जलम्यो केवल एक बर,
परणी एकज नार |
लडियो, मरियो कौल पर,
इक भड दो दो बार ||
एक वीर जिसने दो बार वीर-गति प्राप्त की.. .
( बल्लू चांपावत राठौड़) . .
उस वीर ने केवल एक ही बार जन्म लिया तथा एक ही भार्या से विवाह किया ,परन्तु अपने वचन का निर्वाह करते हुए वह वीर दो-दो बार लड़ता हुआ वीर-गति को प्राप्त हुआ .. .
जोधपुर के महाराजा गजसिंह ने अपने जयेष्ट पुत्र अमरसिंह को जब राज्याधिकार से वंचित कर देश निकला दे दिया तो बल्लूजी चाम्पावत व भावसिंह जी कुंपावत दोनों सरदार अमरसिंह के साथ यह कहते हुए चल दिए कि यह आपका विपत्ति काल है व आपत्ति काल में हम सदैव आपकी सहायता करेंगे ,यह हमारा वचन है | और दोनों ही वीर अमरसिंह के साथ बादशाह के पास आगरा आ गए | यहाँ आने पर बादशाह ने अमरसिंह को नागौर परगने का राज्य सौंप दिया | अमरसिंह जी को मेंढे लड़ाने का बहुत शौक था इसलिए नागौर में अच्छी किस्म के मेंढे पाले गए और उन मेंढों की भेड़ियों से रक्षा हेतु सरदारों की नियुक्ति की जाने लगी और एक दिन इसी कार्य हेतु बल्लू चांपावत की भी नियुक्ति की गयी इस पर बल्लूजी यह कहते हुए नागौर छोड़कर चल दिए कि " मैं विपत्ति में अमरसिंह के लिए प्राण देने आया था ,मेंढे चराने नहीं | अब अमरसिंह के पास राज्य भी है ,आपत्ति काल भी नहीं , अत: अब मेरी यहाँ जरुरत नहीं है |
और बल्लू चांपावत महाराणा के पास उदयपुर चले गए ,वहां भी अन्य सरदारों ने महाराणा से कहकर उन्हें निहत्थे ही "सिंह" से लड़ा दिया | सिंह को मारने के बाद बल्लूजी यह कर वहां से भी चल दिए कि वीरता की परीक्षा दुश्मन से लड़ाकर लेनी चाहिए थी | जानवर से लड़ाना वीरता का अपमान है | और उन्होंने उदयपुर भी छोड़ दिया बाद में महाराणा ने एक विशेष बलिष्ट घोड़ी बल्लूजी के लिए भेजी जिससे प्रसन्न होकर बल्लूजी ने वचन दिया कि जब भी मेवाड़ पर संकट आएगा तो मैं सहायता के अवश्य आऊंगा |
इसके बाद जब अमरसिंह राठौड़ आगरा के किले में सलावत खां को मारने के बाद , बादशाह शाह जहां ने जब राव अमर सिंह को धोखे से मरवाने के बाद उनका पार्थिव शरीर अगर किले के बुर्जी पर रखवा दिया चील कौवो के खाने के लिए और उनकी रानी ने सती होने की ठानी परंतु वे पार्थिव शरीर के बिना सती नही हो सकते थे, तब उनकी रानी हाड़ी ने सती होने के लिए अमरसिंह का शव आगरे के किले से लाने के लिए बल्लू चांपावत व भावसिंह कुंपावत को बुलवा भेजा (क्योंकि विपत्ति में सहायता का वचन उन्ही दोनों वीरों ने दिया था) | बल्लूजी चम्पावत ने उन्हें शरीर लाने के वचन दिया और लाशो के ढेर बिछाते हुए एक ही झटके मैं अगर दुर्ग की ऊंची दीवार को फाँद कर अमर सिंह के शरीर को अपने कंधों पर उठा कर ले आए और शव अपने साथियों को सुपुर्द कर दिया पर खुद बादशाह के सैनिको को रोकते हुए वीर-गति को प्राप्त हो गए |
बल्लूजी की स्मृति मैं शाहजहाँ ने उनके घोड़े की मूर्ति किले के द्वार के पास बनवाई जो आज भी जर्जर स्थिति मे मौजूद है।
राव अमर सिंह का शव उनकी रानी को लौटने के बाद बल्लू चम्पावत मुसलमानों से लड़ते हुवे वीर गति को प्राप्त हुवे उनका दाह संस्कार यमुना के किनारे पर हुआ ।
बल्लूजी के पास जो धोड़ा था उस घोड़े को मेवाड़ के महाराणा ने बक्शा था। तब बल्लूजी ने उनसें वादा किया की जब भी आप पर कोई विपति आये तो बल्लू को याद करना मैं हाजिर हो जाऊंगा।
इस घटना के कुछ समय बाद जब मेवाड़ के महाराणा राजसिंह का मुग़ल बादशाह औरंगजेब से युद्ध हुआ तो लोगों ने देखा कि बल्लू चांपावत उसी घोड़ी (जो महाराणा ने उसे भेंट दी थी ) पर बैठ कर तलवार बजा रहा है | आगरे में तलवार बजाते वीर-गति को प्राप्त हुए बल्लू चांपावत को आज दूसरी बार " देबारी " की घाटी में तलवार बजाते हुए फिर वीर-गति को प्राप्त होते हुए लोगों ने देखा |
