The Princess who Ruled

The mystic lands of the far East, Aryavarta, were a mystery to many. The warrior prince was exiled from his own kingdom and was forced to live in a hermitage due to a condition he agreed upon with his brothers and broke. He decided to visit the lands to the east and see the natural beauty himself. Wherever he travelled, his name was famous, and people welcomed him with open arms. After all, he was the son of the great Emperor and the greatest archer of the land. While travelling through the forest dressed as a hermit, Gandhiva in hand, he stopped to rest. An arrow shot across, inches from his ears. He held up his Gandhiva.

From the clearing emerged a Prince who wore the traditional local dress. Holding up the bow, the Warrior Prince was ready for combat." Who are you? A stranger with the bow? Do you threaten Manipur or seek peace?"

The voice was that of a woman. The Prince was surprised. Initially, he thought the way this person dressed and shot an arrow was more like a Prince than a Princess.

" I am a Hermit, Princess Of Manipur. And I seek Peace."
" If you are a Hermit, why do you need a bow? Are you disguised as a Hermit, Warrior?"

She was determined to know the truth. She was the heir to the throne and the protector of Manipur. She didn't lower her bow even though the man did.

" I am Arjun, Prince of Hastinapur, Son of Pandava and Brother to Samrat Yudhisthir of Indraprastha."

She knew who he was; his name was enough. He was the warrior every warrior wanted to be. The tall, dark, and handsome man in front of her was Arjun!

" Pranipat! I am glad you came to our country. I will inform my father immediately. You are a guest of ours. Come with him to the palace."
" No, Princess. Thank you for your hospitality, but I have decided to live in huts for the last twelve years. So, I can not be your guest at the palace."

The princess rode back with her soldiers.

She sat in the garden thinking of the encounter. He was a great warrior. He was handsome as well. The princess developed a feeling that she thought she would never feel suppressed by her duties and responsibilities. She was the Prince of the Kingdom. The son her father never had. The unwanted daughter. She, for all her life, tried to become his son, wearing a man's clothes, taking up the Bow. Being ready to give her father the son he always wished for. But her feelings made her want to be the woman she was, dress pretty and impress the man who saw her as a warrior.

" What are you thinking, Chitrangada? Your father received your message and has gone to greet Prince Arjun."
" Sakhi, I think I am in love with Arjun."

" What? Love? The Future King is in love?" Her Sakhi was shocked. Like Chitrangada, she also thought Love was the last thing possible for her!

"What will I do?" Her face was grim. Her father won't be pleased.

" Go meet him."
" What?"
"Tell him what you feel, and let him decide."
" Are you sure?"
"Yes."

She decided to go meet him. She called on her maids and ordered them to dress her up as a princess. They made her wear a sari, wear jewellery and tied her long hair into a braid and bun. They decorated her feet and hands with red Alta. She wore Bangles and anklets for the first time in her life. She went into the forests looking for him.

Arjun was busy gathering fruits for his meal when the sounds of anklets caught his attention. It was followed by a sweet smell of flowers and perfume. He turned his eyes towards the sound of the anklets and found a beautiful woman standing in the clearing. She made her way toward him with a shy smile.

" Who are you? Some beautiful Apsara in this forest, or some magical illusion?" Arjun praised the beautiful woman before him.

" I am Chitrangada, and we have met before ." Her eyes caught his.

" Where is My Lady? Because on seeing you, I am so mesmerised that I want to marry you."
" Really? Marry me? Am I that pretty?"
" Tell me who your father is and where we have met so that I can seek your hand in marriage. I am..."
" I am The Princess Of Manipur, Maharathi Arjun."
" You, the one who struck an arrow yesterday?"
" Yes, my lord, I came here to tell you how I felt..."
"You are mesmerising, Chitrangada, the perfect woman. Brave and beautiful, you are a mystery. The one yesterday or you, here, now, who is the real self, My Lady?"

" Who you saw yesterday was the Princess of Manipur. Today, you meet Chitrangada, my Lord." Her head bowed before him. He took her hand and looked her in the eyes.

" Then I love both, Princess Chitrangada, who is beautiful and brave. Equal to me in the skills of warfare."

Her eyes shone with happiness.

" But my father will not agree to this union."
" Why?"

" He wants me to rule after him, and my son to rule after me. No man will accept a wife who will stay at her father's palace forever." She was sad."You know my chief wife, Panchali Draupadi?"

" Yes, my lord, her beauty and intelligence are known all over Aryavarta."
" When we five married her, she made us a promise. Since none of us can bring their other wives back into the household, we can only go meet them from time to time. My Naga wife Ullupi agreed to this when we got married."
" That means..."
" Yes, I will marry you, and you can stay back and rule Manipur."

