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Maharana Pratap: The Invincible Warrior
Based on historical sources as well as Mewari oral traditions, this is a compelling, accessibly written biography of one of India’s greatest heroes.
113 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 15, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
June 23, 2020
Quite an unbiased book. This book does show the real truth of Maharana Pratap. The author bring lot of sources which was very helpful for me. This book doesn't indulge in hero worshiping and what i admired about this book is that the author showed both sides of story. She let the facts do the talk. And i believe that this author is expert in Rajputana history. So, she should write more books on such subjects.
Recently congress govt did politics on Maharana Pratap. Like they haven't done enough damage. Its irk us to see how congress do petty politics for history books in the name of appeasement. Its a shame that our historical legends are distorted by these political leaders. No doubt we as history lovers are reading more real history books and realising how Congress made a fool out of us.
Recently congress govt did politics on Maharana Pratap. Like they haven't done enough damage. Its irk us to see how congress do petty politics for history books in the name of appeasement. Its a shame that our historical legends are distorted by these political leaders. No doubt we as history lovers are reading more real history books and realising how Congress made a fool out of us.
April 20, 2021
As leygo andaag, paag leygo anaami
Gao Adha gavday, jiko vehto ghur vaami
Navrojey nahin gayo, na gao aatsa navvali
Na gao jharokha heyt, jeyt duniyana dehli
Guhilot Rana jeeti gayo, dashnaa moond rasna disi
Nisaas mook bhariya nayan, toh mrit Shah Pratap-si
Recited the Charan poet Dursa Adha of Marwar at the court of Akbar when the news of Maharana Pratap Singh's passing away reached them. It is said that Akbar himself, the enemy of Rana since his youth to his last days, shed tears upon the hearing of Maharana's sad demise. The author of this book declares 'through this Maharana won the long warred battle'.
For someone who traces his ancestry to Lord Rama himself, living in hideouts, looking after his kingdom as well as waging guerrilla tactics deep inside the forests against the Turk Akbar wasn't a new thing. He grew up in exile while his father Udai Singh swore that Mewar would never ever kneel next to the invaders which further, fuelled by the brave and valorous recitals of his ancestors, shaped the intent in the young Pratap who chose death over dishonour letting the enemies know that no matter what Mewar will never bow to the Mughals.
Maharana Pratap Singh is one of the most admired and beloved rulers of Rajasthan whose level of dedication and patriotism to the mother land as well as keeping the enemies at the bay still is sung and admired giving jolts of inspiration to the youth. Despite the numerous long distance cousins befalling next to the Mughals or choosing the safer side as well as the disappointed half brothers cutting ties with Mewar, the Maharana stood firm-foot and dared the enemies. It wasn't at all an easy task for Pratap but he never broke the promise of guarding it.
He had to go through a lot of perils but his childhood full of growing up with the Bhills knowing the forests as his breathes as well as his striking personality of befriending everyone served him well in such a way that the Emperor Akbar himself was shaken wondering how this little kingdom could never be won. It wasn't won, even after the demises of both Pratap and Akbar. Thus fulfilling the only strive of Pratap Singh.
Until his last breath, the Maharana Pratap Singh didn't budge to the enemies what more he weakened the imperial forces winning back the territories from the Mughals. However, as not every story is perfect, the Maharana could never win back Chittor, his ancestors' glory and had to accept the Death as it hovered over him through an injury he suffered during a hunt. However his two battles evidenced an imprinting of the brave Maharana Pratap Singh.
The 'Maharana Pratap: The Invincible Warrior', although short gives a macroscopic view on the life of Maharana Pratap Singh. Albeit born a prince he had to live in exile being neglected by his father but little did Udai Singh know that the very rejected son would raise the name of Mewar to the utmost glory whose brave children are still admired and talked over? The author Rima Hooja has done tremendous studies referring to both the Mewar and Mughal chronicles as well as the local bards and folklores. What I really loved about the author is that she acknowledges both sources drawing clear lines between them. Apart from one wrong mention of an incident I loved this book so much. I was disappointed at the quantity of the pages and chapters but this book serves as the best starter. The author doesn't stick to any sides and presents the history as it is. She also beautifully begins the prologue and gives justice to the whole book through the incredible epilogue. She gives an unbiased report of what happened, the victories and failures of both the parties. This poses as a great book for anyone who wants to gain a quick look into the Maharana Pratap Singh. I just wish that the author presents us more works on Maharana Pratap Singh, this time with larger quantity and indepth narration.
The author sports an excellent transporting narration that makes one feel like they're guarding Mewar with the Maharana himself. This book gave me a very good base for my exploration sealing the fact that there's more to learn about the valorous Maharana Pratap Singh of Mewar whose guerrilla tactics served inspirations to Malik Ambar and Chatrapati Shivaji against the Mughals in the future.
