The Battle of Haldighati was fought in June 1576. However, Akbar had planned an attack on Mewar in February 1576 when Rana Pratap Singh refused his peace treaty for the third time in four years. He wanted Rana Pratap's defeat in his hands. He was the only one who didn't seem to fear the mighty Mughals. He needed to be taught a lesson.
Rana Pratap was disturbed by the constant visits of Man Singh to Kumbhalgarh in the last two years, that too with Akbar's peace treaty. Chittorgarh had fallen to the Mughal power and Mewar had lost its bravest. He wouldn't forget that till his last breath. There was no way he could bow down to the Mughal. 17 Mewari villages were under Mughal dominance. He needed to free them. But his morals of showing no enmity with any Rajput always made him most hospitable towards Man Singh. He was looking for a way to strike a war.
Man Singh came with a peace treaty in the years 1573 and 1574. It is then that Rana Pratap decided that the fort of Kumbhalgarh was vulnerable to the Mughals now. He decided to move his family to safer areas, the forests and villages of Mewar, the Aravallis, his motherland protected him. In February 1576, Akbar decided to try one last time, to make him accept the Mughal Supremacy. As Man Singh's arrival was announced in the village Rana Pratap was stationed he decided to play a smart move.
" Ajabde, Call Amar. He is going for a meeting with Maan Singh." He ignored her scared and shocked look.
" Amar? How can he talk to the Mughals? He is so..."
Rana Pratap smiled. Kunwar Amar Singh, aged 17 was a hot-headed teenager, hating the Mughals since he saw his birthplace stumble. She was scared he would end up insulting Maan Singh. He wanted just that.
Maan Singh was a bit surprised as the crown prince arrived instead of the King.
" Dajiraj is unwell, he sent me." Came to a reply before a question was asked.
" But how can we talk peace without the King?"
" We don't talk peace with Mughals Raja Maan Singh. We don't sell our motherland for luxury. We don't bow down."
" Kunwar Amar Singh. You are bringing upon yourself a war whose result will be worse than Chittor's. Think again, if there will be no Mewar where will you rule?" He tried to persuade the boy.
" A Mughal Mewar is more insulting than no Mewar to rule. We don't make peace with people who take innocent lives of our civilians." His hand caught the handle of his sword in anger.
" You seem like an exact reflection of your father, foolish and emotional." Maan Singh smiled.
" Foolish and Emotional is better than Cowardice and Slavery." Amar smiled. That was the last straw. Insulted and humiliated, Maan Singh stormed out saying " Rana Pratap Singh! You will pay for this humiliation."
" Hai Eklingji. What did Amar do..." Maharani Ajabde Baisa exclaimed, scared as she heard what had happened. She was more scared of his father's reaction as she rushed to the room overlooking the court sessions in the village. She spotted Amar standing head bowed as his Father sat seriously while Rawat Chundaawat described what had happened. Ajabde Baisa searched his face for a reaction saying a quick prayer.
" You did well Kunwar Amar." Made everyone look at Ranaji in shock. Did he just praise his son?
" Dajiraj?" He asked confused.
" This is what we needed. To push them into a do-or-die situation. Now either they will leave Mewar or we will die saving our motherland. Jai Eklinji."
" Jai Eklingji" echoed.
" Ranaji." Her call stopped him from putting down his turban. He knew she would come with questions in her mind.
" Ajabde. You want to know why I am pushing towards the war, right?" He stared at her pale face as she nodded.
" This is the only way. We still have some time, Maan Singh will inform the Turk and he will plan an attack, within that time we have to gather a troop. I have already written to Mama sa in Jalore. Raoji will be coming with him. Marwar has refused, and so has the Chauhans." He said the latter in a sarcastic tone as if telling her So much for alliances will help huh Ajabde? They refused to help their daughters. She looked away reading his thoughts.
" The bhils?" She asked as he nodded. " Hakim Khan and his army too."
" Ranima. Nanaji is here." Made them look up at the door where Amar stood pleased.
" Daata." She smiled. He gave a nod telling her to go with Amar as she rushed to meet her father.
