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Dr. V.A.
Smith has summed up his struggle against the Mughals in these
words “Patriotism was his offence”.
Causes of Pratap’s Resistance Against
Akbar
“The two opponents – Pratap and Akbar, were extraordinary men.
Both of them were inspired by idealism – different though it
was in each case – in the pursuit of which they reckoned on
sacrifice as too great and yet both were pre-eminently men of
action.” According to Col. Tod, “Pratap succeeded to the
titles and renown of an illustrious house, but without a
capital, without resources, his kindred and clans decapitated
by reverses, yet possessed of the noble spirit of his race, he
meditated the recovery of Chittor, the vindication of the
honour of his house, and the restoration of its powers.”
Elevated with this design, he hurried in conflict with his
powerful antagonist. At the time of Pratap’s accession Chittor
was in the hand of the Mughals. The frontier districts of
Mewar (Badhor, Shahpura and Rayala) were also under the Mughal
control. In the words of Dr. A.L.Srivastava, “By the end of
1572 Mewar was surrounded on the north, east and west by the
Mughal territory; her southern and south – eastern boundary
was alone outside the Mughal sphere of influence. It was
Akbar’s settled policy to bring about a complete blockade of
Rana Pratap’s dominion and thus exert military and political
pressure so as to make him accept his suzerainty without a
fight.” Modern writers have painted Pratap as the champion of
liberty and defender of his religion. Pratap stood for the
honour and dignity of Rajput race as a whole. Late Dr. A. L.
Srivastava has refuted this assertion by saying, “there was no
danger to Hinduism or the Hindu way of life from Akbar, who
respected religious beliefs and susceptibilities of all
classes of people and more specially those of his Rajput
allies and vassals.
According Dr. G.N. Sharma, “equally revolting was the idea in
Pratap’s mind to enter into a matrimonial alliance with him
Mughal ruling family and send a ‘dola to Akbar’s harem.”
Pratap’s rival Jagmal was received with kindness by the Mughal
Emperor who grated him jagir of Jahazpur on the frontiers of
Rana’s territory.
Thus, Pratap’s ideology behind his determination to keep
him-self aloof from Akbar’s fold was based on the traditional,
heroic tradition of his house.
Causes of Akbar’s Action Against Pratap
“Akbar’s ambition,” according to late Dr. A.L. Srivastava,
“was to unite the whole of the sub-continent of India under
one scepter.” Commenting on the policy followed by Akbar
towards Rajput states. Dr. R.P. Tripathi writes, “By his
dealings with other Rajput princes, Akbar had clearly shown
that he did not wish either or annex their states or interfere
with their social, economic and religious life. He wanted
nothing more than their allegiance to the new Imperial
confederation which implied four things; firstly, the princes
were to pay some contribution to the empire in the form of
tribute; secondly, they had to surrender their foreign
policies and their right to settle their disputes by mutual
wars; thirdly, they had to send a fixed military quota for the
service of the confederation whenever required; fourthly, they
should consider themselves an integral pat of the empire and
not merely individual units.” If formation of confederation
was the idea in Akbar’s mind he should not have insisted on
Pratap’s personal presence in the Mughal court during the
period 1572 – 75 when the Rana was half inclined to enter into
alliance with the Mughal Emperor. To say that Akbar did not
annex any important Hindu State is also not correct
historically. The Rathor State of Marwar was put under the
direct administration of the Mughals. His policy towards the
Rajputs was of complete submission which thereby implied his
over lordship. By joining the Mughals his (Pratap’s) state
would have ceased to exist as a sovereign state and the would
have been a Mughal zamindar as the head of watan jagir like
his other coreligionists.
The next reason of Akbar’s determination to subdue Pratap was
that smaller states, like Dungarpur, Banswara, Bundi, Sirohi
and Jalor looked to Mewar as the first among the Rajput states
of India. Akbar could not have tolerated it because his
ambition was to unite the entire sub-continent.
