FACT FILE :)

I always had a doubt thinking why Ajabdeh's character development in Bharat Ka Veer Putra Maharana Pratap show has been shown of a woman with heights of "Pativrataness". Can someone be like that? Can someone sacrifice their own life for such minor reason? Can someone have that level of tolerance of bearing pain in real life? Can someone pray for her future husband just like God?
In order to do a research on this topic, my SUPER WOMAN CLUB hired some experts who can explore the city of Chittorgarh and discover the facts about the Mewari queens.
Our team started its research work from the base camp of Chittorgarh mahal on the month of June. Thanks to the localities who gave us some information about the Jauhar Pratha and their legendary Ranis.
INTERVIEW WITH LOCALITES -

1. Tell us something about the queens of the Mewar?

The guide said Mewari Queens were considered to be the best wives because they were aware of their duties towards their Husbands. They treated their husbands equal to God. Princesses were trained in such a manner that they would eventually develop that quality to bearing any kind of pain in nature. They were also trained in weaponry skills inorder to protect themselves from the Shatrus or protect their husbands from any sort of situation. They were also famous for their astounding beauty. Most of the time "Swayamvara" were held to marry them as they were that famous for their beauty. They were also restricted to stay behind the parda as they were the reason why most of the times the enemies used to take an advantage of kings weak points. Mewar had a tradition of marrying princesses by winning in "Swayamvara". Matriminial alliance policy was not followed by Mewar, Ranthambore and Malwa.

2. Why was Jauhar performed if they could defend themselves?

The guide said that the Sisodiyan Clan of Mewar owed their origin to foreign races like the Hunas and Sakas. They were foreign invaders who arrived in India towards the end of the Mauryian Empire, picked up Indian customs, culture, and modes of marrying locals and finally merged into the mainstream. They adopted martial caste of the "Kshatriyas"as their own and eventually became popular because of their willingness to risk their lives for their land and for the sake of honour. The Aravalli range which the Sisodiyan Clan occupied also had something to do with the way their personality got shaped. Due to lack of princely comfort in Aravalli range of Chittor and mythological influence, they were mentally prepared to sacrifice their personal pleasure of life for their land. Men were trained to perform SAKA' to fight till their last breath and die as independent warrior and women were trained to perform "JAUHAR"to die in the fire of death to achieve the greatest spirituality. Mewari queens belonged to the illustrious dynasties so they carried good blood who were known for their high tolerance, great mental ability to deal with any kind of pain, ability to sacrifice their body to save the honour of their dynasty and their husbands.

3. Why was such painstaking suicidal methods (Jauhar) applied instead of using poison or sleeping pills?

The guide said that there was a huge mythological influence involved behind the story of Jauhar. It was basically the SATI' pratha which was followed in the name of "JAUHAR" as they believed that the Feminine energy of Mewar basically evolved from Surya Dev, or Sun God so even while dying their body should be purified by the flames before achieving the spiritual stage.
Logical Reason: If the body turns into ashes after death, they were assured that their bodies wont be served to scavengers for food purpose as there is no existence of the body.

4. How was the procession of Jauhar done?

Whenever there was a stage where a foreign kingdom use to siege the Chittor fort and the only option left was to do or die, the queens were ordered to perform "JAUHAR" to save their honour and dignity from the foreign kingdom. Since the fort was situated on hill top surrounded by agricultural plains, it was difficult to acquire new supply of food during war. The only option left was to fight or die. Surrendering in front of enemies was not defined in their dictionary. The Mewar Chiefs used to declare the news to the queens. According to sources, huge piles of logs were stacked in front of "RANIWAS" of the Mahal. It was called called as MAHASATI' area. All of the fort women,from royalty to maids and villagers,along with their girl children, used to take a ritualistic bath in the nearby reservoir, Gotnukh Kund. The Pyre was saturated with ghee and oil, then finally it was lit. As the flames used to roar high into the sky, the fort women bedecked in their wedding dresses and exquisite jewellery used to start chanting their last hymes. Finally,they used to sedate their skin with "OPIUM"-(AYUVEDIC PAIN KILLER TO REDUCES PAIN FOR BURNING) to numb their senses and leapt into the pyre followed by the Maharani. This horrendous incident of mass immolation happened three times in Chittor palace.

5. List of Jauhar happened in Chittor palace?

First Jauhar - In 1303 AD, Ala-ud-din Khilji, the Muslim Sultan of Delhi besieged Chittor fort, which was under the control of Rana Rawal Ratan Singh. According to Rajput legend, the Rana allowed Khilji one glimpse of his wife, Rani Padmini, in a mirror, before he was at the gates and held hostage for Padmini. Padmini sent misleading information that she would join Ala-ud-din, but she was to come with 700 women as befitted her status. The Rajputs were thus able to infiltrate about 2000 men into Ala-ud-din's camp. Each Palaqi Palanquin contained two Rajput soldiers and four men to lift it. Gora and Badal were leading this team. Ala-ud-din allowed Padmini one final meeting with her husband, which allowed the Rajputs to whisk Ratan Singh out from under the Khilji king's nose. Beaten, Ala-ud-din returned to Delhi, only to come back better equipped early the next year. The Rajput defence failed as a result of this second attack and, to a man, perished on the battlefield while their womenfolk, led by Maharani Padmini, performed Jauhar.
The siege of Chittor, its brave defence by the Guhilas, the saga of Rani Padmini and the Jauhar she led are legendary. This incident has had a defining impact upon the Rajput character and is detailed in a succeeding section.

