Vishnu's Initiative

The Trinity was in a dilemma. The Dwapar Yug has lost its value. Its consequences needed to be faced. Kaali Yug needed to be ushered in. Once again, it was time for Vishnu to take human form and purify the earth of all evils. Ram had removed evil from the Treta Yug; it was now time for Krishna to be born. A meeting was called for all Devas and Gandharvas, Demons and Nagas who reached Swarga Lok. Vishnu spoke to the eager crowd that gathered to hear the Trinity.

Vishnu

“It’s time again, all devas; it’s time to remove evil from Dwapar once and for all… I have decided it’s time to take birth as an Avatar once again. You all have helped Ram usher in Dwapar, and I hope that you volunteer to do the same with Krishna.” He added, happily looking at his family in the crowd, “Laxmi will join me as Yajnaseni Draupadi, and Anant Naga as my elder brother Balaram.”

“I have already heard that you have blessed Hiranyakashipu to be Shishupala, Narayan.” Brahma smiled.

“Yes, and Sanghallad will be born as Shalya, King of Madra. Kalnemi will be born as Kansa to be killed by me for his sins. Viprachitti will be Jarasandha, King of Magadha.”

“Narayan, demons Dirghojibi and Kalketu will be Kasi Raj and Matsya Raj, respectively. Kasi Raja will father Amba, Ambika, and Ambalika, and Matsya Raja will be born out of a fish with a twin sister.” Shiva smiled.

Dev Guru Brihaspati spoke now, hands folded, “ Respected Trinity, I want to be part of your Dharma Sthapana as well, order me, my lords!”

“You will be born as Dronacharya, Dev Guru, your role will be an important one”, Vishnu instructed.

“My ansh will be born as Kripacharya, the great learned man, and Ashwathama, son to Drona,” Shiva ordered.

Asta Vasu now stepped forward, “ We have already been cursed for our misdeed, and Mata Ganga has been ready to be our mother. Our ansh will also be born as Drupad, King of Panchal, and our youngest brother will be reborn as Devabrata.”

Dharma Raja, Yama, offered his part, "My ansh will help bring peace and prosperity. They will be Daasi Putra Vidur and Samrat Yudhisthir.”

The Gandharvas wanted to participate too. “We will be born as Kritavarma and Raja Virat of Matsya.” A Gandharva called Subaru informed, “ I am already cursed, so I will be Dhritarashtra, the blind prince.”

Pulastya volunteered, “I will give my ansh as the 99 sons of Dhritarashtra.”

“I will be the eldest Duryodhan”, the vain Kali demon roared. " I will win over Dharma."

Chandra and Rohini

Yogamaya appeared before the crowd. “Narayan, allow me to be part of your Dharma, let me be born as your sister.”

“You will be Subhadra Devi, my sister, mother to the bravest warrior.” Narayan smiled.

Chandra and Rohini stepped in," Our curse has to be fruitful, so let us be of some use too,” They pleaded.

“You will be born as Abhimanyu, who is the greatest warrior and his wife, Uttara.” Vishnu granted.

Goddess Siddhi and Dhriti also wanted to participate. “We will be Pandu's wives, Kunti and Madri.”

“I will be born as Gandhari.” Replied Maati, the goddess of Intelligence.

Kama Dev stepped forward, “I will be Pradyumna.”

Vayu Dev, Pavan, blessed his ansh to be born as Bheem, the second Pandava. Indra blessed his ansh as Arjun, the greatest archer, and Surya blessed his ansh as Karna. Ashwini Kumaras gave twin ansh in Nakul and Sahadev.

Dwapar the Demon reincarnated himself as Shakuni.”I will help Dwapar end and help Kali.”

Thus began the plan for the greatest war Bharat would witness in the future; the war that would usher in Kali Yug and the fight that would rip apart a whole clan of warriors, princes and learned men; the saga of the greatest sacrifices, the women who sacrificed their everything for the greater good. The epic teaches man the ways of Dharma and teaches us to rectify mistakes. Mahabharata.

