Kalbhoj: The Legend of Bappa Rawal

The Historical fiction is woven mainly from folklore from James Todd's semi-historical book. However, a very vague historical presence is found in Bhojraj, the first king of Mewar.

The year was 713AD. The Maurya descendants, the Moris, ruled over the Chitrakut area of western Rajasthan. The areas around Chitrakoot were ruled by many small Chieftains. One of them was Rawal Mahendra II, a Guhilot descendant. (The descendant of Guha and Nagaditya) As most power struggles suggest, one of his ministers betrayed and killed him and made himself Rawal.

Once, Kalbhoj was in the forests near Nagda, close to the borders of the Solanki ruler, looking after his herds. The youngest Solankini princess was out in the forest playing with her Sakhis. They were making failed attempts to make a Jhula on a banyan tree. Kalbhoj was watching them try when one of the Sakhis spotted him. Witty and charming, he always grabbed everyone's attention.

Mahendra II had two wives, his first being a Paramara princess from Mt. Abu who had given birth to his only heir, Kalbhoj. In an attempt to save her son, she escaped to Nagda and gave up royalty. Kalbhoj was brought up in the village of Nagda among Cowherds as one and was not told about his past by his scared mother. Disguised as a villager, he was taught to serve the cows of the Brahmins.

"Why don't we try asking this cowherd for help?"
"Bring him to me," the Princess ordered.
The 13-year-old Kalbhoj came and stood before the princess, smiling. He was always kept away from people his age by his mother out of fear. And here, there were a bunch of them playing. Something he had never had the luxury of doing.
"We need you to build us a Jhula. Cowherd, can you?" The princess asked, staring, unsure.
"I can, but...I will need something in return." He smiled at the confused girls.
"You want coins? I can tell my father... he is the king of...."
"I want to be part of your games and play. Rajkumarisa."
"You want to play with us?" The princess was surprised at his request.
"Yes, I am... umm... Kalbhoj... I come here every day with my cows...."
"And we come here to play." She smiled. "Done!"

He cut out the wood and made the Jhula, decorating it with wildflowers for the princess. The banyan tree in the next few months witnessed a lot of innocent child play from the duo and her Sakhis. When Kalbhoj went and told his mother he had befriended a princess, she was scared that the truth of his background would come out in the open, so she decided to tell him all he needed to know about his ancestors, descendants of Kush, and Lord Rama and his father and forefathers.

"Let's play wedding today." The Sakhi suggested that they had witnessed a royal wedding recently.
"I will be a bride!" The Princess smiled.
"Kalbhoj be the groom!" Sakhis suggested. Kalbhoj was absent-minded about his recent discoveries as the children engaged in play.
"Seven rounds" The sakhis clapped excitedly.
"But where is the fire altar?" The princess frowned.
"Imagine the banyan tree as the..."
"Come!" the excited princess took Kalbhoj's hand in hers for the round.
Little did the children know that Solankhinis had many ways of marriage, one was the husband making a jhula on a banyan tree for the bride and taking seven rounds around the same.

"Stop!" The oldest Sakhi came running in vain as the rounds were done. She decided not to speak up about it.
"Come, princess, let's go home," she said, taking her away.
On reaching the Palace, they were stunned to see the talks going on about the princess's marriage to the prince of Jaisalmer.
"Princess, I need to tell you something." Sakhi couldn't keep quiet.

The next dawn, Kalbhoj was shocked to see her in the forest alone and early.
"Kalbhoj... I need to speak...."
" I need to confess something to Rajkumarisa. I am... Not a cowherd."
"You are not?" she asked, surprised.
"I am... a Guhilot prince," he searched her eyes for a reaction.
"You are?" A relieved smile filled her face. "Dhanyavaad Bhagwanji."
"Ji?" He asked, confused.
"I... we are married." She looked at his face, hopeful.
"What?" He asked, surprised.
"yes... We... the Banyan tree..." She explained as he looked surprised.
"They will get me married." She looked scared.
"I will come for you", he assured.

As it should have been, the Solanki King insulted the Cowherd and refused to believe he was the son of Mahendra, who was rumoured to be dead. The princess's marriage preparations were done, and Kalbhoj was thrown out. Kalbhoj roamed the forests in desperation for a way out when he chanced upon Harita Rishi. He was a saintly man who predicted him to be King and ordered him to leave for Chittor. He also left Kalbhoj with a strange four-faced Shivlinga.

"Be his Dewan, make him King and serve the people." Harita Rishi spoke, giving the teenager the linga. Kalbhoj took it home and made a small Shrine that is today's Sree Eklingji Temple.

He then, as per the instructions, reached Chitrakoot. The King there had just announced a competition in archery to choose his minister. Kalbhoj had never tried his hand at weapons, but his Guhilot blood had made him fearless. A young boy, an ordinary shepherd, stepped out into the arena to take the bow for the first time, astonishing everyone. The bull's eye earned him a place in the king's court, and his wit and hard work made him the King's favourite. The heirless king left his empire to the trusted minister.

