The Pundir (also spelled Pandeer, Pandir, Pundhir, Pundeer or Poondir) is a Suryavanshi clan of Rajputs based in Uttarakhand and Western Uttar Pradesh. Their shakha is Koolwal and their Kuldevis are Shakumbhri Devi Saharanpur and Dhadimati Mata in Saharanpur and Rajasthan along with Punyakshini Devi in Garhwal. They belong to Pulastya gotra.
Distribution
Most of the Pundirs are today based mainly around the North Indian states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Uttarakhand.
Etomology
The word itself is derived from the Sanskrit word "Purandara" (पुरन्दर) literally meaning "the destroyer of enemy" or "the destroyer of cities".
History
Pundirs were the most powerful military vassals of the Prithviraj Chauhan Empire of Delhi after the 10th century. Chandra Pundir, the ruler of Haridwar, was a great feudatory of Emperor Prithviraj Chauhan. Chandra Pundir, and grandson, Pavas Pundir sacrificed in the struggle with the Turks. After the defeat of Prithviraj Chauhan in the second battle of Tarain in AD 1192, the rule of the Turks was established in the country. Even so, the Pundir state remained in Haridwar for two centuries.
Eric Stokes noted that
Notable Pundir(Pundhirs) Diwakar Pundir, Notable Model
References
Further reading
Dadhimati Mata Temple
Evatt, John T. Historical Record of the Royal Garhwal Rifles (p. 78; p. 103) Roy, K. The Construction of Regiments in the Indian Army: 1859-1913. War in History, 1 April 2001, vol. 8, no. 2 (pp. 127–148) Bajpai, Shiv Chandra. The Northern Frontier of India: Central and Western Sector (p. 23) Siddiqi, Jamal Muhammad. A Historical Survey: Ancient Times to 1803 AD (p. 124; p. 180)