Ever since I had heard of Maharana Pratap who striked fear at the enemies heart I became a huge admirer and this book laid a great foundation to me. Maharana Pratap Singh would always stay in the patriots' hearts boosting us with inspiration and energy to dedicate our lives for the mother country.
I feel honoured to be born in the beautiful Bharat which birthed greatest heroes. Maharana Pratap Singh is not just a person from history but the epitome of greatness itself. My tribute to the brave hearts of Mewari for the resistance that surpassed through anything. This book let me know that this is just my beginning into the exploration and there's more to come.
Gao Adha gavday, jiko vehto ghur vaami
Navrojey nahin gayo, na gao aatsa navvali
Na gao jharokha heyt, jeyt duniyana dehli
Guhilot Rana jeeti gayo, dashnaa moond rasna disi
Nisaas mook bhariya nayan, toh mrit Shah Pratap-si
Recited the Charan poet Dursa Adha of Marwar at the court of Akbar when the news of Maharana Pratap Singh's passing away reached them. It is said that Akbar himself, the enemy of Rana since his youth to his last days, shed tears upon the hearing of Maharana's sad demise. The author of this book declares 'through this Maharana won the long warred battle'.
For someone who traces his ancestry to Lord Rama himself, living in hideouts, looking after his kingdom as well as waging guerrilla tactics deep inside the forests against the Turk Akbar wasn't a new thing. He grew up in exile while his father Udai Singh swore that Mewar would never ever kneel next to the invaders which further, fuelled by the brave and valorous recitals of his ancestors, shaped the intent in the young Pratap who chose death over dishonour letting the enemies know that no matter what Mewar will never bow to the Mughals.
Maharana Pratap Singh is one of the most admired and beloved rulers of Rajasthan whose level of dedication and patriotism to the mother land as well as keeping the enemies at the bay still is sung and admired giving jolts of inspiration to the youth. Despite the numerous long distance cousins befalling next to the Mughals or choosing the safer side as well as the disappointed half brothers cutting ties with Mewar, the Maharana stood firm-foot and dared the enemies. It wasn't at all an easy task for Pratap but he never broke the promise of guarding it.
He had to go through a lot of perils but his childhood full of growing up with the Bhills knowing the forests as his breathes as well as his striking personality of befriending everyone served him well in such a way that the Emperor Akbar himself was shaken wondering how this little kingdom could never be won. It wasn't won, even after the demises of both Pratap and Akbar. Thus fulfilling the only strive of Pratap Singh.
Until his last breath, the Maharana Pratap Singh didn't budge to the enemies what more he weakened the imperial forces winning back the territories from the Mughals. However, as not every story is perfect, the Maharana could never win back Chittor, his ancestors' glory and had to accept the Death as it hovered over him through an injury he suffered during a hunt. However his two battles evidenced an imprinting of the brave Maharana Pratap Singh.
The 'Maharana Pratap: The Invincible Warrior', although short gives a macroscopic view on the life of Maharana Pratap Singh. Albeit born a prince he had to live in exile being neglected by his father but little did Udai Singh know that the very rejected son would raise the name of Mewar to the utmost glory whose brave children are still admired and talked over? The author Rima Hooja has done tremendous studies referring to both the Mewar and Mughal chronicles as well as the local bards and folklores. What I really loved about the author is that she acknowledges both sources drawing clear lines between them. Apart from one wrong mention of an incident I loved this book so much. I was disappointed at the quantity of the pages and chapters but this book serves as the best starter. The author doesn't stick to any sides and presents the history as it is. She also beautifully begins the prologue and gives justice to the whole book through the incredible epilogue. She gives an unbiased report of what happened, the victories and failures of both the parties. This poses as a great book for anyone who wants to gain a quick look into the Maharana Pratap Singh. I just wish that the author presents us more works on Maharana Pratap Singh, this time with larger quantity and indepth narration.
The author sports an excellent transporting narration that makes one feel like they're guarding Mewar with the Maharana himself. This book gave me a very good base for my exploration sealing the fact that there's more to learn about the valorous Maharana Pratap Singh of Mewar whose guerrilla tactics served inspirations to Malik Ambar and Chatrapati Shivaji against the Mughals in the future.
Ever since I had heard of Maharana Pratap who striked fear at the enemies heart I became a huge admirer and this book laid a great foundation to me. Maharana Pratap Singh would always stay in the patriots' hearts boosting us with inspiration and energy to dedicate our lives for the mother country.
I feel honoured to be born in the beautiful Bharat which birthed greatest heroes. Maharana Pratap Singh is not just a person from history but the epitome of greatness itself. My tribute to the brave hearts of Mewari for the resistance that surpassed through anything. This book let me know that this is just my beginning into the exploration and there's more to come.
May 19, 2020
great book. started this on maharana pratap's jayanti . a few years ago there was controversy surrounding the revised syllabus of rajasthan board that portrayed the rana as the victor instead of Akbar. The book presents a similar picture. Rana was not the victor, perhaps , and the battle remained inconclusive and Akbar and his general Man singh could not prevail over mewar.
