The Queen's Tragedy

By Jayendra P. Sanghani

A tragic event from passages of India's glorious past which has been woven with historical facts, imagination and poetry in the style of folklorists.

Tragic event that has been almost forgotten is brought in a manner that brings alive the events as if unfolding in front of the eyes and taking the reader to 14th century India. Facts and imagination blended together so as to bring about an cohesive force.

Mewar an ancient Rajput kingdom of North Western India has faced many sieges in its long history. This book tells of the first siege. Famed for her beauty Queen Padhmini; was the object of the first siege. The Sultan of Delhi obssessed by her beauty attacked the fort.

The book moves at a fast pace towards the culmination of events. Queen Padhmini takes the ultimate path to save her honor.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing India
• Release date: Apr 25, 2014
• ISBN: 9781482819717

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Copyright © 2014 by Jayendra P. Sanghani.

ISBN: Softcover     978-1-4828-1972-4

ISBN: eBook         978-1-4828-1971-7

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

To order additional copies of this book, contact

Partridge India

000 800 10062 62

www.partridgepublishing.com/india

[e-mail]

CONTENTS

BOOK I

1 The Fort of Chittor

2 Padmini: the innocent, the fair

3 Rana Ratan Singh: devout husband, powerful king

4 Chetan-Raghav: revenge breeds treachery

5 Alau-ud-din Khilji: autocratic and lusty

6 The Events: Romance in starry night

7 The sultan Alau-ud-din Khilji in majestic arrogance

8 Be bold! Speak the truth!

9 Life is good

10 Travellers from Mewar

11 Sire, we have important news to give to the sultan

12 Meeting with Alau-ud-din

13 Her lips so pink, rose buds weep

BOOK II

14 The invasion of Chittor

15 March towards Chittor

16 Stunned silence in Chittor

17 Preparations begin inside the fort

18 Give me Chittor, give me Padmini

19 The Tartars are here…

20 Truce disguised in deceit

21 Earthly angel in the mirror

22 Take the king-give the queen

23 Daring rescue-devastating results

24 The suttee of Gora’s wife

25 I will be back

26 Phantom of death and destruction

27 The last embrace

28 Johur

29 August 26, 1303 AD

30 Next day morning: The Death charge: Saka

31 The Aftermath

32 Queen Padmini-A real historical figure

33 India Platinum

34 Apology

35 References

Dedicated to my dear parents whose life of love, affection and honesty continue to inspire and guide

In Memoriam

A poem written by my Late father P.A. Sanghani on 21st February, 1933 in Poona on the departure of his brother.

This poem in memoriam to my father and my late elder brother Praful P. Sanghani:

To my departed brother

Oh! Brother! Where art thou gone?

Leaving us all alone.

Come, come back wherever thou may be,

The world is not so unhappy as you see.

The farewell you bid was a far off place,

Come, come back and have one gaze.

And let me ask, "Why do you go?

"Did you find the world so bad,

"As to live in it was sad?

"Or thy dear father’s call came

And not to go was shame?

Old and alone is thine dear mother

Young Balu cries Brother! Brother!

Come! Come! wherever thou may be,

The world is not weary of thee.

Your innocent eyes and lovely face

In my mind’s eye stand and gaze

Unspoken and un-kissed thou hast gone

Come, why leave us and you be alone?

Thy school-boys and companions come and at us they see

They speak nothing but of thee.

Oh! Brother! Come and join their hands

And have some walks on river Sands.

No more tender words we hear from thee

Come! Come back, wherever thou be!

Acknowledgements

Much support and encouragement is needed while writing a book.

I wish to thank deeply my wife Nita who always agrees to my wishes, never a No from her.

To my sister Bharti, brother-in-law Sham and my niece Aditi and her husband Nishant, nephew Avneet and his wife Shruti—to be always in service to their mama and mami.

To my sister Jayshree, her husband Pankaj, Payal, Rupal and her husband Ron for their support and guidance.

To Eternal Mewar for valuable information.

My sincere thanks.

Foreword

Historical events emerging through human inquiry from a hoary past and antiquity are always difficult to trace out and authenticate. Still, there is enough space to write with strong certainty that Yes, this event did take place.

I have picked up this pen and am making a humble attempt to bring to my dear readers in a somewhat of a narrative form the annals of days gone far into the abyss and labyrinth of mystery and disbelief.

Native legends linger long and this well forms the basis of certainty and clarity-so be the case with Queen Padmini.

I have contributed in whatever small measure to keep alive the valiant sacrifice of the Rajputs.

Many passages may not exactly conform to historical style and writings; for reconstructing events from a dark past do need some element of imagination, particularly when source material is so scarce and spartan.

An element of imaginative conversation has surely been used, at times liberally so as to bring about a cohesive force.

Several references have been drawn throughout this book and have been duly acknowledged with gratitude.

I sincerely hope that this small, maiden attempt will revive; in whatever measure, the glorious culture and honor of the valiant Rajputs.

Jayendra P. Sanghani

Vikram Samvat: 2070, Maha Vad Ekam

Date: 15th February, 2014

In a corner of the fort a local folklorist is speaking to a European traveller

"You know of Romeo and Juliet;

Of Solomon and Balquis-the queen of Sheeba, but have you heard of Queen Padmini of India?

Padmini the innocent, the fair,

Who came from the cinnamon shore

Fairest of all maidens, the queen most innocent

And how in Mewar we recall and recoil

By the destruction of the fort of Chittor?

Three fingers we count.

Of the first I will tell you now… ."

I Listen said the traveller

They both moved inside the fort sat down at a vantage point in the center of the fort. There was a faraway look in his eyes. His face and eyes showed the agony and pain as he prepared to narrate the tragic incidence that took place several centuries earlier. Though physically there his mind and heart far away into the past and as the folklorist spoke it seemed a voice was echoing from the dark recesses of time.

BOOK I

1

The Fort of Chittor

Chittorgarh Fort-Symbol of valor and sacrifice: India in its tumultuous history has witnessed many invasions and the scene of many a fierce battle. The fertile land of North India has given rise to many glorious civilizations and in turn invited invaders to loot and