Chetak - Maharana Pratap | Eternal Legend & An unforgettable tale - Page 2

Abhay,

There are few things to be admired more than the bond between a warrior and his stead. Just as Pratap had Chetak, Alexander the Great had Bucephalus.

Bucephalus was given to Alexander's father Phillipos, as a gift when Alexander was 12 years old. The horse was wild and no one could ride it. Alexander watched the animal's behaviour and realised that it was scared by the potential rider's shadow. So he took the horse and turned it to face the sun so that it could not see his shadow. Alexander was able to mount and ride the horse easily. Impressed, his father gave the horse to him.

Just as Chetak died near a stream during the battle of Haldighati, Bucephalus died in a battle near Hydaspis river (modern Jhelum) while Alexander was fighting King Porus. Alexander had ridden Bucephalus in every battle in Europe and Asia and was grief-stricken when it died.To honor his horse, he set up a town, known as Voukephala, near the site of the battle.

Bucephalus had a big head and was hence also called Voukephalas. It was likely a dark stallion, unlike Chetak, which was a pristine white. Perhaps the only dissimilarity between them!

Originally posted by: RadhikaS0

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Abhay

Thanks for a beautiful article on the Haldighati Battle. :) 

It was a momentous battle in which both man and beast showed their valor alike. Chetak shall remain etched in the memory of all those who remember the heroes of our past. It seems to me that animals are much better than many humans when it comes to showing loyalty, affection, a sense of duty and responsibility, not to speak of courage and determination.

Who knows what the outcome might have been if Chetak hadn't ridden away to safety with Pratap? History could have been completely rewritten that day!

Originally posted by: Kaana

Oh Abhay, what a way to start the day. Not just thinking of Maharana but Chetak too.
He cannot be considered ad s mete horse. he is on par with the valorous, devoted, faithful, trusted Rajput soldiers, nay, Rajput chiefs like Patta and Jaimal.

The prayer of Maharana asking to loan thd life of Chetak so that he may continue the struggle, shows how Chetak was very much part of the struggle like any true solider. He has fought so many battles in his own way. Loosing him was a big loss to Maharana like loosing Rawatji and others. Jai Ho Chetak! I am sure you are a divine horse that came with the sole purpose to support Maharana in his freedom struggle. It is said that soldiers dying on battlefield get a place in heaven directly. You too would have got that position and sitting in heaven along with Maharana, Rawatji, Jaima, Patta and others reading this blog.

Originally posted by: dsm123

It was such a nice start of day by reading your blog...!!!

Thank you so much for this 😊

Maharana Pratap ki Jai...Jai ho Chetak Ki...!!!

Originally posted by: kaku17

Chetak was an extraordinary horse, in a league of its own just like his master maharana pratap. ...how much the maharana was fond of can be gauged from the few poetic lines mentioned in the beginning of the article. ..

thank you so much for sharing this...on a lighter note I must say I adore the screen chetak...a very beautiful horse...

Originally posted by: RadhikaS0

Abhay

Another instance of the bonding between horses and warriors can be seen in China. The Terracotta Army is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the army of the Chinese Emperor Qin Shi Huang. These sculptures of horses and warriors (life-sized and as real as the wax sculptures in Madame Tussaud's :) ) were buried with the Emperor in 210-209 BC, apparently to protect him in his afterlife.