Katoch is the name of a Rajput clan belonging to the Chandervanshi kshatriya lineage.^[1] Their traditional areas of residence was Trigarta Kingdom, Jalandhar, Multan i.e. the areas of residence are mainly in the Indian states of Punjab, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu.

The Katoch dynasty^[2] is considered to be the oldest surviving royal dynasty in the world.^[3] They first find mention in the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata and the second mention is in the recorded history of Alexander the Great's war records. One of the Indian kings who in the time of Alexander ruled area near Kangra is said to be a Katoch king.^[4] In Mahabharata they are referred to as Trigarta who fight Arjuna. Raja Susarma Chandra fought Pandav Arjuna. He was ally of Duryodhana and sworn enemy of Virat and Matsya Kingdoms.

The katoch's were also known for their sword skills.

In past centuries, they ruled several princely states in the region. The originator of the clan was Rajanaka Bhumi Chand.^[5] Their famous Maharaja Sansar Chand-II was a great ruler. The ruler Rajanaka Bhumi Chand Katoch founded the Jwalaji Temple in Himachal Pradesh.

The history of the Katoch Dynasty has been show cased at the Maharaja Sansar Chand Museum adjoining the Kangra Fort. The Museum provides audio guides for the fort and the museum.

The Maharaja Sansar Chandra Museum was officially inaugurated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the 6th of April 2011.

Timeline - Katoch dynasty[link]

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C. 4300 BC

• Rajanaka Bhumi Chand founded the Katoch Dynasty

C. 3000 BC

• The Rajas of Kangra fought against the Hindu deity lord Rama

C. 1500 BC

• (234th) Raja Susarma Chandra fought against the Pandavas in the Mahabharata war
• He also built the fort of Kangra

C. 900 BC

• The Katoch kings fought the Persian and Assyrian attacks on Punjab

C. 500 BC to

• Rajanaka Paramananda Chandra fought Alexander the Great

C. 275 BC

• The Katoch Rajas fought Ashoka the Great and lost their lands in Multan

C. 100 AD

• The Rajas of Kangra fought numerous battles against the Rajas of Kannauj

C. 470 AD

• The Rajas of Kangras fought the Rajas of Kashmir for the supermacy in the hills

C. 643 AD

• Hsuan Tsang visited the Kingdom of Kangra (then known as "Jallandhra")

C. 853 AD

• Rajanaka Prithvi Chandra's reign

C. 903 AD

• Coinage of Kangra from this period can be seen in the Himachal Museums

C.1009 AD

• Mahmud of Ghazni invades Kangra

C. 1170 AD

• Kingdom of Kangra is divided into two parts, Kangra and Jaswan
• The Katoch armies fight against Muhammad of Ghor (the lands of Jalandhar were lost c.1220 AD)

C. 1341 AD

• Rajanaka Rup Chandra's looting expeditions take him till the gates of Delhi
• The Katoch kings fight Taimur
• Tughlaqs grant the title of Mian to the Katoch Royal Family

C.1405 AD

• Further division of the Kangra State; state of Guler is founded

C.1450 AD

• Further Guler State is also divided and a new State namely SIBA is found.

C.1526 - 1556 AD

• Sikandar Shah Suri and the Rajas of Kangra combine their forces against Akbar but are defeated
• The Raja of Kangra renders his alliance to Emperor Akbar and in return in given the title of Maharaja
• Later, the Mughals attack the fort of Kangra 52 times but fail to defeat it

C. 1620 AD

• Mughals occupy the fort of Kangra

C. 1700 AD

• Maharaja Bhim Chandra unites with Guru Gobind Singh against Aurangzeb
• He receives the title of Dharam Rakshak from the Guru

C. 1750 AD

• Maharaja Ghamand Chandra is made the (first ever Rajput) Nizam of Jalandhar by the Durranis

C. 1775 AD to C. 1820 AD

• The golden age of Kangra under Raja Sansar Chand-II
• Kangra miniature painting flourishes under him

C. 1820 AD

• Decline of the Kangra state
• Kangra fort occupied by the Sikhs after the Gorkha War but the Fort of Siba was re- captured by Raja Ram Singh after defeated the army of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

1846 AD

• The Sikhs cede Kangra to the HEIC
• The Katoch kings fight for their independence against the British. Raja Pramod Chand loses the battle and is taken prisoner to Almoda – he dies there

1924 AD

• Maharaja Jai Chandra of Kangra-Lambagraon is granted the title of "Maharaja" as a hereditary distinction, and a salute of 11 guns as a personal honour.

1947 AD

• Maharaja Dhruv Dev Chandra (last ruler of Kangra-Lambagraon) merges his estate with the Dominion of India, when India gains Independence

1972 AD

• The Princely Order is abolished in India and the Rajas of Kangra-Lambagraon become ordinary citizens
• The district of Kangra is merged with the newly founded state of Himachal Pradesh.Siba State is simply incorporated in India.

Raja Ram Singh of Sibaia clan defeated the army of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and re-captured the fort of Siba State. The British attempts to conquer the Siba State were thwarted by Sunder Singh (Raja Sahib), brother of Raja Ram Singh. Sunder Singh also established Tantpalan domense. Tantpalan domense, presently, falls in District:Hoshiarpur(Punjab).

Branches[link]

The Katoch Dynasty has four branches:

Katoch[link]

1. At present, Maharaja Adityadev Chand Katoch is the present Senior head of Katoch Clan Rajputs,
2. Raja yogesh Katoch the junior head of Katoch Clan Rajputs.

Jaswal[link]

Raja Naginder Singh is the present head of Jaswal clan.

[edit] Guleria^[6]

Raja Brijesh Chand Guleria is the head of the Guleria Clan Rajputs. Guleria Rajputs are descendants of Hari Chand Katoch who while hunting fell in well and not being found, was declared dead, his younger brother Karam Chand was declared King. 22 days later Hari Chand was found by a shepherd and later after recovering he came to know that his brother has been declared king. He then decided to carve a new principality of himself rather than go back to his younger brother and ask for his old dominion, hence he started ruling from Guler Village. Even to this day, rulers of Guler are considered elder stock and hence given precedence to Raja of Kangra.^[7]

Sibaia[link]

Raja Dr. Ashok K. Thakur is the present head of the Sibaia clan

Dadwal[link]

Also written as Dadhwal or Dhadwal The Rajput clan to which belongs the ancient ruling family of Datarpur, but said to take its name from Dada in Kangra on the Hoshiarpur border. The Ranas of Bit Manaswal. Or tableland of the Hoshiarpur Shivaliks were Dadhwal Rajputs.

The Dadhwals are found in the neighbourhood of Datarpur. The seat of their former sovereignty, and on the south west face of the Shivaliks in the Hoshiarpur district of Punjab state and Kangra and Una districts of Himachal Pradesh near Dholbaha and Janauri or Janakpuri, its ancient name, which is still used. Janak was an ancient Surajbansi ruler. The Dadhwals are a branch of the Katoch and do not intermarry the with them, or with the Gulerias or Sibayas on the ground of common decent. They have an interesting local history which describes how they wrested the tract round Datarpur from a Chang Rani.

The Dadhwals have several als or families, whose name are derived from their settlements, such as Janaurach, Dholbahia, Datarpuria, Fatehpuria, Bhanowalia, Khangwarch, Naruria, Rampuria etc. Datarpur is their chief village, but they have no system of chhats and makans.

External links[link]

• Katoch Dynasty - Oldest ruling dynasty of the world

References[link]