LONIA RAJPUT/ VISTHAPIT RAJPUT

LONIA RAJPUT :- Originally, the Lonias were resident in Rajasthan where they were engaged in the manufacture of salt after migration particularly in Ajmer , Ranthambhor, Bundi, Kota, Pulera, Jhuman, Dausa, Bewar and Sambhar.The traditional occupation of the community was not making of salt, agriculture . They were soldiers in the time of the Chauhan rulers of Ajmer, Ran thambhore, Bundi, Kota and Udaipur. They are now engaged in agriculture, and are a community of farmers having big & in some places moderate farmland. Some of them are also prosperous business people

Their main concentrations are in the districts of Kanpur, Lucknow, Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Pratapgarh, Varanasi Azamgarh, Mau,Gorakhpur,Sultanpur, Amethi Chandauli, Ballia etc .Apart from Utter Pradesh, Lonia Rajput caste is also found in Vindhya region of Madhya Pradesh in the district of Rewa, Satna, Shahdol and Sidhi.In Punjab they are known as Janjuva Rajput, Purabi Rajput, Their surnames are Rajwar,Rathod, Bhati,Bais, Chauhan, Katoch,Parmar and Lunawat. A huge population (Sixteen Lakhs) of Luni Rajput still exists in the eastern Uttar Pradesh. They worship their Kuldevi such as Ashapura , Shakambhari devi, . They still practice bali pratha (Sacrifice Goat) whichthey offerto theirkul devi.

. The lonia rajput have a caste association, the Rajput Maryada Sabha, headquartered in Kanpur. In 1883 people of this community has started Akhilbhartiya Shree Rajput Dharmpracharniya Mahasabha under the leadership of Thakur Lalamathura Prasad Singh and they have found their lost glory in1926 they have change the name of this Mahasabha to Shree Rajput Heetkarni Mahasabha.In 1984 Shree Rajput Heetkarni Mahasabha merger in Akhail Bharti Kshtariya Mahasabha at Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh. Now they are known as Visthapit rajput of Eastern Uttar Pradesh They are true Rajpu caste.......

. .People of this community were migrated due to war with Aurangzed and Darashikoh in 1671 because Aurangzeb had won the battle. Most of the migrants were Rajput of 13 vans (chauhan, rathore, solanki, paramar, parihar, gahlot, tomar, kachhawaha, chandravansi, makhwana sonvansi, bhuyar, bhati ) those who were fought against Aurangzeb after giving order to behead them. . According to legend, some Kshatriyas hid in order to escape persecution at the hands of Parshurama , who was destroying the Kshatriya’s domination over the Brahmins. On being discovered by an enraged Parshurama, they lied that they were not Kshatriya but Lunia. This saved their lives but came to be called Lunia from then.

The traditional occupation of salt-making is not practiced today. The British government monopolized the production of salt. Additionally, they began importing salt from Cheshire, England in the early 1900’s. These policies very nearly ruined the Lunia and consequently led them to become unskilled laborers. The literacy level of the Lunia is quite low as compared to the national average . As poverty often hinders their formal education.Hence now they in OBCs in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
People of Chauhan Rajput caste came to Uttar Pradesh in 16th century not in ( 12thcentury) under the leadership of Bariarshah Singh and Takshah Singh they settle in Pratapgadh and jaunpur district and from this place they spread in other dist of eastern U.P such as Ghazipur,Jaunpur,Pratapgarh, sultanpur,Amethi,Banaras,Mirzapur,Azamgarh, Gorakhpur ,Basti, Deoria etc. There is lots of detail regarding their Rajput claim and how they save their rajputi heritage without compromising their dignity which was in threat due to mughals if you want to know more about chauhan rajput or Lonia Rajput than read the book Kshatriya Vansh Prabodhini or Kshatriya Darpan or Chauhan Darpan or LoniaJati Nirnay .

. .Every body knows that in Indian history lots of hindus where converted in Islam and Christian.Many Hindu Kshatriya who converted in Islam change their surname from singh to khan . In past lots of Kshatriya who migrated to other place known with their work name which eventually became their caste. In 1671 some rajput were accept mohammden religeion to save there life and some rajput were not accept it .They migrated from there origin and told himself “Lonia/Lunia”. Due to migration they lost there all property and engaged themslves to salt making. They knew science of salt making because they are migrated from Sambhar lake area of Rajsthan the only lake of salt .

The Sambhar Salt Lake, India's largest inland salt lake,a bowl shape lake encircles historical Sambhar Lake Town located 96 km south west of the city of Jaipur (Northwest India) and 64 km north east of Ajmer along National Highway 8 in Rajasthan. According to a local tradition, Shakambhari Devi, the tutelary goddess of Chauhan Rajputs and the consort of Lord Shiva, in return for some service done to her, converted a dense forest into a plain of silver, and subsequently, at the request of the inhabitants, who dreaded the cupidity and strife which such a possession would excite, transformed it into the present.Salt lake, which was named Sambhar (a corruption of Sakambar) after her. This is supposed to have happened in the sixth century. This place still has a temple dedicated to Shakambhari Devi.

Beldar is different caste than Chauhan Rajput or lonia (Lunia) rajput. Beldar belong to S.C category in 6 states ( utter pradesh,orisa,madhya pradesh,chhattisgarh,west bengal,utrakhand) there custom and faith is different. . Now lots of people of different caste wright there surname as chauhan like beldar of uttar pradesh, Kirara of M.P, Khatik of Delhi and Rajasthan, Agri of Maharastra and Noniya (Mahoto , Kewat and bind) of Bihar. That does not mean they belong to Chauhan rajput of eastern U.P. Nonia of West –Bengal is Belongs to SC cast .There is no avidence of migration of NONIA . According to census report 1881 and 1891 nonia are found only BENGAL PROVINCES. There was no nonia were found in NORTH-WEST PROVINCES AND AOUDH. How they become lonia Rajput ( CHAUHAN RAJPUT ) wthout migration from Rajsthan.