इतिहास की इस अदभुत घटना को भले ही आज के भौतिकवादी न माने पर मेवाड़ का इतिहास इस बात को भुला नहीं सकता कि वह क्षत्रिय मृत्यु के उपरांत भी अपना वचन निभाने के लिए देबारी की घाटी में युद्ध लड़ने आया था।
बल्लूजी ने एक बार अपनी विपति के दिनों में लाडनूँ के एक बनिये से कुछ कर्ज लिया इसके बदले में उन्होंने अपनी मूछ का बाल गिरवी रखा जो जीते जी तो वो छुड़ा न सके थे परन्तु उनकी छः पीढ़ी बाद में उनके वंसज हरसोलाव के ठाकुर सूरतसिंह जी ने उस मूछ के बाल को छुड़ाकर उसका विधि विधान के साथ दाह संस्कार करवाया था। और तब सारे बल्लुदासोत चम्पावत इकठे हुए और सारे शौक के दस्तूर पुरे किये गये। इस तरह एक राजपूत वीर का तीन बार दाह संस्कार हुआ जो हिन्दुस्थान के ही नही बल्कि सम्पूर्ण ब्रम्हाण्ड के इतिहास में इसके अलावा कही नही मिलता।
Everyone knows Rao Amar Singh Rathore, who killed Salabat Khan, Bakshi & brother-in-law of Shah Jahan in Court. But how many know Rathore Great BalluJi Champawat, who gave his life for his word, whose valour unparalleled, whose chivalry unrivalled, loyalty unquestionable ?
Rao Amar Singh & Ballu Ji are synonyms. AmarSingh, Marwar scion was exiled by his father Raja Gaj Singh in favour of Jaswant.
Ballu Champawat stood with the exiled heir when others left. After Amar Singh was given Nagaur & made a Mansabdar, his behaviour changed, one day Amar who was fond of Ram 🐏 fights asked Ballu Ji to take his Rams 🐑 to graze. Ballu couldn’t have taken this slur, he remarked, “I followed Umra to lay my life in his times of need, not to graze sheep” & “ now that he has Nagaur, he doesn’t need me” & left him.
Ballu’s sword was & his valour was his only wealth. He went in service of Maharana Mewar.
Mewari nobles jealous of Ballu Ji schemed against him & asked Maharana to get him fight a Tiger unarmed.
After Ballu Ji killed the Tiger, he rebuked “fighting an animal was an insult to brave” & left Udaipur.
But, Maharana enamoured of Ballu Ji made him give his word that if Maharana required his services, Ballu ji would come.
Ballu Ji was born to Rao Gopal Das in VS 1648 at Harsolaw village, Nagaur, Marwar.
Ballu Champawat Rathore (1591-1644), of harsolaw in marwar was a dauntless warrior of the period.he had a glorious line of ancestry.he was a man of sterling qualities,and od unimpeachable character in him there was a confluence of the streams of valor and self-respect,both flowed together plenteously in him.he had fought 34 battles alone were not enough to put him among the worthies of history.what gave him an abiding place history was his miraculous valor,demonstrated by him at the Agra fort in July,1644 on 25th july,an exciting event had occurred in the imperial court t Agra fort.Mir Bakshi Salabat khan had uttered a provocative remark to Amar Singh Rathore ,which stirred up his feeling to a fever pitch,and he spontaneously thrust his dagger in the chest of Salabat khan,the latter died on the spot. an incident considered an open insult to the Mughal throne. The entire Mughal force tried to capture him,as Shahjahan looked dumb founded. After a gallant fighting Amar Singh escaped from the place, by jumping from the agra fort mounted on his horse Bahadur. His horse Bahadur, a marwari horse died after the jump. A Chhatri or cenotaph of Bahadur at the foot step of Agra fort in the memory of Bahadur is a site for attraction for tourists even today.
