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

Maharana Kumbha.
their richer lands, blessed with plentiful
water, by barbarian hordes like the Sakas, the
Kushans, the Huns and lastly the Muhammadan
Turks and Afghans. The last of the Rajput
families which thus took shelter in the sands
of Rajastan, we know from authentic history,
were the Rathods of Kanauj, who after the
defeat and death of Jayachand came from the
Gangetic valley to the sands of Marwar."
Though the word shelter is used here, yet it
has no connection with the Pratihars of Mandor.
Mr. Vaidya simply says that the Rathods took
shelter in Rajputana from the inroads and
invasions of the Turks and the Afghans, by
emigrating from Kanauj to Marwar. He
nowhere says that the Pratihars of Mandor
actually gave or promised to give the immi-
grant Rathods any protection or help. As a
matter of fact historical records show that
during a pilgrimage of Sihaji to Pushkar, the
inhabitants of Bhinmal and Pali asked Sihaji
to settle in Pali and protect them from the
Muslim raids from Sindh and Nagor. Later he
describes the rise and fall of the Pratihars of
Kanauj including the branch at Mandor,
but does not say when and in what way
15

Maharana Kumbha.
the Rathods treacherously supplanted the
Pratihars. No responsible historian has ever
asserted that the Rathods under Chonda or
someone else wrested Mandor from the
Pratihars by treachery. The fact is that the
Pratihars of Mandor had become very weak
by constant warfare, defending themselves
against the Mussalmans of Nagor on one side
and the Chauhans of Jalor on the other; and
when they found that they could no longer
stand these inroads, they allied themselves to
the rising Rathod Power led by the enterpris-
ing Chonda and very wisely handed over the
defence of their land to their relations, the
Rathods.
There was no question of treachery or
unfair dealing of any kind. On the contrary,
if the Pratihars had not entrusted the protec-
tion of Mandor to Rathod Chonda, the probabi-
lities are that Mandor would have fallen into
the hands of the Muslim rulers of Nagor.
Not only did Chonda consolidate his
kingdom, keeping off the Muslims of Nagor,
but succeeded eventually in subjugating them
and taking possession of their capital Nagor.
16

Maharana Kumbha.
Rao Chonda had 14 sons, the eldest
being Ran Mal. Chonda, however, was very
fond of his Mohil Queen, and wishing to give
the kingdom to her son Kānha, made his wish
known to Ran Mal. Ran Mal, to respect his
father's wishes, left Mandor ¹ with 500
horsemen and went to Chitor, where Maharana
Lakha bestowed a jagir of 40 villages on him.
Rao Chonda-died in A.D. 1410, and Kānha
succeeded him at Mandor.
Many years before his death, while
Maharana Lakha was still adorning the throne
of Mewar and embellishing the country, an
incident occurred, which, while it illustrates
the thoughtless character of the Rajput, gave
rise to an event which compromised the right
of primogeniture to the throne of Mewar,
and in the words of Colonel Tod, "proved
more disastrous in its consequences than the
arms of either Mughals or Mahrattas."
Lakha was advanced in years, and his
sons established in suitable domains, when
¹ Mehta Nainsi (Khyat, p. 23, Benares edition) says
that Rao Chonda at the request of his Mohil queen ordered
Ran Mal to go into exile and that several brave Rajputs
espoused his cause and went away with him to Chitor.
17

Maharana Kumbha.
the cocoanut came from the Rao of Mandawar
(Mandor) to affiance his daughter Hansbai,
Ran Mala's sister, to the heir of Mewar.
“When the embassy was announced, Ran Mal
was present in the Durbar; but Chonda, the
heir of Mewar, was absent, and the old chief
was seated in his chair of state surrounded by
his court. The messenger of hymen was
courteously received by Lakha, who observed
that Chonda would soon return and take the
gage ; “for,” added he, drawing his fingers
over his moustachios, “I donot suppose, you
send such playthings to an old grey-beard like
me.” This little sally was applauded and
repeated. Chonda offended at delicacy being
sacrificed to wit, declined to accept the symbol,
which his father had even in jest supposed
might be intended for himself.” ¹ Thinking
that his father still had a secret longing for
married life, Chonda made up his mind that
Lakha should himself accept the symbol.
He asked Ran Mal, who happened to be at
Chitor at the time, to invite him to a feast,
and there he insisted on Ran Mal agreeing
¹ Mehta Nainsi gives a slightly different account of this
incident; see his Khyat, p. 23.
18

