LEGENDARY QUEEN MOTHER PADMINI - IMMORTAL RAJPUTS

रगता सेता रंणा नमो माँ क्रसना नीला

कुळेस्सुरी आसुरी सुरी सुसिला गर्वीला,

दीरघ लघु वपु द्रढ़ा सबेही रूप विरूपा

वकला सकला व्रजा उपावंण आप अपूपा,

घण पवण हुतासण सूं प्रबळ, चामुंडा वंदूं चरण,

कवि पार तुझ ईसर कहै, कालिका जांणे कवण ।।१।।

हे माँ! आपके अनेक रूप हैं। आप अरुणवर्णा, श्वेतवर्णा तथा नीलवर्णा हो । आप भूलोक में कुलेश्वरी, पाताललोक में आसुरी शक्ति तथा देवलोक में देवशक्ति हो। आप सौम्य प्रकृति के प्राणियों में सुशीलता के रूप में तथा प्रखर पराक्रमी जनों में गर्व के रूप में शोभायमान हो। आपका स्वरूप बड़े से बड़ा (महतो महीयान्) तथा छोटे से छोटा (अणोरणीयान्) है। आप भक्तरक्षा के लिए दृढ़प्रतिज्ञ हो। आप सर्वरूपा हो। आप त्रिगुणातीत तथा त्रिगुणमयी हो। हे व्रज की उपास्या अम्बा! आपने अपने-आप से ही जगत् की सृष्टि की है। आप पवन और अग्नि से भी प्रबल तथा प्रचण्ड हो। हे चामुण्डा ! मैं आपके चरणों की वन्दना करता हूँ। आप कवियों की वर्णनशक्ति से परे हो, तथापि आपके दास ईसर ने आपकी महिमा का वर्णन करने की चेष्टा की है। हे कालिका! आपको कौन जान सकता है।

घम घमंत घूघरी, पाय नेउरी रणंझण,

डम डमंत डाकळी, ताळ ताळी बज्जे तंण,

पाय सिंघ गळ अडै़, चक्र झळहळे चऊदह,

मिले क्रोड़ तेतीस, उदो सुरियंद अणंदह,

अद्भूत रूप सकती अकळ, प्रेम दूत पाळंतिय

गहे गहे वार डमरू डहक, महमाया आवंतिय ।। २।।

हे महामाया माँ! आप इस अकिंचन ईसरदास को दर्शन देने सिंह पर सवार होकर आई हो। घूघरी की घमकार और नेवर की रणझण ध्वनि से वातावरण व्याप्त है। डमरू की मधुर डम-डम ध्वनि गूंज रही है। तेतीस करोड़ देवी-देवता आनन्द से तालबद्ध करतल ध्वनि कर रहे हैं। आपका एक चरण सिंह की गर्दन पर शोभायमान है। हे आदिशक्ति चक्रेश्वरी! आपके चक्र की प्रभा चौदह लोकों में व्याप्त है। आपका स्वरूप अद्भुत है। प्रेमतत्त्व आपकी कृपा का सन्देशवाहक है जो दुःख और दीनता से बचाता है। उसकी शक्ति अपार है।

चढ़े सिंघ चामुण्ड,कमळ हुंकारव कद्धौ,

डरो चरन्तो देख, असुर भागियो अवद्धौ,

आदि सक्ति आपड़े, रूक वाहिये रमंतां,

खाळ रगत खळहळे, ढळे ढींगोळ धरंतां,

हींगोळराय अठदस हथी, भखै मैख भुवनेसरी,

कवि जोड़ पांण ईसर कहे, उदो उदो आसापुरी ।। ३।।

ंिसंह पर सवार चामुण्डा माता ने मुखकमल से हुंकार की, तो भैंसे के रूप में विचरण कर रहा महिषासुर जो सबके लिए अवध्य था, डरकर भागने लगा। आप आदिशक्ति ने उसके सामने प्रकट होकर उसे रोका तथा खेल-खेल में त्रिशूल का प्रहार किया। रक्त का नाला बह निकला और महिषासुर वहीं ढेर हो गया। हे अठारह भुजाओं वाली भुवनेश्वरी हिंगलाजमाता! आपके सिंह ने महिषासुर को अपना आहार बना लिया। हे आशापूरा माता! आपका भक्त ईसरदास हाथ जोड़कर कर प्रार्थना कर रहा है कि आप भक्तों की रक्षा के लिए ऐसे ही बार-बार अवतरित होती ।

The recent debate ones about Rani Padmini of Chittorgarh have compelled me to write this post to you.

Dhimmi seem to be disgusted by the fact that the people of Mewar and a large population of india regards Rani Padmini as a brave woman worthy of immense respect because she chose self immolation over dishonour.

https://youtu.be/hXW0MTyrFvk

They cant even tolerate one word (which is baby not even babe)... But call 5 percent patriotic Royal Warrior community of 1.4 billion natives, goons and what not for raising voice against....

This kind of reverence to a queen who lived 700 years ago for an allegedly “regressive and patriarchal” decision and “celebration” of her sacrifice seems to have outraged many liberandus, progressive high on dope ideology, please allow me to demystify some myths (pun intended ) for you All.

