Friendship in Epics

The world knows them as the Trinity of Hinduism. Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. They create, preserve and destroy together. Opposite in beliefs, yet their respect and friendship are immense. At Shiva's wedding, Brahma becomes the priest, and Vishnu is his brother-in-law for the rituals. Time and again, they stand together to save the world. Time and again, Vishnu tries to calm Shiva's Rudra Roop. Brahma is cursed by Shiva for being vain, but that does not make them enemies. Their better halves, Parvati, Laxmi and Saraswati, too, are often regarded as sisters, such was their friendship.

He left his own brother to join the man who wanted to save his wife. He gave him secret news of the skills from his home side, and in return, he was grateful. Such was his dedication towards their friendship that he asked his friend to use Brahmastra to kill his own son in the wars. In return, after the war, he was made king by the man who saved his wife. They were Vivishana and Shree Ram. Such was their friendship that Vivishana sacrificed the life of his own son in Rama's hands. Sometimes friendship is made out of deals. Rama helped Sugriva kill Bali; in return, he got an army of monkeys to attack Lanka, and thus began his friendship with Sugriva.

The Queen of Lanka knew the price she had to pay for her husband's sins. Yet, she became friends with the captive Princess of Janaka Nagar. She stood by the Princess through her difficult time and supported her against her husband's will. Although like a daughter, this Princess told her tales of the life of the Jungle. She was in awe of this beautiful princess who knew so much. They were Mandodari and Sita, foes turned friends. They cried and stayed together throughout the epic battle.

The Prince of Hastinapur watched his Guru humiliate their Charioteer's son. The Ambitious Young Teenager, slightly older than they all, has come to seek knowledge of the weapons. He was a self-taught Archer. He had challenged the Prince's cousin to a duel when their Guru interrupted. The Prince, who knew archery, and his Guru were too vain to display their skills in a fight with a Suta Putra. The Suta Putra was adamant to prove that he was better than the Kshatriya prince. His ambition and high dreams impressed the Prince of Hastinapur. He went up to the insulted Archer, who was fuming with rage.

" What is your name?"

" Vasusena, sir." He stood up. Tensed. He bowed to the Prince.
" No, no, don't bow to me, you are a great archer, warriors never bow." Suyodhan held his hand.
" Thank you for your appreciation. I am honoured that you saw beyond my Suta lineage."
" Call me Suyodhan, Mitra!"
" Mitra?"
" Why not? Come with me to the Palace, and I will arrange for your lessons."

The Suta Putra hugged the prince in joy. His tears would not stop. He had roamed from Guru to Guru and Royal to Royal, waiting for his chance, and this Prince came as an angel to him. Thus, at an early age, these two started the greatest of friendships the world had witnessed. Suyodhan stood with him against the world, and Vasusena with his friend. Suyodhan's urge made his Grandfather send Vasusena to Parasurama, who alone accepted Suta students. He learnt the use of Astra and Sastra. He came back stronger and again asked for a duel, which went undecided. Suyodhan made him king of Anga to uplift his status as a King. At Drupad Nagar, when the Princess was insulting Vasusena for coming to a Swayambhar despite his Suta lineage, Suyodhan, without any thought, protested. Time and again, they stood beside each other, in their own Dharma and Adharma. Such was the friendship that even after knowing that he was going to fight against his own Half Brothers, Vasusena did not leave his friend's side; he was the power on which his friend decided to fight wars. Today, the world knows them as Danveer Karna and Duryodhana, the greatest warrior and the greatest of villains.

She met him at her wedding preparations. He was called on by her father for advice. She was a princess, and he was the greatest politician. He knew what lay ahead, and she trusted him blindly. When the world played with her dignity, He stood by her when her own husbands stood shameful and speechless. He supported her and prepared her for the worst. He was there whenever she was in trouble, and she needed his help. Even when she lost her children, father, and brother in the war for her husband's throne, he was there to console her. He made her believe in the greater good. She was the cause of his tears. She was the reason that could fulfil his purpose in life on earth. He was Vishnu, She, his Laxmi. They were Vasudeva Krishna and Panchali Draupadi. The greatest friendship that could exist between a man and a woman.

All friendships are different, some purposeful, some innocent, some seeking help, others helping, yet each one is as important and dedicated as the others. These are the few examples of respect, support, and helpful friends we find in our Mythology, and yes, even today, their friendship is cherished and remembered and used as examples of great friendships.