Second Jauhar of Chittor
Rana Sanga died in 1528 AD after the Battle of Khanua. Shortly afterwards, Mewar and Chittor came under the regency of his widow, Rani Karnavati. The kingdom was menaced by Bahadur Shah of Gujarat, who besieged Chittorgarh. Without relief from other forces and facing defeat, the Rani committed Jauhar with other women on March 8, 1535 A.D. while the Rajput army rallied out to meet the besieging Muslim army and committed saka.
Karnavati importuned the assistance of Humayun the son of Babur, her late husband's foe, by sending him a Rakhi and a request for his help as a brother. Humayun started for Chittor but stopped midway as he found it against basic tenets of Islam to help an infidel against a Muslim. This is the occasion for the second of the three Jauhars performed at Chittor.

Third Jauhar of Chittor

The Burning of the Rajput women, during the siege of Chitor
Emperor Akbar besieged the fort of Chittor in September 1567[.Changing the strategy, Rana Udai Singh II, his sons and the royal women, using secret routes, escaped soon after the siege began. The fort was left under Jaimal Rathore and Patta Sisodiya's command. One morning Akbar found Jaimal inspecting repairs to the fort which had been damaged by explosives, and killed him. That same day the Rajputs realized that defeat was certain. The Rajput women committed Jauhar in the night of February 22, 1568 AD, and the next morning, the Rajput men committed saka. (Abul Faz'l has given an account of the event as seen by Akbar in his biography in 1568 AD.)

6. Who were legendary queens of Chittor?

Whenever you hear the name Chittor, you will obviously think of Rana Pratap Singh. But if we need to list out the lengendary heroines then the first name comes from your mouth is
Rani Padmini, who was entitled as Cleopatra of India in 14th century. The one sacrificed herself to save the honour of the kingdom.
Meera Bai - Another remarkable Mewar queen, who defied her Rajput convention and devoted her life to the worship of Lord Krishna. Meerabai is one of the most revered poet-saints of India, whose charisma still persists.
Panna Dhai, the foster mother, sacrificed her own son-Chandan (1536) - to save her 13-year old charge - the minor heir - Prince Udai Singh - from assassination by the Regent Banbir.
Rani Karunawati- The widow of Rana Sangha who committed Jauhar when their fort got seized by the Delhi Sultanate.

7. Why Rana Uday Singh and Maharana Pratap did not follow the Jauhar Custom?
Maharana Pratap and Rana Uday Singh realized that in the wake of the changed situation a rational policy has to be adopted. It was under these circumstances that they also wisely changed the age-old tradition of: "PERISH BUT DO NOT SURRENDER" TO "NEITHER PERISH NOR SURRENDER" It should be realized that this strategy was essential to ensure the survival of his race and protection of the Indian culture. The Maharana was proved right when Chittaurgarh suffered the (Third) SAKA, JOHAR, and massacre that followed the capture of Chittaurgarh by the Mughal emperor Akbar (1568)... Moti Mahal atop Moti Magri was the modest "Palace" in which Maharana Udai Singh stayed with his family and later on the Maharana Pratap also stayed there.

8. Do you know Ajabdeh Baise Panwar or Phool Baisa?

The immediately reply comes is .."Who????" who are they? Were they queens of Mewar? and the guide replies" Madam, bas itna hi.. aap kis kiska naam le rahi hai, history knowledge test karr rahi kya?"..

My team member gave a sarcastic smile and said" Kuch nahi" and moved on!

1 Ajabdeh Panwar died young : Lot of people say that Ajabdeh died when she was hardly 27 year old. It is a complete myth. Sources say that she died on 1591. Though the news is not that official. Well according to my logic, she did survive more than 27 years for sure.

2 Akbar willingness to marry Phool(Roopmati) because of her beauty: It is a complete myth. First and foremost, Phool and Roopmati were two different personalities. Phool was not that famous for her beauty that she received so many proposals.Akbar wanted to marry Rao Maldev's daughter called as Rukmawati bai of Marwar Dynasty when Rao Maldev lost their battle against them. Rao Maldev died on 1562 and Chandra Sen or Mota Raja Uday Singh handed over her sister, Rukmawati bai to Akbar. Rukmati bai was 2nd last child of Rao Maldev. Hence Akbar got married to Phool's aunt on 1581

3 Ajabdeh and Phool's friendship before marriage :

4 MAHARANA PRATAP ESCORTED PHOOL AFTER DEFEATING MARWAR: Maharana Pratap never followed the matrimonial alliance policy marriage like Akbar. He was clean man with no single dark spot on his character. Infact, he was the one and only king who had no concubines. All of his 11 wives were lawfully wedded wives of MP and he had no concubines. He rarely used spent time with women. Phool was the daughter of Ram Rai Rathore, the eldest son of Rao Maldev. Ram Rai Rathore was married to one of Uday Singh's sister so he was always in favour of Maharana Pratap's Dynasty. Normally Rajput clan used to marry their relatives and that was trend of 16th century. It was considered as trustful as it turned out to be blood relation.