Chandel or Chandela or Chandila is a Rajput clan^[1] that ruled Bundelkhand region (historically Jejakabhukti) in north-central India and fought against the early Muslim invaders. They were feudatories of the Pratiharas.^[2][3][4]

According to Indian Historian Romila Thapar, The Chandela kings narrated an origin from the Chandravanshi dynasty in the inscriptions.

The Chandelas were highly devoted to Puranic Hindu deities, they expressed this by building the temples of Khajuraho which were distinctly different from the shrine . This illustrates a shift from a local cult to a patronage of a puranic sect.^[5]

According to S. N. Sen, the Chandels were originally Hindus, following different rituals which later changed on attaining political power. Similarly, the Bundelas and the northern Rathors are offshoots of the Garhawars.^[6][7]

1. ↑ Dikshit, R. K. (1976). The Candellas of Jejākabhukti. Abhinav Publications. ISBN 978-81-7017-046-4.
2. ↑ "Chandela | Indian clan | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
3. ↑ Sinha, Manoj (2022-01-06). Dynasties of India: The Families That Ruled. Notion Press. ISBN 979-8-88503-605-4.
4. ↑ Mehta, Behram H. (1984). Gonds of the Central Indian Highlands. Concept Publishing Company.
5. ↑ Thapar, Romila (2003). The Penguin History of Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300. Penguin Books India. p. 480. ISBN 978-0-14-302989-2.
6. ↑ Sen, Sailendra Nath (1999). Ancient Indian History and Civilization. New Age International. ISBN 978-81-224-1198-0. The Chandel Rajputs were originally Hinduised Bhars or Gonds or both, who became Kshatriyas on attaining political power. The Gaharwars similarly are associated with the Bhars; the Bundelas and the northern Rathors are offshoots of the Garhawars. The Dharmashastras recognise the possibility of lower castes being elevated to higher castes.
7. ↑ Gangoly, Ordhendra Coomar (1957). The Art of the Chandelas. Rupa.