महाराणा कुम्भा (हरविलास सारदा - मेवाड़ साम्राज्य के अद्वितीय विजेता, निर्माता व विद्वान्)

Maharana Kumbha.
niches, similarly occupied, opening on the terra-
ced roofs of the building. Near the four angles
of the court are four smaller shrines, and around
them, or on each side of them, are 20 domes
supported by about 420 columns; 4 of these
domes—the central ones of each group—are
3 storeys in height, and tower over the
others; and one—that facing the principal
entrance—is supported by the very unusual
number of 16 columns, and is 36 ft. in
diameter, the others being only 24 ft. Light
is admitted to the building by four uncovered
courts, and the whole is surrounded by a
range of cells, many of them now unoccupied,
each of which has a pyramidal roof of its
own. "The internal effect of this forest of
columns may be gathered from the view
taken across one of its courts; but it is
impossible that any view can reproduce the
endless variety of perspective and the play of
light and shade which results from the
disposition of the pillars and of the domes,
and from the mode in which the light is
introduced. A wonderful effect also results
from the number of cells, most of them
containing images of Tirthankars, which
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Maharana Kumbha.
everywhere meet the view. Besides the
twelve in the central Sikhars, there are
eighty-six cells of very varied form and size
surrounding the interior, and all their facades
more or less adorned with sculpture............
The beauty of detail—no two pillars in the
whole building being exactly alike—the grace
with which they are arranged, the tasteful
mixture of domes of different heights with
flat ceilings and the mode in which the light
is introduced combine to produce an excellent
effect. Indeed, I know of no other building
in India of the same class that leaves so
pleasing an impression or affords so many
hints for the graceful arrangement of columns
in an interior.
“Besides its merits of design, its dimensions
are by no means to be despised; it covers
altogether about 48,000 square ft., or nearly
as much as one of our ordinary mediæval
cathedrals; and, taking the basement into
account, is nearly of equal bulk; while in
amount of labour and of sculptural decorations
it far surpasses any.” ¹
¹ History of Indian and Eastern Architecture, pp. 241-2.
152

Maharāna Kumbha.
An inscription in the temple incised on a
slab of white marble measuring 1'1" broad
by 3 feet 3 inches high, and containing 47
lines of Sanskrit prose built up in a pillar
close to the entrance of the main shrine on
its right, gives a record of the Guhilot dynasty,
and says that the temple is dedicated to
Yugadisvara, another name of Rishabdeva or
Adinath, also called here Chaturmukha and
says that it was built in the time and by order
of Maharana Sri Kumbhakarana by Dhārnaka
who is described as paramarhata, a devout
Jain and ornament of the Prāgvata Vamsa,
which is now known as Porvāda Mahajan
community. His mother's name is given as
Kamala De, and father's as Kurāpal. The
inscription says that a Jaina banker Gunaraj
helped in the erection of the temple, and that
the town of Ranpur was founded and called
after his name by Maharana Kumbhakaran.
The temple was known at the time as
Chaturmukha-Yugadisvara Vihāra i.e., a
temple of four faced Rishabnatha. Line 46 of
the inscription gives the name of the architect
as Dipāka, and mentions that Dharanaka built
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Maharana Kumbha.
temples at Ajāhari, Sālera and Pindarvataka,
modern Pindavārā. Local tradition has it
that the temple was built by two brothers
Dhanna (corruption of Dharnaka)¹ and Ratna
of the Porvad caste and residents of Nāndiya
in the Sirohi State. They left Nandiya and
settled at Mālgad which was situated to the
south of Ranpur, high upon a hill. They
erected a temple at Mādadá, which came to be
known as Ranpur, because the land occupied
by the temple was purchased by them from
Maharana Kumbha, who stipulated that the
place should bear his name, Ran being an
abbreviation of Rana.
The temple was designed by one Dipaka or
Dipa, a Sompura Brahmin of Mundātā in
the following circumstances. One night at
Maglad, Dhanna saw a celestial car in his
dream. He called several Sompuras (architects)
and gave them a description of it, and asked
them to produce plans thereof. All were reject-
ed except that of Dipa as it was exactly of the
type of the celestial car, Dhanna had seen
¹ A descendant of Ratna, 14 generations removed from
him, named Nath Mal Sah was living in 1907 A D. in Ghanerav,
to which town, Dhanna and Ratna had moved.
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Eklingji Temples.

