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Maharana Pratap

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Maharana Pratap was a ruler of Mewar is considered the epitome of fiery Rajput pride and self-respect. He belonged to the Sisodia clan of Suryavanshi Rajputs.

Pratap was born at Kumbhalgarh on Sunday the May 09,1540 to Maharana Udai Singh II and Maharani Javanta Bai Songara. He was the eldest of 45 siblings.

In 1568, Mewar was conquered by the Mughal emperor Akbar at a time when Udai Singh was the ruler. Defeated, Udai Singh moved his base to another location in the foothills of the Aravalli Range, that later became city of Udaipur. Udai Singh wanted Jagmal, but Pratap was made the king as nobles wanted him to succeed.

Maharana Pratap had a career full of struggle and hardship.

Akbar was in throne at the time and wanted to be seen as ruler of India. Maharana Pratap never accepted Akbar as ruler of India, and fought Akbar all his life.

Akbar first tried diplomacy but nothing worked. Pratap maintained that he had no intention to fight with Akbar but he could not bow down to Akbar and accept him as the ruler.

Chittor Fort, Pratap’s ancestral home, was under reign of Mughals. Maharana Pratap always the dreamt of freeing Chittor from Mughal hands and reclaim the glory of Mewar.

At the time when all of fellow Rajput chiefs, including his own brothers had accepted the vassalage of the Mughals, Maharan Pratap stood firm on his ground rebuffing any such diplomatic offer.

After an incident involving Man Singh, an emissary of Akbar the scene was set for battle. The battle was fought eventually in Haldighati, and is poularly known as battle of Haldighati. The battle resulted in heavey casulties for Pratap’s army and he had to flee, defeated.

Mughal army, who heavily outnumbered his army, also suffered major losses.

Maharan Pratap retreated into the hilly wilderness of the Aravallis and continued his struggle and resumed the tactics of guerilla warfare. Using the hills as his base, Pratap harassed the large and therefore awkward Mughal forces in their encampments.

He ensured that the Mughal occupying force in Mewar never knew peace. Akbar despatched three more expeditions to ferret Pratap out of his mountainous hideouts, but they all failed.

During this era, Pratap was financially aided by Bhamashah, a well-wisher.

When the exiles were facing the prospect of actual starvation, Pratap wrote to Akbar indicating his readiness to negotiate a treaty. It is said that a letter from Prithviraj Rathore, a cousin of Maharan Pratap who grew despodent and begged Rana not do this ended the incipient rapprochement between Pratap and Akbar.

Akbar kept sending expedition after expedition against Maharana Pratap but never succeeded. He lost lot of money and men in trying to defeat Maharana Pratap. For 30 years Pratap remained ahead of Akbar and in last ten years of his life was able to free most of his kingdom. The only fort Pratap could not recover was Chittor. His son, Amar Singh, won that fort after Pratap’s death.

Rana Pratap died of injuries sustained in a hunting accident. He died at Chavand, on January 29, 1597, aged fifty-six.

Maharana Pratap is a real great hero in the eyes of Indians, and is much respected and loved by his people. During a dark chapter of Rajput history, Pratap alone stood firmly for his honour and dignity, he never compromised his honour for safety.

He died a proud and free man.

Maharana Pratap has always been held in great esteem in India and has been projected as model of patriotism and freedom struggle against the British rule in India.

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Tags: Akbar, Aravalli, Maharana Pratap, Man Singh, Mewar, Rajputs, Udai Singh