Ranabai

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Ranabai (Devanagari: रानाबाई, IAST: Rānābāī), popularly known as Vīrānganā Rānābāī (वीराँगना रानाबाई), was a Jat warrior girl, born on 1543 AD, in the family of Chaudhari Jalam Singh of village Harnawa in Parbatsar pargana of Marwar. Jalam Singh was a Hindu Jat chieftain of Ghana gotra(clan). Village Harnava is situated in Nagaur district midway between Degana railway station and Parbatsar towns.

Ranabai was a beutiful girl, Brahmachari from childhood and a strong devotee of God. She was strongly devoted to the cause of cows. A subedar of Emperor Akbar was stationed near a pond named 'Gadhowal', at distance of 6 km from village Harnawa, with a force of 500 horse-riders. He was a man of bad conduct. One day he invited Jalam Singh with a bad intention and pressurized him to marry his daughter Ranabai with him. Jalam Singh refused his offer and abused him. The muslim subedar arrested Jalam Singh and attacked Harnawa. When Ranabai learnt that muslim subedar had attacked Harnawa with a bad intention to marry her she took sword in her hands and attacked the muslim soldiers like a tigress. She attacked the muslim subedar and copped his head off. She also killed many of the soldiers. Looking to her bravery the rest of soldiers ran away. She thus got freed his father Jalam Singh. The story of the bravery of Ranabai spread in the entire marwar region. After death of Ranabai the followers of her constructed a monumental samadhi at village Harnawa.