Maharana Kumbha
in his dream. It was originally intended to
have seven storeys of which only four were
completed including the subterranean vault.
This noncompletion of the building is given
as the reason why no descendant of Ratna
now shaves his head with a razor.
EKLINGJI.
Eklingji is the Cathedral town of Mewar.
And the Maharana, like the ancient Buddhist
king of Gāndhāra is the Defender of the Faith
and the Head of the Church. Eklingji and
Nāthdwara are the two most important reli-
gious places in Mewar. The temple of
Eklingji is unique in character. Eklingji is
the Ishtdeva or the god which the Maharanas
worship. He is held to be the master or
ruler of Mewar and the Maharana his divan
or chief minister. It is due to this fact, that
the Maharana of Udaipur is styled divan or
Divanji in Rajputana. In the warlike songs
sung in Rajputana and the poems recited by
the bards, divan is used in preference to
Maharana. The famous poem of Dursaji on
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Maharana Kumbha.
the immortal Maharana Pratap, says:¹—दीठो
कोई दीवाण करतो लुटका कटहड़ै। "Has any
one seen the Maharana bow his head before
the ballustrade in the Mughal Court?"
Early in the 8th century, the sage Hárita
conferred on Bappá Ráwal the title of Regent
of Eklingji, and to this day the Maharanas
of Mewar, as divans or regents of Siva,
supersede the high priest in his duties and
themselves perform the ceremonies when they
visit the temple.
Eklingji is situated in a defile about
13 miles north of Udaipur. The road, which
has recently been improved, passes over
undulating hills, particularly along a valley
and over a gorge about two-thirds of the way,
beyond which it is more level and surrounded
by a number of small lakes which beautify the
country. "The hills towering around it on all
sides are of the primitive formation, and their
scarped summits are clustered with honey-
combs. There are abundant small springs of
water, which keep verdant numerous shrubs,'
the flowers of which are acceptable to the
¹ Maharana Yash Prakash, p. 99.
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Maharana Kumbha.
deity; especially the Kiner or oleander, which
grows in great luxuriance on the Aravalli.
Groves of bamboo and mango were formerly
common, according to tradition; but although
it is deemed sacrilege to thin the groves of
Bal, the bamboo has been nearly destroyed:
there are, however, still many trees sacred to
the deity scattered around."¹
The temple of Eklingji is dedicated to
Mahadeva or Siva. Bappa Rawal is said
to have built the original temple. It was
rebuilt by Maharana Mokal who built a
wall round it. Maharana Raimal greatly
improved it and iustalled a four faced image
of Siva in it in V.S. 1545 (A.D. 1488).
Maharana Kumbha renovated² the temple,
constructed the magnificent Kumbhaman-
dapa (domed hall) in front of the sanctum
sanctorum and the toran (archway) leading
to the mandapa (dome). He presented the
temple with the gold flagstaff and numerous
Kalus and bestowed on the temple for its
maintenance, the four villages of Nagada³
¹ Tod's Rajasthan, Vol. I, p. 515.
² Kumbhalgarh Inscription verse, 241.
³ Nāgada, in olden days a famous town, was the capital
of the rulers of Mewar. It is situated not very far from
Eklingji.
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Maharana Kumbha.
Kathdāwan, Malak-Khera and Bhimān.¹
The temple of Eklingji is of an unusual
design having a double storied porch and a
double storied sanctuary, the former covered
by a flat pyramidal roof composed of many
hundred circular knobs, the latter roofed by a
lofty tower of more than ordinary elaboration.
“It would be difficult to convey a just idea
of a temple so complicated in its details. It
is of the form commonly styled pagoda, and,
like all the ancient temples of Siva, its
sikhara, or pinnacle, is pyramidal. The various
orders of Hindu sacred architecture are
distinguished by the form of the sikhara, which
is the portion springing from and surrounding
the perpendicular walls of the body of the
temple. The sikhara of those of Siva is invari-
ably pyramidal, and its sides vary with the
base, whether square or oblong. The apex
is crowned with an ornamental figure, as a
sphynx, an urn, a ball, or a lion, which is
¹ Tod's Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, Vol. I,
p. 515. The shrine of Eklingji is endowed with twenty-four
large villages from the fisc, besides parcels of land from the
chieftains.
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Maharana Kumbha.
called Kullus. When the sikhara is but the
frustrum of a pyramid, it is often surmounted
by a row of lions, as at Bijolli.
The fane of Eklingji is of white marble
and of ample dimensions. Under an open-
vaulted temple supported by columns, and
fronting the four faced divinity, is the brazen
bull, nandi, of the natural size; it is cast, and
of excellent proportions. The figure is perfect,
except where the shot or hammer of an infidel
invader has penetrated its hollow flank in
search of treasure. Within the quadrangle
are miniature shrines, containing some of the
minor divinities. The high priest of Eklingji,
like all his order, is doomed to celibacy, and
the office is continued by adopted disciples.
Of such spiritual descents they calculate sixty-
four since the sage Harita, whose benediction
obtained for the Guhilot Rajput the sove-
reignty of Chitor.
The town of Eklingji is separated from
Nagada by a lake, which is one of the many
artificial waters that beautify the Udaipur
valley, and its bund or dam was built by
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Maharana Kumbha.
Bhogaditya, five generations before Bappa, and
has since been frequently repaired. It is shut
in by wooded hills, and on its western margin
are two interesting temples, both ranking
high as specimens of ancient Hindu architecture.
OTHER TEMPLES.
Following the example set by Maharana
Kumbha, the people of Mewar following
different faiths constructed several fine temples
and dedicated them to the gods of their
worship. In Ranpur itself, Porwad mahajan
Vanshisagar’s son Kurāpal’s son Ratna, and
Ratna’s sons and grandsons built with
Maharana Kumbha’s permission in S. 1496
(A.D. 1439), a magnificent Chaumukha (four
faced) temple called Trilokyadipak (the light
of three worlds) dedicated to Yugadishwara.
This is one of the notable temples of the Jain
faith in India.
Shah Gunaraj, who was a favorite of
Maharana Kumbha, built temples in Ajahari
(Ajari), Pindarvataka (Pindwara)—both at
present in the Sirohi territory—and Salera
(Mewar) and renovated many old temples.¹
¹ Bhavanagar Inscriptions, pp. 114-15.
160

