महाराणा सांगा: द हिन्दूपत (हरविलास सारदा - मेवाड़ साम्राज्य एवं खानवा महायुद्ध इतिहास)

Maharana Sāngā.
whose ideals are low, whose one aim is
to destroy all who oppose him, to whom
destruction of an alien is enjoined by
his faith, is an act of folly, suicidal in
its effect, and fatal to the cause of the
nation. But the latter-day Hindu judges
an act not by its consequences but only
by its theoretical character. This fatal
defect in the character of the Hindus
led to their political subjection to people
of much inferior moral calibre and much
lower civilization, such as those that came
from the north-west. This feature of
his character finds illustration through-
out history. If the cruel Hun invader,
Mihirgula, had not been set free and
sent home after his defeat and capture
by King Bālāditya of Magadha, about 528
A. D.; if Shahbuddin Ghori, (Muhammad
Bin Sām) had not been liberated after
his defeat and capture by the chivalrous
emperor Prithviraj, in the nineties of the
twelfth century; if Mahmud Khilji I of
Mandu had not been set free by Maharana
Kumbha, about 1440 A. D.; if Mahmud
Khilji II had not been liberated and
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Maharana Sāngā.
escorted back to the throne of Mandu
after his defeat and capture, in A. D.
1519; if the chivalrous Maharana Raj
Singh had not spared Aurangzeb when
he was completely surrounded by the
Rajputs; and if Aurangzeb's son, Prince
Muazzam, had not been permitted to depart
unmolested when at the absolute mercy
of the heir of Mewar (Jai Singh) during
Aurangzeb's thirty years' war with the
Rajputs, the history of India would in all
probability have taken a different course.
"But for repeated instances of an ill-judged
humanity," says Colonel Tod, "the throne
of the Moghuls might have been completely
overturned." ¹
¹ Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, Vol. I,
page 379.
77

CHAPTER VIII.
────────
INVASION AND CONQUEST OF GUJARĀT.
OWING to his failure to cope with Rai
Mal, Nasrat-ul-mulk was removed from
the government of Idar by Sultan Muzaffar
Shah, who appointed “in his place, Malik
Husein Bahmani, entitled Nizam-ul-mulk, a
man renowned for bravery.”¹
It is said that one day (1520 A. D.) a
Bhat (minstrel) extolled the bravery and
generosity of Maharana Sāngā in open
Durbar in Nizam-ul-mulk’s presence and
said : “He protects Rai Mal, the Raja of
Idar, and though you may stay a little
while in Idar, it will eventually come
back into the hands of Rai Mal.” This
slap on the face of the governor by a
common minstrel roused his anger and he
exclaimed, “How can Sāngā protect Rai
¹ Bayley’s Gujarāt, p. 264.
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Maharana Sāngā.
Mal?" adding, "Here I sit : why does he not
come?" The bard replied that he was coming
soon, on which Nizam-ul-mulk used dis-
respectful language towards the Maharana.
When this incident came to the know-
ledge of the Maharana he decided to invade
Gujarāt and punish the impertinent governor
of Idar. Sultan Muzaffar Shah of Gujarāt on
being apprised of the Maharana's invasion,
sent reinforcements under Asad-ul-mulk,
Ghazi Khan, Shuja-ul-mulk and Saif Khan,
to Nizam-ul-mulk. He appointed Qiwam-ul-
mulk, governor of his capital Ahmadabad,
to bear the brunt, and himself retired to
Muhammadabad instead of advancing to
meet the Maharana.
The Maharana started with 40,000 horse
and infantry and soon arrived at Vāgadh,
where Rawal Udai Singh of Dungarpur
joined him with his forces. Rao Ganga of
Jodhpur with 7,000 men, and Rao Viram-
deva of Merta with 5,000 Rajputs, also
joined the Maharana here.² From Vāgadh
² Chaturkula Charitra, p. 25. Rao Viramdeva had
married Rana Rai Mal's daughter—Sanga's sister.
