Pratap singh (
pronunciation (help·info)) or Pratap Singh (9 May 1540 – 29 January
1597) was the ruler of Mewar, a region in north-western India in the present day state
of Rajasthan. His birth anniversary
(Maharana Pratap Jayanti) is celebrated as a full-fledged festival every year
on the 3rd day of the Jyestha Shukla phase. He was the eldest son ofMaharani Jaiwanta Bai and Udai Singh II,
founder of Udaipur.[1] He belonged to the Sisodia clan of Rajputs.[2][3]Maharana Pratap Singh is
widely regarded as a fearless warrior and ingenious strategist, who
successfully fought the Mughals and safeguarded his people until his death. In
popular Indian culture, he is hailed as an inspirational figure for
exemplifying gallantry and resourcefulness.[citation needed] He was succeeded by his
eldest son Amar Singh I.[4]
pronunciation (help·info)) or Pratap Singh (9 May 1540 – 29 January
1597) was the ruler of Mewar, a region in north-western India in the present day state
of Rajasthan. His birth anniversary
(Maharana Pratap Jayanti) is celebrated as a full-fledged festival every year
on the 3rd day of the Jyestha Shukla phase. He was the eldest son ofMaharani Jaiwanta Bai and Udai Singh II,
founder of Udaipur.[1] He belonged to the Sisodia clan of Rajputs.[2][3]Maharana Pratap Singh is
widely regarded as a fearless warrior and ingenious strategist, who
successfully fought the Mughals and safeguarded his people until his death. In
popular Indian culture, he is hailed as an inspirational figure for
exemplifying gallantry and resourcefulness.[citation needed] He was succeeded by his
eldest son Amar Singh I.[4]
Contents
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In 1568 during the reign of Rana Udai Singh II (Maharana Pratap's
father) Chittorgarh Fort was conquered by the
Mughal emperor Akbar after the third Jauhar at Chittor.[citation needed] However, Udai Singh and
the royal family of Mewarhad left before the fort was captured and
moved to the foothills of the Aravalli Range where Singh had already
founded the city of Udaipur in 1559.[5] Rani Dheer Bai wanted her
son Jagmal to succeed Udai Singh[6] but the seniors in the
royal court preferred Pratap, as
the eldest son,
to be their king. The desire of the nobles prevailed.[citation needed]
Chittorgarh
Fort which Rana wanted to reclaim. Also seen is Vijay
Stambha along with Gaumukh
Reservoir.
Nearly all of Pratap's fellow Rajput chiefs
had meanwhile entered into the vassalage of the Mughals. Even Pratap's own
brothers, Shakti Singh, Jagmal and Sagar Singh, served the Mughal emperor, Akbar.[citation needed] Indeed, many Rajput
chiefs, such as Man
Singh I of Amer (later known as Maharaja
of Jaipur) served as army
commanders in Akbar's armies and as members of his council. Akbar sent a total
of six diplomatic missions to Pratap, seeking to negotiate the same sort of
peaceful alliance that he had concluded with the other Rajput chiefs.[citation needed] The first three missions
were led by Jalal Khan Qurchi, the fourth by Raja Man Singh, the fifth by Raja
Bhagwan Das, and the sixth by Todar Mal.[citation needed] The fifth mission of
Bhagwan Das was fruitful in that the Rana agreed to put on a robe presented by
Akbar and he sent his son Amar Singh I to the mughal capital.[citation needed] The missions failed,
however, since the Rana refused to personally present himself in the mughal
court. Since no agreement could be reached at, all out war between Mewar and
the Mughals became inevitable.[7][page needed]
In 1576, Akbar deputed Man
Singh I and Asaf Khan I to lead a force of 60,000
soldiers against Rana Pratap.[citation needed] The Rana advanced with a
force of 30,000 soldiers and took a position near Haldighati which was at the entrance
of a defile.[citation needed] In Pratap's army the main
commanders were Gwalior's Ram Singh Tanvar (with
all his sons), Krishandas Chundawat, Ramdas Rathore Jhala, Mansingh Rawat,
Purohit Gopinath, Shankardas, Charan Jaisa, Purohit Jagannath and Keshav.[8] His army also included Afghans lead by Hakim
Khan Sur and a small contingent of Bhil tribals
headed by Rao Poonja fighting alongside him.[8] According to Dr. Sharma,
Maharana had 3,000 horseborne soldiers, 2,000 infantry soldiers, 100 elephants
and 100 spearmen and some other soldiers.[9]
Anticipating the mughal attack, the Rana
had also devastated the entire region up to Chittor to prevent the mughal
forces access to food and fodder.[citation needed]
The Battle of Haldighati was fought on 18
June 1576 for around four hours.[10] It was primarily fought
in the traditional manner between cavalry and elephants since the mughals found
it difficult to transport artillery over the rough terrain. In a traditional
fight the Rajputs were at an advantage; their impetuous attack led to a
crumbling of the mughal left and right wings and put pressure on the center
until reserves, and a rumor of Akbar's arrival, turned the tide, and resulted