Rani Padmini was the wife of Maharawal Ratan Singh who was the ruler of Mewar when Alauddin Khilji decided to conquer the Chittorgarh fort. Now, romanticism and popular culture has made us believe that Khilji attacked Chittorgarh because be wanted to “have” Rani Padmini. This is where all the confusion originates. Because your disillusionment about why Rani Padmini didn’t “choose life” also roots from this confusion. Because this idea that Khilji wanted to “have” Rani Padmini gives rise to the notions that why then she didn’t just let him “have” her and then continued to “Survive and thrive” (yours words, not mine)?

Unfortunately, medieval warfare was a little more complicated than that.

Chittorgarh is not a mere fort. It’s a massive 700 acres of fortified city. Formidably built on a 180 metres high mountain top. That’s huge even by medieval standards. The citadel was the seat of power in the region since 7th century and reasonably so. The citadel is massive, difficult to access and most importantly it’s designed to be self sustainable when faced with prolonged siege. The water reservoirs and lands within could sustain an army of 50,000 for almost a year. Considering the dry, sandy landmasses of north western India, you can imagine why the citadel was so coveted. Yes, Chittorgarh means power. Whoever held the fort, held absolute power in the region. It should now be evident why Alauddin Khilji was so interested .

Bollydawood seems to have tried his best to picture Khilji as a roughed, beareded romantic but as any true historian worth his salt would tell you he was no such thing. He was a barbarian who liked killing infants over the heads of their mothers and used to boast about making towers of 60,000 ‘kaafir‘ skulls. As far as sexual orientation goes he was a known homosexual and paedophile. Now if this all powerful sultan had coveted only Rani Padmini don’t you think he would have tried to have her kidnapped and smuggled out? But medieval warfare was more complicated than Bollywood’s twisted romanticism.

The war between Maharawal Ratan Singh and Alauddin Khilji resulted in a 8 month long siege of Chittorgarh. When finally they fought full frontal battle, the Maharawal died fighting. Now, what do you think would have happened then? Let me clarify further. When an invader intent on destroying another kingdom attacks, he does much more than just killing the ruler. Wars are fought more on psychological level than by swords and shields. Why do you think that even modern nations fiercely protect the family members of their heads of states?

Now how do you think Khilji would have proceeded after he had killed the Maharawal and most of his generals and lead warriors? Yes he would capture the fort. How do you think he would have awarded his battle worn, travel worn and hungry foot-soldiers? He would have ordered them to go berserk on the citadel’s residents. Rape any woman they find, loot anything they can lay their hands on, medieval armies where known to even rape and defile corpses.

Now how would he ensure that not a single living soul would dare to resist him further? The answer is obvious. He would hold the royal women and children captive. How he would ensure that the morales of the people of Mewar is broken to such extent that no one would dare an attack on him while he stays there? He would torture his captives and set examples.

Rani Padmini was the queen of a fierce warrior clan. Don’t let the Romanticism and cheap popularization of Bollywood’s film makers fool you into painting Rani Padmini as the naive, demure, fancy doll. Rani Padmini knew what is going to be the fate of herself and hundreds of other women inside the citadel. They would have been raped, brutalised in every way possible, first by the sultan and his chief generals then gradually in decreasing order of military ranking. They would have been flogged, stripped naked and paraded around. Any infants and children would have been killed before their mothers’s eyes and this would go on endlessly till the sultan had absolutely made sure not a single male rajput is left alive and motivated enough to start an uprising. The women who survived would then had been transported to his harems to be sold and resold as sex slaves as long as they live. Think, what would it have done to the morales of the vanquished people of Mewar who have lost family members in the long war to see their queen and her royal companions flogged through the streets and raped everyday?

Rani Padmini knew better. She made sure that the Rajput flame for vengeance had to be kept burning. She knew she and her companions would have nothing but misery, torture and diseases if they are captured alive. She knew the brutes storming their walls do not even spare corpses in their desparate lust and bid to humiliate. She knew she can’t have her people see her defiled dead body. So she made a choice.

Yes, a choice. The choice of a queen who deserves every bit of the goddess like reverence she commands amongst her people till date. She decided that the brutes who have killed her husband and his gallant warriors will have nothing but a pile of ashes when then breach the walls of her citadel. She decided that she will not allow herself to be defiled and insulted. She decided that she will not let her people down. She knew that her life was not merely her own but belonged to the people of Mewar who would one day rise again to avenge their beloved queen.

She could not have been more right, because Chittorgarh did not perish after Khilji captured it. Rani Padmini had kept the flame burning, merely a decade or so after that, Rajput Sisodiyas regained control of the citadel. Chittorgarh saw lionhearts like Rana Sangram Singh, Rana Udai Singh, Rana Kumbha and many other great Hindu rulers who kept on the glory of Mewar touching unfathomable heights.

RANI PADMINI DID NOT CHOOSE DEATH. SHE CHOSE IMMORTALITY.

Indian Army Officers and men of the 9 Grenadiers (Mewar) on August 26, 2010, the 707th Chittor Day, remembering the ferocious defence of that famous Rajput fort back in 1303. Seated fourth from left is Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, lineal descendant of Maharana Hammir, the Rajput ruler who liberated Chittor in 1326. photo from Eternal Mewar

Mewar the greatest state in Rajputana contributed the 1st Mewar Infantry, which became the 9th battalion of the Grenadiers Regiment.