The wedding was a grand celebration in Manipur. Their Princess was getting married to none other than Maharathi Arjun. Arjun has called on his Naga wife, Ulupi, to stay in Manipur with him and Chitrangada. He lived there for three years, and Babruvahan was born to Chitrangada. Arjun and Ulupi had Iravan. He left his two wives in Manipur under the King's care with their infant sons and left to complete his journey to the west of the country at Somnath near Dwarka. Chitangada ruled Manipur until Babruvahan grew up to become king. She continued dressing like kings do and taking an active part in wars. However, when the Kurukshetra war broke out, she refused to send her son to his father's aid because he had never once visited them in eighteen years. Ulupi, who helped Chitrangada in Manipur, sent Iravan to his father, and he died sacrificing himself to the Goddess Kali. Babruvan ruled Manipur during Yudhisthir's Aswamedha after the war, when he stopped the horse to fight his father Arjun and meet him for the first time. But not recognising Arjun in the troop, he killed his father. Ulupi saved her husband with magical powers and heard of Iravan's death from him. Chitrangada was no more, and Ullupi refused to accompany Arjun back to Hastinapur because he had made Iravan sacrifice himself without war. Babruvahan merged Manipur with the vast Hastinapur empire and accompanied his father to the Palace at Hastinapur.

The Princess of Manipur lived her life for her country and waited for her husband to return once in her lifetime. However, he, being busy with his own duties, could not do so. She made her son a valiant warrior like herself and his father and told him about Arjun. She died waiting for him to return, ruling Manipur, the place she loved more than her own happiness. She lived for her father, being his son, because he never wanted a daughter.

This story is my own representation of how Chitrangada and Arjun meet. This has no connection to the epic and is only used for the representation of the greatness of the two characters.

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 Suta Putra

He was born as the eldest son of the Princess of Kuntibhoj. She was unmarried and had a bright future ahead of her. She did not want to sabotage her life and future for the unwanted child. She wrapped him in a blanket and decided to float him on the River, hoping the Mother Goddess would safely deliver him to someone. His father, the Sun God himself, was sympathetic to her plight and, for the safety of his son, provided him with a set of golden Kavach and Kundal (A set of earrings and a locket/beads/armour) to protect him. These were powerful enough to save him from any weapon. The currents took the baby far away to the land of Hastinapur. The royal charioteer Adhirath and his wife Radha were bathing there and praying to the Sun God for a child. A basket floated past them with a baby in it. They picked the baby up and decided to call him their son. Growing up, he wanted to learn archery and train as a Kshatriya, much to the objection of his parents. He went to Parasurama, the teacher o...

The Lady Sultan

Indian History, or subcontinental History, is incomplete without speaking of the women who left a mark in their own significant ways. The first woman who comes to mind is perhaps the only woman Sultan to rule Delhi, Raziya (Razia). It’s been over a year since I had been trying to read and understand the mystery of Raziya Bint Iltutmish . Attributed as the only Woman Muslim Monarch of India, she is a name of many assumptions, imagination and speculations. The few books that have been written on her or the historical accounts of the Slave Dynasty mentioning her have always been about the turbulence of the government and the various rebels and uprisings that took place among the prominent chiefs of Iltutmish, who wanted to rise in power. No documentation or portrayal is found about her look, character or early days from her contemporary times. The only relevant historical book I found solely on her was by Dr Karunapada Dutta, while she finds a chapter in Heroines by Ira Mukhoty or Th...

Chittorgarh: The Final Seige

If you want to truly experience the spirit of Chittorgarh, here’s the insider scoop on how to plan your visit. You’ve got two solid options: Arrive by evening (around 5 PM) to catch the mesmerising Light and Sound show first, then start your fort tour fresh at 9 AM the next morning. It’ll take you around 4-5 hours to soak in all the history and ambience. Or, get there early morning and spend the whole day exploring, then watch the Light and Sound show at 6 PM before heading back to Udaipur. Most travellers skip staying overnight, but if you’re like me, you might want to spend a night in this historic town to let its resonance sink in. On 18th October 1567, Emperor Akbar was returning triumphantly from Gujarat, intent on establishing Mughal supremacy by taking over every resistant fort and state. By 23rd October, his sights were set on Mewar, then fiercely independent under Rana Udai Singh, who had just founded Udaipur at Lake Pichola. The Rana had refused one too many Rajput po...

