Queen Padmini of Chittor- a corner of Indian history.

[GPM]

Queen Padmini of Chittor- a corner of Indian history.

This is a chronicle of desperate valor, with tragic end. All Hindus are saddened by it, yet feel proud of it.

Padmini was the Queen of Chittorgarh and had matchless beauty. The tales of Her beauty reached the ears of Allaudin Khilji, muslim sultan of Delhi. He desired to possess her, but it was easier said than done.

So he personally went there and besieged Chittorgarh. He sent message to Rana Rattan Singh, Padmini's husband, to say that he would spare the city if he could meet its famous queen. Even this was turned down. The compromise finally reached was that the sultan could look upon Padmini's reflection if he came unarmed into the fort. Accordingly, the sultan went up the hill and glimpsed a reflection of the beautiful Padmini standing by a lotus pool. He thanked his host who courteously escorted Allauddin down to the outer gate-where the sultan's men waited in ambush to take the Rana hostage as a ransom in exchange of Padmini.

Pals, that was unthinkable!! Honoured Queen raped by Allauddin? No. NO.

Rajputs decided to meet the devil with his own fires. A messenger informed the sultan that the Rani Herself would come to him, but demands a fitting reception for Her entourage. So 100 curtained palanquins set off down the hill, each carried by six humble bearers and bearing 1 warrior disguised as women. A total of 700 warriors. Once inside the camp of the the sultan, they broke out and played havoc. Soon, of course, all perished.

The die was cast. Chittor could not hold out. Surrender was unthinkable. The Rani and Her entire entourage of women, the wives of generals and soldiers, sent their children into hiding with loyal retainers. They then dressed their wedding fine , slid their farewells, and singing ancient hymns, boldly entered the mahal and performed jauhar ie enetered the FIRE. It is a historical truth.

The men, watching with expressionless faces, then donned saffron robes [a sign of DO OR DIE, mostly die], smeared the holy ashes of their women on their foreheads, flung open the gates of the fort and thundered down the hill into the enemy ranks, to fight to the death.

7,000 Rajputs persihed in that battle to the FINISH. What a pyrrihic victory for Khilji, a DESERTED city!! What did he get, except a heap of ashes?

PS: We do not know the names of other women. But we call them Padminis. Thousands of Padaminis.

Padamaini, means LIKE LOTUS, is quite a popular name for females. She is a Goddesss for us Hindus.

 

[Dovah]

And your point is?

 

[Yusuf]

Another attempt by you to give a Hindu Muslim spin to something that was just plain lust.

Best part about this is that the first person to write about this was Malik Mohammed.http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malik_Muhammad_Jayasi

 

[Yusuf]

And your point is?

The point is to troll.

 

[Yusuf]

In the 12th and 13th centuries, the Sultanate of Delhi - the kingdom set up by the invaders was nevertheless growing in power. The Sultans made repeated attack on Mewad on one pretext or the other. Here we may recollect the story of Rani Padmani who was the pretext for Alauddin Khilji's attack on Chittod.Though the story is based on the book written by the Alauddin's historian to justify their attacks on Rajput kingdoms and much to frustrate the bravery and heroism which was present in the males and females of Rajputs warlords.Most historians do not agree with the story which is based on muslim sources to infame the Rajput chivelry.The story uses all such tactics and tricks which are required to make it seem true.It goes as follows:in those days Chittod was under the Rule of Rajput King Rawal Ratan Singh, a brave and noble warrior-king. Apart from being a loving husband and a just ruler, Ratan Singh was also a patron of the arts. In his court were many talented People one of whom was a musician named Raghav Chetan. But unknown to anybody, Raghav Chetan was also a sorcerer. He used his evil talents to run down his rivals and unfortunately for him was caught red-handed in his dirty act of arousing evil spirits. The other instance that sources also quote is that Raghav Chetan was actually called in the Ratan Singh for some dirty work, Raghav Chetan fell in love with Rani Padmini and started to have an affair.