The life of the maharana is one of immense hardship and constant shifting. And of great inspiration. It is quoted how Akbar honoured his foe after hearing of his death and rewarded the court poet who said thus:
" As leygo andaag , paag leygo anaami
Gao adha gavday, jiko vehto ghur vaaami "
[you did not let your horse be branded by the imperial seal
Your turban remained unbowed before all
Songs of your valour where sung far and near
Even as you kept the wheel of governance moving with your left shoulder]
The life of the maharana is one of immense hardship and constant shifting. And of great inspiration. It is quoted how Akbar honoured his foe after hearing of his death and rewarded the court poet who said thus:
" As leygo andaag , paag leygo anaami
Gao adha gavday, jiko vehto ghur vaaami "
[you did not let your horse be branded by the imperial seal
Your turban remained unbowed before all
Songs of your valour where sung far and near
Even as you kept the wheel of governance moving with your left shoulder]
March 21, 2021
Book: Maharana Pratap: The Greatest Rajput Warrior
Author: Rima Hooja
Publisher: Juggernaut (15 October 2018)
Language: English
Hardcover: 232 pages
Item Weight: 320 g
Dimensions: 20 x 14 x 4 cm
Price: 475/-
True stories start out as news, and with the course of time they become history. As histories, particularly histories from before our modern era of information storage and fact-checking, get retold they get embellished and exaggerated, and gradually the need to tell a good story overwrites the messier bits of the truth. Eventually, the story comes to dominate the truth: that’s when history becomes legend.
Over 400 years ago, when the glory of the Mughal Empire under Akbar was at its height, a battle was fought near the village of Haldighati in Rajasthan. The mighty Mughal war machine faced the army of the Sisodias of Mewar, a Rajput clan.
The Mughals won the battle after a hard-won fight but Rana Pratap, the Mewar King who led the army on the Rajput side, managed to escape.
And, for the remaining years of his life, he played a cat and mouse game of great ingenuity with Akbar's armies. It made one of the most powerful monarchs of the world vow to use all the resources at his disposal to destroy Rana Pratap.
Akbar failed.
And, Mewar was the only Rajput kingdom during his reign, to remain free of Mughal domination.
A hero is a character; a legend is a story. Heroes can have legends, and legends almost always have heroes - but you can also have a hero who does not (yet) have a legend.
True stories start out as news, and with the passage of time they become history.
This fabulous book speaks of the exploits of Rana Pratap.
Incidentally, Pratap's life and times are known to us through three major sources, 1) the official history of the Mughal period written by court historians, 2) the Rajasthani chroniclers, and, 3) Tod's Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan.
Mughal historians, Abu'l Fazl and Badauni, wrote of Rana Pratap as a renegade and a trouble-maker who caused Akbar many difficulties due to his refusal to accept his sovereignty and become an ally of the Mughals. The Rajasthani chroniclers, including bards who composed heroic verses, regard him as the greatest hero of medieval India and the bravest of Rajputs.
It is a view that is corroborated by Tod's account of the exploits of the warrior-king. Tod's book is regarded as a storehouse of material dealing with various facets of Rana Pratap's life not usually found in historical works.
All the three sources shed valuable light on the type of man that Rana Pratap was and what compelled him to act the way he did. The exploits of Rana Pratap narrated by the bards and Tod combine myth with legend and make for a fascinating reading. Both relate romantic tales of a ruler made penniless and his sturdy frame exhausted by years of fighting, all because of his refusal to surrender his freedom.
This book certainly is a valuable addition to the repertoire.
The author has divided the book into seven chapters:
1. The Sun Kings
2. Prince of Mewar
3. The Fall of Chittor
4. A Crown of Thorns
5. The Battle of Haldighati
6. Guerrilla Warrior
7. The Maharana’s Last Years
After the death of Udai Singh on 3rd March, 1572, Rana Pratap succeeded to the gaddi of Mewar. He resolved to follow the traditions of his ancestors that the son of Bapa Rawal should bow the head to no mortal man. But it was no easy task to fight against the mighty Emperor under heavy odds.
Pratap succeeded to the titles and renown of an illustrious honour, but without a capital, without resources, his kindred and clan dispirited 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 power.
The scheming Mughal arrayed against Pratap his kindred in faith as well blood. The princes of Marwar, Amber, Bikaner and even Bundi took part with Akbar and upheld despotism. Nay, even his own brother Sagarji deserted him, and received, as the price of his deceit, the ancient capital of his race, and the title which that possession conferred.
But the magnitude of peril confirmed the fortitude of Pratap, who vowed in the words of the bard, to make his mother’s milk resplendent and he amply redeemed his pledge.
When Akbar sent a strong Imperial army under Man Singh and Asaf Khan in April 1576, to chastise the turbulent Rana, he came forward to meet his foes in the battle-field of Haldighat.