in a Rajput retreat. The heat, and fear of ambush in the hills, resulted in the
mughals deciding not to pursue the Rajputs into the hills. Thus this battle
failed to break the existing stalemate. Considering that both the armies of
Akbar and Rana Pratap included Hindus and Muslims, considering that Akbar's
army was led by Raja Man Singh, and Rana Pratap's army included an afghan
contingent led by Hakim Sur, it would not be correct to view this battle as a
fight between Hindus and Muslims. Nor can it be viewed as a battle for Rajput
independence, since influential sections of the Rajputs had already cast their
lot with the mughals. At best, this fight can be viewed as an assertion of
local independence arising from local and regional patriotism.[7][page needed]
On the third day after the Battle of
Haldighati, i.e. on 23 June 1576, Man
Singh I conquered Gogunda[11] which was later
recaptured by Pratap in July 1576.[12] Pratap then made Kumbhalgarh his temporary capital.[13] After that, Akbardecided to personally lead the campaign
against Pratap.[citation needed] In the process, Gogunda, Udaipur and Kumbhalmir were
occupied by the mughals, forcing the Rana deeper into the mountainous tracts of
southern Mewar.[citation needed] Mughal pressure was
exerted on the Afghan chief of Jalor, and the Rajput chiefs of Idar, Sirohi,
Banswara, Dungarpur, and Bundi. These states, situated on the borders of Mewar
with Gujarat and Malwa had traditionally acknowledged the supremacy of the
dominant power in the region. Consequently, the rulers of these states
submitted to the Mughals. A mughal expedition was also sent to Bundi where Duda, the elder son
of Rao Surjan Hada, had collaborated with Rana Pratap to take control over
Bundi and adjacent areas. Both Surjan Hada and Bhoj, the father and younger
brother of Duda, took part in this conflict in support of the mughals. After a
mughal victory, Duda escaped to the hills and Bundi was conferred upon Bhoj. At
this point Rana Pratap found himself isolated and marginalized in Rajput
affairs.[7][page needed]
Mughal pressure on Mewar relaxed after 1579
following rebellions in Bengal and Bihar and Mirza
Hakim's incursion into the Punjab. In 1585, Akbar
moved to Lahoreand remained
there for the next twelve years watching the situation in the north-west. No
mughal expedition was sent to Mewar during this period. Taking advantage of the
situation, Rana Pratap recovered many of his lost territories including
Kumbhalgarh and the areas around Chittor (but not Chittor itself). During this
period, he also built a new capital--Chavand, near modern Dungarpur.[7][page needed] His successful defiance
of Mughals using guerrilla strategy also proved inspiration to figures ranging
from Shivaji to anti-British revolutionaries in Bengal.[14]
Maharana Pratap had a cabinet of able
ministers / advisors and commanders including Bhamashah (treasurer) and Rao Poonja.
Maharana Pratap's first and favourite wife
was Maharani Ajabde Punwar. She supported him through everything. They both
loved each other unconditionally. Sadly, she died in her thirties. He only
loved Maharani Ajabde, the other marriages were political alliances. [1] Maharana Pratap had 11
wives.[15][16] He had 17 sons[17] and five daughters. Of
his children, Amar Singh, who was
born to Maharani Ajabde, was the eldest and who later succeeded him .[18] The list of Queens and
Sons is as follows:[19]
Pratap died of injuries sustained in a
hunting accident[20] at Chavand,
which served as his capital,[21][22] on 29[23][24] January 1597, aged
fifty-seven.[25] A chhatri,
commemorating Pratap's funeral, exists at Chavand and is an important tourist
attraction.[26]
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Maharana Pratap
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Maharana Pratap
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Reign
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1572–1597 (25 years)
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1 March 1575
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Predecessor
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Successor
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Born
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Died
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Burial
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cremated in Vandoli
village
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Spouse
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Maharani Ajabde Punwar
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Issue
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Amar Singh I
Bhagwan Das |
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Father
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Mother
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Religion
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