Maharana Kumbha.
Maharana Kumbha’s treasurer Vela son of
Sah Kelá built a temple at Chitor and
dedicated it to Sāntinath.¹ Similarly a Siva
temple on a hill near the Sema village, not
far from Eklingji, and several Jain temples
in Vasantpur, Bhula and other places were
built in Kumbha’s time.
This shows that in Kumbha’s time, Mewar
was in a very prosperous condition and the
people were rich and happy.
SINGAR CHANVRI.
Midway between the Nava Lakha Bhandar
and the Nava Kotha, built by the imposter
Banbir in A.D. 1537, and near the Tower of
Victory, stands the “graceful and richly
carved”² building called the Singar Chanvri
or Vedi built by Bhandari Velaka or Velā, son
of Sah Kela, Maharana Kumbha’s treasurer,
in V. S. 1505 (A.D. 1448-49).
The building is square in plan with four
wings projecting from its four sides and raised
on a plinth some 5 feet in height. The main
or central chamber of the Singar-Chanvri
measures 22' internally both ways. Entrances
¹ Rajputana Museum Report for 1920-21, p. 5.
² Cunningham's Archæological Survey Report, Vol.
XXIII, p. 118.
161

Maharana Kumbha.
are from the north and west, the sides east
and south being filled by trellis windows. In
the centre of this building, and raised 4'1"
from its floor, is a fortytwo-sided and highly
ornamental vedi, or alter, which supports four
carved pillars each 7' high and bearing lintels
1'3" deep; thus the total height of the vedi
is 8'9". This vedi is at present uncovered,
save by the cupola of the temple itself, and
the area between its pillars is 9 square feet.
Along the edges of the vedi, run small water
channels with outlets at the angles The
centre part of the building is covered by a
circular Jain dome built in horizontal layers
richly ornamented. The exterior walls are
beautifully sculptured in horizontal bands
containing numerous figures and floral scrolls
and are worth study by any one who is a
carver. The original roof terminations of the
central chamber and porches of the building
have disappeared. There is a perfect figure
of Paraswanath over the west entrance and a
less perfect one above the door to the
north. Its architecture is admirable and the
building, although small, is one of the most
attractive in Chitor.
162

CHAPTER XIV
—————
KUMBHĀ AS A SCHOLAR.
GREAT as Kumbhá was as a sovereign
and a military commander, he was also a great
scholar and poet. The Kumbhalgarh Ins-
cription says that it was as easy for him
to write poetry as it was to go to battle. It
is marvellous how, while constantly engaged
in warfare, defending his empire against his
foes, conquering new territories and adding
them to Mewar, building forts, strengthening
the defences of the country, embellishing it
with works of art, continually moving from
one part of the country to another, the
Maharana could find opportunities to develop
his literary abilities, and time to write poetry,
compose dramas, annotate old poems and
write treatises on the science of Music.
The important contemporary work, Eklinga
Mahatmya¹ shows that Maharana Kumbhā
knew the Vedas and was well-versed in the
¹ Eklinga Mahatamya, Rajvarnan Adhyaya, slokas 172—73.
163

