maharana pratap

 

Pratap Singh was a popular and powerful king of Mewar (a rajputana kingdom) also known as "Mewari Rana" and "Maharana Pratap".

He was notable for his military resistance against Mughal emperor Akbar and also fought a battle in the year 1576 popularly known as Battle of Haldighati.

Reign:1572-1597

Predecessor: Udai singh

Successor: Amar Singh 

Born: 9 may 1540 at Kumbhalgarh Fort, Mewar

Died: 19 january 1597 at the age of 56

THE MOUNTAIN MAN 

Maharana Pratap is revered as one of the strongest warriors India has ever seen. Standing at 7 feet 5 inches, he would carry a 80-kilogram spear and two swords weighing around 208 kilograms in total. He would also wear an armour weighing 72 kilograms.He also used to wear shoes weighing about 10 kg each.

RELATIONS 

Maharana Pratap was born in Hindu Rajput family to Udai Singh of Mewar and Jaiwanti Bai. His younger brothers were Shakti Singh, Vikram Singh and Jagmal Singh. Pratap also had 2 stepsisters: Chand Kanwar and Man Kanwar. He was married to Ajabde Punwar of Bijolia and he had married 10 other women and was survived by 17 sons and 5 daughters including Amar Singh.  After the death of Udai Singh in 1572, Rani Dheer Bai wanted her son Jagmal to succeed him but senior courtiers preferred Pratap, as the eldest son, to be their king. The desire of the nobles prevailed. Udai Singh died in 1572, and Prince Pratap ascended the throne as Maharana Pratap, the 54th ruler of Mewar in the line of the Sisodia Rajputs. Jagmal swore revenge and left for Ajmer, to join the armies of Akbar, and obtained the town of Jahazpur as a Jagir as a gift in return for his help.

BATTLE OF HALDIGHATI

Akbar sent a force of 80,000 troops led by a Rajput king Man Singh on 21 June 1576. It was fought at a narrow mountain pass at Haldighati. Maharana Pratap had only around 15,000 soldiers and Afghans led by Hakim Khan Sur and a small contingent of Bhil tribals but because of endurance and his bravery, he never get captured by Akbar and Akbar was never able to conquer Mewar under his reign.

Akbar wanted to capture Mewar because through it he can create an easy trade route to Gujarat. Therefore, it was politically and strategically crucial for Akbar to conquer Mewar.

It was a batlle lasted for three hours and at the last of the day Pratap found himself wounded and badly injured. However, he escaped from the batlle safely and gone to Aravalli hills and Mansingh successfully conquered Gogunda and ended his campaign.

After the capture of Gogunda, Akbar launched a next campaign in September 1576 and soon Udaipur and Kumbhalgarh were under their control.

It was a futile victory for Mughals because they were unable to capture and kill Maharana Pratap.

The four-hour battle was between Pratap and Akbar led by Man Singh I.

• Akbar’s army had 80,000 soldiers while Maharana’s army consisted of 25,000 soldiers that included Rajputs, Afghans led by Hakim Khan Sur and a small contingent of Bhil tribals.
• Rumours of the Mughal emperor Akbar coming on the battlefield instilled a sense of courage in the Mughal troops and they surrounded Maharana’s army and at the time when Maharana would have certainly been killed, the Naik of Jhala took the crown off Maharana’s head and put it on his own head posing as Maharana and got himself killed.
• Grabbing an opportunity Rana aimed his spear on Man Singh but unfortunately it pierced his Mahout’s body.

The Mughal army once again surrounded Maharana but his favourite horse ‘Chetak’ help him to rescue successfully but died as it had sustained injuries. Maharana escaped unhurt.

Reconquest of Mewar

The dusshera of 1582 marked a very important phase for the reign of pratap. 

Battle of Dewair

In 1582, on the occasion of Dushehra, Maharana Pratap motivated his soldiers to fight back and make Mewar independent once again. Mewar army was divided in two groups for the attack. One wing was with Maharana Pratap and other under Amar Sing (son of Maharana) and the decisive battle of Dewair was fought.

The battle was led by Bahlol Khan and Shahbaz Khan against Mewar from Mughal side. The Mughals who were still unsure of whether it was Pratap or his son Amar Singh leading the battle, had clearly underestimated the Mewar troops. This battle is also sometimes referred to as the second Battle of Haldighati but it was fought at Dewair.

This is the very famous war where Rana Pratap Singh had cut the Mughal Commander Bahlol Khan in to half including his horse in one strike of his sword.

Aftermath of Dewair

Maharana Pratap secured a one sided vitory in battle of Dewair which resulted in permanent closure of 36 Mughal check posts in Mewar. In addition to that 36000 Mughal soldiers surredered.

In the following year of 1582, the Rana had won back Kumbhalgarh and restored it to its former glory, forcing the Mughals to leave their 36 encampments in the state of Mewar.

Maharana was able to recover almost all of the Mewar except Chittor, Ajmer and Mandalgarh inspite of Akbar continuously sending his full fleet to hunt Maharana.

Salute to Chetak

Chetak was the mighty horse of Maharana pratap. Chetak, the horse of Rana Pratap Singh saved Rana Pratap Singh life in the Haldighati war. It ran 5 km with one leg broken by the opponents and jumps 22 feet canal and leaves last breath.

DEATH

when maharana was hunting for some dangerous animal he had a injury in which his nerve broke and that was reason of maharana's death . He was succeeded by his eldest son, Amar Singh. On his death bed, Pratap told his son never to submit to the Mughals  and to win Chittor back. he died but he is still alive in our heart and such a brave hero can never die.