Last Update: January 19, 2023, 08:51 IST
While the NCERT books give the date as June 18, 1576, the date on the plaques is June 21, 1576. (Representational Image: Shutterstock)
While writers and poets have written many poems and stories of his courage, one that stands out is the famous Battle of Haldighati, which he fought against the then Mughal Emperor Akbar.
Death anniversary of Maharana Pratap: Maharana Pratap is undoubtedly one of the most famous heroic warriors the country has known. Crowned as the ruler of Mewar in 1572, the Rajput king breathed his last on January 19, 1587. While writers and poets have written many poems and stories of his courage, most notably the famous Battle of Haldighati, which he fought. Against the then Mughal emperor Akbar, it is said that despite being less in number, the army of Mewar gave a tough fight to the Mughals.
Born in Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan on May 9, 1540, he was taught fighting skills by his mother Maharani Jaywanta Bai Songra of Jalore. The Battle of Haldighati fought on 18 June 1576 has been described as disastrous like the war of Mahabharata. The battle site was a narrow mountain pass in Haldighati near Gogunda, a small village located near Udaipur in present-day Rajasthan.
On this day, Pratap’s cavalry of 3,000 and 400 Bhil archers stood against Akbar’s cavalry of 85,000 under Man Singh I of Amber. Though the Mughals won the battle after a tough fight with horsemen and archers supporting the Rana of Mewar, they were never able to capture the fleeing Rajput ruler.
A wounded Maharana survived the battle on the back of his famous horse Chetak, who died of battle wounds after helping a miraculous escape from the Battle of Haldighati. The bravery of the horse has been immortalized in Shyamnarayan Pandey’s poem Chetak ki Veerta.
It is said that Maharana fought with 81 kg spear and 72 kg armor on his chest. The total weight of his spear, armour, shield and two swords was 208 kg.
Why was the battle fought?
The siege of Chittorgarh by the Mughal Empire against the Mewar Kingdom began in 1567. In 1568 it lost the fertile eastern belt of Mewar to the Mughals, while the rest of the jungle and hill states were still under the Maharana’s control. Akbar wanted to secure a stable route through Mewar to the rich ports of Gujarat. When the Rana, like many other Rajput states, refused to submit to Akbar, war became inevitable.
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