Sonpalsar

Origin and Lineage

The rulers of the Sonpalsar Thikana belong to the ancient Pramara (Panwar) dynasty of Rajputs. The lineage of this house is traced back to Rao Saheb Sultan Singhji of Srinagar, which was a prominent Istamrari (tributary estate) located within the Ajmer Pargana. Following the establishment of key matrimonial alliances with the ruling Rathore house of Bikaner, the family migrated from Ajmer to the Bikaner State. Due to these marital ties, they were recognized as Parsangis (allied maternal/marital relatives) of the Bikaner royalty. The lineage flourished under Thakur Saheb Madho Singhji of Jaitsisar, a great-grandson of Rao Saheb Sultan Singhji, whose descendants went on to establish prominent sub-branches of the clan.

Foundation of Sonpalsar Thikana

The Thikana of Sonpalsar was founded in 1837 AD during the reign of Maharaja Ratan Singhji of Bikaner. The estate was granted as a separate fief to Thakur Saheb Shivdan Singhji, who was the younger son of Thakur Saheb Madho Singhji of Jaitsisar. This grant recognized the family's loyalty and historical standing, carving out Sonpalsar as a distinct seat for the Panwar Rajputs within the geopolitical structure of Bikaner State.

Court Honors and Feudal Obligations

Over the decades, the rulers of Sonpalsar held a highly respected position in the feudal hierarchy of Bikaner. In 1851 AD, Thakur Saheb Takhat Singhji was formally bestowed with the honor of Tazim, a prestigious courtly distinction wherein the ruling Maharaja would rise to receive the noble in the Durbar.

In accordance with the feudal administrative systems of Rajputana, the Thikana was bound to the state by military obligations, specifically providing a chakari asvar (military horsemen service) of three cavalrymen to the Bikaner State forces. In the formal seating arrangement of the Bikaner Durbar, the Thakur of Sonpalsar occupied a seat in the "Misl Davi Larli" (the left-hand flank of the nobles' seating order), signifying their specific rank and proximity to the throne.

Post-Independence and Modern Era

Following India's independence in 1947, the princely state of Bikaner acceded to the Dominion of India, eventually merging into the state of Rajasthan. With the enactment of the Rajasthan Land Reforms and Resumption of Jagirs Act in 1952, the administrative and revenue-collecting rights of the Sonpalsar Thikana were dissolved. Today, the descendants of the Sonpalsar house continue to preserve their ancestral traditions, historical legacy, and cultural contributions to the region. For further reading on the administrative structure of the region during the princely era, refer to the history of Bikaner State on Wikipedia.