Skip to main content

Prithviraj Chauhan: A Saga

Note: This piece is a work of fiction based on folklore, and the Prithviraj Raso, an epic saga by Chand Bardai, who happened to be the court poet of Prithviraj Chauhan. The dates corresponding to wars, names of people and places are, however, historically fact-checked from various sources, including the works of Todd (semi-historical), The  Amir Khusrau and contemporary sources like R.C.Majumder. The incidents are fictionally woven.


Prithvi Raj Chauhan (Edited).jpg
Rai Pithora

Around the year 1140 A.D., Ajmer was ruled by Anangpal of the Tomara Dynasty. Delhi was the seat of power of the Sultanate, which was a constant power struggle for them. He managed to capture briefly most parts of west Rajputana, and present-day Haryana and Punjab were also part of his kingdom. The old king had a son and two daughters. His concern grew as his son Surya was not talented enough to rule Ajmer. His youngest daughter, Princess Karpuri Devi, was married to Someshwar Chauhan of the famous Chauhan clan. Their son, Rai Pithora, helped his maternal grandfather in administration as well as in the well-being of the subjects from the young age of 10. Brave and courageous, this young lad trained himself in warfare with an acute interest in the matters of the state, and the subjects loved him for his kindness. Anangpal made his decision. On his death, Rai Pithora rose to the throne of Delhi in 1149 A.D. He took the name of Prithviraj, the ruler of the Earth. Their kingdom was already large, with fortifications at Ajmer and Delhi. He further built the Qila Rai Pithora at Mehrauli and the Badal Mahal at Agra (later the place for Agra Fort)

Within months of his succession to the throne, his competent administrative skills and bravery became the talk of the subcontinent. He was the King every princess desired to marry and every king wanted as a Son-in-law.

Far East was the land of Kanauj, ruled by Jaichand, the Gaharwar dynasty king, whose mother was Roop Kumari, the eldest daughter of Anangpal. Jaichand was jealous of his cousin-brother's growing competency and his acquiring the throne from their grandfather. Jaichand always thought he was more able as a ruler than Prithvi could be.

Jaichand's teenage daughter was Samyukta. She was unaware of her father's relation to the Chauhan prince and was jealous towards him. Samyukta's beauty was very famous in Kanauj and its adjoining states. Suitors came from all over the land with marriage proposals, but she thought them unworthy of herself. One day, Samyukta dressed as a commoner and was accompanied by her maids as her friends went to the fair. Suddenly, her eyes stopped at the glance of a painting. A life-like painting of a handsome prince, standing with his sword held high, his eyes sparkling with intelligence, his look strong and determined. She stood in awe.

"Who is this handsome young man?" Samyukta spoke aloud to herself.

.
" He is Rai Pithora... the Raja of Ajmer." The painter smiled. Mesmerised by the painting, she ordered her maids to buy the piece of art for some Swarnamudras.
Inside the palace, she kept the painting in her chambers. Little did she know that the man she was attracted to was, in fact, her Uncle, her father's maternal cousin-brother. She was in love.

Back in Ajmer, Prithviraj used to invite and patronise a lot of musicians and artists. One such group arrived in his court from Kanauj one day. Their poem and songs were about their young Princess, who was a gem to their country. Her beauty, her talents and her character were all perfect. On hearing such praise, Prithviraj grew curious about this Princess, who was none other than Samyukta.

Jaichand, aware of his young daughter's popularity, decided to arrange her Swayambhar. Preparations began in full swing. However, near Kanauj in the temple of Koteshwar, Gujarat's Rana Bhimdev Solanki had planned sabotage against Prithviraj. Hearing this news from his spies, Prithviraj disguised himself as a commoner called Surya to save the temple. Meanwhile, Samyukta heard from her secret informers that Prithviraj had reached Koteshwar in disguise. She who had seen his picture could recognise him. The urge to meet the man she admired made Samyukta take a drastic decision. With the help of her Sakhis, she dressed as a commoner called Nandini and visited Koteshwar in search of Surya. She met him as a commoner, and he was swept away by her beauty, simplicity and character. He saw her help the poor, feed the orphans and pray to the lord, and within her simplicity, he searched for inner peace. He could not decide how to tell her who he was.

Samyukta, who recognised him well, took care of him during his stay as a householder, taking care of her guest, cooking for him and looking after his needs. They gradually fell in love during his short stay there. Meanwhile, a palace informer saw the princess with her uncle and rushed to Jaichand with the news of the brewing love. Samyukta was immediately called home by her father. Fearing losing Prithvi, she told him her truth. He was shocked to learn that the simple commoner he fell in love with was none other than the princess he had heard of. He was at first in a dilemma as he did not want to irk Jaichand further. But her love and her tears made his heartache.
" Go home, Samyukta. I promise I will come for you."
" But, my father hates you, Rajaji, I don't know why..." Samyukta was in tears before the separation.
" He is jealous of me; he fears my abilities. "
" Why?" Samyukta asked, teary-eyed.
" Because his mother and mine are sisters, and I got Ajmer, not he."
" Sisters? We are... Related?" Sanyukta's heart sank.
" You need not worry, my love, because no reason can separate two lovers destined to be together."
He rode off as she looked on.

The escape of Samyukta
 The The preparations were made for her swayambhar, and Jaichand made sure that neither Prithvi nor his relatives were called for this occasion. Jaichand kept strict guards, and further, to insult Prithvi, he built a statue of him at the doorways. Samyukta made her way into the swayambhar hall, looking her best, having faith in Prithvi's last words. As she walked down the aisle with a thousand eyes staring at her, she noticed the statue and smiled. Eyes fixed on the statue, she walked across the room and placed a garland on the statue's neck. Before the awestruck audience could react, there were noises of hooves, and Prithviraj came riding down the hallway, grabbing Samyukta by the hand, and whisking her away.


