History
Kuntal is a sept of Tomar tribe. They inhabits the Kunthailpatti ( spread through Bharatpur and Mathura district) which is divided into 7 Kheras(parent estates) . To be proper Kuntala is just another word for Tomar. The Tomars of Delhi also used titles like Kuntalaman(pride of the Kuntala, indicative of there clan). As per there bards Maharaja Anangpal Tomar’s queen Harko Devi had two sons. The elder Sohanpal Dev took brahmacharya and did not married, the younger Jurardev Tomar was given the jagir of a tract(which later became Kunthailpatti) by his father.
Sohanpal established several fort in his name including Sonsa,Son and Sonoth. He also changed the name of Tomargarh(a fortress built in 7* century) to Sonkh.
- Jurardev made Sonoth his capital. He had 8 sons. These were 1.Rao Sonpal Tomar ruled Sonoth, The Thakurs of Gopalpur, Pura and Rarah are descended from him.
- Rao Megh Singh Tomar established Mangotia(Magora), The sons of Megh Singh divided it into four estates, which they called after their own names–Ghatam, Ram, Ajit and Jajan. These four pattis are now to all intents and purposes distinct estates with the Magorra bazar as their common centre. His descendants are also found in the Middle Doab.
- Fonda Singh Tomar established Fonder. The Thakurs of Fonder are descended from him.
- Rao Ganesha (Gyanpal) Tomar established Garh Gunsara, From whom the jagirdars of Gunsara, Thakurs of Ol and Chief of Mahgawan are descended.
- Rao Ajaypal Tomar established Ajaygarh(modern day Ajan). From whom the Herukias and the Thakurs of Jatmasi , Binua and Ajan are descended. His descendants are also founded south of Chambal
- Rao Chetram Tomar established Chetokhera village. His descendants migrated from Kunthailpatti. The jagirdars of Sarhind are descended from him. His descendants are found in Palwal, Upper Doab and Punjab.
- Rao Vatsarai established Vatsagarh(Bachgaon) from whom the Fauzdars of Pentha and the Thakurs of Bachgaon are descended.
Sukhpal the 8* son of Jorardev was adopted by Sohanpal. Sukhpal established himself at Sonkh and by this adoption his descendants became the hereditary heads of the Kuntal clan and Sonkh became the capital of the Pal. Rao Sukhpal was succeeded by Rao Chandrapal -+ Rao Devpal – Rao Akhayapal -* Rao Harpal -* Rao Hathipal – Rao Nahar. Rao Nahar was the ruler of Sonkh and contemporary of Sultan Allaudin Khili. He revolted against the Delhi Sultanate and declared himself independent. In retaliation Allauddin Khilji attacked Sonkh, Ajan, Chetokhera and other strongholds of the Kuntals. Allaudin Khili destroyed the fort of Sonkh and left the site deserted. Several Kuntals migrated out of the patti during this time including the whole Chetokhera. Prahlada Singh the son of Nahar re-established himself at Sonkh after the place was deserted. He is the common ancestor of Aring house, Rajas of Sonkh and all the Patti’s of Sonkh. The five sons of Prahlad Singh- Asa, Ajal, Puran, Tasha and Sahajana(Dungar Singh) divided their estate into as many separate shares, which still bear their names and are to all intents and purposes distinct villages, with the Sonkh bazar as their common centre. Throughout the Sultanate time and Mughal rule the Pal remain divided into serval small estates. As Sahajana was the eldest son his descendants remained the chief of the Pal and later became the Rajas of Sonkh. No person of note appear between Thakur Shahajana and Sukhpal II(contemporary of Aurangieb).
The geneology is as follows
Thakur Sahajna (Dungar Singh) -+ Thakur Pala Singh – Thakur Karena (Karanpal) -Thakur Naudharam -+ Thakur Surratpal -+ Thakur Bhikam -›
Thakur Lalsingh – Thakur Bhuria (Bhur Singh) ) -+ Thakur Amar Singh
Thakur Gulab Singh.
Gulab Singh was a contemporary of the Emperor Shahjahan. He fathered two able sons Sukhpal II and Banarsi Singh. Sukhpal Singh succeeded his father. As a youth Sukhpal Singh showed his valour by killing fierce Mewati bandits like Nasru Pahat.
He joined Gokula of Tilpat in his revolt against the Mughal Empire. After the death of the later, he continued his struggle and even lost Sonkh to the Mughals. He recaptured Sonkh in the year 1673 and also took control of the pargana of Mangolta (Magora),Sahar and Ol. He capture the town of Mohhamadebad and renamed it Goverdhan. He several time raided the villages of pargana Mathura and defeated the Fauzdar of Mathura. At last the Fauzdar was ready to gave him a share of the revenue of the pargana. He employed one Aniram Kuntal a descendant of Tasiya as his general, Aniram conquered the pargana of Chauhmuhan and built a fort for himself at Aring. Sukhpal Singh joined Raja Ram of Sinsini and other leaders in there attack on Saista Khan the Subahdar of Agra, besieging him at the fort of Agra hence ending Mughal authority in the province. Sukhpal II declared himself ‘Raja’.
In the year 1688 the army of Sukhpal Singh led by Thakur Johri Singh of Gunsara attacked Palwal, captured the town and arrested the thanedar of the place.On September, 1688 Sonkh was attacked.A section of Jats under the leadership of Thakur Akhay Singh, (Khera Chaudhary of Magrora) assembled near Gokula tried to create a diversion there and thereby relieve the Mughal pressure on Sonkh.
