शुक्रवार, 4 दिसंबर 2020

The Queen Of Hadi

You might have heard of many epics from the pages of history. Rajputs and the Rajwadas are born with the warrior blood. And today I talk about one such warrior Rajput women “Hadi Rani”- a folk heroine of Rajasthan in India. Rajputs are known for their bravery sacrifice. Rajput women are believed to be as much as Rajput men. Women in India have always stood strong for the dignity for their nation and their family.

Picture Source/ Google

The legends say that she was the daughter of a Hada Rajput and was married to Sardar Rao Ratan Singh Chundawat of Salumbar in Mewar who sacrificed herself to motivate her husband to fight the war. Her sacrifice added her name in the list among the great warrior women of Rajputs. Hadi Rani was the lady who created history to the actual meaning of love and sacrifice.

It was the period when Mughals ruled over India. And Aurangzeb had his power of dominating the poor and the helpless Hindus. His evil intentions were getting worse day by day. Great names such as Shivaji, Guru Gobind Singh, Rathod Veer Durgadas and others had stood against these Mughal rulers and were defeating them one by one.

Story Of Rani Hadi

Hadi Rani was the daughter of Hada Chauhan Rajput and had recently gotten married to the Chundawat Chieftain of Salumbar, Rao Ratan Singh, in Mewar (which is the South Central part of Rajasthan).

The couple was in love and the Chieftain was smitten with his new wife. But as fate decreed, Maharana Raj Singh I of Mewar called him to a battle against the invading army of Aurangazeb (Son of Shah Jahan).

The Chieftain was reluctant as he was newly married and had wanted to be with his lovely and virtuous wife. But being a duty-bound and incredibly proud warrior, he kept his promise and joined the battle, heading the army.

Still, his mind was on his exquisite wife and his every moment was hindered by her presence etched in his heart. So he sent an envoy to inquire about his new bride.

Though Hadi Rani was much in love, her husband’s distraction from his duty towards his motherland caused her grief and it was emphasized even more when the distraction was her. So she decided on something that would become the fodder for many legends and folklores.

She called aside her Chief Lady-in-waiting and told her that she would have to present the messenger with a souvenir on her behalf to her beloved Rao Ratan Singh. She then proceeded to take the nearby sword and chopped off her head.

The aghast Lady-in-Waiting then gave the messenger Hadi Rani’s head on a plate and asked him to give it to the Chieftain at the battlefield. Imagine the anguish the Chieftain must have felt when he saw his wife’s head as a memoir!

Keeping aside his bereavement, he was supremely proud of his wife for the unparalleled sacrifice for her motherland and the sense of duty. He, with pride, wore her head around his neck as a sign of valor and stormed into the battle like a demon.

The nemesis army was shattered by his bravery on the battlefield (Though I personally think I would be scared of a man charging towards me with a dead woman’s head around his neck!) and Maharana Raj Singh’s warriors emerged from the battle, triumphant.

Rao Ratan Singh, unable to cope with his wife’s death, having no resolve to continue living, took out his sword and beheaded himself the same way his love did.

A palace named Hadi Rani Mahal is still present in India, located in the heart of Nagaur city.

Though the history of Hadi Rani might have been distorted by numerous exaggerations and imaginations, the battle and her sacrifice have been well inscribed. It is one of the stories of love and bravery that has moved me greatly. 


Picture Source/ Google

राव सलुम्बर के चुंडा ने मांगी एक निशानी थी,

शीस काट कर भेजा क्षत्राणी ने वह तो हाडी राणी थी ।


मैं एक ऐसी योद्धा रानी का जिक्र कर रहा हूँ, जिसने युद्ध में जाते अपने पति को निशानी मांगने पर अपना सिर काट कर भिजवा दिया था।

 रानी हाडी बूंदी के हाडा शासक की बेटी थी और उदयपुर (मेवाड़) के सलुम्बर ठिकाने के रावत चुण्डावत की पत्नी थी। जिनकी शादी का गठ्जोडा खुलने से पहले ही उसके पति रावत चुण्डावत को मेवाड़ के महाराणा राज सिंह (1653-81) का औरंगजेब के खिलाफ मेवाड़ की रक्षार्थ युद्ध का आदेश मिला था।

मेवाड़ रियासत में सलूंबर का ठीकाना प्रथम श्रेणी चुडावत सामंतों का रहा है। यह ठिकाना मांझल रात में ब्‍याहकर आई उस हाड़ा रानी के लिए याद किया जाता है जिसने छिन्‍नमस्‍ता होने से गुरेज नहीं किया। बरात लौटी और सुबह ही पति चुंडावत सरदार के पास युद्ध का बुलावा आ गया।

रानी ने सरदार के पत्नी प्रेम को भांप लिया। उसने कर्तव्‍य को शीर्ष प्राथमिकता देते हुए पति को रण में जाने को कह दिया। जंग जीतने घोड़े के पांव महल के बाहर पड़े... मगर रास्‍ते में ही चुंडावत सरदार ने अपने सेवक को बुलाया और कहा कि मालूम नहीं जीयें कि मरें, जाओ और हाड़ा रानी से कोई निशानी लेकर आओ।

सेवक के निशानी मांगने पर रानी ने यह सोच कर कि कहीं उसके पति पत्नीमोह में युद्ध से विमुख न हो जाए या वीरता नही प्रदर्शित कर पाए इसी आशंका के चलते इस वीर रानी ने अपना शीश काट कर ही निशानी के तौर पर भेज दिया ताकि उसका पति अब उसका मोह त्याग निर्भय होकर अपनी मातृभूमि के लिए युद्ध कर सके।

सेवक ने बतौर निशानी सरदार को नव परिणिता रानी का सिर सौंपा, और रावत चुण्डावत ने अपनी पत्नी का कटा शीश गले में लटका औरंगजेब की सेना के साथ भयंकर युद्ध किया | औरन्जेब की सेना खदेड़ी गयी | रावत ने अपने घुटनों पर बैठ कर अपना शीश कटा, क्योंकि उसे जीने की इच्छा नहीं रही थी। वीरता पूर्वक लड़ते हुए अपनी मातृभूमि के लिए शहीद हो गए।

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