Column for 6th July 2003
This story is about [Rana] Pratap’s ancestor Hammeer winning back Chittor (Chittaudgarh) for his clan, the Sisodias.
Hammeer started his reign by forbidding the growing and harvesting of crops in his realm. Chittor and Mewar became an area without income, profitless and untenable. The Dillee Sultans fief holder, Rao Maldeo Songara was forced to return to Jalore leaving a small platoon to guard Chittor.
Hammeer lacked resources even to overpower this small garrison. He led many desperate attacks on Chittor but could not capture it.
Divine intercession was needed to make progress and the Rana started on a pilgrimage to Dwarka on the Gujarat coast. At Khoad village he learnt of the clairvoyant medium Chaaran lady called Barvadi . He visited her to seek her grace, favour and blessings. She reacted most positively by prophesying that Hammeer would win back Chittor. Meanwhile he was to return to the forest of Kailwada and accept any offer for marriage that came his way regardless of the political affiliations of the party concerned.
Hammeer could not believe the optimistic forecast. He had no resources to fight for Chittor and which Rajput would give his daughter to a destitute like himself. The lack of horses to mount his cavaliers was his most pressing need.
Barvadi was rich enough to participate in the thriving horse trade. India was importing hundreds of thousands horses each year. She asked her son to collect five hundred horses and take them to the Rana. The Rana was delighted but careful. He said I have no gold to pay for the horses. Barvadi said You can pay at your convenience.
The horses were delivered and Mewar again had an army and a glint of hope in regaining Chittor.
Meanwhile the advisers of Rao Maldeo Songara worked out a scheme to end the hostilities between Jalore and the Sisodias. They said to Maldeo that he should bequeath the unproductive forest area in Mewar to Hammer. He lived in it and could bring some order there. This would mean that attacks on Chittor would cease and men materials and money saved. To cement the alliance Songara should offer the hand of his daughter who had just attained maturity to Hammeer.
Rao Maldeo thought about the proposal and agreed. The advisors were sent as envoys to Hammeer. They pointed out that there was no quarrel between Maldeo and Hammeer. The vendetta was between Hammeer and the Dillee Sultans. Hammeers ancestors had been killed maimed and wounded by the soldiers of Dillee and not by the Songaras. In any case land and/or a daughter were accepted compensation for blood loss in Rajput tradition. Songaras daughter and the districts he selected as dowry should settle the score between him and Hammeer.
Hammeer remembered the advice of the medium and agreed. After the wedding his bride said to him that her interests were now the same as his own and no longer those of her father Maldeo. She advised him to ask Maldeo for the services of a seasoned administrator called Mehta Maujiram.
Hammeer agreed. He sweet talked his father-in-law by saying that the generous grants of land as part of the dowry were far beyond his expectations. Unfortunately all experienced administrators had been lost to him in his days of adversity. Could he therefore have the services of Mehta Maujiram transferred to him? Maldeo thought about the idea and agreed as he felt that the Mehta would provide continuity and a friendly link between him and the Rana.
Maujiram was called and told From today you are the servitor of the Maharana.
As soon as they were alone together Mehta Maujiram said to Hammeer I know why you have obtained my services. If you want your objective achieved there is no time like the present. Hammer responded I am in your hands.
The Mehta then announced that there was Khubur (news) of a tiger on the prowl. Hammeer and his soldiers girded their arms to their loins, got on their horses and proceeded. They got to Chittor in the dark of the night. Mehta Maujiram was well known as he brought pay for the garrison. When he announced himself the fort gates were swung open and Hammeer and his force entered without a fight.
Maldeo discovered too late that Hammeer had gone in the direction of Chittor. By the time he got his army ready and got to the fort it was too late.
The grateful Hammeer erected a temple and a mansion for the clairvoyant lady Barvadi and invited her to take up residence in the fort. The temple is dedicated to Devi Annapoorna. Chittor remained with the Sisodias until Akbar wrested it from Rana Udai Singh, father of Pratap. We shall relate that event in a future column.
Image attribution: By Ritukejai – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.