Moreover, “the garden of Rajasthan (was rendered) of no value
to the conqueror (Akbar) and the commerce already established
between the Mughal court and overseas, conveyed through Mewar
from Surat and other ports of Gujrat, was intercepted and
plundered.” The defiant attitude of Rana Pratap was creating
an infection in the newly acquired territories which Akbar
could not have tolerated. According to Dr. R.P. Tripathi, “the
Rana of Mewar was in alliance with the discontented Raja of
Gwalior and the recalcitrant Afghans. His (Pratap’s) alliance
with Chandra Sen of Jodhpur and Raho Sultan of Sirohi who
defied imperial authority, could hardly please Akbar”. Still,
he was not prepared to court open warfare with Pratap because
it was likely to endanger his conquest in Gujrat. Therefore,
he sent three messengers – Mansingh, his father Raja Bhagwant
Dass, and Todarmal to make correct assessment of Pratap’s
attiude towards him and to enlist his submission by peaceful
means. According to Abul Fazi, the Rana sent his eldest son
Amara to wait on the Mughal Emperor along with Raja Bhagwant
Dass and the three messengers reported that Rana was not
planning quarrel with the Emperor. In spite of inclinations of
friendship, the attitude of both the parties grew stiffer
towards each other with the passage of time. The Rana was
feeling aggrieved against the sluggish recognition of his
friendship by the Mughal Emperor who was all the time
insisting on his personal attendance at the Mughal court and
had no intention of restoring Chittor.
The Battle of Haldighati
Dr. R. N. Prasad writes “Akbar finally decided to bend or
break the Rana,” It was decided by Akbar in March 1576 when he
reached Ajmer after having dealt with the rebel Afghans of
eastern India, the rebel Mirza in Gujarat and Rao Chandra Sen
of Marwar. By that time he had also done away with major
problems of the Mughal Empire. Akbar was also convinced of the
fact that Rana Pratap did not want to attend his court in
person. He was avoiding his personal presence on one pretext
or the other. Under these circumstances he decided to send
army against Pratap. The command of the army was conferred on
Man Singh. The Mughal forces did not march against Pratap
under the leadership of Salim. The contemporary Persian
historians, Abul Fazi, Nizammudin Ahmed and Motamid Khan are
of the opinion that Akbar appointed Man Singh as the commander
– in – Chief of the Mughal forces because of his bravery and
farsightedness. The Jaipur vamshavali informs us that on the
request of Man Singh the command of Mughal army was entrusted
to him. Late Dr. G.H. Ojha is of the opinion that to take
revenge of Man Singh’s insult by Pratap on the banks of
Udaisagar, the Kachhava Prince was appointed Commander – in –
Chief of the Mughal forces. The orthodox Muslims were opposed
to Man Singh’s appointment. Abul Qadir Badayuni writes that
one of his friends, Naquib Khan, requested the Emperor to
permit him not to join the Mughal army because the infidel was
appointed as Commander-in-Chief of the army of Islam, Von Noer,
the author or Akbar, Vol. II writes on page 24 and 25 that
Akbar wanted to defeat the Rajputs by the hands of Rajputs;
that is why he appointed Man Singh as Commander of the Mughal
forces which left Ajmer in April 1576, with him were Meer Buxi
of the Mughal Khan, syyed Ahmed Khan, Syyed Hashim
Baraha,Mahtar Khan, Khiroja Raft Badakshan, Mahiwas AH Khan
and other well known Muslim warriors. Among the Hindu
mansabdars the names of Man Singh’s uncle Raja Jagannath
Kachhawa, Khangar Madho Singh and Rao Loonkaran are mentioned
in contemporary works. Abdul Qadir Badayuni was present at the
Battle of Haldighati. He writes that there were only 5,000
horsemen under Man Singh in the battle of Haldighati. Nensi
writes that Man Singh was at the command of 40,000 soldiers at
the battle of Haldighati. Modern writer of Vir Vinod informs
us that the Mughal forces were 80,000 in the Battle of
Haldighati. The modern historians of Akbar accept the version
of Badayuni. It is very difficult to believe that the Battle
of Haldighati could be fought with only 5000 horsemen.
