The indefatigable lion of Bharat: Maharana Rana Sanga of Mewar
A significant controversy arises from the misguided statements made by Ramlal Suman, a Rajya Sabha member of the Samajwadi Party. I would have taken his remarks more seriously had he addressed the pertinent issues related to the economic development of India. For instance, while India ranks as the fifth largest economy globally, it still has a per capita income that categorises it as lower middle according to international standards, along with a concerning unemployment rate. In an effort to garner electoral support, it is disheartening to observe that Suman has resorted to falsely accusing the esteemed and revered ruler of Mewar, Maharana Sangram Singh, also known as Maharana Sanga, of being a traitor who allegedly invited Babur to fight against Sultan Ibrahim Lodi of Delhi.
It appears illogical to assert that Maharana Sanga sought assistance from Babur, given that he decisively triumphed over Sultan Ibrahim Lodi of Delhi on three separate occasions during his lifetime: at the battles of Khatoli, Dholpur, and Ranthambore-Ajmer.
During the battle of Khatoli, fought near Bundi in 1517 CE, which lasted merely five to six hours, not only did the invading forces retreat, but their leader, Sultan Ibrahim Lodi, also fled. One of Lodi’s sons was captured by the forces of Mewar and released only after the Sultan paid a battle indemnity.
The humiliating defeat of Sultan Ibrahim Lodi by Maharana Sanga at Khatoli laid the groundwork for another confrontation at Dholpur in 1519 CE. Lodi strategically selected this year, believing that the Mewar forces had just returned from a victorious engagement at Gagron by defeating the combined forces of the Sultan of Malwa and Gujarat and would thus be fatigued. Contrary to his expectations, the resilient Mewar army, despite being outnumbered, fought tenaciously and once again defeated Lodi’s forces.
In his quest to conquer Ranthambore and Ajmer, Ibrahim Lodi encountered yet another significant setback when the Mewar forces, this time led by my ancestor Rawat Ratan Singh Chundawat of Begu in Mewar captured these territories. To commemorate his victory over Ranthambore, Rawat Ratan Singh Chundawat erected a monumental fort atop a hill and named it Ratangarh Fort, which remains in existence till date and is situated approximately 25 kilometres from Begu, Mewar
This strongly suggests that Maharana Sanga did not solicit assistance from Babur. In the 1500s, without modern forms of media, Babur, situated thousands of miles away in Kabul, had no reliable information about Maharana Sanga. He may have heard vaguely of a powerful Hindu monarch from Mewar, who significantly expanded his kingdom by seizing vast territories and revenue villages from current-day Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. A British Imperial Gazetteer published in 1909 reports that the Mewar kingdom, during Maharana Sanga’s reign, generated a revenue of ten crores, with an army comprising approximately 80,000 horses, seven high-ranking Rajas, nine Raos, and 104 chieftains bearing the title of Rawal, alongside 500 war elephants.
Would a sovereign of such magnitude seek assistance from Babur, a fugitive who had been displaced from his insignificant and obscure principality of Ferghana in Uzbekistan? Subsequently, when Babur briefly secures his position in his aspired city of Samarkand, he faces the aggression of his adversary, the formidable warlord Mohammad Shaybani Khan, a descendant of Genghis Khan, who besieges Samarkand and demands wealth as well as Babur’s cherished elder sister, Khanzada, in exchange for safe passage from the city. Eventually, Babur acquiesces or consents to Mohammad Shaybani Khan’s demands, offering the ransom and unwillingly surrendering his favourite sister Khanzada. Under such demeaning and humiliating circumstances, Babur was granted a free passage out of Samarkand. Under similar circumstances, the rulers of Mewar would have preferred death over dishonour, as evidenced by their willingness to commit Jauhar and Saka.
Additionally, it is important to note that Babur, being a devout follower of Islam, would unlikely accept an invitation to invade from a non-believer or Kaafir. The actual invitation for Babur to invade was extended by Daulat Khan Lodi, a relative of Sultan Ibrahim Lodi and the Governor of Lahore, who, suspecting his relative’s intentions to displace him, sought Babur’s assistance out of fear.
Notably, all of these significant accomplishments achieved by Maharana Sanga occurred despite severe physical injuries, including 80 wounds and the loss of an eye, along with an arm and a limb sustained during the battle of Khatoli. Such resilience is commendable, particularly during an era devoid of advanced medical care.
Subsequently, upon Daulat Khan Lodi’s invitation, Babur invaded Bharat with a contingent primarily composed of mercenary soldiers from Uzbekistan to combat Sultan Ibrahim Lodi. Prior to this invasion, Babur’s only interaction with Bharat had been sporadic raids in the Punjab region akin to those of a dacoit or brigand. It is perplexing how the Turko-Mongols came to be regarded as “royals.”
