Sacrificing one’s life in battling is bravery. There is an element of valour and sacrifice. But still greater will power and spirit of sacrifice is needed when the sacrifice is made to inspire others.
India has an unmatched example of this.
Mewar has always been the abode of Sisodiya Rajputs who had been ruling it since the very beginning. Chittaur was its capital and later it shifted to Udaipur. Although Jaipur has been the biggest and the most prosperous kingdom of central Rajasthan yet in pride and valour Mewar was supreme. Kota, a developed town of today was once a village of a small state called Boondi. Although tiny in size the state has a proud history of the stellar acts in bravery of its Hada Rajputs that matched those of Mewar. The heroine of this chapter, Hada Rani was the princess of Boondi who was married to Churavata, a chieftain of Mewar.
Then Aurangzeb was in power as dominant force in India.
Princess Roopwati of Roopnagar was a beauteous woman. In north India she had become the talk of the royal circles due to her beauty and other qualities. Aurangzeb too heard about her. He sent a message to the Raja of Roopnagar saying—’Moghul Emperor Aurangzeb wishes to marry your daughter Roopwati. Come to Delhi with her and get her married to the Emperor. Rest we leave it to your wisdom’.
Roopnagar was a small state. The Rajput king did not want his daughter to marry a middle aged Muslim ruler who had many other women in his harem. But at the same time could not afford to antagonise the mighty emperor and incur the wrath of massive Delhi forces. It was a dilemma.
Princess Roopwati wrote a letter to Maharana Rajsingh of Mewar—’Maharana, Moghul emperor Aurangzeb wants to marry me forcibly. I would rather die than marry that old Muslim ruler. You are a scion of Sisodiya dynasty. Marry me to deliver us from this dilemma or I will take my life by consuming poison.’ The letter she sent by hand of the royal priest.
The letter got Maharana thinking. His minister and chieftain Sardar Churavata asked the cause of his worry. Maharana passed on the letter of Roopwati to him. After reading the letter Churavata said, “Maharana! This girl has accepted you as her husband by heart. Now it is your moral duty to marry her and protect her honour. If you don’t go to her rescue and she takes poison it will sully the fair name of Mewar and some moral blame we shall have to share being indirectly responsible.”
Maharana expressed his concern, “You are saying the truth. But Aurangzeb must have heard about the developments by now and may be, a big Delhi force is already on its way to Boondi. We have a small army. If we all go to Roopnagar with our army we might run into Delhi force on our way. We might all become martyrs. Even in that situation Roopwati won’t stay alive. That is the situation.”
The commanders, Chieftains and ministers of Mewar discussed the issue and at last Churavata said, “My Maharana! With a small force you should go to Roopnagar, marry the princess and return to Udaipur. We shall rally up a sizable force and set out towards Delhi. If we find Moghul army on its way to Boondi, we shall engage it. Our chances of victory are neglible but we can keep the enemy engaged long enough to gain you time to marry Roopwati and return to Udaipur.”
So it was done. Maharana dashed to Roopnagar with a small force. Rest of them sounded battle drums and began to rally soldiers.
Sardar Churavata went to his palace. He himself was newly married to the princess of Boondi, now Hada Rani. Sardar loved his bride like his own life and more. He wondered what will happen to his beloved Hada Rani if he died fighting Moghuls. The tradition of Mewar was that in case of defeat the women folk used to sacrifice their lives by jumping into inferno instead of falling into enemy hands. The enemy was notorious for dishonouring the women of the vanquished. The very thought of his darling Hada Rani jumping into inferno made him shiver. He sadly shook his head.
Seeing him sullen and unhappy Hada Rani asked, “My master dear, why do you look sad? The men of war are full of zeal and courage while going into battle. And their women folk send them off cheerfully. So why are you sorrowful?”
“I am worried for you, Rani.”
“Stop worrying about me, my dearest master! I know my duty. Please think of your duty with single minded attention. Don’t let thoughts about me distract you and weaken your resolve. If you come back victorious we will live together happily. If you become martyr on the path of your sacred duty I will sit beside your dead body on the funeral pyre and let fire unite us in the death. In heaven we will live forever. Master, take your eyes off me and put them into seeing the path of duty.”
“That is true, my darling,” said Churavata leaving the chamber reluctantly. He was looking back after every two steps to cast his glance at his bride. Hada Rani sensed that his heart was not into going to the battle. It was hovering around her. Hada Rani reminded Churavata the Rajput tradition of pride and valour saying, “Master, go into the battle like a lion with pride in heart and smile on lips. I will pray for your glorious victory.”
In the square below Rajput army was ready for march into the battle zone. It wanted for the commander Sardar Churavata to emerge out of his palace and lead it. At last Churavata appeared and he slowly mounted his horse. But his eyes kept wandering to the balcony of his bride’s chamber. She stood there of course to get his last glimpse. Sardar Churavata also saw her beautiful frame. He felt a prick of infatuation in his heart. Goose pimples he got. He sent a messenger up to say, “Darling, to battle we go. Give me some token of your love to work as victory charm.”
Hada Rani asked the messenger to wait and did something no one had ever heard of.
She told the messenger, “Tell Sardar Churavata that we know how much he loves us. For my love he is reluctant to go into the battle. The battles are not won half heartedly. His heart and mind will always be with me and he won’t be able to fight like a true warrior. For me he will disgrace himself. So, I cut my head off and give it to him. He shall wear my severed head in his neck with my hair used as ropes. In this way I will be with him in the battle as well as at home, that is the only way out now.”
Hada Rani picked up a sword and severed her head. In a platter the messenger presented the covered head of Hada Rani to Sardar Churavata and related the message of Rani tearfully. Churavata wore her head in his neck and went into the battle. As expected he became martyr. It is a unique example of inspiring someone else into duty.