Kalbhoj rose to the throne at Chitrakoot after the long rule of the Moris, as Bappa Rawal, to establish the Rawal dynasty in honour of his father. News reached Solankini Bai when she refused to marry the Jaisalmer Prince, declaring she was the wife of Bappa Rawal, the most powerful ruler. Remembering his insult, Bappa led his army towards Nagda when the King fell at his feet, asking for forgiveness.
"I can forgive you, but first, hand me my wife."
"She is yours."
"And promise me to give a Solankini princess to every ruler of Chitrakoot."
"I agree."

Bappa Rawal is rumoured to have ruled for 20 long years, his chief war being the Battle of Rajasthan against the Arabs. He had as many as 100 wives and many children who spread as different branches of the Mewari Rajputs. At about 80, he had renounced worldly pleasures to become a Yogi to serve Eklingji. He was the founder of Mewar's Rajput rule, the first Dewan of Lord Eklingji. His rule and his character are only known through folklore due to a lack of facts, and he stands hand folded staring at the Lord at Nagda, still, 25 km away from Udaipur, the present capital of Mewar.

The Reva Cries

Roopmati had watched the troops leave. She had stood behind the chief queen as she traditionally bid goodbye to her sons. She had waited for the Sultan to come to her. He did. He was confident that the sudden advancement of Akbar’s foster brother Adham Khan could be curbed. It was not war, just precaution. He reassured her. Malwa would never bow to the Timurids. And he would not let anything happen to her. To Her. Roopmati felt suffocated by her husband’s affectionate hug. She felt trapped in the scrutinising eyes of all the people in the palace. Angry, blaming eyes. She tried to pace herself and sing, but her voice cracked in fear. Her melody was drowned in tears. Every evening, a messenger would come to the chief queen with the news of war. Roopmati was kept in the darkness. She was not told about anything. She knew the rumours. She was a witch. A temptress who caused doom to the Sultan of Malwa. She was a spy of the enemy planted in his life to destroy him. She wondered if he came b...

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 the 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 mountin...

The Emperor's First Wife

Ruqaiya Sultana Begum was born to Babur's second surviving son, Hindal Mirza, and his wife, Sultanam Begum, in 1542 C.E., merely a few months after Hamida Banu gave birth to the heir Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar. She was well-versed in Persian, Urdu and Arabic and was attracted to poetry and music. Being a proud descendant of the Timurid clan, most of Rukaiya's childhood was spent in Kabul, near the Bagh E Babur, built by Babur himself. From early childhood, she had seen the struggle of her family to regain their lost power in Hind. In 1551 C.E., just after her father died young at a battle for Humayun, leaving her and her mother in the harem of the emperor, it was Hamida Banu who wanted the marriage of Rukaiya to her first cousin, Akbar. Theirs was the first in-house marriage of the Mughals, soon to be followed by many more in the generations to come. At the mere age of nine, she had married the crown prince, and when Humayun won back Lahore, she was fifteen. At the mere age ...

Coins, Books, Sources: History of Mewar

The books, as stated by Todd, are all in the private libraries of the Rana at the City Palace, Udaipur, along with the ancient original manuscripts preserved with their secrets to date. Here is a list of books and sources he mentioned: 1 . Khoman Rasa: Khoman was an ancient term for "Prince". It was first borne by the sons of Bappa Rawal, the founder of the Mewar Dynasty. It is claimed by Todd as a modern compilation of Mewar's history by the Ranas of Udaipur, for their own private libraries. It traces the genealogy of Mewar back to Lord Rama and also mentions important events such as the influence of the Sultanate on Mewar, the sack of Chittoor by Allauddin Khilji, Rana Sanga's bravery and the wars against the Mughals by Maharana Pratap Singh. 2. The Raj Vila s , in the Vrij Bakha by Maan Kubeswara, who is known as "The Lord of Rhyme" 3. Raj Ratnakar by Suddasheo Bhat Both of these were composed during the time of Rana Raj Singh of Mewar, who, like his...

Sisodiya: Kings, Queens and Princes (1538 - 1597)

I am back with another History post, this time it is on the wives and sons of Rana Udai Singh II of Mewar, his son and heir Maharana Pratap and Rana Amar Singh. This is a continuation of the Sisodia Family History I posted some time back. The information has been taken from Annals of Mewar by James Todd, Maharana Pratap by B.N. Rana, and Maharana Pratap by Rima Hooja. Udai Singh II was the son of Ranisa Karnawati and Rana Sangram Singh. He was born on 4th August 1 522, at Chittorgarh and died on 28th February 1 572 at Gogunda . He was the Ruler of the Sisodia Dynasty. He is believed to have 56 sons and 2 5 wives, apart from the many insignificant queens in his Rani Mahal. Here is a list of his main queens and their sons. Maharani Jaivanta Bai Songara of Jalore was his chief queen and consort. Her son is Maharana Pratap. He was married to her before he went to war with Banbir, as her father, Akshayraj Rao, was a friend and ally of his father, Rana Sanga. Saj...

