Candravamshi

The term "Candravamshi" refers to a lineage within the Rajput social structure of India, meaning "House of the Moon" or "Lunar people." These groups claim descent from Krishna, a hero in the epic Mahabharata. The Rajputs themselves are landowners organized into patrilineal clans, primarily in northern and central India, who consider themselves descendants of the Kshatriya (warrior ruling) class. Their origins are thought to date back to the mid-5th century CE, following societal shifts in the Indian subcontinent. While some Rajput dynasties, like the Chandelas, trace their ancestry to the Moon, others are identified as Suryavanshi ("House of the Sun") or Agnikula ("Family of the Fire God").12