The Prince of Mewar

Born on 16 March 1559 in the Kumbha Palace of Chittorgarh Fort, Bhanwar Amar Singh was the eldest son of Kunwar Pratap Singh (later Maharana Pratap) and Kunwarani Ajabdeh Punwar. As the first grandson of Udai Singh I, his birth prompted the Maharana's celebratory hunting expedition, during which a sage forewarned of impending danger. Heeding this, Udai Singh established a new palace by Lake Pichola, founding Udaipur as Mewar's capital. Amar Singh exhibited extraordinary valour from a young age, inheriting his father's martial skills and his mother's reputed compassion. His training commenced early; according to James Tod's Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, he participated in his first battle alongside Pratap at age eight. By ten, amid Chittorgarh's fall and familial divisions, he assumed responsibility for his siblings. Historical accounts recount his defence of the queens' entourage against enemy soldiers en route to Kumbhalgarh fortress. He shared a clo...

Bijolia: Her Home

Journey to Bijolia: Lost Kingdoms and Timeless Temples of Mewar Bijoliya translates to a stop between two cities. Nestled in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara district, Bijolia sits 55km from Bundi and 105km from Chittorgarh on the well-travelled Bundi-Chittorgarh road. Once part of Mewar, this seemingly sleepy town guards a rich and layered past: it was ruled from the 11th to the 13th century by the Punwars (or Parmar Rajputs) before falling under the Chauhan dynasty, who shifted the region’s capital to Bhilwara and constructed the imposing fort there. After a brief Chauhan rule, Bijolia was reclaimed by Rana Kumbha and became an integral part of the Mewar kingdom, with the Parmars serving as local Raos, representatives and stewards of the royal house. Despite its history and the famed Bijolia inscriptions (a treasure for historians), Bijolia has never found a seat on Rajasthan’s primary tourist circuit, especially if you’re venturing out by public transport or private car. While a handful of...

Maharana Pratap: The Evolution of an Icon

On the occasion of Maharana Pratap's 486th Birth Anniversary, here is an article I have been meaning to write for a long time. While some of it is personal, other parts are researched. Some parts of this article (art subsection) are reproduced from another article written by me for UPAJ India's magazine Manthan in 2022. Ideally, this was supposed to be two parts, but I did not wish to make it so. Cenotaph at Chawand Veer Shiromoni Hinduja Suraj Maharana Pratap Singh Sisodiya, as he is officially called, the thirteenth Custodian of the royal house of Mewar, a land that now lies in the south-western fringes of the Aravallis of Rajasthan, has been, for the longest time in Indian History, regarded as the first freedom fighter. Resisting invasion into his state, holding his post as king, his life and career had been scrutinised time and again, narratives changed according to popularity rather than evidence. His idea of independence inspired many; his strategy of guerrilla warfare wa...

Neel Kanth

In the vast tapestry of Hindu mythology, Neelkanth Sasti holds a significant place, as it honours Lord Shiva’s act of supreme compassion and courage. According to the Puranas, this day commemorates the pivotal moment during the Samudra Manthan, the cosmic churning of the ocean, when the deadly poison Halahal emerged. Halahal, described as the collective essence of all the universe’s negativity and toxicity, began to spread destruction among both Devas and Asuras. Its effects were so perilous that even the gods could not approach it, symbolising the universal truth that adversity and suffering make no distinction between divine or mortal beings. With the balance of creation at risk and the churning brought to a standstill, Mahadev Lord Shiva, the Destroyer and Transformer within the Hindu Trinity, was invoked for help. In an act of unparalleled self-sacrifice, he consumed the Halahal to protect all existence from annihilation. However, the potency of the poison was such that it threaten...

A Chivalrous Emnity

“Ranisa. Hukum” There was a hint of urgency in the maid in waiting’s voice as she rushed to the clearing where the tents were set up. Rani Pur Bai Solanki, the second queen, frowned at her sudden, alarming voice. “Hush, Rama, the children are...” She checked the children’s tent, alarmed. They slept during the day and stayed awake at night, because the forestland was not safe, neither from animals nor enemies. “Ranisa, forgive me, it's Kunwarsa... He is back... but...” Pur Bai’s face lit up with a smile of hope that didn’t last long. “But?” “What is it? What’s wrong?” The Maharani of Mewar had walked out of her camp, with the other queens in tow. The maid bowed before her. “It’s Kunwarsa.” “He is back?” She frowned. He was not supposed to be back so early until his father reached Dholan. “So is Ranaji.” The maid looked scared. “There is a court called in an emergency. I came to inform you that Ranaji wanted everyone to be present.” “Jija...” Pur Bai could see the tension mounting on...