On hearing this King Ratan Singh was furious and he banished Raghav Chetan from his kingdom after blackening his face and making him ride a donkey. This harsh Punishment earned king Ratansen an uncompromising enemy. Sulking after his humiliation, Raghav Chetan made his way towards Delhi with -the aim of trying to incite the Sultan of Delhi Ala-ud-din Khilji to attack Chittor.

On approaching Delhi, Raghav Chetan settled down in one of the forests nearby Delhi which the Sultan used to frequent for hunting deer. One day on hearing the Sultan's hunt party entering the forest, Raghav-Chetan started playing a melodious tone on his flute. When the alluring notes of Raghav-Chetan flute reached the Sultan's party they were surprised as to who could be playing a flute in such a masterly way in a forest.

The Sultan despatched his soldiers to fetch the person and when Raghav-Chetan was brought before him, the Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji asked him to come to his court at Delhi. The cunning Raghav-Chetan asked the king as to why he wants to have a ordinary musician like himself when there were many other beautiful objects to be had. Wondering what Raghav-Chetan meant, Ala-ud-din asked him to clarify. Upon being told of Rani Padmini's beauty, Ala-ud-din's love was aroused and immediately on returning to his capital he gave orders to his army to march on Chittor, as he thought that the so beautiful a lady deserves to be his wife.

But to his dismay, on reaching Chittor, Allah-ud-din found the fort to be heavily defended. Desperate to have a look at the legendary beauty of Padmini who actually was a princess of ceylon, he sent word to King Ratan Singh that he looked upon Padmini as his sister and wanted to meet her. On hearing this, Ratan Singh saw a chance to escape the fury of the emperor and retain his kingdom, so he was ready to show his wife to the emperor, a desperate but shameful act at those times. But Padmini readily agreed, as some sources put that she too was eager to see the sultan.

On being persuaded by her husband Rana Ratan Singh, Rani Padmini consented to allow Ala-ud-din to see her only in a mirror. On the word being sent to Ala-ud-din that Padmini would see him he came to the fort with his selected his best warriors who secretly made a careful examination of the fort's defences on their way to the Palace.

On seeing Padmini, in the mirror, Allah-ud-din Khilji decided that he should secure Padmini for himself. While returning to his camp, Allah-ud-din was accompanied for some way by King Ratan Singh. The king saw this as an opportunity and got Ratan Singh arrested, and invited Padmini.

The Songara Chauhan Rajput generals Gora & Badal decided to beat the Sultan at his own game and sent back a word that Padmini would be given to Ala-ud-din the next morning. On the following day at the crack of dawn, one hundred and fifity palaquins (covered cases in which royal ladies were carried in medieveal times) left the fort and made their way towards Ala-ud-din's camps The palanquins stopped before the tent where king Ratan Singh was being held prisoner. Seeing that the palanquins had come from Chittor; and thinking that they had brought along with them his queen, King Ratan Singh was mortified. But to his surprise from the palanquins came out, not his queen and her women servants but fully armed soldiers, who quickly freed Ratan Singh and galloped away towards Chittor on horses grabbed from Ala-ud-din's stables. Gora fought bravely during the skirmish and laid down his life while Badal was able to took the Rana safely to the fort.

On hearing that his designs had been frustrated, the Sultan was furious and ordered his army to storm Chittor. But hard as they tried the Sultans army could not break into the fort. Then Ala-ud-din decided to lay siege to the fort. The siege was a long drawn one and gradually supplies within the fort were depleted. Finally King Ratan Singh gave orders that the Rajputs would open the gates and fight to finish with the besieging troops. On hearing of this decision, Padmini decided that with their men-folk going into the unequal struggle with the Sultan's army in which they were sure to perish, the women of Chittor had either to commit the divine suicide called as Jauhar or face dishonour at the hands of the victorious enemy.