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Maharana Sāngā.
the Maharana came down swiftly upon
Idar. Nizam-ul-mulk (now entitled Mubariz-
ul-mulk) was alarmed at the news of Sāngā's
advance towards Idar, and forgetting his
vaunt, fled to the safe refuge of the fort of
Ahmadnagar. The Maharana arrived at
Idar the day following Mubariz-ul-mulk's
flight. After reinstating Rai Mal on the
throne of Idar,¹ thus restoring his patri-
mony to him, the Maharana started in
pursuit of Mubariz-ul-mulk and laid siege to
Ahmadnagar. Dunger Singh Chauhan, a
notable Rajput officer of the Maharana's
army² was seriously wounded in the assault.
¹ The Maharana demolished the great mosque at
Idar and built a temple in its place.
मेलैदल सबलकलाधर मोकळ ।
नांम सुणैं सुरताणा नाद ॥
ईडर थकी मजीत ऊथापे ।
पै इडर थपया प्रसाद ॥
(O! powerful Rana Sāngā, following the example
of Mokal, thou subjugateth Sultans and listeneth to their
humble voice. Thou hast demolished the mosque of
Idar and built in its place a temple).
² Mehta Nainsi says that Dungersi was a great
Rajput, and had remained in Vagadh (Dungarpur) for
some time and that Maharana Sāngā conferred Badnor
on him. He adds that his sons and nephews all lost their
lives in the siege of Ahmadnagar.
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Maharana Sāngā.
His son, Kanh Singh, by an act of heroism
and self-sacrifice, paralleled only by the
achievement of Balloo Saktawat during
Maharana Amar Singh’s attack on the fort
of Ontala, then held by the Imperial garrison
in Emperor Jahangir’s reign, earned undying
glory as a Rajput hero. When the moment
for storming the fort came, the elephants
refused to force open the gates, owing to
the long iron spikes upon them. In that
emergency, Kanh Singh rushed to the gate,
covered the spikes with his body and urged the
elephant to force the gates open, himself being
impaled on the spikes. This act of heroism
sent a thrill of enthusiasm through the
Maharana’s army, while it struck terror into
the hearts of the Sultan’s garrison inside the
fort. The Rajputs rushed into the fort, sword
in hand, and slaughtered the garrison,
Mubariz-ul-mulk again fleeing by the back door
of the fort. Just as he was making his exit
from the fort, the same bard as had told him
in open Darbār at Idar that Sanga would
soon come and drive him out of Idar, appear-
ed and taunted him on his flight, and put him
to shame for continually showing the white
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Maharana Sāngā.
feather before the Maharana. This stung
Mubariz-ul-mulk to the quick, and he halted
on the further bank of the river that flows
by the fort and drew up his troops, which
had been reinforced by the army sent by the
Sultan from Ahmadabad, to oppose the
Maharana’s advance. As soon as the
Maharana came to know of it, he fell upon
this army and put it to flight.¹ Mubariz-
ul-mulk fled towards Ahmadabad, but
fearing pursuit, he left the direct road
and took a circuitous route. Asad-
ul-mulk and others feeling the disgrace
involved in taking such a course kept on to
the ordinary route, but they were pursued
and slain to the last man, their elephants
and equipage falling into the hands of the
¹ A. K. Forbes’ Rasmala says: “The array of
Islam was broken by the fury of Rajputs, several
officers of distinction were killed; Mubariz-ul-mulk
himself was severely wounded; his elephants were taken,
and the whole force was driven in confusion towards
Ahmadabad. Sāngā Rana now plundered the surround-
ing country at his leisure : he spared the Brahmans of
Wadnagar, but finding Visalnagar defended against him,
he took it by assault, slaying the Muhammadan
governor. Having thus revenged himself for the
insult which had been offered to him, he returned,
unopposed, to Chitor.”—p. 295.
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Maharana Sāṅgā.
