The medieval period history of Rajasthan unfolds before us the role played by the rulers of various dynasties, as the Guhilots-Shishodia Kachhvahas, Rathores, Chauhans. We discuss below the significant achievements of the rulers of these dynasties.
I. Guhilots-Shishodia Dynasty:
1. Ratan Singh:
During the rule of Ratan Singh Alauddin Khilji had invaded Mewar and got murdered 30,000 Hindus in Chittorgarh. Ratan Singh’s and Gora Badal’s martyrdom during the stiff fight against Alauddin and his forces conveys the message of self sacrifice for the sake of honour and defence of the country. His wife Padmini along with 1600 women sacrificed their lives on the burning pyres of their male life partners.
Thus Padmini’s self sacrifice and ‘Johar’ continue to inspire the women with a new message. The Shishodia Sardar Hammir of the Rana faction handled smoothly the delicate situation of Mewar. During Rana Lakha’s period the Pichhola lake dam (Udaipur) was built, paving way for the economic prosperity of Mewar. Lakha’s son Mokal made Mewar the centre of intellectual and a cultural activities. He got constructed a safety enclosure around Eklingji temple and got renovated Samadhieshwar temple of Chittor.
2. Rana Kumbha, Mokal’s son:
His period is known for the political, literary and cultural advancement in Mewar. He had given a defeat to Mahmud Khilji, the Malwa Sultan in Sarangpur battle in 1437. In the honour of this victory he got built Kirti Stambh (Victory Stambh) in Chittorgarh as an offering to his venerable god Vishnu.
He got constructed 32 forts for the defence of Mewar such as Basanti fort Machan fort, Achalgarh, Kumbhalgarh etc.
Temple architecture of his time carries a great significance. A few names to be mentioned among them are Kumbhaswami and Shringar temples (Chittor), Meera temple (Eklingji) and Ranakpur temple.He was very adept in the Vedas, Smriti, Mimansa, Upanishadas, grammar, literature and politics. Sangeetraj, Sangeet Mimansa and Sud Prabandh were his great creations.
– Kumbha gave a great recognition to the scholars in his court, such as Mandon, (a known sculptor), poets Aatri and Mahesh, Kanha Vyas etc.
3. Rana Sanga:
He defeated Mahmud Khilji II of Malwa in the Gagron battle, and Ibrahim Lodi, the sultan of Delhi in the battle of Khatauli. Rana Sanga was the last Hindu Raja who succeeded infringing together all the Rajput clans to send the foreigners out of India. He lost his one eye, one hand and one leg for the dignity and honour of his country and he had 80 sword wounds on the different parts of his body. He had proved by virtue of his character and self-realisation that Swadesh defence and humanity are over and above the dignity of post and diplomacy.
4. Maharana Udai Singh:
He founded the city of Udaipur in 1559. He fought a fierce battle against Banveer, Maldev and Haji Khan Pathon and set an example of his courage and bravery.
5. Maharana Pratap, Uday Singh’s son:
He and his Mewar became the synonymous for each other by virtue of his acts of bravery, sacrifices and national pride during his reign of 25 years. He did not accept Akbar’s suzerainty unlike other princes. He was a man of firm determination and strong will, true to his words and had a strong sense of duty. He gave his subjects a ray of hope, kept the enemies at bay and instilled in his forces a sense of duty. He was adamant to defend Mewar at all costs and not to yield to the will of Akbar. In the battle of Haldighati (18th June, 1576) Maharana Pratap gave a slip to the Mughals in the battle field and left the arena on the back of his horse, Chetak.
In 1582 Rana Pratap set an example of his bravery by killing Sultan Khan Akbar’s agent in the battle of Dewar. During his life span he had recaptured Chittor, Mandalgarh and major parts of Mewar. He made, from time to time, Kumbhalgarh and Chavand his capitals. Col. James Tod writes Akbar’s high ambitions, administrative ability and unlimited resources were not sufficient enough to mitigate Maharana’s strong courage and sincerity for keeping alive his formidable bravery and honour …. Haldighati is Mewar’s Thermopalli and Dewar is Mewar’s Marathan. He was a source of inspiration for many Indian patriots during India’s national movement.
6. Maharana Raj Singh:
He got built the Rajsamand lake in order to help the people in the period of crisis and to promote the artistic trends.
II. Kachhavahas Dynasty:
1. Rao Dulha Rao and Prithviraj were the early rulers of this dynasty. They had merged Dausa, Ramgarh, Khoh, Jhotwada, Gator and Amer with their state.
