History of Maharana Pratap

The land of Rajasthan is the land of warriors. Many warriors were born here who not only illuminated the name of their dynasty with their splendor but also left an indelible mark in the history of India. Maharana Pratap was also one of those warriors. Maharana Pratap renounced the princely splendor for the freedom of their motherland and endured hardships throughout their lives and fought against slavery.

Maharana Pratap

• Born : May 09,1540
• Died: January 19, 1597
• Place of Birth: Kumbhalgarh Fort, Mewar (Udaipur, Rajasthan)
• Place of Death: Chawand, Sarada Tehsil (Udaipur)
• Father: Maharana Udai Singh
• Mother: Rani Jaywantabai
• Wife: Maharani Ajabde Punwar (13 others)
• Son: Rajkumar Amar Singh (16 others)
• Daughters : 5
• Religion: Hindu
• Reign: 1568 AD-1597 AD (about 29 years)
• Government Territory : Mewar
• Capital: Kumbhalgarh, Udaipur
• Royal family: Rajputana
• Dynasty: Sisodia
• Predecessor : Maharana Udai Singh (Father)
• Heir: Rana Amar Singh (Son)
• Important battle: Battle of Haldighati

Biography of Maharana Pratap

Maharana Pratap was born on May 9, 1540 in the fort of Kumbhalgarh. Maharana Pratap's father Rana Udai Singh was the king of Sisodia dynasty of Mewar. His mother's name was Jaywanta Kanwar who was the daughter of Pali ruler Akheraj Songra Chouhan. Maharana Pratap was called as Kika in his childhood. Maharana Pratap was self-respecting and freedom-loving since childhood. He was coronated in Gogunda on 28 February 1572 AD. Maharana Udai Singh, under the love influence of his younger queen, declared Jagmal as his successor. But due to the opposition of the people of Mewar and the Rajput chieftains, Jagmal had to abdicate the throne soon. Jagmal became an enemy of Maharana Pratap and went to the shelter of Akbar.

At that time Delhi was ruled by the Mughal ruler Akbar. At the time of Rana Udai Singh, Akbar had captured the capital of Mewar, Chittorgarh. So Udai Singh had to leave Chittor and come to Udaipur with his family. Terrified of Akbar, many Rajputana states accepted his suzerainty. Maharana Pratap's second and formal coronation took place in Kumbhalgarh Fort.

Except Maharana Pratap, all the small and big states had accepted the suzerainty of Akbar. But Akbar's craving was not yet quenched. His wish was that Maharana Pratap should either accept his subordination or he should be ready to lose Kumbhalgarh and Gogunda (Udaipur) like Chittor. Akbar diplomatically sent his ministers many times to persuade Maharana Pratap so that he accept submission of Akbar. He first sent Jalal Khan Korchi and then Bhagwant Das, Man Singh and Todarmal. But Pratap flatly refused to accept Akbar's submission. Ultimately the result of this conflict came out in the form of Haldighati war.

Battles of Maharana Pratap

Battle of Haldighati

The Battle of Haldighati was the most important battle of Maharana Pratap's life. Haldighati is a mountain pass between Khamanor and Balicha villages in the Aravalli ranges of Rajsamand district, 40 km from Udaipur. Due to the yellowness of turmeric in the soil here, it came to be known as Haldighati.

On 18 June 1576, the war started between the armies of Akbar and Maharana Pratap. The Mughal army was led by Raja Man Singh I and Asaf Khan. Maharana Pratap's army consisted mainly of people from the Bhil caste. Man Singh had 10000 to 15000 soldiers while Maharana Pratap's army had only 5000 soldiers. Pratap's army fought the Mughal army with great valor. In this war, Man Singh narrowly escaped the attack of Maharana Pratap's spear. Maharana Pratap himself was injured. He was brought out of the battle field in an injured condition. This fierce battle, which lasted for about four hours, remained ineffective. Although the Mughal army captured Kumbhalgarh and Gogunda, but Akbar's desire to subordinate  Maharana Pratap remained unfulfilled. 

Chetak / Chetak

Maharana Pratap's horse Chetak also showed indomitable courage in this war. When Maharana Pratap fled from the battle field in an injured condition, the Mughal army chased him. To save Pratap's life, Chetak crossed the 26 feet long drain. Loyal Chetak saved the life of Maharana Pratap but he himself got injured and gave up his life. Even today, the tomb of Chetak remains in Balicha near Haldighati.

Maharana Pratap wandered in the mountains and forests with his wife and children after the Haldighati war. They lived in huts and spend their life by eating bread made of grass. Despite suffering many hardships, he never accepted Akbar's slavery. The struggle between the two continued even after the Haldighati war.

Battle of Diver

The battle of Diver took place in October 1582 between Maharana Pratap and the Mughals. Bhamashah and his brother provided money to Maharana Pratap for this war. Sultan Khan led the Mughal army in the battle of Diver. This war was more fierce than the battle of Haldighati. The Rajput army showed indomitable valor and courage. Maharana Pratap hit the Mughal soldier Bahlol Khan on the head with such force that he broke into two pieces along with his horse. Seeing all this, the spirits of the Mughal army were shattered.

A stampede broke out in the Mughal army. Pratap's army drove the fleeing Mughal army up to Ajmer. Maharana Pratap reclaimed the areas of Kumbhalgarh, Gogunda, Bassi, Chawand, Jawar, Madaria, Mandalgarh and Mohi. Maharana Pratap recovered these lost territories, but his homeland Chittor was still under the control of the Mughals.

Death of Maharana Pratap

Even after the battle of Diver, Maharana Pratap struggled continuously for the next 14 years for the independence of his motherland Chittor. Maharana's dream of independence of Chittor remained unfulfilled. Finally, he died on January 19, 1597, due to an injury to the intestine while pulling the string of the bow while hunting in Chawand. When Akbar, sitting in Lahore, came to know about the death of Maharana Pratap, he too could not hold back his tears.

Maharana Pratap was a great warrior, who for the sake of his self-respect spent his whole life in the forests and mountains, renouncing the royal opulence, lived in huts, wore torn sheets instead of velvet sheets. renouncing the dishe of the palace he ate root-vegitable, grass pallet bread and leaves. If Maharana Pratap wanted, like other Rajput kings, accepting the subordination of Akbar, he could live his life comfortably. But the freedom-loving, self-respecting Maharana Pratap was different from all those Rajputs. Due to these qualities, even today his glory stories are sung on the land of Marudhara (Rajasthan).

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