Rajput Warriors
The Rajput (literally "king's son") are members of one of the major Hindu Kshatriya (warrior) groups or the Sikhs who also live in Rajastan and Punjab. They enjoy a reputation as fear.
some warriors; many of them still serve in the Indian Armed Forces (in the 'Rajput Regiment' and the 'Sikh Regiment'), and a number of people with Rajput and Punjabi ancestry serve in the Pakistani Armed Forces as well. Five out of 10 of the Nishan e haider ( Pakistan's highest military decoration) have been awarded to Rajputs. Their homeland(s), now known as Rajasthan and Punjab, in Northwest India made them the first line of defense from western invasions by arabs, turks, afghans and Northern invaders like the Mongols. The rajputs originated from Rajasthan and Punjab which means Land of Kings. Their effective combat techniques and weapons have been adopted by many communities. For Example: Gatka which is a Sikh martial art incorporates many aspects of sastar vidhya. The Sikhs also use Rajput weaponry such as the Khanda sword and chakram throwing disc.
The Medieval Indian Rajput depicted in the show ended with the Mughal Empire beginning in the 1500s. The Mughals brought gunpower weapons to India and their strict Islamic laws changed much of Indian society, eventually leading to the Islamic populations that later formed modern Pakistan. Due to this, The Rajput in the show was probably a Sikh Warrior, as they had been at war with the Mughals, because the Mughals tried to forcibly convert non-muslims to Islam.
Weapons
| Close-Range: | Khanda |
| Mid-Range: | Aara |
| Long-Range: | Chakram |
| Special Weapons: | Katar |
Note: Rajputs later learned how to use muskets.
Armor
The Rajput wore a chain mail suit over a layer of leather, all of which was concealed under a silk covering, and an iron helmet with a nose guard. In several pictures seen on Spike.com, the Rajput wore a kind of veil made of chain mail over his face. The Rajput also carried a round steel shield called a Dhal.
Simulated Battle
The battle starts with a Rajput Warrior walking through a forest, investigating a clicking noise being made in the distance. As it turns out, the clicking noise is coming from the Roman Centurion cranking the lever on his Scorpion Crossbow. As the Rajput warrior gets closer and closer, the Roman Centurion loads a bolt into the Scorpion. The Rajput pokes his head from behind a tree and spots the Centurion. The Centurion fires his Scorpion, but the bolt misses the Rajput completely. He then pulls out his Pilum Javelin and charges at the Rajput, causing him to flee. The Centurion makes his way to a more open area, only to be met with one of the Rajput's Chakram discs. The Centurion blocks the Chakram with his shield, and then throws his Pilum. The Rajput, however, pulls out his Khanda sword and slices the Javelin in two. The two warriors glare at each other, waiting for the other to make his move. The Rajput pulls out his Aara sword and whips it around. The Roman Centurion then takes his Dolabra and charges at the Rajput. The Rajput jumps back and tries to strike with his Aara, but the Centurion blocks with his shield. The Centurion lunges at the Rajput and swings his Dolabra, but the Rajput jumps out of the way. He then swings his Aara and coils it around the Centurion's leg. The Centurion completely falls over, but is able to save himself from the Rajput by kicking a log at the Rajput and tripping him. The Centurion gets up with his Dolabra at hand and sees that the Rajput has also gotten up and pulled out his Khanda sword again. The Centurion swings at the Rajput, who moves back to avoid it. However, in doing so, he backs up and falls onto a giant log. The Centurion tries to take advantage and swing at the Rajput, but the Rajput rolls out of the way and causes the Dolabra to get stuck in the log. The Rajput then swings his sword and cuts the head of the Dolabra off from the handle. He prepares to swing at the Centurion, but the loss of the Dolabra's head allows the Centurion to swing the broken handle fast enough to hit the Rajput and knock him over. The Centurion pulls out his Gladius and begins swinging wildly at the Rajput, eventually knocking the Khanda out of his hands. He slashes the Rajput's face and forces him to the ground. He raises his sword and prepares to finish him off, but the Rajput puts on his Katar and stabs the Centurion in the stomach. The Centurion falls in pain, then looks up. The image of the Rajput weilding his Khanda is the last thing the Centurion sees before the Khanda tears into his face and kills him. The Rajput then pumps his fists in the air and yells in victory.
Expert's Opinion
Following the battle the experts gave their opinion on why the Rajput won. While the Centurion was a more professional soldier, hardened by his intense training alone, he was meant to fight in large battles with the rest of his Legion, not in single combat. The Rajput on the other hand, could battle by himself or with other Rajput, just as effective in either situation. Also, each Rajput was trained from birth to become a warrior, each one being trained in martial arts, and a master with each of his weapons. When it came down to it, it was the Rajput's superior training and skills in single combat that won him the match.
Trivia
- The Aara coiling sword is the first killing tool in season 2 that scored zero kills.
- The Rajput is the only warrior who won even after one of his lethal weapons scoring zero kills in the simlulation.
- The Rajput was downloadable for the Deadliest Warrior game in early 2011 along with the Shaolin Monk and the Zande.
- According to online polls, the Rajput was the most popular season 2 ancient warrior for fans.
- According to the hindu mythology Rajputs are decendants of demi gods like Rama who were sent to destroy evil demons and protect the innocent.
- Shabdbedi was a rajput martial art which consisted of using only your hearing senses to fight.
- After the British conquest the British burned all the ancient Rajput scripts and banned martial arts in India thus destroying many of the martial arts.
- In the Battle of Rajasthan 5,000 Rajputs defeated an army of 30,000 arabs.
- In the Battle of Haldighati the Rajput ruler Maharana Pratap fought an army of 60,000 moguls with just 20,000 men and forced them to retreat to their camp until Moghul reinforcements arrived.
- In the Battlle of Dharmatpur a British General who had observed the battle commented saying "Ten thousand Muslims fell in the onset, which cost seventeen hundred Rathor, besides Guhilotes, Haras, Gaurs, and some of every clan of Rajwarra (They are all names rajput clans). Aurangzeb and Murad (Moghul Kings) only escaped because their days were not yet numbered. Notwithstanding the immense superiority of the imperial princes, aided by numerous artillery served by Frenchmen, night alone put a stop to the contest of science, numbers, and artillery, against Rajput courage."
- There has been some controversy regarding The Rajput on Deadliest Warrior. It has been implied that it was a Sikh warrior instead of a Rajput in the epsiode. The Chakram and Katar were Sikh Inventions. The Rajput in the episode had a beard, a Joora(Sikh Topknot) and a Kara(Sikh Bangle). The Rajput also used Gatka, a Sikh martial art style. The confusion may have arisen due to the Sikhs and Rajputs similar Weaponry. Sikhism is also a warrior Religion. The same types of armor and weaponry were used in Punjab, The birthplace of the Sikhs.
In Deadliest Warrior: The Game
Weapons:
Close Range: Khanda, Gurj
Mid Range: Tabar, Bhuj
Long Range: Chakram, Quoit
Special Weapons: Katar
Armor: Coat of 10,000 Nails, Chahar-Aina
Brutal Finisher: The Rajput dances around as he stabs his opponent in the chest, then the right armpit, causing to fall out, then beheads his opponent and stabs his opponent in the chest again, as the Rajput finishes killing his opponent, he wipes off the blood from his Katars.
