_Rajput, Haihaya, Haihaivansi, Kalaehuri_.--This well-known historical
clan of the Central Provinces is not included among the thirty-six
royal races, and Colonel Tod gives no information about them. The
name Haihaya is stated to be a corruption of Ahihaya, which means
snake-horse, the legend being that the first ancestor of the clan was
the issue of a snake and a mare. Haihaivansi signifies descendants
of the horse. Colonel Tod states that the first capital of the Indu
or lunar race was at Mahesvati on the Nerbudda, still existing
as Maheshwar, and was founded by Sahasra Arjuna of the Haihaya
tribe. [534] This Arjuna of the thousand arms was one of the Pandava
brothers, and it may be noted that the Ratanpur Haihaivansis still
have a story of their first ancestor stealing a horse from Arjuna,
and a consequent visit of Arjuna and Krishna to Ratanpur for its
recovery. Since the Haihayas also claim descent from a snake and are
of the lunar race, it seems not unlikely that they may have belonged
to one of the Scythian or Tartar tribes, the Sakas or Yueh-chi,
who invaded India shortly after the commencement of the Christian
era, as it has been conjectured that the other lunar Rajput clans
worshipping or claiming descent from a snake originated from these
tribes. The Haihaivansis or Kalachuris became dominant in the Nerbudda
valley about the sixth century, their earliest inscription being dated
A.D. 580. Their capital was moved to Tripura or Tewar near Jubbulpore
about A.D. 900, and from here they appear to have governed an extensive
territory for about 300 years, and were frequently engaged in war with
the adjoining kingdoms, the Chandels of Mahoba, the Panwars of Malwa,
and the Chalukyas of the south. One king, Gangeyadeva, appears even
to have aspired to become the paramount power in northern India, and
his sovereignty was recognised in distant Tirhut. Gangeyadeva was fond
of residing at the foot of the holy fig-tree of Prayaga (Allahabad),
and eventually found salvation there with his hundred wives. From
about A.D. 1100 the power of the Kalachuri or Haihaya princes began to
decline, and their last inscription is dated A.D. 1196. It is probable
that they were subverted by the Gond kings of Garha-Mandla, the first
of whom, Jadurai, appears to have been in the service of the Kalachuri
king, and subsequently with the aid of a dismissed minister to have
supplanted his former-master. [535] The kingdom of the Kalachuri or
Haihaya kings was known as Chedi, and, according to Mr. V.A. Smith,
corresponded more or less roughly to the present area of the Central
Provinces. [536]
In about the tenth century a member of the reigning family of Tripura
was appointed viceroy of some territories in Chhattisgarh, and two or
three generations afterwards his family became practically independent
of the parent house, and established their own capital at Ratanpur
in Bilaspur District (A.D. 1050). This state was known as Dakshin or
southern Kosala. During the twelfth century its importance rapidly
increased, partly no doubt on the ruins of the Jubbulpore kingdom,
until the influence of the Ratanpur princes, Ratnadeva II. and
Prithwideva II., may be said to have extended from Amarkantak to
beyond the Godavari, and from the confines of Berar in the west to
the boundaries of Orissa in the east. [537] The Ratanpur kingdom of
Chedi or Dakshin Kosala was the only one of the Rajput states in the
Central Provinces which escaped subversion by the Gonds, and it enjoyed
a comparatively tranquil existence till A.D. 1740, when Ratanpur fell
to the Marathas almost without striking a blow. "The only surviving
representative of the Haihayas of Ratanpur," Mr. Wills states, [538]
"is a quite simple-minded Rajput who lives at Bargaon in Raipur
District. He represents the junior or Raipur branch of the family,
and holds five villages which were given him revenue-free by the
Marathas for his maintenance. The malguzar of Senduras claims descent
from the Ratanpur family, but his pretensions are doubtful. He enjoys
no privileges such as those of the Bargaon Thakur, to whom presents
are still made when he visits the chiefs who were once subordinate to
his ancient house." In the Ballia District of the United Provinces
[539] are some Hayobans Rajputs who claim descent from the Ratanpur
kings. Chandra Got, a cadet of this house, is said to have migrated
northwards in A.D. 850 [540] and settled in the Saran District
on the Ganges, where he waged successful war with the aboriginal
Cheros. Subsequently one of his descendants violated a Brahman woman
called Maheni of the house of his Purohit or family priest, who burnt
herself to death, and is still locally worshipped. After this tragedy
the Hayobans Rajputs left Saran and settled in Ballia. Colonel Tod
states that, "A small branch of these ancient Haihayas yet exist
in the country of the Nerbudda, near the very top of the valley,
at Sohagpur in Baghelkhand, aware of their ancient lineage, and,
though few in number, are still celebrated for their valour." [541]
This Sohagpur must apparently be the Sohagpur tahsil of Rewah, ceded
from Mandla after the Mutiny.