Dulha Rai

Dulha Rai (also known as Dhola Rai, Tej Kumar) was a Kachwaha Rajput prince traditionally believed to have founded the state of Amber (later Jaipur) in present-day Rajasthan, India, around the 10th century CE. He is considered a significant figure in the origin myth and history of the Kachwaha dynasty.

According to Kachwaha oral traditions and genealogies, Dulha Rai was a son of Sodal Dev, a prince of Narwar (in present-day Madhya Pradesh). Legends recount that Dulha Rai migrated westward from Narwar, conquering the region around Amber from the Meena tribes who previously controlled the area. He is credited with establishing the first Kachwaha capital at Dausa, before eventually relocating to Amber.

Historical sources are scarce and often intertwined with mythology regarding Dulha Rai and the early Kachwaha rulers. Verifying the historicity of Dulha Rai and the precise details of his conquests remains a challenge. However, his figure is central to the Kachwaha identity and claims of legitimacy over their territories. He is revered as a founding ancestor and an important cultural hero within the Kachwaha community.