Thread- Tribute to Durga Das Rathore🙏🙏
“Our Country is with our sinews, and these can defend both it and our Lord”
Maharaja jaswant singh died in Jamrud & after his death Aurangzeb feared no one, he started his anti hindu policies and Mulsim rule was imposed over Marwar/1
“Our Country is with our sinews, and these can defend both it and our Lord”
Maharaja jaswant singh died in Jamrud & after his death Aurangzeb feared no one, he started his anti hindu policies and Mulsim rule was imposed over Marwar/1
Back in Jamrud the funeral pyre of Maharaja Jaswant Singh was lit, and the queens accompanying him attained Sati.
Only 1 queen, Jadaman Kanwar, bearing the child was forcibly prevented from immolating herself by Uda Kumpawat, a Rathore grandee of Marwar. /2
Only 1 queen, Jadaman Kanwar, bearing the child was forcibly prevented from immolating herself by Uda Kumpawat, a Rathore grandee of Marwar. /2
On 19th of February 1679, she gave birth to Ajit Singh, The last surviving heir of Maharaja Jaswant Singh.
When the news of the birth of the heir to Marwar’s throne reached Aurangzeb, he promptly declared the succession invalid/3
When the news of the birth of the heir to Marwar’s throne reached Aurangzeb, he promptly declared the succession invalid/3
The tragedy had already befallen upon the rulers, and now it was to befall upon the subjects - with their protectors gone, the Hindu race was orphaned, the bells of the temples were muted, the sacred conch didn’t sound , the Brahmins and the priests vitiated their doctrines/4
and learned the creed of the Turks, the Jizya (Capitulation Tax) was imposed and innumerable temples were turned into mosques.
All seemed to be lost, but some believed all was still not done. /5
All seemed to be lost, but some believed all was still not done. /5
The nobles of Jodhpur tried their fate one last time and put a appeal with Aurangzeb to accept Ajit Singh’s succession. Once the Queen had regained her health and was able to travel, the delegation of the foremost of the nobles of Marwar took her and Ajit Singh to Delhi/6
Durgadas Rathore was leading the contingent.
Born on 13th of August 1638, Durgadas Rathore was the son of Askaran Rathore, a high ranking noble in the courts of Maharaja Jaswant Singh of Marwar.
He too was related to the Royal family, as he was the descendant of the Rao Ranmal/7
Born on 13th of August 1638, Durgadas Rathore was the son of Askaran Rathore, a high ranking noble in the courts of Maharaja Jaswant Singh of Marwar.
He too was related to the Royal family, as he was the descendant of the Rao Ranmal/7
He was there with Jaswant Singh in Jamrud, and as his lord grew weak from the poison he saw in his eyes the dread and perturbation he had for the continuation of his race, He was promised by Durgadas that he will protect his family, Described in the bardic couplet as- /8
Bewail not! My beloved Mster
Shed aside thy pain
Abandon thy sorrows
For the blossoms of Maroo- None dare to outrage
Her Modesty-None dare to violate
Her Honor-In unblemished beauty shall forever bloom
In grace abandon
Promise! Promise! Promis!
It is a solemn Promise
Firm & Final
Shed aside thy pain
Abandon thy sorrows
For the blossoms of Maroo- None dare to outrage
Her Modesty-None dare to violate
Her Honor-In unblemished beauty shall forever bloom
In grace abandon
Promise! Promise! Promis!
It is a solemn Promise
Firm & Final
Durgadas and the Rajput contingent reached Delhi, the capital of Aurangzeb.
The Emperor was a zealot was known to each of them, but what dwarfed his zealotry was his cunning, and as far as his cunning was concerned, every assumed overestimation turned out an underestimation/10
The Emperor was a zealot was known to each of them, but what dwarfed his zealotry was his cunning, and as far as his cunning was concerned, every assumed overestimation turned out an underestimation/10
Aurangzeb not only refused their request but also commanded that the infant should be surrendered in his custody,
he insulted them further by asking the Queen to be handed over as a captive and that Ajit Singh be brought up in the Muslim faith in Delhi./11
he insulted them further by asking the Queen to be handed over as a captive and that Ajit Singh be brought up in the Muslim faith in Delhi./11
He further offered to divide Marwar between them if they agreed to the terms, much to their infuriation. It was then that a voice pierced through the silence of Diwan-e-Aam…
“Our Country is with our sinews, and these can defend both it and our Lord” /12
“Our Country is with our sinews, and these can defend both it and our Lord” /12
With eyes red with rage they left the Diwan-e-Aam, and it was not long before that they realized they were surrounded with the Emperor’s men in his capital,
& they had to rescue both the queen and prince Ajit, come what may./13
& they had to rescue both the queen and prince Ajit, come what may./13
A task that might have seemed insurmountable to other men is not so for individuals who have the blood of God himself coursing through their veins.
Ajit Singh smuggled out, in basket of sweetmeats, As Rajputs prepared to make a stand for their honor.
/14
Ajit Singh smuggled out, in basket of sweetmeats, As Rajputs prepared to make a stand for their honor.
/14
They made oblations to the Gods, took opium and mounted on their steeds.
“Let us swim, in the ocean of battle. Let us root up these demons and be carried by the angels to the mansions of the Sun.”/15
“Let us swim, in the ocean of battle. Let us root up these demons and be carried by the angels to the mansions of the Sun.”/15
And then spoke Durgadas, “The teeth of the Turks are whetted, but by the lighting emitted from our swords, Delhi shall witness our deeds, and the flames of our anger shall consume the troops of the Shah”
And with this the gates of Mansion were opened/16
And with this the gates of Mansion were opened/16
100 Rajputs under Raghunath Singh Bhati made a death defying charge, before which the mugals quailed.
Bards equated their faces to that of Yama, the God of Death, an appropriate expression for those who come from Marwar, the name, often interpreted as the land of death/17
Bards equated their faces to that of Yama, the God of Death, an appropriate expression for those who come from Marwar, the name, often interpreted as the land of death/17
Wave followed wave, and blood was spilled as the streets of Delhi turned into a battlefield.
Seizing the opportunity Durgadas Rathore with rest of his men and queen dresses as man slipped out of mansion./18
Seizing the opportunity Durgadas Rathore with rest of his men and queen dresses as man slipped out of mansion./18
For an hour n half Raghunath Singh & his 100 men dyed the road of Delhi with blood & in last attained veergati.
Then the mugals set out in pursuit.
Now Ranchhod Das Jodha took the task to stop the mugal force with small band of soldiers. They fought till last man./19
Then the mugals set out in pursuit.
Now Ranchhod Das Jodha took the task to stop the mugal force with small band of soldiers. They fought till last man./19
In last Durgadas Rathore took stand with his 50 warriors. They fought the mugal army and in end mugals retreated but by then only 7 survived.
At last the infant Ajit Singh was saved and safely retuned./20
At last the infant Ajit Singh was saved and safely retuned./20
With this began the fall of Mugal empire. In 30 year long warfare with Rajputs, Aurangzeb was defeated by the combined Marwari and Mewari armies, starved, humiliated and abandoned by his own family and forced to flee to Ajmer without any honor to save/21
and In a twist of fate, his grandchildren would be brought up in the Mewari royal household.
credits- The Reclamation Project
credits- The Reclamation Project
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