At a glance
- Son of Bhoja (Sawai Bhoj) Bagrawat and Sedhu; the RBSE book places him about 1243 CE, while by tradition he was born over 1,100 years ago (his 1111th Avataran Mahotsav was held in 2023).
- His father and 23 uncles fell fighting the ruler of Bhinay before he was born; Devji later killed the Bhinay thakur in a fight over cows.
- Wife: Pipalde, daughter of Jaisingh Dev Parmar of Dhara.
- Main place: Asind (Bhilwara); fair on Bhadrapad Shukla Saptami.
- Birthday: Magh Shukla Shashthi (RPSC key, Protection Officer 2024).
- Devji ki phad and the epic 'Bagrawat' are sung by Bhopas; his phad goes with the jantar. India Post stamp: 2 September 1992.
- In January 2023 his 1111th Avataran Mahotsav was held at Malaseri Dungri (Bhilwara), believed to be his birthplace.
Facts
| Born | About 1243 CE as per the RBSE book; by tradition over 1,100 years ago (1111th Avataran Mahotsav in 2023). Malaseri Dungri, Bhilwara, is revered as his birthplace |
|---|---|
| Parents | Bhoja (Sawai Bhoj) Bagrawat and Sedhu |
| Wife | Pipalde, daughter of Jaisingh Dev Parmar of Dhara |
| Community | Gurjar; the Bagrawat family |
| Main place | Asind (Bhilwara), the Sawai Bhoj temple |
| Other seat | Devdham Jodhpuriya (Tonk) |
| Fair | Bhadrapad Shukla Saptami, at Asind |
| Birthday | Magh Shukla Shashthi (RPSC key) |
| Instrument | Jantar |
| Known as | Devji; an incarnation of Vishnu (devotees' belief) |
Life and legend
According to the RBSE book, before Devnarayan was born his father Bhoja, chief of the Bagrawats, was killed with his 23 brothers in a fight with the ruler of Bhinay. To protect the child, his mother Sedhu took him to her parents' home in Malwa. At about ten he set out to avenge his father; on the way he married Pipalde at Dhara, and later, in a fight over cows, he killed the Bhinay thakur.
RPSC's key (Protection Officer 2024) accepts that Devji freed the cows from the thakur of Bhinay and resettled his ancestral village.
Worship and fair
- His chief place of worship is Asind (Bhilwara), where a fair is held on Bhadrapad Shukla Saptami.
- His main followers are Gurjars, who sing his glory through Devji ki phad and the epic 'Bagrawat'; legend says that sung three pahars a night, it takes six months to finish.
- Bhopas sing the phad; but RPSC's key does not accept that the priests of his temples are 'always married Gurjars'.
- On 28 January 2023 the Prime Minister attended his 1111th Avataran Mahotsav at Malaseri Dungri, Bhilwara.
Phad and jantar
- Devnarayan ki phad is narrated by Bhopas to the jantar, a stringed instrument that is also played when praying to the phad.
- India Post issued a stamp on the Dev Narayan phad on 2 September 1992.
- Like Pabuji's, his phad is painted by the Joshi painters of Shahpura and Bhilwara.
Remember: often mixed up
- Devnarayanji's instrument is the jantar; Pabuji's is the ravanhatha.
- Birthday on Magh Shukla Shashthi as per RPSC's key (some sources give Saptami); the Asind fair on Bhadrapad Shukla Saptami is a different occasion.
- Bhinay is where the Bagrawats fought; his main place is Asind.
- Sawai Bhoj is his father's name and also the name of the temple at Asind.
Test yourself: asked in exams
Protection Officer 2024 · Q2
Identify the incorrect statement regarding Devnarayan Ji -
- (1)Devji released cows from thakur of Bhinay and resettled his ancestral village.
- (2)Devji's birthday is celebrated on sixth day of shukla paksha in the month of Magh.
- (3)The priests in the temples of Devji are always married Gurjars.
- (4)These Bhopas sing 'Phad of Devji' in the praise of Devji.
Show answer
✓ (3) The priests in the temples of Devji are always married Gurjars.
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