Maharana Pratap The brave Son of Motherland

Rajputs from the Sisodiya dynasty, who ruled Mewar, produced Maharana Pratap, who was the son of Maharana Udai Singh. Despite his father's wishes, who wanted his favorite son Jagmal to succeed him as king of Mewar, Pratap became the ruler of that kingdom. Pratap, the first son and legitimate heir, would, nevertheless, be anointed king, according to the senior nobles of Mewar. Maharana Pratap was additionally regarded as a man of strong Rajput character who was much braver and chivalrous. Even his adversaries were won over by his goodness of heart and moral judgment. He is still remembered as being the most renowned Indian emperor since he was the only one to resist the Mughal dominion.

Early Life

On May 9, 1540, Maharana Pratap was born in Kumbhalgarh Fort to Jaiwanta Bai and Udai Singh II. Along with two stepsisters, he has three younger brothers. His father, Udai Singh II, ruled Mewar, with Chittor serving as his royal residence.The Mughal army surrounded Chittor, the seat of Mewar, in 1567. Udai Singh relocated his family to Gogunda rather than join the Mughal army in battle. The elders were able to persuade Pratap that leaving the area was the correct choice, despite his resistance and insistence that he should stay. Udai Singh and his courtiers established a provisional government for the Mewar empire in Gogunda.After Udai Singh died in 1572, Rani Dheer Bai requested that Jagmal, the eldest son of Uday Singh, be proclaimed king. However, the senior courtiers believed that Pratap would be a better candidate to manage the current situation. Pratap ascended to the kingdom in this manner after his father.

The Unsung Hero

He is revered as Rajasthan's national hero, and stories of his bravery, selflessness, and fortitude are the subject of numerous ballads and folktales.Even the most powerful warriors used to be terrified merely by a look of the valiant Mewari Raja when he stood against his opponents, gleaming with pride. Maharana Pratap stood 7 feet, 5 inches tall, and he was armed with two swords, each weighing 208 kilos, and an 80 kilogram spear. He used to wear 72 kg of armor.He came from a line of Rajput monarchs, such as Rana Hammir Singh, Rana Kumbha, and Rana Sangha, who battled bravely until the very end without ever betraying the honor and grandeur of their homeland.

Rana Pratap showed his unwavering fortitude by facing off troops that were considerably larger and more formidable while having significantly less soldiers and resources than the Mughal armies. He encouraged Rajput groups to unite; Mehta and Shah families, who weren't typically soldiers, joined the fight. It was a highly motivating value-driven proposal. He lived for the "great picture," and throughout his life, he never lost sight of it. The folks who make up Rana Pratap's core team are a diverse group, and their accomplishments have endured the test of time.Bhamashah is a powerful individual with a long history of serving the Ranas of Mewar as a member of the Jain Oswal dynasty. He served as the Diwan of Chittorgarh in addition to serving as Rana Pratap's primary banker and participating in fights against the Mughal Empire. His multifaceted management abilities matched his dedication to the Rana. In 2008, the Rajasthani government introduced the Bhamashah Yojana, a direct benefit transfer program for women's empowerment; meanwhile, the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation in Udaipur established the Bhamashah annual prizes for deserving Rajasthani students. These legendary historical figures are still motivational and applicable today.

Battle of Haldighati

The most difficult period in Udaipur's history occurred during the legendary Battle of Haldighati in 1576 between the vast Mughal army under Akbar and the men of Maharana Pratap. The animosity between the Maharana and the Emperor had reached its zenith. Despite the fact that the Maharana's 22,000 warriors were outnumbered by the 2,00,000-strong Mughal army, they battled valiantly until the latter end and caused casualties among the opposition.Maharana Pratap was constantly worried about his subjects' safety. To protect them from the effects of the fight, he moved the capital to Kumbhalgarh in the Aravalli Range. For Mewar's pride and independence, he then assembled all Rajput chieftains under one roof and trained a troop of tribal people in combat. Even after six months of the battle, Maharana remained unconquerable and free of Akbar's clutches.

