conceded by the Bhats,
and the Dikhits are assigned to the solar branch by their legends. The
great clan of the Yadavas, of whom the present Jadon or Jadum and
Bhatti Rajputs are representatives, was of the lunar race, tracing
their descent from Krishna, though, as a matter of fact, Krishna was
also an incarnation of Vishnu or the sun; and the Tuar or Tomara,
as well as the Jit or Gete, the Rajput section of the modern Jats,
who were considered to be branches of the Yadavas, would also be of
the moon division, The Gautam and Bisen clans, who are not included in
the thirty-six royal races, now claim lunar descent. Four clans, the
Panwar, Chauhan, Chalukya or Solankhi, and Parihar, had a different
origin, being held to have been born through the agency of the gods
from a firepit on the summit of Mount Abu. They are hence known
as Agnikula or the fire races. Several clans, such as the Tak or
Takshac, the Huna and the Chaura, were considered by Colonel Tod to
be the representatives of the Huns or Scythians, that is, the nomad
invading tribes from Central Asia, whose principal incursions took
place during the first five centuries of the Christian era.

At least six of the thirty-six royal races, the Sarweya, Silar, Doda
or Dor, Dahia, Johia and Mohil, were extinct in Colonel Tod's time,
and others were represented only by small settlements in Rajputana and
Surat. On the other hand, there are now a large number of new clans,
whose connection with the thirty-six is doubtful, though in many
cases they are probably branches of the old clans who have obtained
a new name on settling in a different locality.

3. The origin of the Rajputs

It was for long the custom to regard the Rajputs as the direct
descendants and representatives of the old Kshatriya or warrior
class of the Indian Aryans, as described in the Vedas and the great
epics. Even Colonel Tod by no means held this view in its entirety,
and modern epigraphic research has caused its partial or complete
abandonment Mr. V.A. Smith indeed says: [460] "The main points to
remember are that the Kshatriya or Rajput caste is essentially an
occupational caste, composed of all clans following the Hindu ritual
who actually undertook the act of government; that consequently people
of most diverse races were and are lumped together as Rajputs, and
that most of the great clans now in existence are descended either
from foreign immigrants of the fifth or sixth century A.D. or fr