Raoji greeted Jaivanta Bai who was praising Ajabde when she arrived with Amar.
" Kunwar Amar?" Raoji was pleased with how the boy looked like his father's reflection. Ajabde took his blessings.
" What is going on here ?"
" We are planning a war with the Mughals" answered an enthusiastic Amar Singh as Raoji saw the worry in his daughter's face.
" You will lead the troops, Maan Singh." Akbar's words shocked the man.
" Me Jahan Pana? But... you..."
" I am not going. I am sending you my troops. March with them towards Gogunda and Kumbhalgarh. I am sure Pratap will stop you somewhere."
" But Jahapana I don't think we can travel that deep into Mewar. Its forests and Hills are ruled by the Bhils. "
" Then what do you suggest? A proper war?"
A letter arrived with the Mughal stamp.
" Choose a place and time Rana Pratap and I will fight you to death there. Maan Singh."
Mewar was waiting for this. Immediately a meeting was called. Rana Punja suggested a very unusual place. The Haldighati Pass. Near Gogunda. Covered by jungles around, the yellow sandstone pass had narrow lanes and gorges. The river bank was an ideal war site. The Bhils knew the forests well. It was perfect.
" Haldighati pass?" Akbar frowned. " They chose a Pass?" He ordered his spies to know the enemy's strengths.
" Maan Singh! Start moving towards Mewar. We need to win this Battle."
" We have around 2000 soldiers, 100 horses and 100 elephants, Ranaji. The Afghans have brought cannons." Rawatji read out.
" The cannons are around 20 Ranaji." Hakim Khan Sur added.
" We are around 200 Bhils." Rana Punja informed.
" So here is the formation, "Raoji stated.
" Ranaji will be at the centre with Mewar's troop and Chundawat Ji and Jhalla Maan Singh. The front will be lined with elephants and cannons and a troop of Afghans led by Senapati Hakim Khan. I will be on the right with another troop from Jalore. Raja Man Singh of Jhalore and Raja Beharmal of Ranthambore will be on the left with Tarachand Ji's troop." Everyone agreed to the formation.
Maharani's arrival was announced as everyone decided to take the king's leave. She stopped them all. She was here as a Maharani today, not his wife.
" I have a request." She spoke up as people stared at each other. Her requests were always trouble for him.
" No you or any woman from the family won't participate in the war." He spoke up.
" No, it's not that. Take Kunwar Amar." She said her eyes were twinkling and pleading. He was shocked. A few days ago she was scared her son was not ready to handle a meeting and here she was asking him to take him to a war where they could die.
He dispersed the people with a hand gesture saying " Ekanth."
She looked around the faces looking at her with immense respect before they left.
" Ajabde. " He spoke up. " We decided Amar was not ready."
" If not now he never will be."
" I am not his father there, Ajabde, I can't protect your son."
" You don't need to, if he dies, he will die for his motherland." Her voice didn't shake. " It will be his fate. I want my son to participate in his father's most important battle."
" Ajabde." He held her hand. " He is Mewar's future. If anything happens to me..."
" Then Mewar will not have a future to look forward to." Her words made him look up at her calm face. Her eyes reflected the storm inside.
" I have .... already arranged the troops. Now Amar..."
" He can fight like any normal soldier, he doesn't need to be in command." She was adamant. " I have told the queens to be prepared..." She lowered her eyes. " For Jauhar."
" No Ajabde." His hands reached her mouth as she spoke. " I...."
" I trust you Ranaji, with you leading, nothing will ever happen to our family or Mewar." She smiled.
He hugged her like it had been ages.
The day was 21st June 1576 (18th June in some references), dawn. The Battle was about to begin, it would go down in history as the Battle of Haldighati.
" I will protect Kunwarji with my life." Her father promised as she did his tilak. She smiled at him. Then touched his feet, All of a sudden all the people she ever cared for were going through this uncertain turn of events. She had kept her nerves calm. She had no time to be a daughter, a wife or a mother now. She was Mewar's queen. She calmed down and reassured the scared queens who had not been able to face the Rana ji after their fathers had refused to help. He looked at them and they felt like betrayers, guilty of something they hadn't done. Every one of them distanced themselves from him at this hour, scared of his reactions. Ajabde had to handle the scared queens and the children, and reassure the chieftains' families too. Her brother, her father, and her family were going to this war together yet she had no time to be scared.
