The Ganbariya Rajput is a Rajput clan located in the western region of the Indian state of Bihar, known as the Ganbariya. They claim to be a descendant of the mythical Indian Fire Dynasty. Clan members call themselves Agnivanshi. They traditionally ruled the Malwa region of west central India. They are a branch of a powerful Parmar dynasty. The clan traces its lineage to Raja Bhoj, a philosopher and polymath king of medieval India, and Raja Vikramaditya, a legendary 1st century BCE Emperor of Ujjain, India.
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History
The Ganbariya Rajputs gained power during the 14th century in Bihar. They successfully ruled the estates of Tirhoot, Saharsa, Sonbarsa Raj, Madhepura and other large contiguous areas. During the 14th century the Parmar rulers of Malwa were weakened by their conflict with the neighboring kingdoms of Gujarat and Ranthombore. After the Turkish conquest many Parmar princes sought refuge in Rajputana or migrated east.
Two princes moved with their armies to Bihar and settled in the Jagdishpur and Bhojpur districts of eastern Bihar, now called Ujjainiya Rajputs. The second prince, Prithi Raj Singh, along with his army stopped near Garh province Gandhwar in Tirhoot, then waged a war and defeated the king of that province. Thereafter in Bihar, they are famous as Ganbariya Rajputs.
The Ganbariya trace their descent from the fact that the Prince defeated the king of Gandhwar province. His descendant Lakhesh Singh annexed extensive territories of Tirhoot Bihar and the West. Descendant Raja Keshri Singh obtained sanad and the title of Raja from the Emperor of Delhi. It is said that Raja of Mithila refused to recognize the Rajship granted to Raja Keshri Singh and thus a bloody battle between the armies of Keshri Singh and Raja Raja of Darbhanga Raj ensued. The army of Mithila faced severe casualties and damage. Both parties finally came to terms and the Tiljuga river was established as the limit of their domination of the Ganbariya and those of Darbhanga Raj.
Sardar Singh, one of the descendants of Lakhesh Singh, settled in the vicinity of Panchganchia and the property rich Panchganchia estate. The royal estate of Sonbarsa Raj was also ruled by Ganbariya. The last titular Maharaja, Hari Zamindar Ballabh Singh, died without a son and a daughter succeeded by his son, who was of the Rajawat September Kachhwaha clan in Jaipur Rajasthan state. Ganbariya called several Rajput clans: Rathore, Chauhan and Tomar from Rajputana and various Rajput provinces and served them with estates and wealth for their permanent establishment. The main reason behind this was the scarce population of Rajputs.