Mewar dynasty is one of the oldest dynasties in the world starting from around 600 AD until year 1947 it had produced 75 rulers.
The kingdom of Mewar was situated in what is now the Rajasthan in Northern India. It was bestowed on the Bappa Rawal in 734 AD by the greatest devotee of Lord Shiva (Shri Eklingji), Sage Harit Rashi of the Lakulish Cult.
The region was for centuries a Rajput Kingdom, the Mewar Kingdom or the Udaipur Kingdom, that later became the princely state under the British.
It was originally called Medhpat and Lord Shiva is called Medhpateshwar (Lord of Medhpaat). Mewar region lies between the Aravali Range to the northwest, Ajmer to the north, Gujarat and the Vagad region of the Rajasthan to the south, the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh state to the southeast and Hadoti region of Rajasthan to the east.
Here are the rulers of the Mewar dynasty:
1. Maharana Pratap Singh:
Maharana Pratap was the son of the Maharana Udai Singh of the Sisodiya clan of Rajput, the rulers of Mewar. He became the ruler of Mewar against his father’s wish, who had appointed his favorite son Jagmal as his successor. However, the senior nobles of Mewar decided that Pratap, the first son and rightful successor should be crowned King.
Maharana Pratap was said to be a man of strong Rajput character, he was far more brave and gallant. His kind heartedness and just decision making won the hearts of even his enemies. He is the only ruler of India that did not give in to the Mughal rule, and for that he is the most celebrated ruler of the country of this day.
After the famous battle of Haldighati, Maharana Pratap’s own brother, Shakti Singh, who had joined the Mughals helped him to escape the battlefield, as his beloved and trusted horse Chetak was wounded in his hind leg. Chetak, Maharana Pratap’s trusted horse, delivered him to safe grounds before breathing his last.
2. Maharana Sangram Singh I:
The desert land of the Mewar has produced abundant warriors and their heroic legends. The fables of bravery are infused in this desert soil, every time the son of Mewar is born with his own tale to tell. And amongst the numerous was the mighty Maharna Sangram Singh or as the Rajputs gloriously call him Rana Sanga, the king whose demise marked the beginning of the Mughal rule and changed the Indian history.
Rana Sanga was not only the great warrior who fought invaders gallantly but also visionary, under whom many Rajput states united and fought the foreigners He was the warrior with the resolute as strong as his grandfather Rana Kumbha.
It is also said that despite losing his one arm, one eye and numerous other grave injuries, he continued his fighting his enemies. He is also remembered for his bravery, when he restored the kingdom of Mandu.
Rana Sanga died soon because of his injuries. Rana Sanga’a death established the Mughal rule in the India marking the new beginning to the history of Indian subcontinent.
3. Maharana Udai Singh II:
Maharana Udai Singh II founded the city of Udaipur; he is also remembered for his breathtakingly beautiful queens, who were 20 in number. This son of Rana Sanga is invariably famous in the Rajputana history for the two reasons, one for being the father of the bravest son of Mewar, Maharana Pratap and secondly for gifting the picturesque city of Udaipur to the world.
Udai Singh II was the fourth son of the Rani Karnawati and Maharana Sangram Singh who was popularly known as Rana Sanga. After the Rana Sanga’s death his enemies tried to kill Udai Singh II who was only the child at that time. Udai Singh was rescued by his nurse Panna Dhai who replaced him with her own son and sacrificed his life for the safety of the young prince.
Udai Singh II who is less famous for his valour or bravery as his ancestors Rana Kumbha or the Rana Sanga, became the proud father of Maharana Pratap who marked the Rajputana history with his heroism and courage, making his father’s presence in history significant and imperative.
4. Rana Kumbha
Standing in front of the fort of Kumbhalgarh, one cannot resist the awe this glorious fort manifests in it. At the height of 1,100 meters above the sea level, this magnanimous structure is the saga of the glory, gallant and grandeur. Built by the Maharana Kumbha, this fort of the Kumbhalgarh remained uncaptured till the end; and is the literal depiction of the Rana himself.
Maharana Kumbha was the only Hindu-ruled major state allocating its supremacy to the Lord Shiva. The powerful Muslim principalities united and aimed to defeat the Rana Kumbha but their efforts were thwarted every time by the Rana, Single handed.
Rana Kumbha was one of the greatest builders of Mewar, who built across Mewar, nearly thirty two fortress including the fort of the Kumbhalgarh, renowned capital of Ranakpur and the famous Victory Tower or the Vijay Stambha in Chittor to commemorate his victory over the combined armies of the Malwa and Gujarat. He was killed while he was offering prayers to the Lord Shiva.