Maharana Pratap was a man of ideals in addition to being a great warrior, compassionate monarch, and brave leader. He never employed unfair tactics or violated the laws of war to subdue his adversaries. The general of the Mughal army during Akbar's reign was Raja Man Singh of Jaipur. In a bush, one Maharana discovered Raja Man Singh's whereabouts. He had the opportunity to assault Raja Man Singh when the latter was out hunting, but he refrained from doing so. He stood out for being just, which is a unique leadership quality.The women of Rahim Khan-e-Khana, a Mughal army general, were captured by Maharana Pratap's son Amar Singh and brought to the capital during Rahim's battle against Mewar. When Maharana learned that the women were being held captive, he resented his son's cruel behavior and ordered him to rescue them. Rahim was moved by Maharana's charity and refrained from opposing him.

After the conflict at Haldighati, there was the fight of Dewair. It happened in 1582. Colonel James Tod, a Britisher, has documented this. The army of the Maharana and the Mughal armies engaged in a successful combat here. The fight was won by the Maharana. The Mughals gave up attempting to conquer Mewar. In the meantime, Akbar faced fresh issues in the Northwest, Punjab, Bihar, and Bengal. Chittorgarh, Mandalgarh, Chavand, and other significant locations were quickly reclaimed by Maharana. In Mewar, 36 Mughal outposts were destroyed.The Maharana reclaimed many locations, especially those to the left of Chittor, between the Battle of Dewair and his death on January 19, 1597. When the Mughals declared war on Mewar, the residents of Mewar who had fled the region returned. The Mewar trade began to improve, the monsoon rains were plentiful, and agriculture began to flourish. Thus, the Maharana was also in charge of reviving Mewar's economy.

Chetak The Wonder Horse

Chetak the battle horse of Maharana Pratap was said to be violent and haughty, just like the monarch. He only bowed down to the Maharana because he had a mind of his own. According to legend, Chetak selected the monarch, not the other way around. One of the many tales describing Chetak's strength describes him scaling a 10-foot wall and fracturing his leg, which he later fixed.On June 21, 1576, at the Haldighati battle, Chetak attained the height of his reputation. Akbar, the Mughal emperor, was in route to seize Udaipur, the capital of Mewar. Haldighati in the Aravalli mountain range is where Maharana Pratap and his troops were positioned. The Mughal army had no other way to get to Udaipur but through that pass.

The Maharana's force was significantly outnumbered, and the conflict only lasted four hours. The monarch attempted to murder Raja Mansingh, the imperial Mughal army's leader, who was riding a very large elephant during the battle. Chetak charged Raja Mansingh's enormous elephant, putting his front hooves onto his trunk to allow the king a chance to hurl his lance while disguising himself as a baby elephant to mislead the adversary. However, Maharana Pratap erred and killed the elephant driver instead. Chetak's back leg was pierced by the elephant's tusk during this operation, resulting in a wound that would soon cause his demise.

The king also suffered injuries. His closest ally took the crown, put it on his head, and galloped off to deceive the adversary. Chetak used the distraction to bring his monarch to safety, but it cost him his life. Despite only having three legs, he was able to jump across a 25-foot-deep river. When he had traveled a sufficient distance, Chetak fell and died in front of Maharana Pratap, who was inconsolable.In Haldighati, the Maharana Pratap Museum and Badshah Bagh are both quite close to the Chetak Memorial, also known as Chetak Smarak. According to some tales, it was built on the exact location where the stallion died. 

The Legacy

Maharana Pratap Singh passed away from wounds sustained in a hunting mishap in Chavand on January 19, 1597, at the age of 56. Amar Singh I, his oldest child, became his successor. On his deathbed, Pratap instructed his son to retake Chittor rather than submit to the Mughals.

Maharana Pratap is frequently referred to as "India's first freedom fighter" since he refused to submit to the Akbar-led Mughal army.At the top of Moti Magri, also known as Pearl Hill in Udaipur, is a historical location honoring Maharana Pratap, known as the Maharana Pratap Memorial. Maharana Bhagwat Singh Mewar constructed it, and it has a life-size bronze statue of the valiant warrior astride his horse "Chetak."

It is important to remember that Maharana Pratap was a great leader, warrior, and protector of Hinduism. He was also a man of impeccable character, the pinnacle of bravery and majesty, and he never engaged in greed, desire, or sin. Instead of pursuing the chase of material prosperity and luxury, he chose to live and die for his nation. The temple for Chamunda Mata was built by him. Maharana Pratap's great temple will inspire people all around the world to sacrifice anything for the sake of their country. It is one's level of attachment to their country, not its size, that counts.