Maharana's commanders. The Maharana
took the town of Ahmadnagar and sacked¹
it and carried away captive the Mussalman
inhabitants. He marched the next day to
plunder Vadnagar. Arriving there, he
found the town inhabited by Brahmans,
who prayed for protection. Their prayers
were granted and the town was left un-
molested. The Maharana advanced to
Visalnagar, killed the governor Hatim
Khan² in an action that followed, and
plundered the town. After plundering
Gujarāt a little longer and finding that the
Sultan dared not come to the protection of
his subjects, and thinking that the braggart
Nizam-ul-mulk (Mubariz-ul-mulk) had been
sufficiently punished and taught a good
lesson, and seeing that the Rao of Idar had
been restored to his patrimony, the Maha-
rana returned in triumph to Chitor.
¹ Bayley's Gujarāt, p. 269.
² Ibid.
83

CHAPTER IX.
FAILURE OF SULTAN MUZAFFAR SHAH'S
INVASION OF MEWAR.
THE Sultan of Gujarāt left Muhammada-
bad and returned to his capital after the
Maharana had returned to Mewar. He was
grieved to see his country devastated, and
began to think of avenging its ruin. He set
about preparing a large army, doubled the
pay of the soldiers, and gave them a year's
salary in advance. At last in Muharrum
H. 927 (Pos Sud S. 1577), December A.D.
1520, the Sultan sent Malik Ayaz with an
army of 100,000 cavalry, 100 elephants and
a large park of artillery¹ against Mewar.
Another army, consisting of 20,000 horse
and 20 elephants was sent under Qiwam-ul-
mulk to co-operate with Malik Ayaz. Both
these armies marched to Morassa. While
¹ Bayley's Gujarāt, p. 271.
84

Maharana Sāngā.
they were encamped there, the Sultan,
according to the Tabqati Akbari, sent
reinforcements under Taj Khan and Nizam-
ul-mulk. The Sultan's army ravaged
Dungarpur and advanced towards Banswara.
After a skirmish between 200 horsemen
under Shuja-ul-mulk and others, and some
Rajputs in the hills, the Sultan's army
advanced and invested the fort of Mandsaur
in Malwa, then in the Maharana's possession.
The governor of the fort, Asoka Mal, was
killed but the fort did not fall. The
Maharana left Chitor with a large army
and arrived at the village of Nandsa, 12 cos
(24 miles) from Mandsaur. In the mean-
time, Sultan Mahmud Khilji of Malwa
arived from Mandu to assist the Gujarāt
forces to repay the debt he owed to Muzaffar
Shah.
The siege was pressed but no progress
was made. The Maharana was reinforced
by Medni Rai's army, and Raja Silhidi,
the Tuar Chief of Raisen, joined the
Maharana with ten thousand cavalry. The
Mirati Sikandari says that "all the Rajas
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Maharana Sāngā.
of the country round, went to the support
of the Rana. Thus on both sides enormous
forces were assembled. But the enterprise
of Malik Ayaz did not advance in conse-
quence of the ill-feeling entertained against
him by the Amirs...... .....No progress
was made in the siege of the fort." It is
probable that Sultan Mahmud Khilji, who
had personal experience of the irresistible
charge of the Rajput cavalry warned the
Gujarāt generals of the impending disaster
to their arms, and advised them to make
peace and return home. Malik Ayaz fore-
seeing the ruin of his forces in the
prolongation of the struggle made peace and
fell back on Khiljipur,¹ and eventually
retreated to Gujarāt.
¹ The Persian historians attribute the opening
of peace negotiations by Malik Ayaz to ill-feeling
between him and Qiwam-ul-mulk, the additional
convenient reason as usual being that the Maharana
offered his submission. The Mirati Sikandari says
that Malik Ayaz was commander-in-chief and was in
command of the main army consisting of 100,000
cavalry and artillery, and that Qiwam-ul-mulk had only
20,000 men under him, and that the latter and Sultan
Mahmud Khilji were anxious to fight. Further on it
says that Mahmud Khilji dissuaded Qiwam-ul-mulk
from going against the wishes of Malik Ayaz, who
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Maharana Sāngā.