The choice was in favour of suicide through Jauhar. A huge pyre was lit and followed by their queen, all the women of Chittor jumped into the flames and deceived the lustful enemy waiting outside. With their womenfolk dead, the men of Chittor had nothing to live for. They decided to perform Saka. Each soldier got dressed in kesari robes and turbans. They charged out of the fort and fought on furiously with the vastly Powerful array of the Sultan, till all of them perished. After this phyrrhic victory the Sultan's troops entered the fort only to be confronted with ashes and burnt bones of the women whose honour they were going to violate to satisfy their lust.

These women who committed Jauhar had to perish but their memory has been kept alive till today by bards and songs which glorify their act which was right in those days and circumstances. Thus a halo of honour is given to their supreme sacrifice.

 

[ashdoc]

i doubt that allauddin khilji , who was one of the most militarily successful and powerful rulers of the delhi sultanate , would invade chittor for the sake of a woman . he was well known to be cold -hearted and not prone to take emotional decisions .

most probably , he invaded chittor just the way he had invaded south india--for the sake of imperial expansion . yes , he was the one who opened the gates of south india for the turkish invaders--right upto kerala.

as the rajputs realised that chittor would go down , they and their women rightly feared that the women would be raped by allauddin and his soldiers . this was common practice during those days and the soldiers of the invading army considered women as the spoils of victory .

hence ,to protect their honour , the women , including rani padmini commited jauhar .

here it must be understood that the women commited jauhar because they had heard stories of allauddin's soldiers raping women on other campaigns--they rightly feared the same fate .

but to say that allauddin came to chittor to get rani padmini is not correct . he just came to conquer it.

but yes , having captured chittor he would have certainly got hold of its women . possibly the rani would have been sent to his harem , along with other women .

thus the rani padmini was just one of the spoils of victory for him--not the primary objective of the campaign. i doubt that he regretted having lost her . in fact , seeing rajput women killing themselves rather than fall into the hands of turks in other campaigns , the jauhar of padmini would not have been totally unexpected to him .

but the bards got a story to embellish with mirch-masala and sing while telling and retelling stories of rajput glory......

 

[GPM]

In view of further trolling in the last two posts, what sin did I commit? Is it a wrong to to mention a little corner of India? Just because a few muslims might be offended?

Yes, there is a lot of legend mixed up with the facts. But that too happens in a lot of "historical" accounts. But what in essence did Yusuf posted which differs from my OP? NIET. Yet I am a troll, he is not.


La la. Any more light on the Padamini?

PS: Post 700 CE, Indian history is a chronicle of Hindu muslim conflict, like it or not.

 

[Yusuf]

The difference between your post and mine is that I gave an account of what happened while you put in the Hindu Muslim angle where there was none and made it sound like a crusade where there was none and also put in the Hindus worship Rani Padmini etc. Your intention was to demonize on religious grounds where there was none. It was one king trying to take over another kingdom and set his eyes on his beautiful wife, if at all.

 

[pankaj nema]

@ Yusuf

Why is it that when anybody writes about historically true Muslim atrocities on Hindus ,that you get very upset and start LECTURING him about his " hatred " for Muslims

Why should Hindus forget about the past

 

[pankaj nema]

@ Yusuf
The other day in the thread " Vegetarianism sapping the strength " I wrote that that Shivaji's armies prevented the ISLAMISATION of Western and southern India you gave me a huge lecture

And today you are again upset with this Rani Padmini story

Basically you want that in this forum we Hindus should not discuss the truth of Muslim atrocities

 

[GPM]

The difference between your post and mine is that I gave an account of what happened while you put in the Hindu Muslim angle where there was none and made it sound like a crusade where there was none and also put in the Hindus worship Rani Padmini etc. Your intention was to demonize on religious grounds where there was none. It was one king trying to take over another kingdom and set his eyes on his beautiful wife, if at all.

What is your problem if Hindus venerate Her? That too is FACT, like it or not. Oho, Allaudin was trying to conquer, in a secular way? Just happened the target was a Hindu king, poor sob. Like it or not, Indian history, post 710 CE is Hindu muslim conflict.

Wonder why Hitler should be condemned for killing all those Jews, leastways by putting a racial angle to it. Poor, poor Hitler was exterminating some people, only the victims were jews, just happened to be jews.