CONSPIRACY AND THE BETRAYAL
Shahjahan wanted this affair to be settled at any cost. At this point, Amar Singh's brother-in-law, Arjun Gaud took responsibility to bring Rao Amar Singh back to Shahjahan's court. Arjun told Rao Amar Singh that Shahjahan is seeking a compromise and has invited Amar Singh to the fort.
This was actually a trap planned by the Arjun Gaud himself. The fort's main gate was closed and only a small window like gate in the main gate was opened. Amar Singh did not bent forward to enter the gate as it meant bending before the Mughal seat, instead he entered bending backwards, as Rathore entered in the fort's gate, Arjun Gaud and his men attacked him with swords and stabbed him, thus killing Amar Singh Rathore.
Shahjahan kept Rao Amar Singh Rathore's body was thrown on a tower challenging the Rajputs to take it away. Rao Amar Singh's wife told Ballu Champavat regarding the challenge and that she wanted to become a Sati with her husband's body.
To recover the dead body of Amar singh,laid in the Emperor's custody,was a mightly challange before Ballu had displayed rare qualities of fidelightly,
Ballu invoked ”Kamdhwaj (Rathore) Ballu says, Hear O nobles, we shall avenge Umra. Your deeds should be resplendent like Sun... all in God’s (Shyam) name... Ballu son of Gopal send his missive in the hands of Satis, having turned back imperial forces, we join you Amaresh“ !
Ballu Ji, Ram Singh, nephew to Umra with 500 Rajputs reached fort & asked permission to pay their respects to Amar Singh, Shah Jahan allowed Ballu to enter, Honor and bravery which made him a figure of high regard nothing daunted Ballu,he entered into the Fort,
hurriedly pickedup the copse,or the severed head,and put it on horseback;pressed his tighs in sudden quick pull,and gave a twitch to the horse.the horse in quickness ,with the speed of a bullet ,dashed,and leapt over the ramparts; it fell by the sight of the moat, where it breathed its last Ballu had carried out his plan successfully; brought the corpse or the severed head of Amar Singh Rathore from the jaws of death and handed over the same to his ranies(wives) who were waiting for it in order to become "Sati".Ballu's vaorous feat was unparalleled in the historical records of the world .this incident had happend 26th july, 1644.
"To avenge his (Rao Amar Singh Rathore) death, his retainers, headed by Ballu Champawat..., put on their saffron garments, and a fresh carnage ensued within the 'Lal Quila' (Red Fort of Agra)... The pillars of Agra bear testimony to their deeds, nor shall they ever be obliterated from the records of time: they made their obeisance to Amar in the mansions of the sun. "
~ James Tod : Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan
But this was not the end of Ballu's story.
The same day the Emperor's forces were in chase of Ballu. A grim battle had occurred outside the Agra Fort between Ballu's men and Emperor Shah Jahan's forces, where the valiant Rathore cut the troops of the enemy and threw each corpse a headless torso. Ballu fought the battle in his euphoric spree even when beheaded. The battle-great Ballu thus made history – different and distinct from other warriors known in history.
By the sheer dint of his miraculous valor shown by Ballu Champawat at the Agra Fort, he unquestionably earned an immortal place and an undying fame in the annals of history. We are proud to be a part of such a royal and brave lineage coming from one of the greatest warrior in Rajput history.
There’s an interesting folklore about BalluJi Champawat, there are three cenotaphs & three funerals in his memory at three different places in India !
1. After Ballu Ji was killed in Agra Fort, a memorial was erected for him on banks of Yamuna in Agra along with his horse’ !
2. Ballu Ji had given his word to Rana to come to his need whenever called. Before going to Agra, Rana had presented a horse, Neel_Dhawal.
Ballu Ji promises to pay a visit if he comes back from Agra.
On 4 Jan 1680, Mewar Forces were losing at Debari Ghat, Rana invokes Ballu Ji who enters the battlefield, victory weds Rana, Ballu Ji supposedly dies at Debari. A cenotaph is built in his memory at Debari by Rana Jagat Singh.
3. Once Ballu Ji in dire straits had pawned a strand of hair of his moustache to a Baniya. This baniya after 4 generations came to his patrimony, Harsolaw & recounts the tale behind pawned strand of hair, kept in a velvet box. Thakur Surat Singh paid the amount with interest & carried out the funeral rites & made a memorial in Harsolaw.
“बल्लु थारी वीरता, अंजसे कव चित आव
चांपा हरखे चाँव सु,हरखे हरसोलाव” !
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