Kiran Kalyansingh | Rajpurohit Encyclopedia Profile

Kiran Kalyan Singh Rajpurohit was a trusted warrior and statesman from Thikana Tinwari, belonging to the Mulrajot branch of the Rajpurohit Sewad clan in Marwar. He emerged as one of the most favored confidants of Rao Chandrasen Rathore, the last independent Rathore ruler of Marwar. Though exact genealogical details remain unclear due to scarce historical records, he is believed to be the son of the brother of Mulrajji, the ancestral patriarch of the Mulrajot lineage.

Originating from Thikana Tinwari, Kiran Kalyan Singh belonged to a martial Rajpurohit family known for their loyalty, military skills, and administrative prowess. Despite the uncertainty regarding the exact name of his father, his close association with Rao Chandrasen and his prominent role in the resistance against Mughal expansion marks him as a key historical figure of 16th-century Marwar.

After the death of Rao Maldeo Rathore, the Mughal emperor Akbar bypassed Maldeo’s son and rightful heir, Rao Chandrasen, and handed over control of Jodhpur to Raja Rai Singh of Bikaner, a Mughal vassal. Refusing to submit to Mughal authority, Chandrasen went underground and began a guerilla-style resistance from his remote hideouts in Siwana and Piplana.

To suppress this defiance, Akbar sent Raja Ram Singh of Bikaner with a Mughal army to subdue Chandrasen.

As Raja Ram Singh advanced toward Piplana, where Chandrasen had taken refuge in the hills, the confrontation escalated into what is remembered as the Battle of Piplana. Realizing that the odds were stacked against him and fearing his capture might end the resistance entirely, Rao Chandrasen made a strategic decision—to withdraw secretly and delegate battlefield leadership to his trusted confidant Kiran Kalyan Singh, who bore a strong physical resemblance to him.

This tactical impersonation was designed to mislead the enemy into thinking Chandrasen had stayed to fight, buying him time to regroup and continue the fight from another stronghold.

Kiran Kalyan Singh took command of the Rathore forces and fought with unmatched valor and commitment, fully aware of the risk he bore by standing in place of his king. During the intense fighting, Raja Ram Singh personally engaged him in battle, mistaking him for Rao Chandrasen himself, and struck him down.

Only after the death did Ram Singh realize the truth—that he had killed a Rajpurohit warrior, not the Rathore prince. Consumed by guilt for slaying a Brahmin-warrior, Ram Singh dropped his sword on the battlefield in remorse, a symbolic gesture reflecting his horror at the act and respect for the fallen.

The martyrdom of Kiran Kalyan Singh is remembered in regional doha-soratha, oral history, and bardic traditions of Marwar. He is praised as a symbol of loyalty and sacrifice, who willingly offered his life to preserve the cause of Rathore independence and confuse the Mughal invaders.

His legacy is especially honored in Tinwari, where tales of his valor are passed down generations, and among the Rajpurohit community, which remembers him as a heroic figure who combined wisdom, courage, and devotion.

1. Dayaldas ri Khyat

2. Khyat of Thikana Tinwari

3. Rajpurohit Jati ka Itihas, Part 1

4. Historical doha and soratha poetry passed through oral tradition