The Sultan is said to have received Malik
Ayaz coldly when the latter waited on
him at Chapaneri. The Mirati Sikandari
says that not only was the Sultan very
cold to Ayaz, but that all the people of
Gujarāt called him a coward.¹
Rao Bhar Mal of Idar who had succeeded
Rai Mal outlived Muzaffar II as well as his
sons Sikandar and Mahmud II, and was alive
in A.D. 1530 when Bahadur Shah of Gujarāt
wished to make peace. It is thus quite clear that there
was nothing whatever to prevent Malik Ayaz from
continuing the war. He, however, saw the hopelessness
of gaining a victory, and foresaw how disastrous would
be his retreat to Gujarāt with the valiant Rajputs
pursuing him in a country infested with enemies.
¹ Bayley's Gujarāt, page 275. This coldness
was natural after the signal failure of the Malik in
the expedition, which had been entrusted to him at
his own entreaty. The statement of the Mirati
Sikandari that the Sultan resolved to invade Mewar
the next year but gave it up, as the Maharana sent his
son with tribute and elephants, is only eyewash.
The Sultan's resolution to invade Mewar the next year
is inconsistent with the allegation that Malik Ayaz
made peace as the Maharana offered submission. If
the Maharana had agreed to pay tribute, the proper
time for payment was when peace was made. Malik
Ayaz would have brought it with the Maharana's
son, and there was then no reason for any coldness
towards the Malik, and no occasion for the people to
call him a coward.
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Maharana Sāngā.
marched towards Idar.¹ He survived Bahadur
Shah and died after A.D. 1543, and had the
satisfaction of witnessing the beginning of
the fall of the great enemy kingdom of
Gujarāt.
The inherent strength of the Hindus
enabled them to stand a temporary occu-
pation of their country. They were never
completely subdued or crushed. Mr. A. K.
Forbes in his Ras Mala, says : "Whatever
deeds of oppression and of blood may have
been enacted at the time, and however
the Muhammadan rulers may have chosen
to believe, or the Muhammadan historians
to represent the Hindus to be a crushed,
subdued people, the fact remains beyond
dispute that their descendants, in spite of
many a subsequent danger, still possess
the soil of which it was sought to deprive
them ; while little but squalid poverty and
tottering ruins, represent the once proud
sway of the dynasty of Shah Ahmad."²
¹ Forbes' Ras Mala, page 296.
² Forbes' Ras Mala, page 297.
88

CHAPTER X.
GUJARĀT PRINCES TAKE SHELTER WITH THE
MAHARANA.
SULTAN Muzaffar Shah of Malwa had
eight sons and two daughters. The eldest
son, Sikandar Khan, was the legal heir
to the throne and was liked by the Sultan,
who had not much confidence in his other
sons. The Sultan in his lifetime named
Sikandar Khan as his successor, and gave
suitable jagirs to the others. Bahadur
Khan had a secret ambition to supplant
his elder brother on the throne, and began
to intrigue for it. He ingratiated himself
into the favour of Shaikh Jiu, a Mussal-
man holy man, who lived at the tomb of
Saint Kutabul Kutāb, near the prince’s
jagir, and who declared that the prince
would some day be Sultan of Gujarāt.