" Ranima." Kunwar Amar was in his warrior armour as he touched her feet. She gestured at the other mothers, who were equally nervous about his first major battle. He took their blessings and then stood facing his mother. His smile was a reassuring one and she did his aarti, reflecting on how quickly he had grown. Bhagwan Das stood holding a disappointed Kunwar Chand's hand. He wanted to go. But his Badima insisted he is still young. She said she needed him to protect the ladies, which was equally important. Bhagwan Das saw his mother look at his Dadabhai with pride. Dadabhai looked like Daajiraj in that attire, he envied him today. The innocent soul didn't know what his Dadabhai was going to face. Solankini, who was closest to Amar, was trying to hold back proud tears as Ajabde patted his head. She did his Tilak.
" Vijay bhava. Make your father proud Amar, so that he can say this is my son." He nodded and on an impulse hugged his mother tight. This made Ajabde's heart sink. She felt like she was losing him. But she didn't let her composure go.
" Ranaji padhaar rahe." Made Amar move away from his mother's embrace. The last thing he wanted was for his father to see this and doubt if he is ready. He knew how much she fought herself and him to convince Rana Pratap Singh. He walked it and glanced at the scared faces and Ajabde's calm one. Kunwar Amar touched his feet. He held the boy's shoulders and said, " I was younger than you when I had my first battle. And I now know why my Daajiraj was so unsure of me back then. It's not your inabilities Amar, it's my insecurities. Fight like a true Rajput Son. Make your mother proud." He nodded, smiling. As soon as Amar left, one by one his queens touched his feet. He had no particular instruction for them. He looked at Kunwar Chand and said " Take care of your Mothers." That made him happy as he touched his father's feet.
He stared right at Ajabde as she stepped forward to do the aarti. Solankhini Bai looked at the duo and stepped back a few feets indicating to everyone to leave. Everyone followed her out as Ajabde did her aarti.
" Think again, I may not be able to help Amar..."
" He shouldn't need your help." She stopped him. She did his tilak as her eyes shone with tears. She wanted to hold them back, but being alone here with him, reflecting on their twenty years of the journey she failed. Rana Pratap was glad she failed, her tears were his strength. He wiped them away as she murmured " Sh...shama Kijiye."
" No Ajabde, you are the bravest Rajputani I know." He reassured her the tears were not wrong. He took the sindoor from the thali and filled her hairline.
" Jai Eklingji."
" Jai Eklingji." She smiled back.
He turned to go but returned back. Eyes met and she hugged him tightly. He felt like all his determination, bravery and willpower came back with that hug. Whatever little doubts he had were gone. He stepped back a few measured steps letting go of her hand then turned around and walked out without looking back.
" Jija." Solankhini's voice broke her trance as she kept staring at the door. She turned around to hug the scared queen.
" Don't worry, he will always protect Mewar."
The Mughals were larger in number. Maan Singh was in the centre on his elephant. The Mewaris followed Rana Sanga's war strategies. Trunks were attached to their horses to make them look like elephants from a distance. Everyone was ready on either side of the river. Rana Pratap sat on his handsome stallion Chetaak, the red Mewari flag with the golden sun on one hand and the sword of his ancestors on the other. Kunwar Amar was with Raoji, seeing Maan Singh make his blood rush as he tightened the grip on his sword. The hideout was protected by a few soldiers. Ajabde kept a close vigil on the first aid camps set up for the injured as she sat down to pray. It was time.
The conch shells blew as the armies clashed. Swords clanked, the air filled with war cries.
" Har Har Mahadev!"
Falling soldiers cried in pain. The brave men fought the braver. The Bhils stationed themselves on the pass. As the Mughal army approached, led by foot soldiers, Mewari cannons fired.
" Fall back!" Rana Pratap instructed his men. They retreated into the pass, confusing the Mughals. Maan Singh smiled happily, " Scared already!"