Maharana Pratap: The Sun of Mewar

Many of you have read my fan fiction as well as historical representations of the life and times of Maharana Pratap Singh of Mewar. I provided small details of his life in many articles. But never have I ever made a separate historical post on him. It is very difficult to put together his life without the help of folklore because historical evidence is scarce. This one was requested, and hence here it goes. Needless to say, this one is very special. This is a blend of history and folklore. Leave your love. ❤️ Background and Birth: The year was 1540. Mewar was under a cloud of uncertainty. Banbir, their ruler for four years now, was a very incompetent ruler who always spent his time in luxury, drinking and dancing with girls. The crown prince Udai Singh was rumoured to have been killed by him. Chittorgarh was in darkness. Around March 1540, Mewar once again saw hope as some trusted generals, along with Kunwar Udai Singh, attacked Chittorgarh, taking Banbir by surprise. He was soon t...

Mewar: Origin of Guhilots

Origin: Lord Rama had two sons, Labh and Kush . The Ranas of Mewar are descendants of the former. Labh had built his capital at Lah-Kot (Lahore) , and the branch from which the Mewar blue blood arrives resided there until Kanaksen (Often traced as the founder)moved to Dwarika, Saurashtra. "Sen" was used as a title term for many decades by this Suryavanshi clan until it later changed to "Dit" or "Aditya", names of the Sun. Aditya was changed to Guhilot permanently after the expulsion from Saurashtra when they settled in the Ahar valleys (Aravallis). The Sisodia clan sprang from a Prince of Chittoor who had killed a hard chase hare (sissoo in local dialect). The branch often used " Ranawat ", meaning "Royal Blood", as a title, but over time, Sisodia emerged as the retained branch name. Kanaksen wrestled dominance of the Parmar race and founded Birnagar in AD 144. Four generations hence, Vijay Sen ...

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...

Bhangarh: Legend of a Ghost Town

The Legend: The city of Bhangarh was made of spectacular structures and wonderful architecture. The Prince of Amber, Madho Singh, was gifted this city by his Uncle Bhagwan Das, who was the ruler of Amber. The fort was originally built by Bhagwan Das in 1573A.D. during the rule of Akbar. Madho Singh was a cousin of Empress Mariam Ur Zamani (Harka Bai) and a courtier of his Brother-in-law, Akbar. Madho Singh moved into this spectacular city with his family. The fort of Bhangarh was just ahead of Pratap Garh and Ajab Garh, and its large gate was guarded by the Lord Hanuman Dev Temple. The year was 1613AD; Jahangir was the Emperor of the subcontinent. Madho Singh's family and lineage stayed back in the city of 200 households. The Princess of Bhangarh, Ratnavati, was a mesmerising beauty. Such was her beauty that upon entering her late teens, marriage proposals flooded from all over Rajputana. Young, competent, and brave Princes and Kings of several kingdoms wanted her hand in ma...

Hada Queen's Sacrifice

What is folklore? They are history and bravery with a lack of proof, and are often lost in people's storytelling due to a lack of proper documentation. The ones who survive make the heroes and villains immortal. Here I have put forward two very popular Rajasthani folklores in a single representation. I have not read these in the current representative form, but have posted them as stories to make them more interesting and to put forward the spirit of the Kshatranis of Rajputana. Rao Ratan Singh of Salumber was the 13 th Rawat of Salumber, a province that fell under Mewar’s state in the 1660s. His forefathers were the Chundawats who, once in the time of Mokal and Rana Kumbha, had given up their throne for the Sisodia dynasty and were known to serve them with their blood and soul. The Rao was married to a Hada Rajputani, also Rawats under the Mewar rule; the Hadas were not only loyal chieftains but popular princesses to be married to the rulers of Mewar, hailing from Bundi and surro...

The Festival of Bengal: Days and Rituals

This article is partly featured in The Statesman Festival 2024 Magazine. In Bengal, Durga Puja is not only a religious tradition, but it is also a festival. It is called “ Bangalir Shreshto Utsab ” or the greatest festival of Bengalis. This is because, although it started as a religious festival, as we have discussed in the previous blogs, it turned out to be a representation of cultural unity and the freedom movement, as well as seeing her as the daughter returning home with her children. It is called a " Sarbojonin " Utsab, or a festival meant for all and sundry. Durga Puja is inclusive of caste, creed, religion, as well as gender identities and professions. Thus, it is more than just a Puja . The traditions, rituals and ways of Durga Puja are hence very different from Navratri, which is observed in individual homes. Let's find out how. The Pandals and idol: As per Hindu tradition, four things are important when the idol of Maa Durga is prepared. These include clay f...

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