5. Rani Karnavati
Rani Karnavati (died March 8, 1535), was a princess and temporary ruler from Bundi, India. She was married to Rana Sanga of Chittorgarh, the capital of Mewar Kingdom. She was the mother of the next two Ranas, Rana Vikramaditya and Rana Uday Singh, and grandmother of the legendary Maharana Pratap.
After Babur had captured the throne of Delhi in 1526 AD, Rana Sangram Singh or Rana Sanga of Mewar lead a confederation of Rajput Kings against Babur to capture the throne of Delhi. But in The Battle of Khanua in 1527, the combined Hindu forces were defeated, and Rana Sanga died shortly afterwards from his wounds.
Rani Karnavati took up the regency in the name of her elder son Vikramaditya, a weak ruler. In the meantime, Mewar was attacked for the second time by Bahadur Shah of Gujarat, at whose hands Vikramaditya had earlier received an defeat. It was a matter of great concern for Rani.
Rani Karnavati agreed to send her sons to Bundi and told her trusted maid Panna Dai to accompany them and take good care of them. Panna was reluctant, but surrendered to the wishes of the queen, when she assured her that with the renewed support of the nobles and the expected help from Humayun, all would be well. However, tidings from Chittor were not good and the Sisodias had fought valiantly, but they were outnumbered and the war was lost
Bahadur Shah entered Chittorgarh and ransacked it for the second time. Realising that defeat was imminent, Karnavati and the other noble ladies of the court immolated themselves in a mass suicide by fire known as Jauhar on March 8, 1535 A.D., while all the men donned saffron clothes and went out to fight to the death and thus committed saka. This is the occasion for the second of the three Jauhars performed at Chittor. Humayun did defeat Bahadur Shah and reinstated Karnavati's son Vikramaditya Singh as the ruler of Mewar after the mass suicide.
6. Rani Padmini
Rani Padmini (Padmavati) (died 1303 CE), was the queen of Chittor, the wife of King Rawal Ratan Singh and the daughter of the contemporary Sinhala king.
Padmini or Padmavati spent her life in Singhal under the care of her father Gandharvsen and mother Champavati. Padmini had a talking parrot named "Hiramani". Her father arranged a swayamvara and invited all the Hindu kings and Rajputs to ask for her hand (request to marry her by showing their eligibility). Malkhan Singh, a king from a small state came to her swayamvara to marry her. King Rawal Ratan Singh of Chittor, who had another queen Nagmati, also went to Singhal, defeated Malkhan Singh and married Padmini as the winner of the swayamvara. He returned to Chittor with his beautiful second queen Padmini.
The kingdom of Mewar was situated in what is now the Rajasthan in Northern India. It was bestowed on the Bappa Rawal in 734 AD by the greatest devotee of Lord Shiva (Shri Eklingji), Sage Harit Rashi of the Lakulish Cult.
The region was for centuries a Rajput Kingdom, the Mewar Kingdom or the Udaipur Kingdom, that later became the princely state under the British.
It was originally called Medhpat and Lord Shiva is called Medhpateshwar (Lord of Medhpaat). Mewar region lies between the Aravali Range to the northwest, Ajmer to the north, Gujarat and the Vagad region of the Rajasthan to the south, the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh state to the southeast and Hadoti region of Rajasthan to the east.
Here are the rulers of the Mewar dynasty:
1. Maharana Pratap Singh:
Maharana Pratap was the son of the Maharana Udai Singh of the Sisodiya clan of Rajput, the rulers of Mewar. He became the ruler of Mewar against his father’s wish, who had appointed his favorite son Jagmal as his successor. However, the senior nobles of Mewar decided that Pratap, the first son and rightful successor should be crowned King.
Maharana Pratap was said to be a man of strong Rajput character, he was far more brave and gallant. His kind heartedness and just decision making won the hearts of even his enemies. He is the only ruler of India that did not give in to the Mughal rule, and for that he is the most celebrated ruler of the country of this day.
After the famous battle of Haldighati, Maharana Pratap’s own brother, Shakti Singh, who had joined the Mughals helped him to escape the battlefield, as his beloved and trusted horse Chetak was wounded in his hind leg. Chetak, Maharana Pratap’s trusted horse, delivered him to safe grounds before breathing his last.
2. Maharana Sangram Singh I:
The desert land of the Mewar has produced abundant warriors and their heroic legends. The fables of bravery are infused in this desert soil, every time the son of Mewar is born with his own tale to tell. And amongst the numerous was the mighty Maharna Sangram Singh or as the Rajputs gloriously call him Rana Sanga, the king whose demise marked the beginning of the Mughal rule and changed the Indian history.
Rana Sanga was not only the great warrior who fought invaders gallantly but also visionary, under whom many Rajput states united and fought the foreigners He was the warrior with the resolute as strong as his grandfather Rana Kumbha.
