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Sisodiya Family History

Many of you have requested a historical and chronological account of Chittorgarh since Rana Sanga. Let me start by telling you this is just an outline of the events as per history. The family name was originally Guhilot from Guha, a Rana of Mewar. But after one of the kings bravely killed a Sisod, a wild boar, the family name came to be Sisodiya. The Maharana of Mewar,  Sangram Singh , was father to Maharaj Kumar Bhoj Raj, his heir apparent and prince who was married to Saint Poetess Meera Bai , the princess of Merta. While Bhoj Raj died in the battle of Khanua, Rana Sanga died of wounds that did not heal from his battle with Babur and the invading Mughal army. He had fought 17 wars against Babar. When both Bhoj Raj and Sanga died, Rani Karvawati, the favourite queen of Rana Sanga, asked Meera Bai to leave the fort of Chittorgarh. It is believed that luck left Chittorgarh with Meera. The year was  1528 AD . Ratan Singh, the brother of Bhoj Raj, had been coronated when he suspe...

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 pr...

The Rebel Saint: Retracing the Stories of Meera Bai

This is a folklore retelling of the life of Meera Bai. Little is known about her historically, except that she was a devotee of Lord Krishna and the granddaughter of Rao Dudha of Marwar. Since Rana Sanga was an ally of the king, she was married to the crown prince of Mewar, Bhoj Raj, who unfortunately died in one of the many battles Mewar fought with Babur. After that, her journey from Mewar to Merta to Vrindavan and Dwarka can be traced only through folklore. Historically, her mention is only found twice, once in the chronology of Merta, where her father Ratan Singh, the youngest son of the king, is mentioned as having a daughter married to Kunwar Bhoj Raj and another time when the temple for her Lord was commissioned by Rana Sanga, for the private use and worship of his firstborn's widow. The Palace at Merta Merta The palace at Merta was alive with festive preparations. Rao Dudha, the fourth son of Jodha Rao, the founder of Jodhpur, was returning from war with his sons. His grand...