Saini History

SAINI'S are a kshatriya clan belonging to the CHANDRAVANSHI KSHATRIYA's, a branch of the warrior class. In a high court judgement in punjab the court ruled that this is a KSHATRIYA community and should be known as saini kshatriya's. Sainis claim descent from Sura & his grand father Rajan Saini. Sura was the grand father of Lord Krishna. Saini (Rajan Saini) was the grand father of Satyaki of Mahabharat. Sura & Saini were cousins (as recorded in the Mahabharat). Together they ruled the republic: Andhaka-Vrishni. This was the first known democracy in India. These Kings later adopted the title of Raja Sursen or Sura-Sena, a name adopted from the country they ruled.

Satyaki, the grand son of Rajan Saini, ruled the Sura-Sen kingdom in the north-west of India. Rajan Saini founded Saini vansh, which is one of the eleven vanshas of Yadus and one of the tribes of the Yadavas.

Rajan Saini

Rajan Saini (Sini), a character in the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata. Sini was the uncle of Vasudeva, the father of Sri Krishna. When Devaki, the mother of Krishna, was a maiden, many princes competed for her hand in marriage. This led to a dispute. In the end, a great battle ensued between two princes of different families over it: Somadatta and Rajan Sini. In this fierce battle Rajan Sini won, and on behalf of Vasudeva he carried Devaki in his chariot and drove her away.

This incident led to a feud between the two clans, the Sini family and that of Somadatta.

The rivalry came to the fore-front last time on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, where Sini's grandson, Satyaki, who was a peer and friend of Arjuna and a famed archer, clashed with Bhurisravas, Somadatta's son, who was on the Kaurava side, resulting in the slaying of Bhurisravas by Satyaki.

Terminology

The term Shoor saini is as old as the history of India. Etymologically, the Hindi word "Shoor" means displayer of gallantry and "Saini" is a generic name for the ruling dynasty that ruled Northern India from Mathura to Patiala. Their rule and governance were so benevolent that the area they ruled came to be known as "Shoor saini Pradesh" and the language they spoke was known as "Shoor saini".

Draupadi being a daughter of the Shoor saini dynasty, and that even Krishna belonged to these people. In the Mahabharata, Satyaki is the leader of the Shoor sainis and is famous for his bravery.

Maharaja Shoor Saini

Maharaja Udak was a very famous king. Maharaja Udak had two sons named Bhajman and Durota. Durota further had a son, Maharaja Sur and Maharaja Sur had a son who was named Maharaja Sur Saini (sometimes called Shoor Saini).

Maharaja Shoor Saini was born in the Mahabharat period. He ruled over 'Sur Sen', a kingdom in northwest India. According to ancient historical records, Mathura was the capital of this kingdom. His kingdom extended from Afghanistan to Uttarkashi and from Rajasthan to Southern India.

He strongly believed in righteousness and kindness and karma sidhant of vedic scriptures. He possessed a sound knowledge of law and ruled the kingdom under codified laws written into a book. He gave a new way of life to his kingdom known as the Saini religious way of life. He gave the vision to these people to work hard irrespective of their occupation. This is the reason sainis profess different occupations like floriculture, agriculture, baghbani and vegetable production in different regions of India. A picture of him is presently displayed at Lahore (Pakistan).

Kansa Was the first major king of Northern India, Kansa. By virtue of his might, he declared himself as the first king of Mathura. King Jarasandha of Magadha, offered his two daughters in marriage to Kansa. Thus, the first empire of pre-historic or Proto-history India was established by Kansa, the scion of Shoor saini dynasty. Kansa performed the famous Ashwamedha Yagna and set his horse moving and his armies followed the horse under his personal command. They were away for twelve years from the capital "Shoorpur" in the city of Mathura.

After Mahabharata, Parikshat was made king of Hastinapur. Vajra, the grandson of Krishna at Indraprastha. A grandson of Satyaki named Bhuti was made king of Saraswati. Andhaka's son was made king at Marttikavata near Mount Abu. Thus the princes of the Pandava-Krishna lines ruled North India, Sindh, Gujarat and the area North and West of the Yamuna. They founded many republics like Pargiter, Bhargava and Jayaswal.

The famous Yaudhey a republic had 5000 war elephants and 5000 aristocratic families, who were good agriculturists and good soldiers. Their fame and power caused the retreat of Alexander from the Beas in 326 BC. Future wars led to the Sainis retreating into infertile foothills from central regions of Punjab under pressure from the Scythians. They spread along the rivers.

Porus

Porus or Puru, the son of king Chandra Sen, was the last Shoor saini king. He ruled the fertile area of the Punjab between the rivers Jhelum and Beas.

The Saini's have been classified as Chandravanshi Kshatriya's. The Chandravanshi lineage is one of the three lineages into which the Kshatriya caste of Hindus is divided. According to legend, the Chandravanshis are descended from Chandra,in the Lunar Dynasty or the Hindu Moon God.