As the footsoldiers entered the narrow pass, boulders showered on them. The Bhils were positioned better enough to camouflage themselves. The foot soldiers ran, in fear. Some were killed by boulders, others by the stampede of panic, and many fell off the ridges of the pass into the thorn bushes, harming them. Mewar's Mother Nature was fighting with her favourite son. Arrows reigned on the Mughal army.
" Attack!" Rana Pratap instructed again as the army rushed towards the Mughals. Cannons welcomed them and took a few lives. Swords clashed again as Man Singh was amazed at Rana Pratap's war tactics. Kunwar Amar was slaying men left and right, they all deserved to die, they took lives, and they took what he called home.
" Calm down before you do something stupid." Raoji cried in vain as Amar unknowingly barged into the enemies prompting him to go after the crown prince. Amar found himself surrounded by foot soldiers and riders.
" He is Mewar's crown prince, let's take his head for Shehenshah." Someone suggested. His anger knew no bounds as he attacked.
Raoji found him too late to stop Amar's anger, so he joined in.
" Kunwarji, run with your horse."
" Never! I will kill them then die."
" Don't be like this, this is time to think strategically, I order you! Fall Back! Now!"
" What about you?" He looked worried holding the stabbed hand as his clothes soaked in blood.
" Don't worry about me, just go!" Raoji yelled.
" Kunwar Amar... Jija!" Solankhini ran in breathlessness as Ajabde's heart skipped a beat.
" He's Here!" Made her run out. His clothes were blood-soaked, the Vaid was attending to his injuries as she ran out, taking his head on her lap she called softly. " Amar?"
" Maa ...." He groaned in pain.
" What is happening there?" She asked, feeling his hot burning head.
" I think... I...It's... all .... over."
" Amar Singh!" Her voice made Solankini stare surprised.
She got up and coldly told the Vaid, " Make him better." and left without turning back. Solankhini held Amar's hand as he groaned. " Majhli Ma I am so... sorry."
" No No... Hush!"
" Ranaji I think we should fall back, the soldiers..." Rawatji suggested looking around.
" No, we haven't broken the centre formation yet. "
" Ranaji... the cannon attack killed a few Afghans and... hakim khan died fighting." A soldier ran in with news.
" Ranaji we should..." Maan Singh Jhalla spoke as Rana Pratap shouted " Attack!"
In a few minutes breaking a few soldier barriers, Chetaak was in front of Maan Singh's mighty elephant. Maan Singh smiled down upon Rana. His blood was boiling clearly. A spear in his hand, then in a moment it brushed past Maan Singh. Swords were out.
The elephant's trunk had swords attached to it. They hurt Chetaak's leg as the horse leapt in pain. Pratap's sword brushed against Maan Singh's arm. three soldiers came to his aid as Pratap fought them single-handedly. They injured him and stabbed him in the back.
" Ranaji!" Maan Singh Jhalla cried in fear as he drove Chetak away while Chundawat and others defended.
" Rana Punja has fallen in the pass." Made Maan Singh Jhalla sure of the outcome.
" Ranaji, listen to me."
" Let me go Maan, I need to fight the..." His vision was blurring.
" No! Listen to me Ranaji, you need to be alive for Mewar."
" Maan Singh! I order you..."
" Chetak, run away and take him to safety. Go!" Chetak didn't move.
" Please Ranaji, for Mewar!" Rana Pratap patted Chetak as he ran. Before doing so, Jhalla Maan Singh took his turban and Mewar's flag away.
" Maharani Maharani." A daasi ran in followed by the scared queens.
" Raoji is..." She shook her head as Champabai ran to Ajabde who sat down cold. Not a tear appeared in her eyes as she said " Daata?"
After a minute's silence, she looked up at Solankini.
" How is Amar?"
" Better Jija."
"Tell him to get ready for his Nanaji's antim sanskar. Dadabhai is at the battle."
" Find Rana Pratap and slay him!" Maan Singh ordered his troops.
They found Jhalla Maan with the flag and turban while he slayed others. They thought he was the king and slayed him mercilessly.