Mansingh traveled a distance of 75 miles and reached
mandalgarh where he halted for about a couple of months. The
author of Iqbal Nama-i-Jahangiri informs that the commanders
appointed under Man Singh were to join him at Mandalgarh. Abul
Fazi also informs us that Man Singh waited for reinforcement
at Mandalgarh. The Kachchawa prince wanted to secure the
passage between Ajmer and Mandalgarh before proceeding ahead
in the mountain region of Mewar. Mutamid Khan again confirms
this that Rana Pratap was discouraged by Sardars to be
offensive against Man Singh. Man Singh left Mandalgarh in the
direction of Gogunda before the end of May or beginning of
June 1576. The Mughal forces continued to march till they
reached village Molela on the banks of river banas and halted
there up to 15th June.
Rana Pratap made complete arrangements for a war against
Mughals. But he could not get timely information about Man
Singh’s march and therefore he waited at the place Lohasingh
for about a fortnight or so. Rana Pratap could have charged
Man Singh from his camp of Lohasingh but one of his Sardar
namely Nida Jhala advised the Rana not to kill Rajputs unaware
of.
Pratap descended from the fort of Kumbalgarh on the 17th of
June 1576. He was at a distance of 12 miles from Haldighati
and the Mughal forces were not far away from him. Pratap
advanced at the head of 3,000 Bhil soldiers to charge Man
Singh. Dr. G.N. Sharma writes in Mewar and the Mughal Emperors
that Rana Pratap charged the Mughal forces at the head of
3,000 horses – men, 2,000 foot soldiers, 150 elephants and 100
miscellaneous soldiers. Abul Fazi writes that pitched battle
between Rana Pratap and Man Singh took place at the village
Khamnor. Badayuni writes that the battle took place at Gogunda.
Col. Tod had described it as the battle of Haldighati. The
actual battle took place in narrow space known as the Badshah
Bagh where 8,000 soldiers of Man Singh and Pratap fought
against each other. Man Singh deputed an advance guard of 900
soldiers under Syyed Hashim Barah to repulse the attack of
Pratap. Badayuni has described this contingent as
Joja-i-Harawal.’ Raja Jaimal, Asaf khan and Ghasiuddin Khan,
were in the front ranks of the Mughal army. On the right side
were posted Sayyed Ahmed Khan and Hashim Baraha and on the
left side Gazi Khan, Badakshah, Loonkaran, and the Sheikhzadas
of Sikri. On the left side of the Mughal army was posted
Mahtar Khan, to command the reserve of the Mughal army. Man
Singh commanded the Mughal forces from an elephant which was
in the heart of the Mughal army. Rana Pratap’s front consisted
of Kakrm Khan Soor, Kishan Das Chandwat, and Ram Das. The left
was commanded by Ran Ram Shah of Gwalior and the right wing of
the army was commanded by Man Singh Jhala. Poonja, Purohit
Gopi Nath, Metha Ratan Chand and Jagmal were with the Rana who
was in the middle of his army. The first attack was from the
side of Rana on the Mughal forces on 18th o June, 1576. Abul
fazi has given graphic description of the first encounter
between the Mughals and the forces of Rana Pratap. He informs
us that in the thick of the battle it was difficult to
distinguish between friends and foe. Meanwhile Mahtar Khan
spread a rumor that the Mughal emperor was approaching at the
head of a large contingent. The rumor was spread with a view
to boost the morale of the Mughal army. But it had an adverse
effect on the forces of Rana Pratap. Rana fled from the
battlefield and after his flight, his army was completely
annihilated. With the flight of Rana Pratap from the
battlefield of Haldighati, romantic legend of the meeting of
two brothers, Shakti Singh and Pratap, is attached. Dr. Ojha
and Dr. G.N. Sharma are of the opinion that this is one of the
legends attached with the glorious name of Rana Pratap. Dr.