In their first encounter with the Mughals, the followers of Pratap made so devastating a charge that it created confusion in the vanguard of the Mughal army and many fled for protection.
The battle of Haldighati was fought on 21 June 1576. Man Singh's vanguard consisted of Rajputs under Jagannath, whereas Pratap's vanguard consisted of Afghan Pathans led by Hakim Khan Sur. The Mughals were waiting on the plains, when Pratap, wearing a helmet and chain armour over a white tunic (still preserved in Udaipur's City Palace Museum), came out and attacked the army.
He was astride Chetak, his favourite white stallion and his companion in many decisive battles. Chetak, too, was clad in colourful attire that ended with a mask resembling a grotesque war elephant, designed to terrify an opponent's horse and to protect him from the Mughal war elephants.
In the first flush of attack, Pratap's army almost broke through the Mughal ranks, but they were stopped in time by Man Singh and a few officers.
A personal encounter that took place between Pratap and Man Singh, who was riding an elephant, decided the fate of the battle. Pratap heaved his javelin at Man Singh, but ended up killing the mahout, the elephant-trainer.
Chetak, who had placed its forelegs on Man Singh's elephant was struck by the sword that the huge beast carried in its trunk. Chetak immediately turned and fled, carrying his wounded master out of danger.
Pratap was pursued by two Mughal horsemen but was saved by his brother, Sakta, who had followed them. But having carried his master to safety, his beloved Chetak, who had been severely wounded, died.
The overwhelming number of the Imperial army overpowered a small contingent of Rajputs led by Pratap.
The Rana was severely wounded and retreated to the hills. As Dr. Smith writes, “the victors were too exhausted to pursue him.”
The Imperialists later on captured all the strongholds of the Rana but the dauntless Sisodia never thought of submission.
There came many occasions when Pratap had to feed himself and his children barely with fruits of the jungle hills but he carried on his struggle till his life lasted.
Even during his lifetime Maharana Pratap had become a legendary figure, hero-worshipped for his courage and determination against tremendous odds, in maintaining Mewar’s independence, and upholding Rajput honour.
Over the centuries, the legend only grew and he remains today an enduring symbol of patriotism, valour and chivalry.
One wonders whether, in his more reflective moments, Maharana Pratap looked back at the personal histories of some of his ancestors whose lives had included periods of exile, of living in forests and caves, and other hardships, in spite of their having being born royal.
The list of such forebears included (according to Mewar’s royal genealogy) Lord Rama, who had spent fourteen years in exile in a forest, and the orphaned Guha, ancestor of the Guhila Rajputs, who was brought up in a forest cave amongst the Bhils.
Then, among his more immediate ancestors there was his grandfather Sanga and great-uncles, the princes Prithviraj and Jaimal, whose intense sibling rivalry led to all three spending part of their youth in semi-exile during the lifetime of their father.
And Pratap’s own father, Udai Singh, who escaped being murdered by his half-brother Banbeer, had spent a phase of his boyhood in hiding, shuttling between the forts of Chittor and Ranthambore, his maternal uncle’s kingdom of Bundi, and the forests and fort of Kumbhalgarh. Exile and disinheritance were aspects of reality for many a crowned head – even Pratap’s adversary Akbar had been born in exile.
Perhaps Pratap was too stoic a personality to have lamented that a life of exile and hardship in the forests and hills of Mewar was a fate preordained for his line.
But there must have been times when he wondered how long he could hold out against Akbar and his armies.
Reading the concluding chapters of this book, two questions naturally emerge in the mind’s eye of the reader:
1) What made him so unbending in his resolve to confront the Mughal forces again and again?
2) Why did he refuse to even engage in dialogue with Emperor Akbar, or to try and negotiate for peace with honour?
Perhaps the code that had been instilled in him as a boy – a code that eulogized bravery in the face of misfortune, and the readiness to choose death before dishonour – was one that was so deeply embedded in him that he could not shake it off.
Perhaps as the head of the oldest and most important Rajput kingdom he felt it his duty to uphold Rajput honour when lesser Rajput princes were succumbing to the lures of the Mughal court.
We can only speculate, for we know very little about the doughty warrior’s own feelings, other than his oft-repeated declaration that he would never lay down his weapons against the Mughals, and that he would maintain Mewar’s independence and sovereignty till his dying breath.
In 1557, Pratap died worn out both in body and mind but he had the satisfaction that he had recovered all Mewar except the fort of Chittor, Ajmer and Mandalgarh.
His Chiefs pledged to him at his deathbed that his country would not be surrendered to the Turks.
When news of Pratap’s death reached Akbar at his court, then at Lahore, the Charan poet Dursa Adha from Marwar stood up and praised the Maharana, spontaneously composing and reciting his now famous poem before the emperor.
The poem hailed Maharana Pratap as one who had not bowed before another in his lifetime, noting that the brave Pratap, the ‘noble Guhilot Rana’, had preferred hardship to subservience.