Maharana Kumbha.
to give his sister to the Maharana before
joining his festive board. Ran Mal would not
agree to this and the night neared the morn
with the festive board still deserted.
Not knowing how else to get out of the
difficulty, Ran Mal hit on a proposal which
he thought would turn the tables on Chonda.
He suggested through Charan Chandan
Khadiya that Chonda should renounce his
right to the throne of Chitor in favour of
an issue of the Rana by Ran Mal's sister.
The magnanimous Chonda whose sole desire
was to gratify the supposed wish of his
father, unhesitatingly agreed to this. The
marriage was celebrated and Mokal was the
issue of this union.
When Mokal was still a minor, "Lakha
resolved to signalise his finale by a raid against
the enemies of his faith and to expel the
barbarian from the holy land of Gaya. When
war was made against their religion by the
Tatar proselytes of Islam, the Sutlaj and the
Caggar were as the banks of the Jordan—
Gaya, their Jerusalem, their holy land ; and
if the destiny filled his cup, the Hindu chieftain
19

Maharana Kumbha.
was secure of his beatitude (Moksha) and
borne from the scene of probation in celestial
cars by the Apsaras, was introduced at once
into the realm of the Sun. Ere, however, the
Rana of Chitor journeyed to this bourne,
he was desirous of leaving his throne un-
exposed to civil strife. The subject of
succession had never been renewed, but dis-
cussing with Chonda his warlike pilgrimage
to Gaya, from which he might not return, he
sounded him by asking what estates should
be settled on Mokal. The ‘Throne of Chitor’
was the honest reply ; and to set suspicions at
rest, he desired that the ceremony of installa-
tion should be performed previous to Lakha's
departure Chonda was the first to pay
homage and swear obedience and fidelity to
his future sovereign.¹
Lakha had the Holy-land freed ² from
the yoke of the Afghan but lost his life in
the enterprise. When news of this event
reached Chitor, Mokal’s mother prepared to
become Sati. Chonda appeared and dissuaded
¹ Tod's Rajasthan, Vol. I, p. 277.
² The Kirtisthambha Inscription, V. 31 simply says that
the Maharana liberated Gaya from Muslim tax.
20

The provided image is completely blank and does not contain any readable text.

Rawat Chonda.

Maharana Kumbha.
her from her resolution saying that Mokal
was a child, and she, the Queen mother, must
watch over the welfare of the Rana. The
Queen had not expected this steadfast fidelity
from Chonda. She praised his unexampled
conduct and declared that he (Chonda) should
ever have the first place in the Council, and
no grant by the Rana should take effect till
it was confirmed by him. This is still main-
tained, and in all grants the lance of the
Salumbra still precedes the monogram of the
Rana."¹
This assignment of the first place in
the council and a recognition of the premier
position amongst the vassalage of Mewar,
became the cause of its ruin, when, in the 18th
century, the decendants of Chonda strenuously
worked to maintain the position thus assigned
to Chonda, but forgot the self sacrifice of
that great man, and proved incapable of
following in the footsteps of the illustrious
founder of their family, when their country
¹ In old days all grants were written in Sanskrit and
signed by the King. But Maharana Kumbha discontinued
signing grants. Henceforth instead of the signature, only
the word सही confirmed began to be written by the Maharana.
21

Maharana Kumbha.
had need of those qualities of head and heart,
which are so gloriously illustrated in the life
of Chonda.
Rana Lakhsh Singh died some time
between A.D. 1419 and A.D. 1421. A stone
inscription ¹ found in Kot Solankian in the
Godwar district of Marwar says that the
Paraswanath temple in the Asalpur fort was
renovated on Monday the Asar Sud 3rd,
S. 1475 (A.D. 1419) during the victorious
reign of Rana Laksh Singh. The earliest
inscription of the time of his son and succes-
sor Mokal, is dated the Pos Sud 6, S. 1478
(A.D. 1421). This shows that Rana Lakhsh
Singh died sometime after the year A.D.
1419 and before A.D. 1421, in which year
Mokal the youngest of Lakha's sons ², was
reigning in Mewar.
¹ Muni Jinvijaya's Prachin Jain Lekh Sangrah, part II.
p. 221, inscription No. 370. The Asar, S. 1475, of the Mewar
State Sambat corresponds with the Chaitra, S. 1476 of the
ordinary Vikrama era.
² Maharana Lakhsh Singh had nine sons, Chonda, Ragha-
vadeva, Ajja, Uda, Dula, Gajsingh, Dungersingh, Manda and
Mokal. Nainsi's Khyat, p. 25, omits Ajja.
22

CHAPTER III.
MAHARANA MOKAL.
As MOKAL, when he ascended the throne,
was very young, Chonda was at the head of
affairs in Mewar. His high character, love of
justice, and utter unselfishness made the admi-
nistration most efficient and won the admira-
tion and love of the people. The Queenmother
of Chitor, Hansbai, was young and in-
experienced, and interested parties began to
poison her ears. The intrigue developed, and
Hansbai became apprehensive because of the
predominant influence of Chonda. At last,
one day she sent for Chonda and said that
either he should leave Mewar, or some place be
fixed where she would retire with her minor
son Mokal. The chivalrous Chonda, who had
willingly renounced the throne of Chitor in
favour of Mokal, determined to leave Mewar
and told her that he was leaving Chitor
immediately and asked her to look carefully
after Mewar. Apprehensive of the designs
23

