Bar

Origin and Lineage of Bar Thikana

The Bar Thikana belongs to the Udawat clan of the Rathore dynasty of Marwar. The Udawats trace their ancestry to Rao Uda (Uday Singh), a grandson of Rao Jodha, the founder of Jodhpur. The sub-branch of Bar branched out from the premier Udawat estate of Raipur, established by Rao Kalyan Das.

The foundation of the Bar estate dates back to the early 17^th century during the reign of Maharaja Sur Singh of Jodhpur (r. 1595–1619). For his exceptional military exploits in subduing local rebellions in the Jalore region, Rao Jagannath Ji was granted the highly lucrative estate of Bar, valued at an annual revenue of Rs 17,000. This strategically positioned jagir in the Pali-Marwar region served as a crucial military outpost safeguarding the trade routes of Mewar and Merwara. More information on the administrative division of Marwar can be found on the history of Jodhpur State.

Mughal Era and the Thirty Years' War

The thikana played a heroic role in the survival of the Rathore dynasty during the late 17^th century. Thakur Roop Singh Udawat, the grandson of Rao Jagannath, was an elite commander in the Marwar state forces. He accompanied Maharaja Jaswant Singh I to major military campaigns across the Mughal Empire, including the famous Battle of Dharmat near Ujjain in 1658, fought against Aurangzeb.

Following the sudden death of Maharaja Jaswant Singh I at Jamrud near Peshawar in 1678, the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb attempted to annex Marwar. Thakur Roop Singh was among the select loyalist chiefs who valiantly fought through the Mughal blockades to escort the pregnant queens (Maharanis) and the infant prince, Ajit Singh, from Kabul back to the safety of Marwar. This event sparked the legendary Thirty Years' War of Independence led by Veer Durgadas Rathore, during which the chiefs of Bar remained steadfast loyalists, sacrificing their resources to keep the lamp of Marwar's independence burning. Details of this tumultuous period are recorded in accounts of Jaswant Singh of Marwar.

British Period and Modern Era

Following the 1818 treaty between Jodhpur State and the British East India Company, the military duties of the Bar Thikana shifted from active warfare to administrative and policing duties in the Merwara borderlands. The chiefs of Bar maintained their seat of power at the Bar Fort, overseeing agricultural development and local justice.

After India gained independence in 1947, the princely state of Jodhpur merged into the United State of Greater Rajasthan in 1949. With the passage of the Rajasthan Land Reforms and Resumption of Jagirs Act in 1952, the proprietary feudal rights of the Thikana were formally abolished. Today, the descendants of this illustrious clan reside in Rajasthan and other parts of India, preserving their rich heritage of bravery, loyalty, and service to the soil of Marwar.