Having made up his mind Maharana Jagmal summoned Pratap Singh through a royal messenger without wasting time.
Maharana Jagmal said to him, “Pratap Singh, you are my elder brother alright. But you must remember that I am the King. Your trying to advise me was a transgression and an insult to the throne.”
Pratap Singh was stunned.
Slowly a rage swept through him. The imposter who managed to sit on the throne through the manipulation of his mother was rebuking him. He angrily stared at Jagmal.
“Don’t stare at me in that way. Show due respect to the throne,” Jagmal screamed.
“Jagmal!” Pratap Singh groaned.
His hand moved towards the hilt of his sword. Then, it retreated without drawing out the weapon.
Jagmal Singh had noticed that act.
It gave him an excuse to pass on a judgement.
He announced, “For showing disrespect to the throne and displaying outrageous behaviour, I, the king of Udaipur order you to leave the Kingdom. You shall not enter into the boundaries of this kingdom.”
Pratap Singh heard it in shock.
“Are you serious, Maharana Jagmal Singh?’’ He could not believe that his brother could be so harsh and stupid.
‘‘I am serious. Obey the royal orders,’’ Jagmal gruffly said.
The die was cast.
Pratap Singh didn’t want to create an ugly scene by raising the banner of rebellion and get accused for treason. He had utmost respect for the throne of Udaipur which he would always uphold.
So, he decided to leave Udaipur and wait for the wise counsel to prevail.
Pratap Singh departed from the court and after mounting he raced his horse out of the city towards the border of the kingdom without caring to go to his palace to collect his things.
He was in an agitated frame of mind.
The people saw a familiar royal figure galloping his horse out of the city.
Soon, the news of Pratap Singh being expelled out of the kingdom by the order of the king became known to all. A mood of frustration and dismay spread like wild fire all over the kingdom.
The people were angry at the foolishness of the king.
Pratap Singh had already become a hero figure of the kingdom. For long years he was being projected as the crown prince and the future king of Udaipur. The royalty and the court had been creating legends about him to pep up the population and raise the morale of the people. Pratap Singh had become a cult figure and the people had begun to weave their dreams around him. His larger than life image had already been installed in the minds of the people. His sudden exit was just not acceptable to the people.
All over the kingdom the people had grim faces and there was palpable tension in the air. There was real danger of the people’s anger reaching a flash point.
The youth especially were very agitated. For them Pratap Singh was the symbol of Rajput valour and honour. Jagmal was merely a jackal feeding itself on the weakness of the late Maharana.
Now the chieftains and the courtiers realised that accepting Jagmal Singh as the heir to Udaipur throne in deference to Uday Singh was their grave mistake.
The army commanders and ministers held meetings to discuss the matter and to control the damage being done by immature king’s decision.
The king of Jhalawad who was maternal uncle of Pratap Singh had conveyed his misgivings on Jagmal being made the ruler of Udaipur. The commanders and chieftains conveyed to him that they were ready to rebel against Jagmal Singh.
Jhalawad king decided to take matters in his hands and instal Pratap Singh on the throne replacing Jagmal.
Pratap was still in Mewar territory when he saw two horsemen coming in his pursuit. He wondered, ‘Could they be Jagmal’s agents?’
Highly unlikely because to deal with Pratap Singh in battle more than two soldiers would be needed. So? Pratap Singh slowed down his horse and waited for the two to reach him as they looked familiar figures.
One of them was Chandravata, Mewar’s prominent chieftain and a close friend of Pratap Singh’s maternal uncle.
He called out, “Wait Pratap! You won’t go away. We are here to take you back, Everyone is waiting there in Udaipur for you.”
“But sir…”, Pratap said a bit puzzled and added, “I have been banished from Udaipur. Don’t you know? Maharana Jagmal did that.”
“Jagmal is an idiot,” Chandravat hissed. “He does not know how to run a kingdom. You are the real crown prince. Now you must occupy the throne. That is the decision of all the chieftains and the ministers besides the people of Mewar.”
Pratap Singh stared at him before asking, “How is that possible when Jagmal is already in the throne? He is my younger brother. I don’t want any blood shed.”
Chandravat insisted, “No Pratap! You must come back before it is too late. It is not the question of Jagmal. It is the question of very existence of Mewar kingdom. Udaipur will disintegrate in your absence.”
Pratap Singh hesitatened, “But how can an elder brother harm his younger brother for the crown? I won’t wage a civil war and cause killings.”
“Killings will start if you don’t come back. The soldiers are in rebellious mood. The people are so angry that there is danger of an uprising. It will be real bloodshed which only your return can prevent,” Chandravat pleaded.
If what Pratap Singh was being told was true then for the sake of Mewar it was imperative for him to return because it was a question of the survival of the kingdom. In such a scenario his not retuning to set things right could be an act of betrayal to the people and morally a treason against the throne which faced destruction due to the stupidity of its occupant. The state was more important than an individual even if it be the king. After all throne was merely the symbolic item representing the kingdom.
Such thoughts made Pratap Singh turn back his horse. The two followed him to the capital, Udaipur.
Meanwhile, after getting rid of Pratap Singh, Maharana and his stooges had decided to celebrate. The cronies had convinced Jagmal that exiling Pratap was his first brave act that had established him a true sovereign of Mewar kingdom.
They had partied all night long.
The next day, Jagmal was holding court when Pratap Singh and party arrived at the court. He looked at Pratap in disbelief. He could not understand what Pratap was doing there who should have been out of the limits of Mewar.
Was Pratap Singh defying royal orders?
What shocked him was the fact that all the courtiers had stood up respectfully when Pratap Singh had entered the court.
Chandravat addressed him, “Jagmal Singh! Vacate the throne for Pratap Singh!”
“What? Are you in your senses?” Jagmal Singh screamed.
“Yes, prince Jagmal,” Chandravat spoke in the measured voice and went on, “We are in our senses now. But perhaps we were not when we accepted you as our king to honour the wish of our late Maharanaji. You are not fit to be in that throne. It always belonged to Pratap Singh, the eldest prince of Sisodiya dynasty which rules this land.”
Jagmal Singh was shaking in anger.
He screamed at the soldiers, “Nab that traitor Chandravat and put him in the prison to be tried later.”
The soldiers made no move. They simply bent their heads down.
Maharana Jagmal Singh tried to look at the ministers and the chieftains for support. But to his shock no one met his eyes. Everyone avoided his gaze.
There was a pin drop silence in the court.
Nothing moved. Jagmal realised that he stood alone. A chill went down his spine.
He rose up like a gambler who had lost everything. As a last gamble he drew out his sword and challenged, “Take out your sword, Pratap. Let our swords decide the matter.’’
Pratap Singh’s hand went towards his sword in reflex action. He hesitated for a moment and looked towards Chandravat questioningly.
Chandravat drew out his sword and called out to the commanders and chieftains, “Sardars!” Draw out your swords and tell Jagmal Singh that we all stand by Pratap Singh and accept him as Maharana of Udaipur.’’
All the commanders rose up and drew out their swords and announced in unison, “We are with Maharana Pratap Singh.”
It angered Jagmal.
A lava of hatred for Pratap Singh and Chandravat was welling up in him. In a revengeful mood he staggered towards Pratap Singh.
Chandravat was alert. He had anticipated some such development. In a swift charge he cut down Jagmal’s sword. Two soldiers nabbed him immediately and he was led to the prison.
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