The Annals of Rajputana

Col. James Todd’s Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan describes Rajputana through History, Geography, Mythology, Folklore, Veer Gathas, Traditions, Cultures, Heritage, Rules, Valour and its people. However, one must remember that he was commissioned to write the narrative and his resources are not based on historical evidence. However, it is worth a read and very interesting. The following excerpts are from his book. Please take note that Todd's accounts are based on hearsay, stories, and commissioned by royals and hence aren't treated as historically accurate. However, his book is important as it is the first English-language book to have extensive work done on Rajputana. Rajputs are commonly believed to be people from Rajasthan; however, their branches have spread far and wide into Punjab, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and even parts of Bengal. The initial origination-based clans/tribes had been subdivided first in the book Prithvirajraso by Chand Bardai; howev...

Chandra's Choice: The Story of Dhruvasvamini

More often than not, the private lives of kings and the existence of their queens remain in the words of bards rather than those of chroniclers. Dhruvasvamini is no different, even after being the queen of the golden age of the Indian Subcontinent. She appears in the Basarh Clay Seal as the mother of Govinda Gupta (attributed as a sibling of Kumara Gupta I) and the queen wife of Chandra Gupta II or Vikramaditya. Except for one mention of Dhruva Devi, as she is popularly known, she remains a mysterious character in the Gupta lineage, with a side mention in the dynasty’s history. Visakhadatta, a famous poet and playwright, who later wrote DeviChandraGuptam as the play capturing the life of Chandra Gupta II, captured Dhruva Devi as one of the protagonists of his story. Although some scholars attribute Visakhadatta to be under the patronage of Chandra Gupta II himself when he wrote this story, many historians debate the literary work as a historical fiction written much after his time. Tru...

Battle of Haldighati

There have been a lot of talks going on regarding who won the Battle of Haldighati. While some want to change what we read and say that the Maharana won it, many oppose the point with a Mughal victory. Here, I compile every account I found of the Battle and its Aftermath and make my unbiased conclusion on the topic. PS. The dates vary from book to book; I gave the ones I found in most sources. The Background: Relation with Mughals Mewar was one of Rajputana's strongest individual kingdoms, along with the likes of Marwar and Kacchawar (Jaipur). Long before the Mughals under Akbar, Mewar under Rana Sangram Singh had successfully managed to keep the "Turk Invaders" under Babar at bay, fighting 17 wars, big and small. The relationship was further questioned when, during the invasion from Saurashtra, Sanga's widow, Rani Karnavati, had written to Mughal Emperor Humayun for help, sending him a rakhi. Contrary to popular belief, Humayun had rested on his way from Gaur (Beng...

The Cortege That Shook The Raj: Kanailal Dutta

10th November, 1908 Around late morning, a procession of lacs made their way through the streets of Calcutta (Kolkata), India. Some were chanting “Vande Mataram”, others blew conch shells, and Ululation filled the air. Flowers were being showered from all directions, and garlands made their way through the crowd, being thrown at the procession in the middle. Bhagwat Gita and Ananda Math (Novel by Bamkim Chandra) were offered. No, this was no “ Sobha Jatra ” or celebration. There were no religious festivities either. That dawn, the Alipore Jail, which opened only two years back, witnessed the hanging of Kanailal Dutta, a twenty-year-old member of the “Jugantar Dol”, an anarchist group that was set up primarily by Aurobindo Ghosh (Later Rishi Aurobindo), his brother Barindra and their associates. Kanailal hailed from Chandannagore, and although he was not present in most of their meetings in Kolkata, he was still one of their early members from Chandannagore, then a French province. ...

Chawand: The Maharana's Capital

The road from Udaipur quickly fades into quiet countryside as you head toward Jaisamand Lake and Chavand, a journey that few package tours offer, but one that is forever imprinted on my memory. Just shy of an hour and 59km from the city bustle, you reach Jaisamand (Dhebar Lake), the “Ocean of Victory,” sprawling as Asia’s once-largest man-made lake . Built in 1685 by Maharana Jai Singh, who followed his father’s legendary tradition of dam-building, this vast sheet of water shimmers in the sunlight. I watched local ferries pass, and marble stairs dip into blue shallows, imagining bygone queens slipping into cooling water beneath the massive embankment. Even today, friendly boatmen linger, eager to usher you onto the lake for a breezy ride. They tell you stories of how once a Maharana roamed these dense forests in search of freedom. Do pause here and soak in the peaceful air before venturing further southwest, toward the forgotten echoes of Mewar’s pride. The drive to Chavand, ...

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