Maharana Pratap His Times

Maharana Raj Singh became the ruler of Mewar at a very critical juncture in its history. As soon as the ascended the throne, Shah Jahan sent the largest Mughal force that had ever ventured into Mewar. Then followed the last sack of Chitor. Raj Singh however soon had his revenge. When Aurangzed rebelled against his father he sought Raj Singh's support and offered to restore what Raj Singh had lost earlier. The Maharana spun out the negotiations till Aurangzeb had finally defeated his father. Maharana Raj Singh became the ruler of Mewar at a very critical juncture in its history. As soon as the ascended the throne, Shah Jahan sent the largest Mughal force that had ever ventured into Mewar. Then followed the last sack of Chitor. Raj Singh however soon had his revenge. When Aurangzed rebelled against his father he sought Raj Singh's support and offered to restore what Raj Singh had lost earlier. The Maharana spun out the negotiations till Aurangzeb had finally defeated his father.

Based on historical sources as well as Mewari oral traditions, this is a compelling, accessibly written biography of one of India's greatest heroes.

Maharana Pratap has become a subject of respect and pride for the Indians as he has become a symbol pf patriotism, sacrifice and struggle, On remembering his name, the picture of an incomparable warrior with the face aglow with bravery comes into our mind. The war he waged for independence in extremely adverse circumstances will be ever remembered. Despite being the king of mewar, most of his life was spent in forests and mountains, with his supreme willpower and incomparable warfare skills he was able to free mewar at the end. Sacrificing material happiness and gains, his unrelenting struggle for the freedom of his motherland is etched as a golden chapter in die annals of history. Personalities like him are models of inspiration for the whole country and all generations to come. As in today's reckoning when national consciousness seems to be diminishing, Maharana Pratap's character is all the more relevant.

Maharana Pratap was a warrior. He fought battles and struggled all his life to preserve his self-respect. Perhaps, that could be the reason we have always seen Maharana Pratap in battle armour.

This comprehensive and authoritative history of Rajasthan is a classic work of scholarship, offering insights into the region's history, culture, and politics. Drawing on a wide range of sources, Tod and Crooke provide a detailed and nuanced account of the rise of the Rajput warrior clans and their conflicts with the Mughal Empire. Their work also includes detailed descriptions of Rajput customs, folklore, and religious practices, making it a fascinating read for anyone interested in South Asian history and culture. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

33000 years back, humans turned one of their bitter enemies into a loyal friend. Who was this enemy? And how did this 'enemy' help Homo sapiens to get to the top of the food chain? A ball of dung rolled by a beetle transformed humanity. How did that happen? A human being riding a bicycle is the second most efficient locomotive on Earth. What is the first? How did humans survive the Toba Super-Volcano eruption 70,000 years ago? What's the connection between a prehistoric hominid fossil to the music band Beatles? Why has no one been able to find the tomb of Alexander the Great? Was it really Columbus who discovered the Americas? Who is the 'loneliest man and the 'oldest surviving human tribe’? When a playful tweenage daughter asked umpteen, incessant questions to her dad, the only way to answer was to embark on an adventurous journey across continents and millennia to put the pieces of human civilization and rediscovering oneself. From a one-million-year-old fireplace to treks through jungles and caves, from being hunted to becoming the hunter; the journey of knowing nothing to questioning everything and then back to knowing nothing. Would the father-daughter duo get their answers? Can she find her place in history and the universe?

Every author believes that his or her book is meant for everyone. In this respect, however, I am the biggest beneficiary. In the process of writing these reflections for over ten years, and lately compiling and editing them, I have finally understood my faith deeply. Consequently, confidence that I lacked about Hinduism during my adult years has been replaced with pride in graying years! At times, it has taken me to such a height that in a few reflections, I have propounded a thesis that India will be a true secular country only when it will be constitutionally a Hindu state. The practice of secularism in India since 1947 has been reduced to anti-Hinduism and Hindu bashing—paradoxically more so by Hindus than by non-Hindus. It is making India porous for attacks by the terrorists, who are both homegrown and foreign-based. History is repeating itself! The Hindus remain totally divided in half a dozen political parties. A sterling lesson of India's history is that traders, preachers, and persecuted humanity of every foreign faith were permitted, sheltered, and welcomed by the Hindu kings whose kingdoms stretched from the coasts of Malabar in Kerala to Kuchh in Gujarat to Karachi in Sindh—starting more than one thousand years ago. Doesn't it make pristine Hinduism akin to humanism? What an incredible journey of this realization to dawn after nearly six decades!