The insulted Princes and Kings who had been invited to this Swayambhar followed Prithviraj's horse in vain, with Jaichand in the lead. They got married in Ajmer, and she became his Rathore Rani Samyukta. They were living in peace (though some claim this was after the first battle of Tarain which seems less likely as it was only a year between the two battles) until the Afghan army of Mahmud Ghori (often referred to in Raso as Mohammad) invaded Ajmer to capture Delhi in 1191 AD, after 16 years of his marriage to Samyukta and the birth of his four sons.

He wrote to Jaichand, asking for help, hoping that he had forgiven Samyukta in these many years, but he was proved wrong as the vain Jaichand provided his support to Ghori. Prithviraj's brave Rajput army managed to beat the Afghan army, but he let Ghori go, much against his wishes, under the advice of his ministers. Ghori learnt his lesson and came back stronger the next year. Prithviraj was captured in the Second Battle of Tarain.

Learning of the defeat, the brave Rani Samyukta committed Jauhar with the other women of the palace. Prithviraj was ordered to be put to death by Ghori. Thus ended a love that grew beyond the barriers of relations and hatred and is believed to be the most famous love story of Rajputana till today.

Other related stories & historical Facts:

  • One popular story involving Prithviraj is that of his killing of Ghori despite being blind. The story is a legend woven around an incident at Ghazni (Mahmud's territory lasted from parts of present-day Afghanistan to present-day Gujarat). It is said that Chand Bardai, the poet and friend of Prithviraj, visited him in jail in disguise. Together, they hatched a plan for revenge. But when Prithviraj and Bardai were planning, one of Ghori's spies heard them. At the Durbar, when Prithviraj was given the bow and arrow to be aimed, according to his plan, he aimed it at the Sultan. However, knowing of his plan beforehand, the Sultan had placed another person in his place. Prithviraj assumed he had killed the Sultan when he was put to death alongside his friend, but the Sultan lived 20 more years to be killed by his own general, the founder of the slave dynasty, Qutb Ud Din Aibak, for the throne.

  • Another story, in connection with Mewar, is that Prithviraj had a twin sister called Preetha. Upon reaching marriageable age, she was wedded to his best friend, the crown prince Samarsi of Mewar. Before the first battle of Tarain, 1191, the Ruler of Putan (Pattan), also brother-in-law to Samarsi, courtesy of his first wife, Korum Devi, joined hands with the ruler of Ghazni in an alliance. To weaken Prithviraj's army and tire him out before the Battle of Tarain, the Pattan king attacked Ajmer. At the same time, a small army of the Ghori also attacked Gujarat. Because Samarsi was a relative of the Pattan, Prithviraj ordered him to lead his army to Gujarat while he went to Pattan for the battle. Samarsi, with his deft warrior skills and leadership, not only won the Battle but also imprisoned many. Most of the Ghori tents were looted of their treasures and handed over to the Chauhan King. On request, Samarsi refused to take anything from the plundered treasure that belonged to the Chauhan King. He was an immensely respected friend of Prithviraj who fought all battles alongside him. After the second Battle of Tarain, in 1192, Samarsi died fighting bravely, while Prithviraj was imprisoned and blinded. Delhi was taken over, and Pritha joined Samyogita and many other Chauhan princesses in the Jauhar to save their honour. 

  • Samarsi, among many sons, had his heir from the Pattan Princess, Korum Devi. Karna was his only surviving son. He was a minor, so his mother ruled Chittoor on his behalf. She headed the Rajputs and led them into many battles bravely; the most famous one being near Amber, against Qutubuddin Aibak, where she led nine Rajput Rawats in the battle against the Sultanate and sustained fatal injuries, refusing to give in like a true-blue Rajput. 

  • Besides the Ghori accounts of the Battles of Tarain, he has been mentioned in several medieval kavya or epic poems by Hindu and Jain authors. These include Prithviraja Vijaya, Hammira Mahakavya, and Prithviraj Raso. Other chronicles and texts that mention Prithviraj include Prabandha-Chintamani, Prabandha Kosha, and Prithviraj Prabandha. These were composed centuries after his death and contain exaggerations.

Inscriptions & Coins

Coins attributed to the reign of Prithviraj Chauhan have been found in Ajmer with images of horsemen and bulls depicted on them. The Devagiri script mentions "Sri Prithvi Raja Deva" and "Sri Samanta Deva" on them.

There are seven inscriptions dated to Prithviraj’s reign available, and none of these were issued by the king himself. 
  1. Barla or Badla inscription, 1177 CE
  2. Phalodi inscription, 1179 CE, records the grants made by Prithviraj’s vassal Ranaka Katiya.
  3. Madanpur inscriptions of 1182 CE:
  4. Inscription 1: Mentions that Prithviraj invaded the territory of the Chandela ruler Paramardi
  5. Inscription 2: Names Prithviraj’s father, Someshvara, and grandfather, Arnoraja, and states that he plundered Jejakabhukti (the Chandela territory).
  6. Udaipur Victoria Hall Museum inscription, 1187 CE.
  7. Visalpur (Bisalpur near Tonk) inscription, 1187 CE.
          The construction of the now-ruined Qila Rai Pithora fort in Delhi has been attributed to Prithviraj, as well as the ruins of Taragarh fort in Ajmer, where only the walls stand today (with a newly erected statue of the king). No historical evidence refers to the existence of Samyogita as his queen consort, and neither does any shed light on his personal life.


          Popular posts from this blog

          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...