2. Mansingh:
He was the able and trusted army Chieftain in Akbar’s court. He was one of the nine jewels in Akbar’s court. He was honoured with 7000 Mansab by Akbar and was appointed the Subedar (governor) of Kabul, Bihar and Bengal. He got built Shila Devi temple and Jagat Shiromani temple in Amer.
3. Mirza Raja Jai Singh:
During his 46 years’ rule he worked under Jahangir, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb. He was awarded ‘Mirza Raja’ title by Shahjahan. Aurangzeb had sent him to fight against the Marathas in the southern India. Jai Singh defeated Shivaji and sent an example of his farsightedness by signing a treaty of Purander with the Marathas. He was a lover of architecture and he got built, Amber palaces, and Jaigarh as well as Jaisinghpura in Aurangabad.
4. Sawai Jai Singh II:
He was a politician, diplomat, astronomer, scholar and a laureate. He was also the subedar of Malwa. On 17th July, 1734 he convened the sammelan of the Rajput kings at Hurda (Bhilwara) in order to strengthen his position in Rajputana and give a stiff fight to the Marathas. He established his supremacy over Bundi by his interference in its internal matters. He prepared an accurate table of the planets in 1725 and named it ‘Zizmuhammadshahi’ in the name of the Mughal emperor. He wrote the Astrological scripture named ‘Jaisingh Karika’. He established Jaipur in 1727.
He got built Sudarshangarh (Nahargarh) fort in Jaipur, the Jaiban gun in the Jaigarh fort and five observatories (Jantar-mantar) in Delhi, Jaipur, Ujjain, Mathura and Banaras. ‘Surya clock’ in the Jaipur observatory known as Samrat Yantra was built by Sawai Jai Singh. It is the biggest ‘Surya clock’ in the world. He held Vajpey, Rajsurya yajnas. He was the last Hindu emperor to solemnise the Ashvamedha Yajna as per the Hindu traditions. These contributions by Sawai Jai Singh II brought him a great name and fame.
III. Rathore Dynasty:
The Rathore kingdoms were spread over the North-West parts of Rajasthan. Important rulers of this dynasty and their contributions are:
1. Rao Siha: He ruled over a very small part of Marwar.
2. Rao Jodha: He got settled Jodhpur and built there Meharangarh.
3. Rao Ganga: He exalted his political power.
4. Rao Maldev:
He was a brave, adventurous and powerful ruler of his times. During his period Marwar had extended its boundaries upto Hindaun, Bayana, Fatehpur Sikri and Mewar borders. He expanded his empire by killing Rao Jaitsi of Bikaner in Saheba battle field and established his hold over Bikaner.
5. Chander Sen:
He was a man of self dignity and independent nature. He brought glory to his dynasty and never yielded to the will of the Mughals.
6. Mota Raj Uday Singh:
He was the first Marwar ruler to win Mughal’s favour. He married his daughter, Manibai in 1587 to Jahangir.
7. Jaswant Singh:
He was not only brave, courageous and a diplomat but also a lover of knowledge and art. He wrote ‘Bhasha Bhushan’ play. He fought against Shuja in the Khajua war (1659), on the side of Aurangzeb. He also fought against Aurangzeb in the ‘Dharmat War’ (1658), on the side of the royal forces.
8. Rao Bika:
Rao Bika, son of Jodha of Jodhpur settled Bikaner (1488) and made it the second centre of Rathore authority.
9. Maharaja Raisingh:
He conducted Gujarat, Kabul and Kandhar campaigns for the Mughals. He got constructed the Bikaner fort. He was by nature, a liberal and benevolent ruler. Therefore Munshi Devi Prasad has designated him as ‘Karan of Rajputana’. Akbar and Jahangir relied on him and was highly impressed by his loyalty and acts of bravery.
10. Maharaja Anup Singh:
He was a brave diplomat and a learned ruler. He wrote Anupvivek, Kamprobodh, Sharad Proyog, Chintamani etc. He loved music. During his stay in the south he saved many scriptures from being destroyed. He purchased them to keep them in his library. It was he who got compiled Kumbha’s musical scriptures. Anup library in Bikaner is today a great storehouse of knowledge and learning. While he was in the south he collected many idols and saved them from being tarnished. This compilation of the idols is preserved safely in the ‘Tantees (33) crore gods’ temples’.
11. Sawant Singh of Kishangarh:
He was Krishna Bhakt and was hence, famous as Nagaridas. During his time art of painting had a tremendous development. Nihalchand was the renowned painter of Kishangarh paintings style. He had painted the world famous ‘Banithani’ painting.