Raghuvir Singh has also discarded it. If Shakti Singh would
have been present in the battle of Haldighati, Abul Fazal and
Badayuni must have made mention about his presence in the
battle field. The battle of Haldighati was not the battle
between Akbar and Pratap. The battle was motivated with the
sole idea of fight between imperialism and local independence.
Pratap and his followers sacrificed their life and liberty for
the regional independence of the land of their birth.
Both Abul Fazi and Nizamuddin inform us that 150 men of the
Mughal forces and 500 men of Pratap’s army were killed in the
battle. Badayuni writes that 500 persons of both sides were
killed in the battlefield out of which 120 were Muslims.
Rajput chroniclers give an exaggerated number of 20,000
soldiers having been killed in the battlefield. Dr. R.P.
Tripathi is of the opinion that Badayuni appears to be
correct. There were four important reasons for the defeat of
Rana Pratap in the battle of Haldighati:-
1. He was himself a brave soldiers who did not lack courage
and physical bravery, but he did not possess farsightedness as
General of the Army and therefore he could not arrange his
forces properly in the battlefield.
2. He did not begin the war with a plan. It was haphazard
beginning in which front rank of the army was completely lost
in first charge.
3. He plunged 2 battalions of his horsemen in the beginning.
He did not keep the reserve army intact.
4. The battle was fought with traditional methods of warfare.
The bullets of the Mughals could be hardly answered by the
arrows of Pratap’s army. Thus the battle was lost by Pratap
because of his mistakes of omission and commission. It was a
turning point for him in his career because thereafter he had
to proceed in the mountainous region of Girwas near present
Udaipur where he spent his remaining 21 years in the vain hope
of regaining lost power and position against his rival, Akbar
the Great.
Pratap’s Career after the Battle of Halidighati
Rana Pratap escaped safely from the battlefield of Haldighati.
He moved in the direction of Kumbhalgarh. But he could not
stay there for long because Gogunda had fallen in the hand of
Man Singh. Rana did not get tired of his activities despite
the fact that he was defeated in the battle of Haldighati. He
began making an attempt to recover the lost territories by
forming a coalition of some of the leading Rajputs of the then
Rajasthan. He could successfully persuade Narain Das of Idar
to raise a revolt against Akbar. Rana also invited Rao Sultan
Sirohi and Taj Khan of Jalore. At a time when Rana Pratap was
forming a coalition of powers against the Mughal authority,
Fazi informs us that the troubles of Rana Pratap was forming a
coalition of powers against the Mughal authority, Chandra Sen
of Marwar raised trouble in the area of Nadole. Abul fazi
informs us that the trouble of Chandra Senhad some sort of
connection with the troubles of Rana Pratap. The sum total
result of Pratap’s activities was the recovery of Gogunda from
the Mughals during the absence of Kunwar Man Singh.
Rana Pratap’s activities posed a serious problem to Akbar. The
Mughal emperor decided to first subdue Taj Khan of Jalore and
Rao Sultan of Sirohi. Akbar succeeded in reducing them to
obedience. Nodole was also taken into possession by the Mughal
forces by the 19th of October, 1576. The Mughal commanders
succeeded in reestablishing the royal authority in Idar. All
these measures crippled the resources of the Rana who was
almost cornered by the Mughals. Akbar’s visit to Gogunda on
October 11, 1576 was a significant event in the struggle
between the Mughals and Pratap of Mewar. Akbar deputed Raja
Bhagwant Das of Amber, his son, Man Singh and Qutubuddin Khan
to trace the whereabouts of Pratap in the hilly region of
Mewar. The Mughal commanders failed in their mission. But
Akbar succeeded in establishing outposts at Pindwara,
Haldighati and Mohi with a view to keep an eye on the contacts
of Pratap with his allies. Akbar visited Udaipur in November,
1576. He appointed Fakrudin and Jagan Nath as the incharges of
the city of Udaipur. The Mughal Empereor left for Malwa via
Dungarpur and Banswara towards the end of 1576 A.D. He had
made complete arrangements to encircle Rana Pratap. But the
Rana continued to create troubles in the newly acquired
territories of the Mughals. Therefore an imperial army was
sent against Pratap under the command of Raja Bhagwant Das,
his son Man Singh and Meer Bakshi reinforced took possession
of the fort of Kumbhalgarh on the 3rd of April 1578 A.D. The
Rana had already slipped out of the fort before its occupation
by the Mughals. The Rana went to Dholan, a place on the
western frontiers of Mewar, and passed some time there. His
minister, Bhama Shah, rendered him financial help in hour of
distress - He could manage to attack the Mughal garrison at
Kumbhalgarh in November, 1578 A.D. Shahbaz Khan was again
deputed by the Mughal Emperor to turn out Rana Pratap from the
neighbourhood of Kumbhalgarh. Mughal Commander stayed in the
region of Mewar till about the middle of 1580 A.D. The Rana
was forced to retire to hilly tracks by the Mughal army.