Following the defeat of Ibrahim Lodi, Babur attempted to capture Bayana and Gwalior to thwart Maharana Sanga’s advance toward these strategically crucial locations near Agra. In response, a confederacy of Rajput rulers from Amber, Jodhpur, Vagad, the Tomars of Gwalior, Bundi, Shekhawati, Raisen, Chanderi, Idar, etc., united under the leadership of Maharana Sanga, culminating in a rout of Babur’s forces from Bayana and Gwalior. The mercenary army of Babur was intimidated by the valour exhibited by the Rajputs.
This series of events led to the renowned and consequential battle of Khanwa in 1527 CE between Maharana Sanga and Babur. Babur garnered support from the local Muslim populace under the pretext of Jihad. Had it not been for the defection of Maharana Sanga’s general, Raja Silhadi, who switched allegiances during the battle with 30,000 of his soldiers, Maharana Sanga would likely have emerged victorious. Contrary to popular belief attributing Maharana Sanga’s defeat primarily to Babur’s artillery, it is pertinent to mention that Maharana Sanga was aware of the cannons utilised at the first battle of Panipat and had devised a preliminary strategy to counteract them. The critical blow stemmed from the defection of Raja Silhadi, which undermined the morale of the Rajput coalition and plunged the Mewar army into chaos thereby providing an advantage to the Mughal forces. Had Maharana Sanga emerged victorious in the Battle of Khanwa, the trajectory of India’s history would have undergone a significant alteration.
This historical analysis underscores that Maharana Sanga did not extend an invitation to Babur. The Rajput confederacy united only on two historic occasions; the first, under the banner of Mewar and led by Maharana Sanga against the Mughal invader Babur in 1527 CE and the second when the armies of Jaipur and Jodhpur resolved to meet the Marathas in the battle of Tunga at Lalsot near Jaipur in 1787 CE, resulting in the Maratha army’s defeat, as evidenced by Mahadji Scindia’s strategic retreat.
Ramlal Suman should acknowledge that it was Maharana Sanga who constructed a chhatri/pavilion cenotaph in honour of the esteemed Sant Ravi Das, which bears the sant’s engraved footprints and is prominently located before the Krishna temple at Chittorgarh Fort. Sant Ravi Das, a dalit shoemaker from Varanasi, received such veneration from Maharana Sanga, and his family, particularly since his eldest daughter-in-law, the renowned crown princess Meera Bai, later became a devoted disciple of Sant Ravi Das and regarded him as her lifelong guru. This exemplifies the respect afforded to Dalits by Maharana Sanga and his lineage during an era characterised by a rigid caste hierarchy.
In contrast, Babur’s narrative reveals a markedly different character; he was enamoured with a teenaged pretty looking boy named ‘Baburi’ in Uzbekistan. Lovelorn Babur made him his ‘toy boy.’ In contemporary society, Babur would be perceived as a symbol or poster boy of LGBTQIA+ rights, or alternatively, he might have faced allegations of child abuse.
He also notoriously razed the sacred Ram temple to erect a mosque, reportedly named ‘Babri’ after his beloved. It is regrettable that Ramlal Suman chooses to admire Babur to attain transient popularity.
Nonetheless, it is important to recognise the proverb “every cloud has a silver lining.” The recent disparaging remarks by Suman have inadvertently highlighted the remarkable legacy of Maharana Sanga, vis-a-vis the more commonly celebrated tale of Maharana Pratap. The lineage of Mewar rulers extends from Bappa Rawal, who vanquished General Junaid of the Umayyad Caliphate in 711 CE and pushed the Arab forces till Isfahan in Iran and staved off Islamic invasions for nearly five centuries. The city of Rawalpindi in Pakistan is named after Bappa Rawal of Mewar. Furthermore, Rawal Jaitra Singh who defeated the slave dynasty Sultan Iltutmish of Delhi, to Rawal Tej Singh, who defeated Balban, a slave dynasty Sultan renowned for institutionalising servitude among nobles and commoners in his court by introducing ‘Paibos’ (kissing of Sultan’s feet) and ‘Sijda’ (touching the forehead to the ground in the presence of Sultan).
Maharana Hamir’s victory over Muhammad Bin Tughlaq at the battle of Singoli and Maharana Kumbha’s illustrious military record, including his imprisonment of the Sultan of Malwa and subsequent victories over the combined armies of Sultans of Gujarat and Malwa. Maharana Kumbha also defeated the Nawab of Nagaur. The list is long of this eclectic sovereign ruler and soldier who was also a scholar, poet, dramatist, music composer and builder. These victories remind us of the historical significance and diverse accomplishments of the Mewar dynasty. The impressive legacy of these remarkable rulers, including Maharana Sanga, Maharana Pratap, and Maharana Raj Singh, merits wider recognition.
In conclusion, I respectfully urge both the central and state governments of Rajasthan to honour Maharana Sangram Singh, known as Sanga, by renaming major roads and establishing statues in public areas. Such gestures would serve as a fitting response to the uncivil remarks made by Rajya Sabha MP Ramlal Suman. I would advise Ramlal Suman in future to show some ‘Shraddha Suman’ to people and revered historical heroes of Bharat.