It is also said that despite losing his one arm, one eye and numerous other grave injuries, he continued his fighting his enemies. He is also remembered for his bravery, when he restored the kingdom of Mandu.
Rana Sanga died soon because of his injuries. Rana Sanga’a death established the Mughal rule in the India marking the new beginning to the history of Indian subcontinent.
3. Maharana Udai Singh II:
Maharana Udai Singh II founded the city of Udaipur; he is also remembered for his breathtakingly beautiful queens, who were 20 in number. This son of Rana Sanga is invariably famous in the Rajputana history for the two reasons, one for being the father of the bravest son of Mewar, Maharana Pratap and secondly for gifting the picturesque city of Udaipur to the world.
Udai Singh II was the fourth son of the Rani Karnawati and Maharana Sangram Singh who was popularly known as Rana Sanga. After the Rana Sanga’s death his enemies tried to kill Udai Singh II who was only the child at that time. Udai Singh was rescued by his nurse Panna Dhai who replaced him with her own son and sacrificed his life for the safety of the young prince.
Udai Singh II who is less famous for his valour or bravery as his ancestors Rana Kumbha or the Rana Sanga, became the proud father of Maharana Pratap who marked the Rajputana history with his heroism and courage, making his father’s presence in history significant and imperative.
4. Rana Kumbha
Standing in front of the fort of Kumbhalgarh, one cannot resist the awe this glorious fort manifests in it. At the height of 1,100 meters above the sea level, this magnanimous structure is the saga of the glory, gallant and grandeur. Built by the Maharana Kumbha, this fort of the Kumbhalgarh remained uncaptured till the end; and is the literal depiction of the Rana himself.
Maharana Kumbha was the only Hindu-ruled major state allocating its supremacy to the Lord Shiva. The powerful Muslim principalities united and aimed to defeat the Rana Kumbha but their efforts were thwarted every time by the Rana, Single handed.
Rana Kumbha was one of the greatest builders of Mewar, who built across Mewar, nearly thirty two fortress including the fort of the Kumbhalgarh, renowned capital of Ranakpur and the famous Victory Tower or the Vijay Stambha in Chittor to commemorate his victory over the combined armies of the Malwa and Gujarat. He was killed while he was offering prayers to the Lord Shiva.
5. Rani Karnavati
Rani Karnavati (died March 8, 1535), was a princess and temporary ruler from Bundi, India. She was married to Rana Sanga of Chittorgarh, the capital of Mewar Kingdom. She was the mother of the next two Ranas, Rana Vikramaditya and Rana Uday Singh, and grandmother of the legendary Maharana Pratap.
After Babur had captured the throne of Delhi in 1526 AD, Rana Sangram Singh or Rana Sanga of Mewar lead a confederation of Rajput Kings against Babur to capture the throne of Delhi. But in The Battle of Khanua in 1527, the combined Hindu forces were defeated, and Rana Sanga died shortly afterwards from his wounds.
Rani Karnavati took up the regency in the name of her elder son Vikramaditya, a weak ruler. In the meantime, Mewar was attacked for the second time by Bahadur Shah of Gujarat, at whose hands Vikramaditya had earlier received an defeat. It was a matter of great concern for Rani.
Rani Karnavati agreed to send her sons to Bundi and told her trusted maid Panna Dai to accompany them and take good care of them. Panna was reluctant, but surrendered to the wishes of the queen, when she assured her that with the renewed support of the nobles and the expected help from Humayun, all would be well. However, tidings from Chittor were not good and the Sisodias had fought valiantly, but they were outnumbered and the war was lost
Bahadur Shah entered Chittorgarh and ransacked it for the second time. Realising that defeat was imminent, Karnavati and the other noble ladies of the court immolated themselves in a mass suicide by fire known as Jauhar on March 8, 1535 A.D., while all the men donned saffron clothes and went out to fight to the death and thus committed saka. This is the occasion for the second of the three Jauhars performed at Chittor. Humayun did defeat Bahadur Shah and reinstated Karnavati's son Vikramaditya Singh as the ruler of Mewar after the mass suicide.
6. Rani Padmini
Rani Padmini (Padmavati) (died 1303 CE), was the queen of Chittor, the wife of King Rawal Ratan Singh and the daughter of the contemporary Sinhala king.
Padmini or Padmavati spent her life in Singhal under the care of her father Gandharvsen and mother Champavati. Padmini had a talking parrot named "Hiramani". Her father arranged a swayamvara and invited all the Hindu kings and Rajputs to ask for her hand (request to marry her by showing their eligibility). Malkhan Singh, a king from a small state came to her swayamvara to marry her. King Rawal Ratan Singh of Chittor, who had another queen Nagmati, also went to Singhal, defeated Malkhan Singh and married Padmini as the winner of the swayamvara. He returned to Chittor with his beautiful second queen Padmini.