Glad, shias have stopped crying about Hasan and Hussain. Glad they have put karbala battle behind them. Just a mere battle.

 

[pankaj nema]

When Marathas invaded Rajputs in the 18th century and defeated them THERE WAS NO JAUHAR

Marathas imposed some taxes and levies and left

This shows what the Islamic Rulers were all about

 

[Yusuf]

I am not against anyone. I have told clearly do all the bashing you like that suits you. I only comment on the spin people give to each and everything even if it was not that way.

I am not here to gag anyone. But there is utter non sense in some of the posts.

I don't get upset at all. I am very much calm and composed. I counter falsification.

I checked all accounts of Rani Padmini. I saw one site which said she might not have been existed at all.

If you want to look at everything from only a certain angle, you will always find ways for it.

 

[Yusuf]

@ Yusuf
The other day in the thread " Vegetarianism sapping the strength " I wrote that that Shivaji's armies prevented the ISLAMISATION of Western and southern India you gave me a huge lecture

And today you are again upset with this Rani Padmini story

Basically you want that in this forum we Hindus should not discuss the truth of Muslim atrocities

I didn't give any lecture to anyone. I pointed out the kind of person Shivaji was.

 

[Yusuf]

What is your problem if Hindus venerate Her?

Glad, shias have stopped crying about Hasan and Hussain. Glad they have put karbala battle behind them. Just a mere battle.

I really don't know how many even know about her.

Good comparison. Battle of karbala and one between two kings in india. Shows your knowledge.

 

[Yusuf]

In those days of kingdoms, what mattered was large kingdoms with riches. Religion was only use to galvanize forces under one banner.

Khilji, a Muslim was attacked by other Muslims which he repelled many times.
Here is a list

Duwa Khan

When Kublai Khan died in 1294, the former Mongol Empire was divided into independent Khanates. One such Khanate was the Chagatai Khanate which covered Central Asia and its leader at that time was Duwa Khan. Duwa was active in Afghanistan, and attempted to extend Mongol rule to India, but there he was defeated by a formidable foe, General Zafar Khan of the Delhi Sultanate in 1296-1297.The two armies met at Jalandhar in 1297. Zafar Khan defeated the Mongols in this first invasion.

Saldi

The Mongols attacked again under the command of Saldi and captured the fort of Siri. Zafar Khan holding the honour of being one of the few undefeated military commanders in history had no problem crushing this army, recaptured the fort and brought 2,000 Mongols prisoners before Sultan Alauddin Khilji. It was one of the worst defeats for the Mongols. Legend has it that Zafar Khan created such great terror in the minds of the Mongols that whenever their horses refused to drink water, the Mongols would ask them if they had seen Zafar Khan. The first invasion of the Mongols was an abysmal failure with Zafar Khan almost grinding them into the dust. The Mongols thereafter repeatedly invaded northern India. On at least two occasions, they came in strength. The second time around, they took Delhi but could not keep their hold on the Sultanate.

Qutlugh Khwaja

But in 1299, the Mongols came back. It says much for the tenacious Mongol spirit that they were back so soon and in such strength that they took over the fort of Siri, just beyond Delhi, which Ala-ud-Din Khilji had built. This time they came under a leader who was a legend in his own right, Qutlugh Khwaja, the feared Central Asian warrior and son of Duwa Khan now commanding a force of 200,000 Mongols. Ala-ud-Din Khilji realized that the Mongols meant business. If Qutlugh Khwaja had come himself it meant war, not for gold but for the kingdom itself.


Coin of Alauddin Khilji.
The situation was serious enough for the usually individualistic Sultan Ala-ud-Din Khilji to be forced into taking advice from others. Ala-ud-Din Khilji was urged to sue for peace by his advisors as Qutlugh was virtually wiping his feet at the doorsteps of Delhi. However Ala-ud-Din Khilji did not become the Sultan via cautious diplomacy. He rejected their advice and said,

"If I were to follow your advice how could I show my face, how could I go into my harem? No, come what may tomorrow, I must march into the battlefield."

