Rawal Ratan Singh
Encyclopedia
Rawal Ratan Singh was the 42nd ruler of Mewar
, a state that then covered part of the present-day India
n state of Rajasthan
. He ruled from 1302-03 AD. Singh was a rajput
belonging to the Guhilot clan.
who was the pretext for Ala-ud-din Khilji's attack on Chittor in 1303 AD [1].
The Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji asked them to explain everything to him. Upon being told of Rani Padmini's beauty, Ala-ud-din's lust was aroused and immediately on returning to his capital he gave orders to his army to march on Chittor.
But on being persuaded she consented to allow Ala-ud-din to see only her reflection in water. 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, the lustful 'brother' decided that he should secure Padmini for himself. While returning to his camp, Ala-ud-din was accompanied for some way by King Ratansen. Taking this opportunity, the wily Sultan treacherously kidnapped Ratansen and took him as a prisoner into his camp. Khilji sent a message to the fort that Ratan Singh can be spared by exchanging Rani Padmini
.
discussed this incident with her maternal uncle Gora, who was a Chauhan
Rajput. Gora told her not to worry and that he would go and bring back Rawal Ratan Singh and that the Sultan would not be brave enough to stop him. Padmini's nephew Badal who was just sixteen also assured her. A message was sent from the fort to Khilji that Padmini would come with 50 of her servants in palanquins
and that no Muslim soldier should peek inside the palki to outrage the modesty of the women. The message also stated that before Padmini meets Khilji she would like to talk to Rawal Ratan Singh. Khilji agreed.
The palki's werearmed with the best Rajput warriors with two swords each. When Padmini's palki reached Ratan's tent, which was occupied by Gora, he asked Rawal to mount the horse and go back to the fort. Then Gora gave a signal and every Rajput came out of the palki and attacked the Muslims who were cut to pieces. Gora
reached Khilji's tent and was about to kill the sultan when khilji moved his concubine in front of himself. Gora, being a Rajput, could not kill an innocent women and these few seconds were enough for Khilji's guards to kill Gora from behind.
is a poem based on the historic siege of Chittor by Alauddin Khilji in 1303 AD, who attacks Chittor after hearing of the beauty of queen Rani Padmini, the wife of King Rawal Ratan Singh.
Mewar
Mewar is a region of south-central Rajasthan state in western India. It includes the present-day districts of Pratapgarh, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Dungarpur, Banswara and some of the part of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The region was for centuries a Rajput kingdom that later...
, a state that then covered part of the present-day India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
. He ruled from 1302-03 AD. Singh was a rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
belonging to the Guhilot clan.
Wars
In the 12th and 13th centuries, the Delhi Sultanate - the kingdom set up by the invaders was nevertheless growing in power. The Sultans made repeated attacks on Mewar on one pretext or the other. Rani PadminiRani Padmini
Rani Padmini was the queen of Chittor and the wife of King Rawal Ratan Singh. She features in Padmavat, an epic poem written by Malik Muhammad Jayasi in 1540.- Jauhar :...
who was the pretext for Ala-ud-din Khilji's attack on Chittor in 1303 AD [1].
About
In those days Chittor was under the Rule of King Ratansen, a brave and noble warrior-king. Apart from being a loving husband and a just ruler, Ratansen was also a patron of the arts. In his court were many talented people two of whom were Bards brothers named Raghav and Chetan. They used their evil talents to demand a part of Queen Padmini's dowry as a means to keep them from giving their intelligence to the Sultan.Raghav and Chetan instigate Sultan Alauddin Khilji
Rana Ratan Sen was not only furious on their extortion but he banished both Raghav & Chetan from his kingdom. This harsh treatment earned Ratansen an uncompromising enmity. Sulking after their humiliation, Raghav & Chetan made their way towards Delhi with the aim to incite the Sultan of Delhi Ala-ud-din Khilji to attack Chittor and also obtain the legendary beauty Padmini as a booty.The Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji asked them to explain everything to him. Upon being told of Rani Padmini's beauty, Ala-ud-din's lust was aroused and immediately on returning to his capital he gave orders to his army to march on Chittor.
Allauddin's Plan - captures Rawal Ratan Singh
But to his dismay, on reaching Chittor, Ala-ud-din found the fort to be heavily defended. Desperate to have a look at the legendary beauty of Padmini, he sent word to King Ratansen that he looked upon Padmini as his sister and wanted to meet her. On hearing this, the unsuspecting Ratansen asked Padmini to see the 'brother'. But Padmini was more worldly-wise and she refused to meet the lustful Sultan personally.But on being persuaded she consented to allow Ala-ud-din to see only her reflection in water. 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, the lustful 'brother' decided that he should secure Padmini for himself. While returning to his camp, Ala-ud-din was accompanied for some way by King Ratansen. Taking this opportunity, the wily Sultan treacherously kidnapped Ratansen and took him as a prisoner into his camp. Khilji sent a message to the fort that Ratan Singh can be spared by exchanging Rani Padmini
Rani Padmini
Rani Padmini was the queen of Chittor and the wife of King Rawal Ratan Singh. She features in Padmavat, an epic poem written by Malik Muhammad Jayasi in 1540.- Jauhar :...
.
Padmini's plan
Rani PadminiRani Padmini
Rani Padmini was the queen of Chittor and the wife of King Rawal Ratan Singh. She features in Padmavat, an epic poem written by Malik Muhammad Jayasi in 1540.- Jauhar :...
discussed this incident with her maternal uncle Gora, who was a Chauhan
Chauhan
Chauhan, Chouhan or Chohan , , - is a clan who ruled parts of northern India in the Middle Ages. The clan is most famous for Rajput King Maharaja Prithviraj Chauhan...
Rajput. Gora told her not to worry and that he would go and bring back Rawal Ratan Singh and that the Sultan would not be brave enough to stop him. Padmini's nephew Badal who was just sixteen also assured her. A message was sent from the fort to Khilji that Padmini would come with 50 of her servants in palanquins
Litter (vehicle)
The litter is a class of wheelless vehicles, a type of human-powered transport, for the transport of persons. Examples of litter vehicles include lectica , jiao [较] , sedan chairs , palanquin , Woh , gama...
and that no Muslim soldier should peek inside the palki to outrage the modesty of the women. The message also stated that before Padmini meets Khilji she would like to talk to Rawal Ratan Singh. Khilji agreed.
The palki's werearmed with the best Rajput warriors with two swords each. When Padmini's palki reached Ratan's tent, which was occupied by Gora, he asked Rawal to mount the horse and go back to the fort. Then Gora gave a signal and every Rajput came out of the palki and attacked the Muslims who were cut to pieces. Gora
Gora
Gora may refer to:*Gora , a clan of Jats found in north India*Gora or gaura, a Hindi and Indo-Aryan word for a light-skinned person*Gora , by Indian Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore...
reached Khilji's tent and was about to kill the sultan when khilji moved his concubine in front of himself. Gora, being a Rajput, could not kill an innocent women and these few seconds were enough for Khilji's guards to kill Gora from behind.
Padmavat
PadmavatPadmavat
Padmavat or Padmawat is an epic poem written in 1540 by Malik Muhammad Jayasi in the Awadhi language. It is the first important work in Awadhi.- Theme :...
is a poem based on the historic siege of Chittor by Alauddin Khilji in 1303 AD, who attacks Chittor after hearing of the beauty of queen Rani Padmini, the wife of King Rawal Ratan Singh.