Q. In the context of early medieval period, the agnikula legend refers to which of the following?
Answer: Origin of Rajputs
Notes: The early medieval period saw the rise of a powerful class of landed chiefs- the Rajputs. Many Rajputs formed their own kingdoms. The exact course of evolution of this class is a matter of academic debate. But, there are some popular narratives explaining the origin of the Rajput class. Thus, there was this Agnikula legend. It can be traced to the 11th century. According to this legend, sage Vashishtha, produced four Rajput clans- the Pratiharas, Solanki/Chalukyas, Parmara/Pawar and Chahamanas/Chauhans out of the sacrificial fire. During this period, Brahmanas wrote many genealogies of ruling families, linking them with ancient Kshatriya families e.g. Gurjara-Pratiharas were linked with Lakshman, who had acted as the door-keeper (Pratihara) of Rama.