Ignoring their advice the young sultan attacked the Mongols. The advance guard of the army was led by Zafar Khan himself. He defeated the Mongols again and went off in hot pursuit of them as they withdrew. However, the wily Qutlugh tricked Zafar into a position where he was first surrounded and then killed by the Mongols. Ala-ud-Din Khilji took this loss calmly as Zafar Khan had been too popular for his comfort. However, the death of the general did not improve matters for the Mongols. In face of Ala-ud-Din Khilji's continued offensives, they had to retreat to the unconquerable heights from where they had come.

Targhi

The Mongols took, what was for them, a long time to rally from this setback. They attacked at the worst time possible for Ala-ud-Din Khilji, when he was busy laying siege to Chittor. This time the Mongols traveled light. An army of 12,000 under Targhi's leadership trickled into India like a shadow and moved to Delhi at a pace that was astonishing even by Mongol standards. Such was the swiftness of the attack that many governors could not send their troops to Delhi in time.


Copper coin of Alauddin Khilji.
Ala-ud-Din Khilji was forced to duck into Siri and stay put for about two months. The Mongols stomped through and pillaged not only the surrounding areas, but Delhi itself. However they could not get into Siri. Although minor skirmishes were fought, a decisive win eluded both parties. This deadlock dragged on for more than a couple of months. In the end when Ala-ud-Din Khilji was fervently hoping for a miracle to help him, his prayers were answered.

The Mongols were a nomadic restless lot, and Targhi was more impatient than most of them. When Ala-ud-Din Khilji dug in his heels and stayed put in his seemingly impregnable fortress for months, Targhi lost interest in the whole affair, washed his hands of it and ordered his army to withdraw.

Barani, the contemporary historian at that time, attributed this marvel to the prayers of the Sufi mystic Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya. Ala-ud-Din Khilji's defenses were so strong and enduring that the whole situation had really become quite an impasse. He wisely realized that the Mongols could not hold out forever and had to go home to Central Asia some time. That was where the Mongol power was concentrated and they could not afford to be away for too long.

Targhi had to go back with the consolation that he was leaving behind a much disturbed and thoughtful Ala-ud-Din Khilji, The seriousness of the Qutlugh Khwaja and Targhi led Mongol invasions which had left Siri panting for breath, forced Ala-ud-Din Khilji to take stock of the situation. A defensive measure like hiding in Siri till the Mongol storm blew over must have gashed his proud spirit. He had the forts along the border strengthened and equipped with larger garrisons. New, more effective fortifications were built along this area. A whole new army, with its own special governor, was created whose portfolio was managing and guarding the border areas.

Ali Beg et Tartaq

A few months later the Mongols under the leadership of Ali Beg and Tartaq, suddenly appeared in the Punjab and the neighborhood of Amroha. The Mongols plundered the Punjab and burnt everything to cinders along the way.

But this time Ala-ud-Din Khilji was ready for them. He sent a strong army led by two of his toughest generals Ghazi Malik and the famous Malik Kafur after them. They surprised the Mongols on their way back to Central Asia with their plunder. The two generals pooled in their immense talents and defeated the Mongols. The Mongol generals were captured and brought back to Siri, along with other prisoners. Ala-ud-Din Khilji had the generals trampled to death by elephants while the other prisoners were put to death and their heads hung from the walls of the fort.Qasim

Kebek

Even after the gory treatment meted out to their last expedition, the Mongols came again in 1306 under the command of Kebek son of Duwa. He crossed the Indus near Multan and was moving towards the Himalayas, when Ghazi Malik (who was by then the governor of the Punjab) intercepted his army. Kebek's army was attacked on the banks of the Indus River and suffered a high number of losses. About 50,000 Mongols were made prisoners. Ala-ud-Din Khilji put them all to death and sold their wives and children as slaves.This was one of the last Chagatayid campaigns against India to take place before a temporary cessation of the Mongol raids (1307–1327, when they were resumed under Khan Tarmashirin).

