The Paramara or Parmar were a prominent Rajput clan of Medieval India.

Origin and History

The Paramaras along with the Chauhans, the Pratiharas (Parihars) and the Solankis (Chalukyas), were one of the four agni kula ("fire born") clans of the Rajputs.

The Paramaras established themselves as the rulers of Malwa in Central India in the ninth century, ruling from their capital at Dhar.

King Bhoj, who ruled from about 1010 to 1060, was a great polymath and philosopher king of medieval India; his extensive writings cover philosophy, poetry, medicine, veterinary science, phonetics, yoga, and archery. Under his rule, Malwa became an intellectual center of India. Bhoj also founded the city of Bhopal to secure the eastern part of his kingdom. The Paramaras ruled until 1305, when Malwa was conquered by Ala ud din Khilji, the Khilji Sultan of Delhi.

The Ponwar clan of the Marathas, who ruled the states of Dewas, Dhar, and Rajgarh in Malwa and Chhatarpur in Bundelkhand from the 18th century to the mid-twentieth century, claimed descent from the Paramaras.

Paramara Kings of Malwa

• Upendra (c. 800-c. 818)
• Vairisimha I (c. 818-c. 843)
• Siyaka I (c. 843-c. 893)
• Vakpati (c. 893-c. 918)
• Vairisimha II (c. 918-c. 948)
• Siyaka II (c. 948-c. 974)
• Vakpatiraja (c. 974-c. 995)
• Sindhuraja (c. 995-c. 1010)
• Bhoj or Bhoja I (c. 1010-c. 1055), author of Samarangana-sutradhara etc.
• Jayasimha I (c. 1055-c. 1060)
• Udayaditya (c. 1060-c. 1087)
• Lakshmanadeva (c. 1087-c. 1097)
• Naravarman (c. 1097-c. 1134)
• Yasovarman (c. 1134-c. 1142)
• Jayavarman I (c. 1142-c. 1160)
• Vindhyavarman (c. 1160-c. 1193)
• Subhatavarman (c. 1193-c. 1210)
• Arjunavarman I (c. 1210-c. 1218)
• Devapala (c. 1218-c. 1239)
• Jaitugideva (c. 1239-c. 1256)
• Jayavarman II (c. 1256-c. 1269)
• Jayasimha II (c. 1269-c. 1274)
• Arjunavarman II (c. 1274-c. 1283)
• Bhoj or Bhoja II (c. 1283- ?)
• Mahlakadeva (c. ? -c. 1305)
• Sanjeev Singh Parmar (1305 - 1327)

Parmara Rajputs today

Parmara Rajputs, known by the name of Parmar today, are spread all over Northern, Western and Central India.

Among Dalits

Interestingly, the name "Parmar", like "Solanki" is also found among both Rajputs and Dalits, especially in the state of Gujarat.

Religion

Most Parmars are Hindus, but some in Punjab are Sikhs.

Social groups of India | Social groups of Rajasthan | Rajputs | Rajput clans | History of medieval India | History of Malwa