“As leygo andaag, paag leygo anaami,
Gao Adha gavday, jiko vehto ghur vaami.”
You did not let your horses be branded by the imperial seal,
Your turban remained unbowed before all.
After the death of Pratap, the Imperialists led by Man Singh, again invaded Mewar. Pratap’s son, Amar Singh, offered heroic resistance, though defeated but the imperial operations were abruptly stopped because there was a rebellion of Usman Khan in Bengal. Akbar’s death took place on 17th October, 1605 but he had not succeeded in his ambition to subdue Mewar.
True stories start out as news, and with the passage of time they become history. As histories, especially histories from before our modern era of information storage and fact-checking, get retold they get embellished and exaggerated, and gradually the need to tell a good story overwrites the messier bits of the truth.
Eventually, the story comes to dominate the truth: that’s when history becomes legend.
I scrupulously enjoyed the evenhanded standpoint of the author.
Grab a copy if you choose.
Author: Rima Hooja
Publisher: Juggernaut (15 October 2018)
Language: English
Hardcover: 232 pages
Item Weight: 320 g
Dimensions: 20 x 14 x 4 cm
Price: 475/-
True stories start out as news, and with the course of time they become history. As histories, particularly histories from before our modern era of information storage and fact-checking, get retold they get embellished and exaggerated, and gradually the need to tell a good story overwrites the messier bits of the truth. Eventually, the story comes to dominate the truth: that’s when history becomes legend.
Over 400 years ago, when the glory of the Mughal Empire under Akbar was at its height, a battle was fought near the village of Haldighati in Rajasthan. The mighty Mughal war machine faced the army of the Sisodias of Mewar, a Rajput clan.
The Mughals won the battle after a hard-won fight but Rana Pratap, the Mewar King who led the army on the Rajput side, managed to escape.
And, for the remaining years of his life, he played a cat and mouse game of great ingenuity with Akbar's armies. It made one of the most powerful monarchs of the world vow to use all the resources at his disposal to destroy Rana Pratap.
Akbar failed.
And, Mewar was the only Rajput kingdom during his reign, to remain free of Mughal domination.
A hero is a character; a legend is a story. Heroes can have legends, and legends almost always have heroes - but you can also have a hero who does not (yet) have a legend.
True stories start out as news, and with the passage of time they become history.
This fabulous book speaks of the exploits of Rana Pratap.
Incidentally, Pratap's life and times are known to us through three major sources, 1) the official history of the Mughal period written by court historians, 2) the Rajasthani chroniclers, and, 3) Tod's Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan.
Mughal historians, Abu'l Fazl and Badauni, wrote of Rana Pratap as a renegade and a trouble-maker who caused Akbar many difficulties due to his refusal to accept his sovereignty and become an ally of the Mughals. The Rajasthani chroniclers, including bards who composed heroic verses, regard him as the greatest hero of medieval India and the bravest of Rajputs.
It is a view that is corroborated by Tod's account of the exploits of the warrior-king. Tod's book is regarded as a storehouse of material dealing with various facets of Rana Pratap's life not usually found in historical works.
All the three sources shed valuable light on the type of man that Rana Pratap was and what compelled him to act the way he did. The exploits of Rana Pratap narrated by the bards and Tod combine myth with legend and make for a fascinating reading. Both relate romantic tales of a ruler made penniless and his sturdy frame exhausted by years of fighting, all because of his refusal to surrender his freedom.
This book certainly is a valuable addition to the repertoire.
The author has divided the book into seven chapters:
1. The Sun Kings
2. Prince of Mewar
3. The Fall of Chittor
4. A Crown of Thorns
5. The Battle of Haldighati
6. Guerrilla Warrior
7. The Maharana’s Last Years
After the death of Udai Singh on 3rd March, 1572, Rana Pratap succeeded to the gaddi of Mewar. He resolved to follow the traditions of his ancestors that the son of Bapa Rawal should bow the head to no mortal man. But it was no easy task to fight against the mighty Emperor under heavy odds.
Pratap succeeded to the titles and renown of an illustrious honour, but without a capital, without resources, his kindred and clan dispirited 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 power.
The scheming Mughal arrayed against Pratap his kindred in faith as well blood. The princes of Marwar, Amber, Bikaner and even Bundi took part with Akbar and upheld despotism. Nay, even his own brother Sagarji deserted him, and received, as the price of his deceit, the ancient capital of his race, and the title which that possession conferred.
But the magnitude of peril confirmed the fortitude of Pratap, who vowed in the words of the bard, to make his mother’s milk resplendent and he amply redeemed his pledge.
When Akbar sent a strong Imperial army under Man Singh and Asaf Khan in April 1576, to chastise the turbulent Rana, he came forward to meet his foes in the battle-field of Haldighat.
In their first encounter with the Mughals, the followers of Pratap made so devastating a charge that it created confusion in the vanguard of the Mughal army and many fled for protection.
