A Journey To Discover Life

This story is a retelling of some parts of Malik Mohammad Jayasi's Padmavat, which was a historical fiction poem written in 1540, about 200 years after the siege of Chittorgarh by Allauddin Khilji. Historically, the Rajputs of Mewar didn't keep accounts of their queens, even by name, so the name Padmini or Padmavati was made up by Jayasi to represent the women of Chittor who chose the Jauhar. Historically speaking, Allauddin Khilji wanted the trade route to Surat for himself, which went through Mewar and Rana Ratan Singh, a patron of art, was not known for his military skills. So when Khilji surrounded the fort, the only way out was the Saka and Jauhar. Rani Padmini's Jauhar, as it is now popularly called, is also not the first Jauhar Khilji witnessed. The Jauhars of Ranthambore and Jaisalmer happened before he attacked Chittorgarh. Also, the act of Jauhar happened as early as the Greek invasions of Porus's state, when it is described as the "Mass immolation of Sat...

Since time immemorial, the Indian Subcontinent has witnessed many great battles, dynasties and eras. The most prominent rulers of the medieval age happen to be the Mughals or Timurids. Originally from Samarkand and Fergana, Babur, the chief of the small army that introduced gunpowder and cannons in the field of Panipat, was originally hired by the rulers of the subcontinent to oust Sultan Ibrahim Lodi from the throne of Delhi. Once Babar acquired Delhi and declared himself the emperor, there started a never-ending battle started between the native rulers and his army. Rana Sanga of Mewar  started to oppose Babar, as one of his strongest opponents, the most famous battle being the  Battle of Khanua,  where he finally won. Rana Uday Singh, Rana Pratap and others followed in his footsteps as Guardians of Mewar. The   Jauhar  (self-sacrifice of women to save their dignity from the invaders) happened thrice in the  Chittorgarh  Fort, the Capital of Mewar, w...

The Rajputs were a group of brave and disciplined men and women. While the other Hindu Rulers surrendered to the Mughal Emperors and were attacked by the Afghans, they fought to keep their land and forts independent of these rulers. Many wars left their marks on the walls of the Rajputana Forts, and many stories became household tales of bravery in India. The forts of Chittor, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer... The battles of Haldighat, the love of Prithviraj and Sanyukta, and the Bhakti of Meera Bai are all now part of the folklore of India. Amidst these fairytale-like stories of princes and Princesses, Love and Patriotism, there lie tales of horror. Families lost in wars, kings brutally murdered, jealous step-brothers joining the enemy forces, princesses forced into marriage for political alliances and above all, the horrible scenes of Jauhar.  The ancient tradition of committing Sati in the husband's pyre is very commonly known. Jauhar was a speciality in Rajputana. When the army of the fort...

He grew up in the care of his grandparents, being the sole heir to the throne. He was a great warrior, skilled with the Bow like his grandfather , Arjun  and the sword like his father,  Abhimanyu . The  Raaj Guru Kripacharya  trained him in warfare. His mother,  Uttara,  told him stories of the father he never knew, how valiant a warrior he was and how their struggle for this kingdom was the greatest battle ever fought. He loved to hunt and often indulged in hunting expeditions encouraged by his grandparents. At 35, he was made the king while his Grandfather and his brothers retired from the cycle of responsibilities and decided to live in a hermitage. His mother and grandmother stayed back to help him rule the vast kingdom. The first king of the new era was thus crowned. As king, he started his peaceful reign. He called upon the sages and the  Kul Guru Vyas Dev  to start the new yug with something very important.  " Guruji, I want you to rea...

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 Prin...

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...

The Mythical world had many wonders, magical and fascinating. Yet, most scientific in form. One such element in the  Puranas  is the  Amrita . It is a drink churned from the sea that made the  Devas  immortal. But the religion only says that nobody, even Brahma, can be immortal. The  Amrita  ensured the longevity and healthy lives of the  Devas  and their families. People in the  Satya Yug  used to live four times the average age now, that is, 65 years.  Amrita  helped them stay fit and healthy. Then came the  Treta Yug , when the  Rig Vedas  were formed in their initial stages and handed over to the  Devas . The  Devas  must have thought of ensuring the secrets of the  Amrita  with their successors, and hymns were made for it. The story of how they churned the seas with the asuras came alive. People in  Treta  lived three times the age they live now.  Towards the end ...

This fascinating story of Tulabharam first originated in Vijayanagar during the reign of Krishna Deva Raya. It is believed that the story was written by his court poet using Krishna as a metaphor for their own king, who was a namesake, whose first wife thought he gave more importance to the second. Nowhere before that was this story originally found, and most interestingly, Tulabharam became quite a ritual in medieval India after this story, especially in the courts of the Mughals and Rajputs. Satyabhama  was the second wife of Lord Krishna. He married her after his marriage to Rukmini. Proud of her nature, Satyabhama was very confident; her husband's heart was hers, and she had full control over him, unlike his other wives. Every girl dreamt of his  Leela,  but she was the one who stole his heart by helping him kill the  rakshas . Her arrogance was such that she told his 16000 other wives that she was his chief consort.  Narad   Muni  seemed amused wa...