of British paramountcy in the later period. The details of the government are drawn from the record of the region and described in general terms. This system of rule enabled Sirohi to endure as a self-governing princely state until its accession to India. The governance of Sirohi thus rested on its Deora ruler and the institutions of the state.

What Was the Religion and Culture of Sirohi?

The religion and culture of Sirohi reflected the heritage of southern Rajasthan, with its temples, its devotion and its martial traditions, in a region marked by both Hindu and Jain religious life. The state lay in the region of the celebrated Dilwara Jain temples of Mount Abu, bearing witness to the rich Jain heritage of the area, alongside the Hindu temples and devotion of the Rajput state. The culture of Sirohi found expression in its temples, its crafts, above all the famed Sirohi sword, its festivals and the martial traditions of the Rajputs. This heritage reflects the blending of devotion, craft and martial culture that marks the life of the region. The details of this culture are drawn from the heritage of the region and described in general terms. The religion and culture of Sirohi thus combined the Jain and Hindu heritage of the Aravalli country with the martial traditions of the Deora Chauhans.

How Did Sirohi Relate to Neighbouring States?

Sirohi related to the neighbouring states of Rajasthan and the surrounding regions as one of the Rajput states of the south, bound to its neighbours by a shifting web of alliance, rivalry and exchange. The region was home to a number of Rajput states, among which Sirohi held its place in the hill country of the Aravallis, maintaining relations with its neighbours across the borders of the region. Over its long history, the state experienced periods of conflict and cooperation with the surrounding kingdoms, as the fortunes of the Rajput states rose and fell. These relations shaped the territory, security and alliances of Sirohi within the political landscape of the region. The details of this history are drawn from the record of the region and described in general terms. Sirohi thus took its place among the Rajput states of the region, bound to its neighbours in the shared history of southern Rajasthan.

How Did Sirohi Relate to the British?

Sirohi 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 Sirohi, came under the overarching framework of paramountcy while their rulers continued to govern their states. Under these arrangements the Deora 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 Sirohi with the British thus combined the preservation of the Deora state with the acknowledgement of British paramountcy, until the end of British rule in India.

How Did Sirohi Join India?

Sirohi joined the Indian union after the independence of 1947, when the princely state, like the other princely territories, acceded to India with the end of British paramountcy. The accession integrated the historic state into the new nation, bringing to a close its long history as a self-governing Deora Chauhan 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 described in general terms. The joining of Sirohi to India thus marked the transition of the historic state into the modern nation, while the heritage of the Deora dynasty endured.

Why Is the Deora State of Sirohi Significant?

The Deora state of Sirohi is significant as one of the notable Rajput states of southern Rajasthan, a branch of the great Chauhan clan ruling a hill kingdom in the Aravalli country near Mount Abu. The state is associated with the region of the celebrated Dilwara Jain temples, among the great monuments of Jain art in India, and with the famed Sirohi sword, a distinctive emblem of the craft and martial culture of the region. As a Chauhan house, Sirohi holds its place in the wider history of the Chauhans and the Rajput states of Rajasthan, under the Rajput order and later British paramountcy. For students of Indian history, Sirohi offers a vivid example of a Rajput state of the Aravalli hills and its heritage. The Deora state of Sirohi thus holds an honoured place in the history and heritage of southern Rajasthan and the Rajputs of western India.

The Deora State of Sirohi Today

The Deora state of Sirohi is remembered today through the heritage of the region near Mount Abu, the celebrated Dilwara Jain temples, the famed Sirohi sword, and the town of Sirohi that was the seat of the Deora rulers. The Dilwara temples on Mount Abu remain among the foremost monuments of Jain art in India, drawing pilgrims and admirers to the heights of the Aravallis. The tradition of the Sirohi sword preserves the memory of the craft and martial culture of the state, and the town of Sirohi recalls its history as the seat of the Deora Chauhans. The temples, crafts and traditions of southern Rajasthan continue as a vibrant living heritage. Scholars and communities continue to study and celebrate the history and heritage of the Deora state of Sirohi. For readers of Indian history, Sirohi offers a striking example of a Rajput state of the Aravalli hills whose legacy endures in the temples, crafts and heritage of the region.

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

Who were the Deora Chauhans?

The Deora Chauhans, also known as the Devda Chauhans, were a Rajput dynasty of southern Rajasthan, a branch of the great Chauhan clan who ruled the state of Sirohi near Mount Abu. They held their place among the Rajput states of the region, later under British paramountcy.

Where was the state of Sirohi?

The state of Sirohi was in southern Rajasthan, in the hill country of the Aravalli ranges near the heights of Mount Abu, with the town of Sirohi as its seat. The region is associated with the famous Dilwara Jain temples on Mount Abu.

What is the Sirohi sword?

The Sirohi sword is a celebrated type of blade long associated with the state of Sirohi, prized for the skill of its craft. It became renowned beyond the state as a mark of the craftsmanship of the region and a distinctive emblem of its martial heritage.

What are the Dilwara temples?

The Dilwara temples are a celebrated group of Jain temples on Mount Abu, renowned above all for their exquisite marble carving. They stand among the great achievements of temple art in India and lie in the region associated with the Deora state of Sirohi.

Why are they called both Deora and Devda?

The dynasty is known by both names, Deora and Devda, alternative renderings of the name of this branch of the Chauhan clan that ruled Sirohi. Both forms refer to the same Rajput house of southern Rajasthan.

When did Sirohi join India?

The state of Sirohi acceded to the Indian union after the independence of 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.