Maharana Kumbha.
of the unscrupulous people round the Queen-
mother, Chonda asked his younger brother
Rāghavadeva to watch over the young Maha-
rana, and himself went away with his brother
Ajja and others to Māndu, where the Sultan
received him with open arms and granted him
the district of Hallar as jagir.¹
After Chonda's departure, Ran Mal, the
brother of Hansbai, became her chief adviser
and the Rathods were given high offices and
jagirs in Mewar. But events occurred in
Mandor which sent Ran Mal back to Marwar.
On the death of Rao Chonda of Mandor in
1410 A.D., his son Kānha had succeeded him,
the eldest son Ran Mal having renounced his
claim to the throne in favour of Kanha in
deference to his father's wishes.
Kānha after ruling Marwar for some years
died without leaving a son. Kanha's eldest
brother Ran Mal was in Chitor and Satta and
Randhir, his other two elder brothers were in
Mandor. Randhir, the youngest of the 3
brothers, asked Satta what would be given to
Randhir if the latter put Satta on the throne
¹ Tod's Rajasthan, Vol. I, p. 278.
24

The provided image is completely blank and contains no legible text or printed content to transcribe.

Rao Ran Mal of Mandor.

Maharana Kumbha.
instead of Ran Mal, the eldest of them all.
Satta promised to give half the territory to
Randhir. Randhir placed Satta on the throne
himself getting half the estate. But he had
not counted with Narbad, the warlike son
of Satta, who did not like that half the income
of Marwar should go to Randhir. Narbad
determined to get rid of Randhir. Randhir's
son Napa soon died of poison, and one Dayal
having apprised Randhir of his impending
doom, Randhir repaired to Chitor and insti-
gated Ran Mal to claim his patrimony.¹
Both Satta and Ran Mal were maternal uncles
of the Maharana Mokal, but as Ran Mal
was the rightful successor of Kanha, the
Maharana expoused his cause and furnished
him with a large army, with which he invaded
Mandor, defeated Satta and recovered his
rightful inheritance. The Maharana called Satta
and Narbad to Chitor and bestowed a jagir
of a lakh of rupees with the town of Kāyalānā
on Narbad and enrolled him among his vassals.
Ran Mal thus began to reign in Mandor.²
¹ See Vir Vinod, p. 312.
² Mehta Nainsi in his Khyat (p. 25) says that after
recovering Mandor with the help of Maharana Mokal's
army, Ran Mal gave Mandor to his eldest son Jodha and
himself took up residence at Nagor.
25

Maharana Kumbha.
Mokal's short reign of about 13 years—he
came to the throne about the year 1420 A.D.
and was assassinated in 1433 A.D.—was full
of great events. He maintained the traditions
of the House by inflicting a defeat on
Muhammad Tughlaq, the king of Delhi, in
the field of Raipur. Maharana Mokal "overran
Sapādalaksha (Ajmer) territory and took
Sāmbhar from the Sultan of Delhi." The
Kumbhalgarh Inscription of the time of Maha-
rana Kumbha, dated Monday the 3rd of Novem-
ber, 1460 A.D., says that "the ruler of Jalor
(Jabalipur) trembled before him, and the King
of Delhi became anxious about his territory."
A principality subordinate to Gujrat had
been established at Nagor about 1404 A.D.
by Shams Khan, who was succeeded by his
son Firoz Khan. The Samiddheshwar Maha-
deva Temple Inscription of Magh Sud 3rd,
S. 1485 (A.D. 1429) says that "Maharana Mokal
invaded Nagor and defeated Sultan Firoz Khan.
Firoz Khan's two sons, Modood and Masti and
his numerous elephants were killed in the
battle." ¹ The Khan of Nagor accepted
¹ Mehta Nainsi's Khyat, p. 26, foot note.
26

[Header] Maharana Kumbhá.

Maharana Mokal's suzerainty, and in acknowledg-
ment of it used to send all colts born in Nagor
to the Maharana's stables at Chitor. ¹ The
Shringirishi Inscription of A.D. 1428
(V. S. 1485) says that Padshah Ahmad (of
Gujrat) was defeated by Mokal and had to flee
for his life, leaving his treasure behind. Also,
Kumbhalgarh Inscription of 1460 A.D. says
that both Firoz and Muhammad (Ahmad) were
defeated and had to flee for their lives. The
Eklingji Temple Inscription,² V. 44, of
1488 A.D., of the time of Maharana Raimal
says that Maharana Mokal obtained a victory
at Jahazpur over Firoz Khan.
Mokal rebuilt the great temple of Samidd-
heshwar Mahadeva³ near the "Tower of
Victory" at Chitor and made a grant of
Dhanpur for its upkeep; and gave the villages
of Bándanwara (now in the Ajmer District)
and Ramgaon (2 miles from Eklingji) for the
upkeep of the Eklingji temple. He construc-
¹ Kaviraj Bankey Das' Miscellany of Historical Records :
Record No. 943.
² Bhavanagar Inscriptions, p. 120.
³ This temple was originally built by Raja Bhoja, the
famous Paramra King of Dhar, and was called Tribhuvan Narain
Temple after Bhoja's surname, Tribhuvan Narain.
27