The battle of Haldighati was fought on 21 June 1576. Man Singh's vanguard consisted of Rajputs under Jagannath, whereas Pratap's vanguard consisted of Afghan Pathans led by Hakim Khan Sur. The Mughals were waiting on the plains, when Pratap, wearing a helmet and chain armour over a white tunic (still preserved in Udaipur's City Palace Museum), came out and attacked the army.
He was astride Chetak, his favourite white stallion and his companion in many decisive battles. Chetak, too, was clad in colourful attire that ended with a mask resembling a grotesque war elephant, designed to terrify an opponent's horse and to protect him from the Mughal war elephants.
In the first flush of attack, Pratap's army almost broke through the Mughal ranks, but they were stopped in time by Man Singh and a few officers.
A personal encounter that took place between Pratap and Man Singh, who was riding an elephant, decided the fate of the battle. Pratap heaved his javelin at Man Singh, but ended up killing the mahout, the elephant-trainer.
Chetak, who had placed its forelegs on Man Singh's elephant was struck by the sword that the huge beast carried in its trunk. Chetak immediately turned and fled, carrying his wounded master out of danger.
Pratap was pursued by two Mughal horsemen but was saved by his brother, Sakta, who had followed them. But having carried his master to safety, his beloved Chetak, who had been severely wounded, died.
The overwhelming number of the Imperial army overpowered a small contingent of Rajputs led by Pratap.
The Rana was severely wounded and retreated to the hills. As Dr. Smith writes, “the victors were too exhausted to pursue him.”
The Imperialists later on captured all the strongholds of the Rana but the dauntless Sisodia never thought of submission.
There came many occasions when Pratap had to feed himself and his children barely with fruits of the jungle hills but he carried on his struggle till his life lasted.
Even during his lifetime Maharana Pratap had become a legendary figure, hero-worshipped for his courage and determination against tremendous odds, in maintaining Mewar’s independence, and upholding Rajput honour.
Over the centuries, the legend only grew and he remains today an enduring symbol of patriotism, valour and chivalry.
One wonders whether, in his more reflective moments, Maharana Pratap looked back at the personal histories of some of his ancestors whose lives had included periods of exile, of living in forests and caves, and other hardships, in spite of their having being born royal.
The list of such forebears included (according to Mewar’s royal genealogy) Lord Rama, who had spent fourteen years in exile in a forest, and the orphaned Guha, ancestor of the Guhila Rajputs, who was brought up in a forest cave amongst the Bhils.
Then, among his more immediate ancestors there was his grandfather Sanga and great-uncles, the princes Prithviraj and Jaimal, whose intense sibling rivalry led to all three spending part of their youth in semi-exile during the lifetime of their father.
And Pratap’s own father, Udai Singh, who escaped being murdered by his half-brother Banbeer, had spent a phase of his boyhood in hiding, shuttling between the forts of Chittor and Ranthambore, his maternal uncle’s kingdom of Bundi, and the forests and fort of Kumbhalgarh. Exile and disinheritance were aspects of reality for many a crowned head – even Pratap’s adversary Akbar had been born in exile.
Perhaps Pratap was too stoic a personality to have lamented that a life of exile and hardship in the forests and hills of Mewar was a fate preordained for his line.
But there must have been times when he wondered how long he could hold out against Akbar and his armies.
Reading the concluding chapters of this book, two questions naturally emerge in the mind’s eye of the reader:
1) What made him so unbending in his resolve to confront the Mughal forces again and again?
2) Why did he refuse to even engage in dialogue with Emperor Akbar, or to try and negotiate for peace with honour?
Perhaps the code that had been instilled in him as a boy – a code that eulogized bravery in the face of misfortune, and the readiness to choose death before dishonour – was one that was so deeply embedded in him that he could not shake it off.
Perhaps as the head of the oldest and most important Rajput kingdom he felt it his duty to uphold Rajput honour when lesser Rajput princes were succumbing to the lures of the Mughal court.
We can only speculate, for we know very little about the doughty warrior’s own feelings, other than his oft-repeated declaration that he would never lay down his weapons against the Mughals, and that he would maintain Mewar’s independence and sovereignty till his dying breath.
In 1557, Pratap died worn out both in body and mind but he had the satisfaction that he had recovered all Mewar except the fort of Chittor, Ajmer and Mandalgarh.
His Chiefs pledged to him at his deathbed that his country would not be surrendered to the Turks.
When news of Pratap’s death reached Akbar at his court, then at Lahore, the Charan poet Dursa Adha from Marwar stood up and praised the Maharana, spontaneously composing and reciting his now famous poem before the emperor.
The poem hailed Maharana Pratap as one who had not bowed before another in his lifetime, noting that the brave Pratap, the ‘noble Guhilot Rana’, had preferred hardship to subservience.
