Royal portrait

This account of Udaipur’s purple past presents the illustrious life of Rajput princes, writes Monideepa sahu

This scholarly yet very readable history of the erstwhile princely state of Udaipur brings to life the valour, magnanimity to enemies, fierce pride and humility of the Rajput princes of yore. In simple language and clear style, the author presents a detailed history of an illustrious and noble royal family which can be easily understood by lay readers. Thirty-nine rare photographs and a map enrich the reader’s experience and make this a book to treasure.

The world’s oldest ruling dynasty, Udaipur spans 76 generations and over 1,500 years. Handicapped by a paucity of reliable records for the earliest centuries, the author makes an admirable effort to disentangle accurate historical fact from legend. He also shows “the difference between the traditions of European royalty, based upon the acceptance of the right of kings as superior persons, and those of the Rajputs, based upon family ties between ruler and subject. Also, the Maharana’s position was never founded upon the possession of land or the ownership of castles, but on trusteeship, on the maintenance of what had been granted on trust to the ancestors. That is why it is impossible to find, throughout the many turbulent years of struggle in the battlefield, any instance of aggression on the part of Mewar. Their wars have been uniquely defensive, in obedience to the vows of honour, decency and hospitality made to the deity Ekling ji.”

The author’s unique pithy commentaries and interpretations add to the old-world charm and contemporary relevance of the book. He gently guides readers on, halting along the magnificent historical journey to admire the panoramic view or share anecdotes. Thus he writes: “History being the record of human transgression as well as achievement, it is rarely just in its distribution of fate. The great and good Kumbha was assassinated by his eldest son who, as a consequence… has been relegated to the shadows of non-existence with a remorselessness any modern Communist historian might match.” Later in a brief account of rising hostilities between the Moghuls and the Rajputs, he offers a crisp, no-holds-barred view. “It was in (Maharana Raj Singh’s) reign that the reasonable Shah Jahan died, and the mantle of emperor passed to Aurangzeb, the most bigoted, fanatic, and frankly the nastiest of all the Moghuls.”

The author’s commentary admirably handles the huge challenge of conveying important topics such as the rise of the British, in a concise and apt nutshell. “Initially, there was no intention on the part of the British to build an empire in the East, nor did they feel any corresponding compunction about taking whatever they could find for their own purposes. As the Moghul Empire dribbled to its unworthy close, the whole continent seemed ripe for investment. India became British by stealth, almost by accident. The trading company grew imperceptibly into an administrative class, then into a governing body, then into a quiet trader engaged in a conquest without arms.”

The book offers fascinating facts and anecdotes about the towering personalities and noble deeds of the royals of Udaipur. The unparalleled beauty and courage of Queen Padmini, as she led some 13,000 women of Chittor to a vast funeral pyre, continues to inspire awe. Wet nurse Panna Dhai’s courage and sacrifice in protecting the young prince Udai, is the stuff of legends. The Tower of Victory at Chittor is the most illustrious of the buildings erected by Maharana Kumbha. Interestingly, it is also one of the rare instances where the names of architects of yore have been discovered; Sutradhar Jaita and his three sons. The great Rana Pratap valiantly stood up to Emperor Akbar. Rana Pratap lived in the hills, undergoing many hardships, his children cradled in baskets hung from the trees, became master of what has come to be known as ‘guerilla warfare.’ Such was Rana Pratap’s charismatic personality, that when he died in 1597, Emperor Akbar cried.

During the rebellion of 1857, Maharana Swarup Singh showed extraordinary compassion to frightened British refugees, in keeping with his family’s legacy of honourable conduct towards a foe. Queen Victoria was moved to thank him for his support. Even when India was under British rule, Maharana Sajjan Singh showed great leadership and foresight. He established a High Court where, for the first time, the judiciary was made entirely independent of the executive. On forestry and conservation, he was a century ahead of his time. Maharana Fateh Singh turned the fate of the dynasty and prevented them from becoming “gorgeous fossils” under British rule.

The author concludes with a quaint personal observation which exemplifies the style and tone of the book, and adds to its charm. Even today, “the commitment of the House of Marwar to their historical, ethical code is total and unequivocal, and might well cause us to ponder in the current age of relentless greed and shallow ambition… If medical services provided in Udaipur may serve as a touching display of communal care, then the attention given by the family to…water management…for the entire region is nothing short of spectacular.” This book is invaluable not just for history buffs, but for every intelligent and curious reader.  

Maharana: The story of the rulers of Udaipur
Brian Masters
Mapin
2012, pp 174
599