Iqbalmand Khan

The last Mongol invasion took place in 1307-1308 under Iqbalmand. He had just about managed to cross the Indus when Ala-ud-Din Khilji's armies overtook them and put them all to the sword.

After 1308, the Mongols did not attack India again. There were a number of reasons for this. Principal among these was that during their earlier descent from the mountains into the Indus plains, the Mongols became aware of their handicap in an environment of higher temperatures, humidity and their lack of dexterity in riding horses at the speeds they were comfortable at in higher & drier areas. To a lesser extent, of course that Ala-ud-Din Khilji, by repeated ruthlessness, finally managed to drive home the point that he would deal firmly and mercilessly with invaders into his territory. This was one of the greatest achievements of Ala-ud-Din Khilji. He was an original thinker and brilliant as a strategist. If the Mongols had still been serious about an Indian empire, they could have kept sending armies to India. It is to Ala-ud-din's credit that he drove the idea of an Indian empire from the heads of the Mongols.

But he did not stop there, Ala-ud-Din Khilji had to be sure that the Mongols would never come back .The only way to do that was to attack them, he sent plundering armies under the veteran general Ghazi Malik to Kandahar, Ghazni and Kabul. The Mongols were already so much in awe of him that they did not even bother to defend their own territories against him. These offensives effectively crippled the Mongol line of control leading to India until the arrival of Timur Lane.

What the invaders did in India be it pillage, rape was probably their barbaric culture of the time and not reflecting on the religion they followed. Rape, is unislamic. If they were true followers of Islam, they would not do it.

 

[ashdoc]

@ Yusuf

Why is it that when anybody writes about historically true Muslim atrocities on Hindus ,that you get very upset and start LECTURING him about his " hatred " for Muslims

Why should Hindus forget about the past

i have seen many upper caste members trying to sideline the topic when i mention the atrocities they have committed on dalits . on persistent broaching of the topic ,they deny any wrongdoing outright . several times i have been even asked , '' how can a upper caste person like you say that your own caste committed these atrocities ? ''

many upper caste hindus also deny that like the turkish invaders , the aryans were also invaders . they claim that aryans belonged originally to this land .

obviously , negation of historical facts is not the exclusive preserve of muslims alone . everybody does that . yusuf is only being human .

 

[Yusuf]

i have seen many upper caste members trying to sideline the topic when i mention the atrocities they have committed on dalits . on persistent broaching of the topic ,they deny any wrongdoing outright . several times i have been even asked , '' how can a upper caste person like you say that your own caste committed these atrocities ? ''

many upper caste hindus also deny that like the turkish invaders , the aryans were also invaders . they claim that aryans belonged originally to this land .

obviously , negation of historical facts is not the exclusive preserve of muslims alone . everybody does that . yusuf is only being human .

No mate I am not trying to negate historical fact but putting it into perspective, from mine at least. I have stated before as well that the banner of Islam was used for political purpose. To unite the armies to fight. But what they really followed was unislamic practices rape being one of them.

Alaudin Khilji was killed after a drinking party. Hardly Islamic.

 

[Oracle]

i have seen many upper caste members trying to sideline the topic when i mention the atrocities they have committed on dalits . on persistent broaching of the topic ,they deny any wrongdoing outright . several times i have been even asked , '' how can a upper caste person like you say that your own caste committed these atrocities ? ''

many upper caste hindus also deny that like the turkish invaders , the aryans were also invaders . they claim that aryans belonged originally to this land .

obviously , negation of historical facts is not the exclusive preserve of muslims alone . everybody does that . yusuf is only being human .

What makes you think he is an upper caste person?

And why do you have to bring caste & creed into any debate. I have seen you play the minority card of a Christian in almost every thread. Does it give you pleasure?

When you do such, you already have lost the purpose of a healthy debate.

 

[ashdoc]

. I have seen you play the minority card of a Christian in almost every thread. Does it give you pleasure?

are you saying that i am a christian ??

in fact , i am a maharashtrian brahmin.