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 Parmers 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 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 ...

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...

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 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 ...

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...

Chittorgarh: The First Jauhar

The concept of Jauhar holds a profound place in Rajputana history. It is a ritual where Rajput women willingly choose death by jumping into a fire altar, invoking the gods, and embracing honour rather than living under the humiliation of enemy conquest. Unlike Sati, Jauhar was never forced or compulsory; it was considered the most honourable death a Rajputani could choose when their men lost battles and the enemy laid siege. The Historical Setting: Jauhar Gate and Chittorgarh Fort Chittorgarh Fort once housed the palace of Rana Ratan Singh near the famed Vijay Stambh and his Jal Mahal at the fort’s main gate. When Alauddin Khilji invaded Chittor, much of this was destroyed. However, later ruler Rana Kumbha rebuilt the Jal Mahal and re-established the Jauhar Sthal to honour Queen Padmavati (also known as Padmini). Ratan Singh, who ruled Mewar during Khilji’s reign as Sultan of Delhi, was known to be a peace-loving monarch who enjoyed music and poetry. One of his court poets, Ragha...

Maa Durga: Weapons and Iconography

Mythology: Origin story & Chandi Path The Srimat Devi Bhagawatam , also known as the Devi Puran, a sub-Purana attributed to Shiva Mahapurana, depicts the story of the “birth” and achievement of Devi Durga. The word Durga and related terms appear in the Vedic literature, such as in the Rigveda hymns 4.28, 5.34, 8.27, 8.47, 8.93 and 10.127, and in sections 10.1 and 12.4 of the Atharvaveda. A deity named Durge appears in section 10.1. 7 of the Taittiriya Aranyaka . But the most famous depiction detailed in mythology about the goddess comes from thirteen chapters of the Devi Mahatmya of the Markandeya Purana . It is also famously known as the Chandi Path, which is mainly referred to by the Bengalis for Durga Pujo. Though the Chandi Path starts from Madhu and Kaitava’s birth from Vishnu’s sleeping body and finally being slain, we will focus on the story of Durga. Parvati’s association with this particular form of iconography comes from the story of Shumbha and Nishumbha, t...

Chittorgarh: The Devoted Fort

Chittorgarh, renowned for its tales of sacrifice and valour, is also a remarkable testimony to secular harmony and religious heritage that flourished over centuries. Beyond battles and sieges, the fort and its surroundings are dotted with numerous temples, talabs (reservoirs), kunds (water tanks), and temple complexes; some intact, others abandoned or in ruins, each narrating stories of devotion, culture, and royal patronage. The Legend of Meera Bai: Devotion and Defiance One of the most inspiring figures linked to Chittorgarh’s spiritual legacy is Meera Bai , the saint poetess and princess of Merta. Married in 1513 AD at age 14 to Maharaj Kumar Bhoj Raj Singh Sisodiya , the eldest son of Rana Sanga, her story is one of profound devotion. As a child, Meera Bai was deeply attached to the idol of Lord Krishna, whom she considered her true husband, an attachment sparked by a childhood curiosity and nurtured with daily conversations and care for the idol. This devotion dista...

The Buddhist Empress of India

Many historians believe that although Devi was the first wife of Asoka, his Buddhist queen, Asandhimitra, was not the same person. However, some also theorise based on Buddhist and Jain stories that they were in fact the same person, and the reason for that is that they don't seem to appear in the timeline together. Devi disappears when Asandhimitra arrives at the scene rather abruptly to do her charitable work. Hence, I personally believe they were one and the same. This story, however, is a retelling of folklore and not history. Please do not consider this piece of fiction as history. The whole village of Vidisha Nagari was buzzing with activity. Every home was being cleaned, and cooking preparations were on. The youngest prince of Magadha was coming to a halt the night at their village on his way to Ujjain. Great unrest was reported at Ujjain, and the youngest prince, as the general of this region, was being sent by the emperor to solve the issue. The villagers were scared as th...

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