Article on Eternal Mewar & governance

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The state was traditionally run on the principle of trusteeship. It had no rulers but only custodians of peoples' welfare, popularly referred to as Ranas. The Ranas were accountable to the people and open to public review

It is widely recognised that India's growth lies in appropriate governance. Each governance model requires sound assumptions and paradigms with an effective roadmap and workable delivery vehicle. These models need to be dynamic. They need constant updating, enrichment and reinvention anywhere, especially in a country as large as India. The model of governance in their evolutionary form could neither be one-size-fit-all nor be expected to be uniformly efficacious.

Those who do not see this at conceptual level are compelled to face this at a practical level. Estimates vary, but generally it is recognised that over a 100 districts of nearly 500-plus districts of the county do not have civil governance the way the rest of the country experiences it. The reasons are many and are variously discussed.

If the Indian administration did not adopt the one-size-fits all principle, then within a common framework of collectors, district magistrates, block development officers, etc their actual operational decision making processes, at the grassroots level, could have had patterns more rooted in the soil. The broader model could have incorporated the contextual decision making processes.

Considering the case of Mewar. Traditionally it was supposed to run on the principle of trusteeship. Going back to unbroken history of continuity to 734AD, the assumption is that the State of Mewar' has no rulers but only custodian of peoples' welfare', popularly referred to as Ranas. The Ranas were both accountable and open to public review.

The concept is perhaps best typified in a painting preserved in the pictorial archives of the Maharana of Mewar. The painting depicts Bappa Rawal and Maharshi Harit Rishi. Quite categorically the founding of the State of Mewar was based on the principle of guru-shishya (teacher-Taught) tradition. The painting shows Maharshi Harit Rishi entrusting, symbolically the governance to the Rana. All the Ranas lived up to this expectation. An unbroken record of 75 generations is probably beyond compare in any documentation of people who presided over the destiny of a principality. The State of Mewar' never worked actively to extend its territory but rather devoted its energy to the welfare of the people.

One of the Mewar rulers in the 19th century tried to explain this to British Colonist by clarifying that he was where he was only by the dispensation of its people and for the service of Ekling (the traditional name of the deity of Mewar, which is Shiva). The family of Sisodiyas could well be identified by 10 defining characteristics. Each Sisodiya was supposed to confirm to all of them for his material and spiritual well being.

The realisation of being entrusted with the welfare of the people has been the driving force of the head of his house even today. That story would merit a different narration.

However, to understand the underpinning ideology of the house it would make for practical communications to refer to the coat of arms commissioned specially for the house of Mewar and registered at the college of arms in London in 1877. The detailed composition amplifies the four abiding values of the house of Mewar. These values were self respect, self reliance, service to the community and respect for all mankind. The coat of arms has the figures of a Bheel, a local tribal and a local warrier. There are not many coat of arms in the world where the common man is so lionised.

After the accession of the State to the Indian Union and the various vicissitudes the house passed through, including the abolition of the privy-purse, Maharana Bhagwat Singh did a remarkable job of developing the concept of the Mewar family-held properties and bring all Mewar holdings " both commercial and non-commercial " under the same umbrella. The concept of city within the city' came up and subsequently that of Eternal Mewar. A concept has been refashioned and its lessons are for all who wish to see.

Link - http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnists/oped/lessons-in-governance--from-mewar-734ad.html

(Found this article and felt it was brilliant summation of rulers of Mewar and their governance style. The serial has also shown Maharana Pratap meeting, connecting and teaming up with Bhils, Lohars and other locals and working together to defend the land. Befitting example of Mewar's legacy and what people can still learn from it. 😊)