Maharana Kumbha.
Mokal’s short reign of about 13 years—he
came to the throne about the year 1420 A.D.
and was assassinated in 1433 A.D.—was full
of great events. He maintained the traditions
of the House by inflicting a defeat on
Muhammad Tughlaq, the king of Delhi, in
the field of Raipur. Maharana Mokal “overran
Sapādalaksha (Ajmer) territory and took
Sāmbhar from the Sultan of Delhi.” The
Kumbhalgarh Inscription of the time of Maha-
rana Kumbha, dated Monday the 3rd of Novem-
ber, 1460 A.D., says that “the ruler of Jalor
(Jabalipur) trembled before him, and the King
of Delhi became anxious about his territory.”
A principality subordinate to Gujrat had
been established at Nagor about 1404 A.D.
by Shams Khan, who was succeeded by his
son Firoz Khan. The Samiddheshwar Maha-
deva Temple Inscription of Magh Sud 3rd,
S. 1485 (A.D. 1429) says that “Maharana Mokal
invaded Nagor and defeated Sultan Firoz Khan.
Firoz Khan’s two sons, Modood and Masti and
his numerous elephants were killed in the
battle.” ¹ The Khan of Nagor accepted
¹ Mehta Naiusi’s Khyat, p. 26, foot note.
26

Maharana Kumbha.
Maharana Mokal's suzereinty, and in acknowledg-
ment of it used to send all colts born in Nagor
to the Maharana's stables at Chitor. ¹ The
Shringirishi Inscription of A.D. 1428
(V. S. 1485) says that Padshah Ahmad (of
Gujrat) was defeated by Mokal and had to flee
for his life, leaving his treasure behind. Also,
Kumbhalgarh Inscription of 1460 A.D. says
that both Firoz and Muhammad (Ahmad) were
defeated and had to flee for their lives. The
Eklingji Temple Inscription,² V. 44, of
1488 A.D., of the time of Maharana Raimal
says that Maharana Mokal obtained a victory
at Jahazpur over Firoz Khan.
Mokal rebuilt the great temple of Samidd-
heshwar Mahadeva³ near the "Tower of
Victory" at Chitor and made a grant of
Dhanpur for its upkeep; and gave the villages
of Bándanwara (now in the Ajmer District)
and Ramgaon (2 miles from Eklingji) for the
upkeep of the Eklingji temple. He construc-
¹ Kaviraj Bankey Das' Miscellany of Historical Records :
Record No. 943.
² Bhavanagar Inscriptions, p. 120.
³ This temple was originally built by Raja Bhoja, the
famous Paramra King of Dhar, and was called Tribhuvan Narain
Temple after Bhoja's surname, Tribhuvan Narain.
27

Maharana Kumdha.
ted a beautiful tank at Pāpamochana Tīrtha.¹
He also built the Dwarkanath temple at
Chitor with the tank attached to it.
“He overcame the Nishadas (Bhils) and
struck terror into the hearts of the Turushkas
(Muslims).” An inscription in the temple of
Mokalji at Chitor, v. 46, of S. 1485 (A.D. 1428)
published in the Epigraphia Indica, Vol. II,
p. 416, says: “He (Mokal) extirpatedthe Nishads
and conquered the Turushkas (Mussalmans).”
He went on pilgrimage to Dwarka and
Sankhoddhāra.²
Maharana Mokal built the high wall (Kot)
round the Eklingji temple³ with its three
gates. He constructed a tank in memory of
his Bagheli queen Gaurambika⁴ at Shringirishi
at Chitor, and the Baghela tank after the
name of his brother Bagh Singh,⁵ who had
died childless. Mokal gave 24 gold and
silver tuladán, a gold tuladan being given
in the Varāh Temple at Pushkar.⁶ He
¹ He presented a temple of Devi with an image of a lion
made of Sarvadhat (all the metals) and a temple of Vishnu
with a gold image of Garuda. Vide, Kumbhalgarh Inscription.
² Raja Prasasti, Canto IV.
³ and ⁴ Shringirishi Inscription, V. 16.
⁵ Kumbhalgarh Inscription of 1460 A.D. Also Raja Prasasti, Canto IV.
⁶ Kumbhalgarh Inscription of 1460 A.D.
28