" He is killed" Maan Singh was assured.
" We will march to Gogunda." He smiled.
" Chetak!" The horse fell while crossing the stream as he shouted. A few Mughal foot soldiers were behind him. They had spotted him running.
" Chetak! You are bleeding." The horse breathed heavily as tears appeared in his eyes. He patted his partner. A hustle of leaves alarmed him as his injured hand struggled with the sword.
" Dadabhai it's me." His sword stopped at the man in front.
" Bhai Shakti?" He thought he was hallucinating.
" Dadabhai take my horse and go."
" But Chetak." He was alarmed as the horse had stopped breathing. " Chetak!" He exclaimed.
" He is gone Dadabhai, take my horse." He pleaded. Rana Pratap hugged his lost brother.
" We will meet again soon." He said it more like a question to his younger brother.
" Yes, I promise. Go!"
" Everything is falling apart there, and we can't find Ranaji." Balwant was panting as Ajabde sat calmly.
" Do you hear me Jija?"
" He is safe."
" How can you say that?"
" Because I am breathing." Her answer stunned her brother.
" Maharanisa Maharanisa." A Daasi came running. " Ranaji is here." She ran as he stumbled from the horse and she held him.
" Ajabde! Chetak! Chetak is.... gone!" made her eyes go wide as her mouth dried up.
" Wh... who helped you?"
" Bhai Shakti...."
" Who?"
" Bhai Shakti Ajabde, he came." Ajabde nodded.
" Jaldi Vaidji." Balwant shouted at him.
" Amar?" Rana Pratap looked at Balwant in fear.
" He is injured. Daata saved him. He fought bravely Ranaji. He..."
Rana Pratap looked up at Ajabde who nodded.
" They are marching towards Gogunda. And we have no army!" Balwant looked disturbed.
" We will build one again. " Ajabde spoke up,
" But how, Jija? We have no resources."
" I have." Beharimal made everyone look up. " I have 20000 gold coins and 30000 money resources. We can..."
" But that is your money..." Rana Pratap protested.
" This is my mother, they are attacking Ranaji." He smiled.
Rana Pratap Singh agreed. He was to heal his injuries before attacking again.
An injured Rana Pratap let his wife be the boss for a few days as she nursed him back to health.
" I don't think Amar can be your heir." She said one day dressing his wounds.
" What? Ajabde, he fought well in the battle and..."
" He said we are losing before it's lost, he said it was over. A king never.."
" Ajabde." He held her hand with his injured one. " Give him some time. Trust me he is perfect. And..." He looked at her deteriorating health worried.
" Take care of yourself too."
She smiled wearily adding " I am fine, here, take your medicines."
Gogunda had fallen to Maan Singh. He wanted to write to Akbar. A soldier walked in.
" Pratap is alive ."
" What??" He asked surprised.
" Yes he is alive and he will soon march here."
A fear crept in as Maan Singh got up.
" I need to leave, make arrangements, you all stay here for the attack."
Within months, Rana Pratap attacked Gogunda with 1000 soldiers. He won over it. The Mughal encampments left the adjoining areas and he continued his guerilla warfare with the remaining. Within a span of three years, the Mughals were ordered to retreat from Mewar. Akbar had to accept that he couldn't kill or defeat Pratap. Mewar would never be his even if he had Chittor. The Mewaris praised and blessed their King, he was a true guardian and protector of their land. Kunwar Amar proved to be a worthy heir. Kunwar Shakti was now Rawat Shakta Singh Chundawat. He was made the Rawat of Baasi area by an ever grateful Rana Pratap. His family continued to stay there and rule.
The Battle of Haldighati was only fought for 4 hours, the Mughals thought they had won it and killed Rana. Later, they knew they were wrong. The results of this battle were actually indecisive while Akbar's accounts claimed it as a " Humiliating Victory" in history. No Battle was of so much influence on Akbar as this one as he finally realised Rana Pratap Singh was invincible. It was a battle that proved that the number of soldiers didn't win wars. Determination did. The land still stands witness to the brave hearts, the museums still have the armours and statues of the Bravehearts.
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