One of the greatest warriors in the History of India, Maharana Pratap was born on the 9th of May 1540 at Kumbhalgarh Fort, Rajasthan. Pratap was the eldest son of Uday Singh II who is best known for being the founder of a beautiful city called Udaipur. Pratap’s mother, Maharani Jaiwanta Bai was also known for her bravery and immovable moral compass. Maharana Pratap Singh became the king of Mewar after the death of Uday Singh in 1572.
Maharana Pratap is a symbol of Indian Culture’s valor, gallantry and diligence. Even today, he is worshipped as a fearsome warrior and the savior of Mewar region. He was a standalone warrior against the entire Mughal supremacy while every other Indian ruler had surrendered or lost to Emperor Akbar.
Here are few more interesting facts about the hero of Indian History.
His War Horse, Chetak, Died To Save Rana Pratap
Image Credit: Sony TV’s Bharat Ka Veer Putra – Mahrana Pratap
The story of Rana Pratap and his faithful horse Chetak has been one of the most popular folklores in the Rajasthan region. The horse was so loyal to the Maharana that he gave up his life to save the Rana and became immortal during the Battle of Haldighati. Chetak was gravely injured during the war and yet he managed to leap over a very big canal to help Rana Pratap escape the deadly army behind him. Today, we can find a beautiful garden in honor of Chetak at the very place he was martyred.
Upheld The Dignity Of Women
In one of the famous incidents during his rule, Kunwar Amar Singh launched an attack on the camp of Abdur Rahim Khankhana who was the general of the Mughal army and took away his wives and women as trophy hostages. Pratap was strictly against such practices and had immense respect for women irrespective of their allegiance. So, when he came to know of Amar Singh’s doings, he reprimanded him and ordered the release of all those women. The women were respectfully returned to the Mughal General’s camp. The general was very grateful of Maharana and even promised to never raise weapon against Mewar. The Mughal General- Abdur Rahim Khankhana is none other than the Rahim whose dohe and poems we have been studying since our school days.
Akbar’s Dream To Catch Pratap Was Never Fulfilled
Image Credit: firstpost.com
It was Mughal Emperor’s personal wish and dream to catch and punish the brave Indian warrior- Maharana Pratap Singh. Akbar not only hated Mahrana but also immensely respected him for his courage, warrior skills, and persistence. The reason why Akbar wanted to catch him was to look at him eye to eye and achieve the feat of capturing and defeating the greatest Rajpur warrior ever. But, Akbar’s dream could never be fulfilled. Maharana was an excellent warrior and an even better tactician, he was always a step ahead of the Mughal and thus, he always managed to escape the evil plans of Mughal Army.
Survived Unlimited Wars But Died Of A Hunting Accident
The Maha Rana of Mewar is known to have fought in countless wars and valiantly surviving each one of them. But ironically, what took Maharana’s life was a small hunting accident when he was trying to tie the rope of his bow. He succumbed to his wounds on that very day. No man could ever defeat Maharana Pratap in one on one combat and he could literally cut through the army of men during battle. He is best known for surviving the massive battle of Haldighati against the Mughal Emperor Akbar.
There is so much that we can learn from a hero like Maharana Pratap Singh. His love for the country, his persistence, his courage, his determination, and his spirit of never quitting are all elements of a great leader.