The pretensions of Bahadur Khan became
known to the army and the nobles, and
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Maharana Sāngā.
dissensions broke out between the two
princes. Bahadur Khan, fearing the power
of Sikandar Khan, determined to flee for
safety. In answer to Shaikh Jiu’s enquiry
as to what else he desired besides the
kingdom of Gujarāt, Bahadur Khan said
that he was anxious to wrest the fort
of Chitor from the Maharana to avenge
what the Maharana had done after his
conquest of Ahmadnagar, “when he slew
so many Mussalmans and carried their
women captive.” The Shaikh became
silent, but declared, on Bahadur’s pressing
for a reply, that the fall of Chitor was
conditional on the Sultan’s own destruc-
tion. Bahadur declared his willingness
to undergo the sacrifice.¹
In V. S. 1581 (1524 A. D.) Prince Baha-
dur fled from Gujarāt and took shelter with
Maharana Sāngā at Chitor. He was not
ashamed to ask for shelter and hospitality of
the very man whose destruction he heartily
desired and was secretly planning to
¹ Bayley’s Gujarāt, page 305.
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Maharana Sāngā.
accomplish. The magnanimous Maharana,
like the chivalrous Rajput that he was—un-
mindful of the political indiscretion of pro-
tecting enemies, disregarding the wise adage
افعی کشتن و بچه اش نگاه داشتن کار خردمندان نیست
(to kill the snake and to nurse its
young one is not the act of a wise
man)—received the prince " with kindness
and showed him all attention." So much
kindness was shown to him that the Maha-
rana's mother used to call him "son." It
is related that one day a nephew of the
Maharana entertained Bahadur Khan at
a banquet. While nautch was going on
one of the dancing girls attracted Baha-
dur's attention by her singular beauty
and exquisite dancing. Bahadur advanced
nearer and nearer to look at her, when
the host enquired if he recognised her.
Bahadur Khan said "No," and asked who
she was. The host replied that she was
the daughter of the qazi of Ahmadnagar,
that when the town was sacked, the qazi
was killed and his women and daughters
were carried off by the Rajputs. Bahadur
Khan, on hearing this, flew into a rage
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Maharana Sāngā.
and attacked and killed the Maharana's
nephew. The Rajputs surrounded Baha-
dur and would have hacked him to
pieces, but the Maharana's mother saved
him by sending word to the Rajputs not
to injure him.¹ The Maharana forgave
the prince, but finding that he was
disliked by the people, Bahadur left Chitor
and went away towards Mewat.
Sultan Muzaffar Shah died in S. 1582
(A.D. 1526),² and was succeeded by his
eldest son Sikandar Khan. During the
protracted illness of Muzaffar Shah, the
two parties in the army, headed respec-
tively by Sikandar Khan and the
Sultan's third son Latif Khan, con-
tended for supremacy, and on Sikandar
finally ascending the throne, Latif Khan
and his younger brother Chand Khan, fled
for protection to the Maharana. Sikandar
Khan sent one Malik Latif, on whom
he conferred the title of Sharza Khan,
with an army to capture them. As the
¹ Bayley's History of Gujarāt, p. 305.
² Ibid, p. 307.
92

Maharana Sāngā.
two princes were in the Maharana's pro-
tection the Maharana sent a sardar to
drive Malik Latif out of Mewar. Latif
"sustained a complete defeat." He was killed
in action, while his troops lost no less
than 1,700 men, the rest fleeing to Gujarāt.¹
Mewar was now at the meridian of
her greatness and prosperity. The greater
part of Malwa had been conquered and
incorporated with Mewar. Ranthambhore,
Gagrone, Kalpi, Bhilsa and Chanderi
were under the sway of the Maharana.
Ajmer had been taken and Abu reduced,
and Sāngā's governors administered both
districts. Sāngā reduced to submission
the Khanzādas of Mewat. The kings of
Gwalior, Amber and Marwar acknowledged
his supremacy and accompanied him in
his wars as vassals or allies with their
contingents. Maharana Sāngā had pushed
back the Sultan of Delhi and made the
Peela khal, near Agra, the northern
boundary of his empire. Gujarāt had been
plundered and then relinquished. The
¹ Brigg's Ferishta, Vol. IV, page 99.