“As leygo andaag, paag leygo anaami,
Gao Adha gavday, jiko vehto ghur vaami.”
You did not let your horses be branded by the imperial seal,
Your turban remained unbowed before all.
After the death of Pratap, the Imperialists led by Man Singh, again invaded Mewar. Pratap’s son, Amar Singh, offered heroic resistance, though defeated but the imperial operations were abruptly stopped because there was a rebellion of Usman Khan in Bengal. Akbar’s death took place on 17th October, 1605 but he had not succeeded in his ambition to subdue Mewar.
True stories start out as news, and with the passage of time they become history. As histories, especially histories from before our modern era of information storage and fact-checking, get retold they get embellished and exaggerated, and gradually the need to tell a good story overwrites the messier bits of the truth.
Eventually, the story comes to dominate the truth: that’s when history becomes legend.
I scrupulously enjoyed the evenhanded standpoint of the author.
Grab a copy if you choose.
December 2, 2018
An absolutely outstanding book. The Author shows her deep knowledge of the History of Rajputana and her sources are impeccable. Her knowledge on the subject is also impressive. The book clearly shows why Maharana Pratap is considered such an icon by India. Against impossible odds he fought an empire to a standstill and held his own. His story is so inspiring that the book should be a compulsory text in schools and universities. The Author deliberately avoids hyperbole. The Maharana required none. Even legendary stories are mentioned as such. The book is also is a tribute to Mewar. Always willing to give sanctuary no matter what the cost. Its flower decimated year after year but still struggling on. No matter what the cost. Rarely in the history of the world is there such an example. The book retains pride of place in my bookshelf and the Author will truly deserve all the accolades she'll get.
September 18, 2019
Amazing amazing amazing. Unputdownable. Every fact and figure is accounted for, nothing is exemplified and yet because of his sheer will, audacity, courage, determination and valour, Maharana Pratap shines through.
This was my first book on anything related to Rajasthan history or even Rajasthan literature and I struck gold.
Now I feel even much more curious and excited about Rajasthan's history. Gonna sink my teeth into 2 more books I've carefully selected.
To sum up, this is a must must read. Hats off to Rima Hooja ma'am!
This was my first book on anything related to Rajasthan history or even Rajasthan literature and I struck gold.
Now I feel even much more curious and excited about Rajasthan's history. Gonna sink my teeth into 2 more books I've carefully selected.
To sum up, this is a must must read. Hats off to Rima Hooja ma'am!
April 18, 2025
An introductory lesson in the life and history of the great Maharana Pratap and Mewar’s fight against the Mughal empire ⚔️
An inspiring story that has definitely inspired me to know more about his life and the history of Rajasthan as a whole 🏰
An important chapter revisited from the history books! 🐎
An inspiring story that has definitely inspired me to know more about his life and the history of Rajasthan as a whole 🏰
An important chapter revisited from the history books! 🐎
June 2, 2019
Maharana Pratap is a legend whose stories are often recalled with much wonder and appreciation. This book is a well-researched biography that tells the tales of Maharana Pratap’s heroic deeds. The author has a good understanding of the Rajputana history which can be seen in the writing. The author has stuck to facts and when deriving something from folklore or legends, it has been expressly mentioned that that is the source. The book is not only inspiring but contains hard-hitting facts that will give a person deep knowledge about Maharana Pratap. Therefore, it is a good book and I will definitely recommend it to readers. It is easy to read and the writing is simple (without exaggeration of Maharana’s triumphs and actions).
January 15, 2019
Having been brought up on the tales of valour and chivalry of the great Maharana it is indeed refreshing to read it as it was told. The writer has done a outstanding job. It is a well researched book and very easy to read. I would recommend it to all history buffs. Everyone has heard of the Greeks and the battle of Thermopylae however, very few would have heard of Haldighati. It was a battle no less fierce. It boggles the mind about the character of the Maharana, how this man held everyone and everything to gather inspite of all the struggles. A highly recommended book.
January 17, 2021
Well I mostly read fiction but I watched a video on maharana pratap and thought of reading it. And this is my first book in this genre. Before start reading it I thought author gonna force us to choose a side and Maharana Pratap will be the protagonist and emperor Akbar will be antagonist but not single line I felt that way. This book very much unbiased and the thing I liked about this book is that it has used a lot of sources and collected the facts and not anyone's perspectives. Overall I liked it.
October 25, 2022
This book really did justice to Maharana's character and greatness. Though a small book, a very quick read, it was a book worth enjoying. One will learn about other lesser known attributes of Maharana like his humility, chivalry and intelligence other than his bravery that is widely known. I deducted 1 star only because the book seemed too small and a bit less detailed to me, I wanted to know more about Maharana pratap. By the way I found my courage 5 times increased after reading this book, at the end of this book I had years in my eyes, sich was the impact, So overall good writing.
