RANI DURGAVATHI DEFIED EMEROR AKBAR AND SACRIFICED

RANI DURGAVATHI DEFIED EMEROR AKBAR AND SACRIFICED
HERSELF ON BATTLE FIELD

Prof Dr Colonel K Prabhakar Rao ( Retired)

Mahoba is a city in India’s heartland
Ruled by the famous Chandela Rajput kings
They were famous for bravery and chivalry
And history is replete with their stories and happenings
Durgavathi was the daughter of king of Mahoba
And she was the most beautiful woman of the time
She learnt all the arts of warfare and skill in handling arms
While she was bubbling with vigor in her youth and prime

Durgavathi was not to be married as per the word of a sage
Or else she would be widowed in her prime of her life
The king kept the secret for his life time
While the country was going through great strife
Dalpat shah was the king of Gonds
And he ruled at impregnable Mandla fort on a hill
He learnt about the beauty of the Rajput princess
And he reached Mahoba to watch the princess to his hearts fill

The princess was out on a stroll in the city
When Dalpat shah had a glimpse of her face
His heart was full of joy at the sight
And he at once fell in love at her delightful grace
He reached the lady and bowed to her
“I am the king of Gonds called Dalpat shah the brave
I rule the land Gondwana with might of my arms
And I pray that you be my queen and for your love I crave”

Dalpat shah spoke to the lady with grace
The princess blushed and bowed to the Gond king full of life
“Sir I have learnt the deeds of your valor,
And I am honored to accept your offer to be your wife,
But you must get my fathers consent for the wedding you seek,
I am the daughter of a Rajput scion of might,
And you know the Rajput for their valor and word”
The princess replied the Shah in the falling light.

Dalpat shah rode away without wasting a moment
He sent a letter of proposal to the ruler of Mahoba in respect
The hand of princess he sought from the Rajput scion
And said in turn he would meet all the aspects.
The Rajput king was aghast at the turn of events
To give his daughter to a Gond was seen as an insult
The king at once called for the counsel at once
Who said that king had to face the wrath of Rajputs and guilt

In medieval days Rajputs saw Gonds socially low
And the Rajput king declined the offer
The princess to surprise gave her consent
While the king warned her that she would suffer
Dalpat shah upset at the events sent a warning
That Rajputs have to face his wrath of war
The Mahoba king was a fearless warrior
And he led his army that had no par

The day arrived and both armies clashed
While Dalpat Shah led mighty Gonds to win his bride
Rajputs defended the honor at all costs
And hell let loose as the warriors fell on both sides
The battle was fought with greatest vigor
For Rajputs it was honor or death in the last
The Gonds had to win at all costs on the earth
Or else the princess would be finally lost

Destiny at last ditched Rajputs
And the Mahoba king lay wounded on the battle field
His army lost the much fought war
While the princess left him in the din of swords and shields
In the falling light the king lay gasping on the battle field
And a sage appeared in that unearthly hour
He walked to the king in his last moments
And said destiny can never be changed and truth was always sour

The sage gave some water to the departing king
Who paid his last respects to the sage
Soon the soul left his mortal body
And he passed into history’s golden page
Thus ended war between Rajputs and Gonds
While at Mandla Shah married Durgavathi in pomp and show
The marriage was a great event of the times
While river Narmada down the hills was in full and graceful flow.

The couple lived happily at Mandla
Soon they had a son Veer narayan the brave
They hardly lived together for few years
Alas the destiny sent Dalpat shah to the grave
Sorrow of the queen knew no bounds
But she was a woman of great strengths
Those were the days of Akbar’s military conquests
And Dalpat shah always defended his country across breadth and length

Soon Durgavathi crossed swords with Mughals
She was a woman of dauntless courage and spirit
She fought the Mughals tooth and nail
And she spread her power with courage and grit
The Mughals were defeated in many wars by her
Yet the Mughals never gave up their eternal wars
All good things in world finally come to an end
And her fate soon had to face reversed stars

Mughals again attacked with great force
And this was a battle of do or die for them
Durgavathi met them on battle front
Ready to fight and cut off the enemy’s stem
The battle was going on in her favor
And a chance arrow pierced her temple at the evil hour
She knew her death was imminent by the fatal wound
And she stabbed herself to save her honor

The day was won by the Mughals
Yet the war was fought by Veernarayan the brave to the end
The sea of Mughal forces had their sway
The prince was killed in war and he refused to bend
Durgavathi shines in history as a glorious star
Who laid her life for a national cause
Her memory is immortal in the minds of people
While for scores in Indian history treachery was no bar.

END
NOTES


Durgavathi. Wife of Dalpat Shah and Rajput princess of Mahoba
Mahoba .. A city in Madhya Pradesh
Mandla. Hill fort aside Narmada river near Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh
Dalpat shah. The brave Gond king. ( The area was also known as Gondwana)
Akbar. Third Mughal emperor and ruled at Agra (15 to16 century)
Veer Narayan. Son of Durgavathi and Dalpat shah
The Samadhi of Durgavathi is near Jabalpur town at the outshirts
Narmada. An important river in Madhya Pradesh and flows from East to west and travels through Vindhya mountains in Central India