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Maharana Sāngā.
three Sultans on the north, south and
west, Sultans of Delhi, Malwa and Gujarāt,
were all defeated and kept within their
bounds. The song, the first two verses of
which are given below, gives the popular
view of the situation.¹
According to the records of Devidan,
the Barwa of the Mewar royal family,
the Maharana had as many as 28 queens,²
by whom he had seven sons and four
(१) इब्राहीम पूरब दिशा न उलटै,
पछम मुदाफर न दे पयाण ॥
दखणी महमदशाह न दौड़ै,
सांगो दामण चहूँ सुरताण ॥ १ ॥
(On the east (of Mewar) Ibrahim (Lodi) cannot
advance: Muzaffar (of Gujarāt) cannot come towards
the west: Mahmud Shah (Khilji) cannot move towards
the south (of Mewar); in this way, Maharana Sāngā
has bound the feet of the three Sultans, vide Maha-
rana Yash Parakash, by T. Bhur Singh, page 65.
² According to Barwā Debidān's records the queens
of Maharana Sāngā were:—(1) Lakhu, daughter of Hada
Rao Narbad Singh. (2) Karmetan, daughter of Hada
Rao Narbad Singh. (3) Brajbai, daughter of Rāthor
Jodhaji. (4) Bālkanwar, daughter of Rao Bharmalji.
(5) Shyamkanwar, daughter of Hada Parbat Singhji.
(6) Rajkanwar, daughter of Rao Ram Singhji Kherād.
(7) Paipkanwar, daughter of Hada Rudra Bhanji.
(8) Padamkanwar, daughter of Deora Abhai Singhji.
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Maharana Sāngā.
daughters. The eldest son, Bhojraj, who
had married the celebrated Miran Bai,¹ —
daughter of Ratan Singh, younger brother
of Viramdeva, Rao of Merta, died during
his father's lifetime.
(9) Piarkanwar, daughter of Binai Singhji Rāthor.
(10) Rambākanwar, daughter of Chandji Tuar. (11)
Dhankanwar, daughter of Rao Bhanji, son of Rao Siyaji.
(12) Kanwarābai, daughter of Rai Malji Solanki.
(13) Ghansukhdé, daughter of Chauhan Kharagsénji.
(14) Sawarbai, daughter of Hada Barjangji. (15)
Gawarādé daughter of Gopji Deora. (16) Karmetān,
daughter of Chauhan Shiv Singhji of Vāgadh. (17)
Sultandé, daughter of Solanki Rīdhmalji. (18)
Ramkanwarbai, daughter of Sānklā Jodhsinghji. (19)
Rajkanwar, daughter of Hāda Akhairajji. (20) Ram-
kanwar, daughter of Rao Nathji Solanki. (21) Ram-
kanwar, daughter of Mota Raja, Sankla. (22) Bhagwat-
kanwar, daughter of Solanki Abraji. (23) Kumkum-
kanwar, daughter of Hada Madho Singhji. (24)
Padamkanwar, daughter of Solanki Rao Sursén. (25)
Lalkanwar, daughter of Chauhan Jugmalji. (26) Rai-
kanwar, daughter of Chauhan Man Singhji. (27)
Karmetānbai, daughter of Rao Surji Rāthor of Chavad.
(28) Lādkanwarbai, daughter of Rao Bhan of Idar.
Maharana Sāngā's sons were:—(1) Bhojraj, (2)
Karan Singh, (3) Ratan Singh, (4) Parvat Singh,
(5) Krishnadas, (6) Vikramaditya, (7) Udai Singh.
¹ Col. Tod has stated Miran Bai to be the queen
of Kumbha. This is an error. Kumbha was killed in
S. 1524 (A.D. 1467), while Miran's grandfathar, Duda,
became Raja of Merta after that year. Miran's father,
Ratan Singh, was killed in the battle of Khanua 59 years
after Kumbha's death, and her cousin Jaimal at Chitor
during Akbar's attack, 99 years after Kumbha's death.
Miran Bai was married to Prince Bhojraj in S. 1573 —
95