February 10, 2019
A very well written book on Maharana Pratap. I never read about him other than my school history books . Author has done a great justice to this legendary warrior. Whatever records have been maintained over a period of time to save our history the stories narrated in the book are very relatable & inspiring. The passage of time ,the heroic stories & battles conveyed with such a ease is commendable..Must read who are interested in Fascinating Rajput history..
February 27, 2019
Thanks to Amar Chitra Katha - Rana Pratap's story was legendary. Hence picking up this book was easy. Not much is known about the Rana from a historical fact point. Whatever is know is from the various local stories as well as poems written about him.
This book puts his heroism in perspective. The author beautifully strings together the various stories as well historical facts to tell us more about Maharana Pratap. I liked this book!
This is a book for history buffs!
This book puts his heroism in perspective. The author beautifully strings together the various stories as well historical facts to tell us more about Maharana Pratap. I liked this book!
This is a book for history buffs!
August 5, 2020
This book could easily have been a long article. The amount of detail which this book offers about the legendary ruler of Mewar is minuscule. While reading this book I felt as if the author is trying very hard to fill pages with irrelevant information. You don't have to buy this book, you can get the same information on the Wikipedia page.
A book on Maharana Pratap offers great opportunity but its sad to see how this great opportunity has been floundered. A disappointing read.
A book on Maharana Pratap offers great opportunity but its sad to see how this great opportunity has been floundered. A disappointing read.
December 8, 2020
Not enough information about Maharana Pratap
There was a lot of irrelevant information that did not pertain to the glorification of Maharana Pratap. The chapters also went on a tangent of other characters and the information at times became scattered and uninteresting as it didn’t relate to Pratap’s life as much.
There was other information about Maharana Pratap and his tactics that were quite interesting and backed with factual information/sources. I enjoyed those parts.
There was a lot of irrelevant information that did not pertain to the glorification of Maharana Pratap. The chapters also went on a tangent of other characters and the information at times became scattered and uninteresting as it didn’t relate to Pratap’s life as much.
There was other information about Maharana Pratap and his tactics that were quite interesting and backed with factual information/sources. I enjoyed those parts.
March 31, 2023
A well researched and un biased account of Maharana Pratap's life. There are no prejudices or judgemental statements by the author but historical facts. I can see the limitation in terms of few years of Maharana's life but that is because of unavailability of written documents/any other reference material. That is fine with me, it does happen but whatever the author offers is based on solid facts with fairly well written narration.
August 9, 2020
The book tells us about the glorious history of Rajputs and Maharana Pratap. Very well researched and written. It doesn't only tell about Maharana Pratap but also about Akbar , Man Singh and many more important persons of that era. A must read if you want to dive into the medieval era of bravery and sacrifices.
November 18, 2020
A decent one time read though most of the historical accounts are quite popular already. The memoir has done some justice to the details of infringing and immediate circumstances post-haldighati for Maharana Pratap. It was interesting to read how grit and resolve to hold your honor high above all seems to be unshakeable for Pratap-Akbar but seems blurry for the grandson duo of Karan-Salim.
October 23, 2022
A hero from India that fought off an invading Turkish force. This was the only book on Maharana Pratap I could find available in English. A quick read, more detail focused than anything else. It was lacking in the entertainment level, but a worthy read for anyone interested in history.
Read
February 28, 2025crazy 7-8 varas pehla papa laaya ta aa book amaara maate me 20 page vanchela didi ae 50 page vanchela ane meanings bhi underline karya ta
aaje bhai ae pataai didhi aa book maja to aayi english thodu heavy hatu pan
information overload thai jatu thodu pan history book che etle kadach hoy j evu
aaje bhai ae pataai didhi aa book maja to aayi english thodu heavy hatu pan
information overload thai jatu thodu pan history book che etle kadach hoy j evu
May 12, 2019
Good overview of the life and times. The struggles and glories of the life of Maharana Pratap. Some facets were not known.
January 18, 2020
Good book, easy read and factual. Finally good synopsis at the end.
July 3, 2020
A very interesting and medium length narration on the historical events and the legendary king
August 30, 2020
Neither good nor bad this book is in my view.
But courage of maharana pratap is limitless 🤘,
No One can measure and challenge it.😄
But courage of maharana pratap is limitless 🤘,
No One can measure and challenge it.😄
April 26, 2021
Could have had more details.
January 26, 2022
A concise account of the life and history of Pratap and why he really deserves the title of Maharana. Makes me want to read more about him.
August 26, 2022
Very good book ,with detailed information of Maharana Pratap as well as his ancestors
February 21, 2023
Good for brief overview about Maharana Pratap. Although would not recommend to anyone who does not know about him beforehand.
July 26, 2022
A good book on the life of one of the most legendary figures of Indian history. The only complaint i could have is that it is very brief, which might be accounted to the fact that during the time not much was written on historic accounts rather it was propagated through oral traditions. I would love to know more about the Maharana, I am certainly encouraged to visit Mewar and see the places mentioned in this book.
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