Maharana Kumbha.
Smrities (law), Mimansa (philosophy), Natya
Śastra (Drama) Rajaniti (Political Science),
Ganita (mathematics); Vyakarana (grammar),
Upanishads (metaphysics) Tarka (logic) and
Sahitya (general literature). He knew the
Karnataki, the Maháráshtri and other
languages.
The commentary on Gita Govinda, named
Rasika Priya and the last part of Eklinga
Mahatmya, which was written during
Kumbha's time, show that he was a great
Sanskrit scholar, and that he wrote good
poetry with as much ease as prose. The
former work contains quotations from nume-
rous Sanskrit works and shows that Kumbhá
was a man of extensive reading. The last
part of Eklinga Mahátmya is a lyric and its
poetry is sweet and musical, and full of grace
and beauty.
The Eklinga Mahatmya, sloka 74, men-
tions four dramas¹ written by him. This
would show that he was a scholar of Prākrita,
like the famous Chauhan Emperor Visaladeva;
¹ Also Chitorgarh Kirtisthambha Inscription, V. 158.
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Maharana Kumbha.
but, as none of his plays has so far been
discovered, it is neither possible to speak of
his proficiency in the Prákrita, nor to assign
him a place due to him amongst the dramatists
of India.
The Kirtisthambha Inscription, verse 158,
says that in his four dramas he made use of
Karnataki, Medapati and Maháráshtri langu-
ages, and adds that in Nātaka (play par
excellence), Prakarana (play that takes a less
elevated range than Nātaka) Vithi (one act
play performed by one or two actors) Nātakā
(a play in four acts), Bhán (monologue in one
act), Prahasana (farcical or comical satire in
one act), Rupaka (drama generally) he was a
new Bhārata.
He was an accomplished musician and
possessed a knowledge of the science, un-
equalled in his time. He was a most
accomplished player on Vina, the noblest
musical instrument invented by the Hindus.
He was regarded as the highest authority
on music; and because of this, the title of
Abhinava Bharatáchárya (new Bharatá-
165

Maharana Kumbha.
chárya), as distinguished from the old
Bharatáchárya, the authority on Natya Sastra
in ancient India, was conferred on him.¹
His works² on the science of music,
Sangitarája, Sangita Mīmānsá, Sudpra-
bandha, and Rasika Priyá³ (commentary on
the celebrated master piece, the lyric poem
Gita Govind) and his commentary on Sangita
Ratnakar are evidence of his mastery of
the science. He composed numerous poetic
invocations to gods to be sung in various
Rāgs accompanied by different Tāls. They
are to be found in the Eklinga Mahatmya.
Among other works known to have been
written by him is a commentary on Chandi
Shataka.²
Himself a great scholar, Maharana Kumbha
always valued men of learning, and showed
them respect and appreciated their work.
¹ Kumbha's commentary on Gita Govind, p. 174.
(Nirnayasagar Press, Bombay.)
² Chitorgarh Kirtisthambha Inscription, V. 157. See also
Catalogue of Mss. existing in the Central Provinces, by
F. Keilhorn, Nagpur, 1874 A.D.
³ Ibid, V. 158.
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Maharana Kumbha.

The poets Atri, the composer of the first
portion of the inscription on the Tower of
Victory, and Mahesh, the composer of the
remaining portion of it, lived in his court.
He took great interest in architecture, as is
clear from the magnificent buildings and works
of art constructed during his time in Mewar—at
Chitor, Abu, Kumbhalgarh, Ránpur and
other places. A number of books on this
noble art were written under his auspices,
some of which have come to light. The
following eight books on architecture and
sculpture were written by Maharana Kumbha's
architect Mandan,¹ son of Çrikshetra (vide
Abfrecht's Catalogus Catalogorum, Part I.,
pp. 730-1, Leipzig, 1891 A.D.
( १ ) देवतामूर्तिप्रकरण        ( ५ ) वास्तुमण्डन
( २ ) प्रासादमण्डन          ( ६ ) वास्तुशास्त्र
( ३ ) राजवल्लभ              ( ७ ) वास्तुसार
( ४ ) रूपमण्डन              ( ८ ) रूपावतार
¹ A copper plate inscription of S. 1462 (A.D. 1405) in the
possession of Champalal, a descendant of Mandana at Udaipur
shows that Sutradhara Mandan was a native of Gujrat and had
been brought to Udaipur by Maharana Mokal, father of
Maharana Kumbha and granted a village for maintenance.
167

Maharana Kumbha,
Three other works on architecture by
Mandan's son Govind, are
उद्धारधोरणी, कलानिधि, द्वारदीपिका,
Mandan's brother Natha, wrote वास्तुमंजरी.
All these works are in existence at Udaipur
and were seen with Champalal, a descendant
of Mandan, by Prof. S. R. Bhandarkar, as
mentioned by him in his "Report of a Second
Tour in search of Sanskrit manuscripts in
Rajputana and Central India in 1905-6 A.D."
Maharana Kumbha himself wrote a treatise
on the art of building Kirtisthambhas (Towers
of Victory or Fame), based on principles of
Jaya and Aprajit, and had it engraved on stone
tablets and fixed in the lower part of the
Tower of Victory. A part of the first tablet,
found at Chitor and since deposited in the
Udaipur Museum, gives Maharana Kumbha-
karan's description of the characteristic
features of Towers according to Jaya and
Aprajit
168