Sukhpal Singh defended the Fort for 4 month after which imperial took the Fort(and Sukhpal Singh died).Mughal after capturing Sonkh established a Thana there. Banarsi Singh with Thakur Jagman Singh,his family and followers escaped.
He prepared a dal of 1000 soldiers and attacked the the town of RiniDausa), Rajgarh(Alwar) and Baswa(Dausa) in the year 1689. He made the fort of Rajgarh his temporary capital. He recaptured the fort of Sonkh in the year 1696 and abducted in favour of his nephew Hathi Singh. Raja Hathi Singh was a able warrior and administrator. He rebuilded the fort of Sonkh, and established his control over a large part of Sarkar Mathura. He defeated an invading Mughal force in the year 1698. He gave Anup Singh the son of Aniram of Aring the town of Goverdhan in jagir and gave Sitaram of Bachgaon the jagir of Pentha. On 27 September 1713, he appeared before the Emperor with Rai Khemkaran Singh of Fatehpur and Rao Churaman of Thun. The Emperor recognised the right of Hathi Singh on the parganas he annexed and gave the title of Fauzdars to the cheifs of Aring and Pentha. Hathi Singh led an expedition towards Mewat in 1714. He started by reconquering Palwal, Hodal and other northern areas. He conquered Firozepur, Toura and strongholds. Finally Nuh felt in the hand of Hathi Singh and it’s Sayyid Governer was arrested.With the conquest of Nuh Hathi Singh’s Mewat conquest was completed. The Fuazdar of Narnaul Gerat Khan was sent against Hathi Singh who was defeated. On 1716 Durgadas Rathore was send with 40,000 soldiers to stop Hathi Singh in Mewat. While Sonkh was attacked by Jai Singh of Jaipur.Hathi Singh left Mewat, reached Radha kund and plundered army camping there. He started plundering Mughal army outside Thun and then defeated the Mughal army near Mathura. Hathi Singh was neutral in the civil war however his sardars headed by Anup Singh of Aring supported Sinsinwar Jat ruler Maharajah Badan Singh Of Deeg, Hathi Singh was followed by Shyam Singh who was a weak leader. Faunda Singh of Aring assassinated Rai Khemkaran Singh of Fatehpur and won the favour of Raja Badan Singh who accepted Faunda Singh as the new head of the Kuntals instead of Shyam Singh. Unable to do something Shyam Singh accepted a feadutary status under Badan Singh. He died fighting the Afghans at the battle of Chauhmuhan. There were several other Kuntal sardars serving Badan Singh and Surajmal. Kunwar Sultan Singh of Gunsara conquered the pargana of Ol for Badan Singh and built the fort of Santruk. He became the founder of Ol estate. He is credited with strengthening the hold of Surajmal in Mewat region. Sishram Kuntal commanded the a risala of Bharatpur army. Ram Singh of Helak was given the jagir of Talchiri-Besina(Dausa District) by Maharaja Surajmal. The daughter of Thakur of Gunsara was married to Ranjit Singh(later Maharaja) son of Maharaja Surajmal. The story of Pakharia/Pushkar Singh of Gunsara who martyred himself during Jawahar Singh’s expedition of Delhi is still famous among the Kuntal clan. After the death of Jawahar Singh the Kuntal reorganized themselves under the leadership of Taufa Singh son of Shyam Singh of Sonkh. Taufa Singh sided with Nawal Singh in the civil war of regency. After Najaz Khan first expedition in Jatwara, Raja Tuafa Singh acted as an independent king. Raja Tofa Singh captured Mathura-Vrindavan. The Kuntal Jats aggressively reestablished there dominance. In a night attack the city of Farah was captured and its collecter was killed. Tuafa Singh by September 1777 as Jadunath Sarkar puts its ‘turned the country up to the walls of Agra into a lampless desolation’ Seeing these development Najaf Khan marched from Delhi. He captured Kosi and moved against Tofa Singh. Mughal put a camp near Goverdhan which was plundered by the Kuntal Jats. Najaf Khan then besieged the fort of Sonkh. Tofa Singh defended the fort for 3 month. Finally Tofa Singh came out in the open and a battle took place between 5000 Kuntals and 60,000 Mughal soldiers. Tofa Singh died in the battle and the fort of Sonkh was destroyed for once and all. Hence the lines of the Rajas of Sonkh came to an end. The Khera of Sonkh is still dominated by Kuntals. Here is the settlement report of Khera Sonkh.
The Aring House was reduced by the Maratha leader Mahadji Scindia who snatched away the fort of Aring from Thakur Balakchand (the grandson of Faunda Singh).The Thakurs of Pentha, Gunsara, Ajan and Ol remained jagirdars under Bharatpur State. The Thakurs of Bachgaon sold most of there estate to a Bohra and only own a little of there large patrimony, The Thakurs of Magora,Sonoth and Foder Kheras are still in possession of there jagirs. A branch of Magora Thakurs were given jagir by the Raja of Hathras in the Doab at present there are 5 villages under there possessions the chief among them is Mathurapur. A branch of Herukia Kuntals are represented in the State of Jaipur were they held the jagir of Besina ,other Herukias are represented in the Rupwas tehsil.