Rani Padmini (Padmavati) was the queen of Chittor and the wife of King Rawal Ratan Singh. She features in Padmavat, an epic poem written by Malik Muhammad Jayasi in 1540.[1]
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Padmini or Padmavati spent her life in Singhal under her father Gandharvsen and mother Chanpabati. Padmini had a talking parrot named "Hiramani". Her father loved her so much that he did not want to marry her off. Through the request of his wife Chanpavati he arranged a Swayamvara and invited all the hindu kings and Rajputs. Malkhan Singh, a king from a small state came to her Swaymvar to marry her. On the other side, hearing the news king Ratan Singh went to Singhal. He was earlier married with Nagmati. Then he defeated Malkhan Singh and marry to Padmini as the winner of the Swayamvar. He came to Chittor with his beautiful second queen Padmini.
In the 12th and 13th centuries, the Sultanate of Delhi - the kingdom set up by the invaders was nevertheless growing in power. The Sultans made repeated attack on Mewad on one pretext or the other. Here we may recollect the story of Rani Padmani who was the pretext for Alauddin Khilji's attack on Chittod.Though the story is based on the book written by the Alauddin's historian to justify their attacks on Rajput kingdoms and much to frustrate the bravery and heroism which was present in the males and females of Rajputs warlords.Most historians do not agree with the story which is based on Muslim sources to infame the Rajput chivelry.The story uses all such tactics and tricks which are required to make it seem true.It goes as follows:in those days Chittod was under the Rule of Rajput King Rawal Ratan Singh, a brave and noble warrior-king. Apart from being a loving husband and a just ruler, Ratan Singh was also a patron of the arts. In his court were many talented People one of whom was a musician named Raghav Chetan. But unknown to anybody, Raghav Chetan was also a sorcerer. He used his evil talents to run down his rivals and unfortunately for him was caught red-handed in his dirty act of arousing evil spirits. The other instance that sources also quote is that Raghav Chetan was actually called in the Ratan Singh for some dirty work, Raghav Chetan fell in love with Rani Padmini and started to have an affair.
On hearing this King Ratan Singh was furious and he banished Raghav Chetan from his kingdom after blackening his face and making him ride a donkey. This harsh Punishment earned king Ratansen an uncompromising enemy. Sulking after his humiliation, Raghav Chetan made his way towards Delhi with -the aim of trying to incite the Sultan of Delhi Ala-ud-din Khilji to attack Chittor.
On approaching Delhi, Raghav Chetan settled down in one of the forests nearby Delhi which the Sultan used to frequent for hunting deer. One day on hearing the Sultan's hunt party entering the forest, Raghav-Chetan started playing a melodious tone on his flute. When the alluring notes of Raghav-Chetan flute reached the Sultan's party they were surprised as to who could be playing a flute in such a masterly way in a forest.
The Sultan despatched his soldiers to fetch the person and when Raghav-Chetan was brought before him, the Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji asked him to come to his court at Delhi. The cunning Raghav-Chetan asked the king as to why he wants to have a ordinary musician like himself when there were many other beautiful objects to be had. Wondering what Raghav-Chetan meant, Ala-ud-din asked him to clarify. Upon being told of Rani Padmini's beauty, Ala-ud-din's love was aroused and immediately on returning to his capital he gave orders to his army to march on Chittor, as he thought that the so beautiful a lady deserves to be his wife.
But to his dismay, on reaching Chittor, Allah-ud-din found the fort to be heavily defended. Desperate to have a look at the legendary beauty of Padmini who actually was a princess of ceylon, he sent word to King Ratan Singh that he looked upon Padmini as his sister and wanted to meet her. On hearing this, Ratan Singh saw a chance to escape the fury of the emperor and retain his kingdom, so he was ready to show his wife to the emperor, a desperate but shameful act at those times. But Padmini readily agreed, as some sources put that she too was eager to see the sultan.
On being persuaded by her husband Rana Ratan Singh, Rani Padmini consented to allow Ala-ud-din to see her only in a mirror. On the word being sent to Ala-ud-din that Padmini would see him he came to the fort with his selected his best warriors who secretly made a careful examination of the fort's defences on their way to the Palace.
On seeing Padmini, in the mirror, Allah-ud-din Khilji decided that he should secure Padmini for himself. While returning to his camp, Allah-ud-din was accompanied for some way by King Ratan Singh. The king saw this as an opportunity and got Ratan Singh arrested, and invited Padmini.
The Songara Chauhan Rajput generals Gora & Badal decided to beat the Sultan at his own game and sent back a word that Padmini would be given to Ala-ud-din the next morning. On the following day at the crack of dawn, one hundred and fifity palaquins (covered cases in which royal ladies were carried in medieveal times) left the fort and made their way towards Ala-ud-din's camps The palanquins stopped before the tent where king Ratan Singh was being held prisoner. Seeing that the palanquins had come from Chittor; and thinking that they had brought along with them his queen, King Ratan Singh was mortified. But to his surprise from the palanquins came out, not his queen and her women servants but fully armed soldiers, who quickly freed Ratan Singh and galloped away towards Chittor on horses grabbed from Ala-ud-din's stables. Gora fought bravely during the skirmish and laid down his life while Badal was able to took the Rana safely to the fort.
On hearing that his designs had been frustrated, the Sultan was furious and ordered his army to storm Chittor. But hard as they tried the Sultans army could not break into the fort. Then Ala-ud-din decided to lay siege to the fort. The siege was a long drawn one and gradually supplies within the fort were depleted. Finally King Ratan Singh gave orders that the Rajputs would open the gates and fight to finish with the besieging troops. On hearing of this decision, Padmini decided that with their men-folk going into the unequal struggle with the Sultan's army in which they were sure to perish, the women of Chittor had either to commit the divine suicide called as Jauhar or face dishonour at the hands of the victorious enemy.
The choice was in favour of suicide through Jauhar. A huge pyre was lit and followed by their queen, all the women of Chittor jumped into the flames and deceived the lustful enemy waiting outside. With their womenfolk dead, the men of Chittor had nothing to live for. They decided to perform Saka. Each soldier got dressed in kesari robes and turbans. They charged out of the fort and fought on furiously with the vastly Powerful array of the Sultan, till all of them perished. After this phyrrhic victory the Sultan's troops entered the fort only to be confronted with ashes and burnt bones of the women whose honour they were going to violate to satisfy their lust.
These women who committed Jauhar had to perish but their memory has been kept alive till today by bards and songs which glorify their act which was right in those days and circumstances. Thus a halo of honour is given to their supreme sacrifice
Malik Muhammad Jayasi's poem records yet another account of the events.
When Ratan Singh refuses Alauddin Khilji's demand for Padmavati for his harem, war ensues and the king is taken prisoner. Meanwhile the king of neighbouring Kambhalner makes an indecent proposal to the queen. Ratan Singh escapes and kills the king of Kambhalner, but is himself fatally wounded. His two queens, Padmavati and Nagmati perform Jauhar, and Alauddin's army arrives when their ashes are still warm. Chittor falls to the emperor.[1]