With the retirement of Rana Pratap from the active military
life are attached legends which depict him as a wanderer
sleeping on grass and mats and moving from one valley to other
in the company of tribes (Bhils and Meenas). The most
interesting legend is the story of a cat taking away a lot of
bread from the hands of the crying daughter of Pratap. Dr. G.N.
Sharma has rejected all stories on the authority of
contemporary works like Amar kavya Vanshavli, Raj Vilas, Raj
Prashasti and Khyats of Mewar in which no mention has been
made of such romantic stories. He comes to the conclusion that
Col. Tod picked up legends from some friends with a view to
highlight the life of Pratap after 1580 A.D. Rana Pratap is
described as a person who lost his balance of mind in hour of
distress and wrote a letter of submission to Akbar. It is said
that Prithvi Raj of Bikaner wrote a latter to Pratap to
withdraw the letter of submission to Akbar. Dr. G.N. Sharma
has rejected this story also because no contemporary
historian, Hindu or Muslim, mentions it; a letter of
submission from Pratap is not the kind of a thing a Muslim
historian will overlook. Akbar appointed Abdul Rahim Khankhana
as the Subedar of Ajmer on 16th June 1580. He was also put in
charge of the Mughal campaign against the Rana. This forced
the Rana to evacuate Dholen and recede to the interior region
of Mewar, known as Chhappan. He established his authority
there. From there the Rana led expeditions against the states
of Banswara and Dungarpur. Akbar appointed Raja Jagan Nath on
the 6th December 1584 against Pratap and instructed him to
bring the Rana to Mughal court as a captive. On hearing of
Jagannath’s march against him Rana receded further in the
interior of Mewar Dr. G.N. – Sharma writes, “Jagan Nath’s
invasion was practically speaking the last important invasion,
after this the Emperor had no time to spare for Mewar.” It is
recorded by Dr – Sharma that the Rana Pratap could recover 36
places from the Mughal possessions between the years 1585 and
1597. He was assisted by his son Amar Singh in his plundering
activities against the Mughals. During this period, war time
capital of Mewar was also established at Chdvand. The Rana
died at Chavand on January 19, 1597 AD.
The account of Rana Pratap’s incessant struggle against Akbar
throughout his life proves the fact that he was fighting for
the independence of the land of his birth. He sacrificed his
personal peace and comfort by not submitting before the Mughal
Emperor. He sacrificed the lives of many of his faithful
followers for achieving his goal. The stand taken by Pratap is
criticized by some of the modem scholars on the authority of
events that took place in Mewar after his death. No doubt his
son and successor Amar Singh had to submit before Akbar’s son
and successor, yet we cannot criticize Pratap for his
sentimental attachment for the land of his birth which coaxed
him to continue struggle against Mughals. His war-time
measures were at the cost of economic losses of Mewar. The
Mughals ravaged the land of Mewar as a result of which the
region could not prosper in years to come. Akbar’s
determination to avoid submission in person were the main
reasons responsible for the devastation of Mewar at the hands
of Mughals during the last quarter of the 16th century. |