The Kaali Effect

!!BOOM!! The shopping mall echoed with a noise. The buzz grew silent. Fear crept in. Until somebody shouted, " It's just a Balloon!" The buzz grew again, the shopping continued, the romantic couples continued their walks, and the food court filled up with the aroma of the orders... A few decades back, people used to laugh carefree at a balloon bursting or a tyre booming in the streets or in various crowded areas. Now, in the back of everyone's head, a loud noise always brings the same thoughts... Another year, another city, another crowded place, Several innocent lives. They don't spare religious places either. For the sake of mankind? Religion? Politics? Power? They only know. Who are they? Nobody knows. It is said that the demon Kaali, who ushered in KaliYug, decided to reside in a few things. Addiction, Wealth, Desire, and Anger are some such things he resides in. This is KaliYug, where an innocent child's balloon makes adults fear the extremes. What is d...

The Warrior and Princess

Dasharatha was very protective of his sons. He had got them after almost a lifetime of waiting and yajnas, so they were his lifeline. Ram, the eldest, won hearts with his humble, generous ways. Bharata, the second, was his favourite queen's brave son, and Laxman and Shatrughan were the twins to the lesser queen, who followed their brothers like shadows. They were a peaceful, happy family. Sage Vasistha was their Kulaguru, teaching them the Vedic hymns and the righteous ways of life. The Princes grew up in the luxurious, protected premises of the palace. The King of Mithila, too, was childless. Mother Earth granted him a daughter. Sita grew up learning and curious, followed by the king's second daughter, Urmila and their cousins Mandavi and Shrutakirti. They grew up knowing the natural ways of life, and their father took them to learn from men to know more about man and his natural instincts. The princesses were curious and always questioning the traditions, and the Princes lear...

The Warrior Bride

Kelwa/Kailwa is a small village situated around two hours away from Chittorgarh and an hour from Lake Pichola. It was mainly inhabited by the Rathores and ruled by the Chundawat clan, who were once the rulers of Mewar. One chief of Kelwa was Rawat Sihaji Singh Chundawat. He was a very close ally of Rana Sanga. His son Jaga Singhji also died fighting for Rana Udai Singhji in one war with the Afghans in 1555 AD. Kelwa’s heir was the minor child of Jaga Singhji and his widow, Sajjan Bai Songara Chauhan. Being from the clan of the Chauhan Rajputs, she was a warrior at heart. From the early age of about four, her only son was brought up under his uncle Naga Singhji to fight for his motherland and serve it like all other Mewaris. Fateh Pratap Singh Chundawat or Fatta (Patta), as fondly called by everyone, was a deft warrior even before he reached his teens. His name and bravery spread across the land to Rana Udai Singh’s ears in Chittorgarh. He was also the nephew of Ranaji’s close aide Rawa...

A Journey Called PrAja

Love is a relationship based on trust and understanding. It is also a bond that is made up there. People often ask, "Why them?" I end up telling them some folklore. I end up telling them about how she actually was his shadow in the forests, in bad times. Because love passes all its tests in the worst times when you don't give up on each other. So, here's to My Pratap and His Ajabdeh! Ps. This is about the show Bharat Ka Veer Putra Maharana Pratap on Sony by Contilloe Starring Faisal Khan, Roshni Walia, Sharad Malhotra and Rachana Parulkar. This is NOT their real story. The show aired from 2013 to 2015. Ajabdeh, the simple, strong yet gentle samantputri, was starstruck seeing the down-to-earth Kunwar Pratap, the crown prince of Mewar. She was clueless that he held the key to her heart, her lost mala that destiny had chosen him for. Na na na na na Chan Chan Chan Chan na na na na! A comedy of errors followed, as she threw the pail of water on him, fumbled at his presen...

Nawab E Bengal

Background: Nawab Alivardi Khan was ruling Bengal at the peak of Nawabi rule, expanding his strong empire. He had successfully suppressed the Marathas and had given a strong message to the British East India Company’s rising influence at Calcutta. Highly aware of the British Colonial policies across the globe, Nawab Alivardi Khan was strict with his policies and stronghold over Murshidabad, the then capital of Bengal (including present-day Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa, and Bangladesh). He had two daughters and no sons. Amina Begum was the elder one, followed by Ghaseti Begum. Amina had three sons with her husband and courtier, Ahmed Khan. The second son, Mirza Mohammad, fondly called Siraj-Ud-Daulah (light of the country)by his grandfather, was born in 1733C.E. He was his grandfather’s favourite because he was born while he won over the Marathas. Alivardi Khan never let the “fortune child” of the family out of his sight. Siraj grew up accompanying his g...

A Journey To Discover Life

Search This Blog