VEER CHHATRASAL , THE WARRIOR FROM BUNDELKHAND

                                        

( A painting showing Bajirao and Mastani)

                                                             ( Portrait of Mastani ) 

                                                         (  Chhatrasal  on his horse )

                                                            ( Statue of Chhatrasal )

                                                                   ( Chhatrasal on horse )

                                                       ( Chhatrasal meeting Shivaji ) 

    

VEER CHHATRASAL , THE WARRIOR  FROM BUNDELKHAND  WHO FOUGHT  THE MUGHALS   ALL  ALONG HIS LIFE

"Bundele harbolon ke munh hum ne suni kahaani thi

Khoob Ladi mardaani woh tau jhansi vaali Rani thi."

These are lines from  the most popular poem written by Subhadra Kumari Chauhan on Rani Lakshmibai of  Jhansi , the warrior queen from Bundelkhand . Bundelkhand is known for its colourful culture, rich history, beautiful landscapes and breathtaking architecture. This area is enriched by various Bundela and Chandela period attractions like  the temples of Khajuraho, the fort and temples of Orchha, Panna National Park , etc.

It is pertinent to mention that  before Bundela Rajputs, Chandelas ruled much of the Bundelkhand region of Central India for approximately 500 years between the 9th and the 13th centuries AD. The capital city of Chandelas was Khajuraho which was later changed to Mahoba. Kalinjar was their important fort.The Chandellas built the most famous Kandariya Mahadeva Temple in 1050 AD. and a number of beautiful temples at Khajuraho.The Chandel dynasty is famous in Indian history for Maharaja Rao Vidyadhara, who repulsed the attacks of Mahmud of Ghazni.Paramardi the last independent Chandella ruler was defeated by Qutb-ud-din Aibak in 1203 A.D.

The Bundela dynasty emerged from the 11th century Kshatriya Rajput King Pancham, who laid the foundation of the Bundela Kingdom. Being ruled by the Bundela kings, this land came to be known as  ‘Bundelkhand’ , a vast area surrounded by rivers like Yamuna, Betwa, Chambal, Tons, Ken, Kilkila, Dhasan, Sone Kunwari, Pahuj, and Narmada.Before the advent of British colonial rule in India, the region of Bundelkhand also included several princely states .  Veer Chhatrasal  belonged to Bundela clan of Kshatriya Rajputs .

Veer Chhatrasal was born at Kachar Kachnai in Tikamgarh in a Rajput family on 4 May 1649, to Champat Rai and Sarandha. He was a descendant of Rudra Pratap Singh of Orchha.Rudra Pratap Singh Bundela  ( r 1501-1531 ) was the founder and first Raja of the kingdom that became the princely state of Orchha, India, during the Lodhi dynasty . He built the fort at what is now the town of Orchha on the banks of the river Betwa .

Veer Chhatrasal's father was a Bundela chieftain who rebelled against Aurangzeb, who had him executed in 1661CE.Young Veer Chhatrasal requested the legendary guerrilla warrior Shivaji to employ him, but was advised to return to his homeland and fight for its independence from Mughals. Chhatrasal listened to Chhatrapati Shivaji’s advice and returned to Bundelkhand. There, he set up a camp in the jungles of Panna and raised a small army with which he launched an attack on Mughal forts in the region. His bravery made him famous — at the age of 22, once  he defeated an entire troop of Mughal soldiers with a team of just five horsemen and 25 infantry soldiers. Soon  his kingdom extended from Panna in the east and Gwalior on the west.In the years that followed, Chhatrasal never stopped fighting against the presence of Mughals in Bundelkhand.In  1700, Aurangzeb made a series of attempts to subdue  Veer  Chhatrasal known as Maharaja Chhatrasal by that time  but was defeated every time.

In fact, in 1730, the Mughals sent their famous Pathan warrior Muhammad Khan Bangash to Bundelkhand. Though Chhatrasal was aged now, he won a final victory over the Mughals with help from Peshwa Baji Rao I.As a sign of appreciation and respect for the Peshwa, Chhatrasal gave his beautiful daughter Mastani as  bride to Baji Rao I.

Maharaja Chhatrasal is the only king in the history of the world who, even after sitting in power, wrote poetry to boost public awareness and morale of the Hindu kings to uproot the invaders .In Bundelkhand, he is well-known as the ”master of sword and pen" (Kalam aur Talwaar ke Dhani) .  Maharaja Chhatrasal is considered  synonymous with Bundelkhand as the leader of the culture and prosperity of the region. Many villages, towns, cities, and places are still glorifying the great character of Maharaja Chhatrasal within and even outside the Bundelkhand. Today, his bravery is remembered in the names of several roads, colleges and even a prominent stadium known for wrestling, Chhatrasal Stadium in North Delhi.The Bundeli people still remember him in folk songs:-

" Maharaja adhipati bhaye, maharaja chhatrasal ..
Rajan mein raja bhaye, asuran kere kaal."

The great Temple of Keshava Rai ( also known as Sri Krishna Janam Bhoomi Temple )  at Mathura was rebuilt by Bir Singh Deo Bundela during Jahangir’s time at a cost of thirty-three lakhs of rupees after being repeatedly plundered and destroyed by invaders . It was one of the most magnificent temples ever built in India and enjoyed veneration of the Hindus throughout the land. Prince Dara Shikoh, who was looked upon by the masses as the future Emperor, had presented a carved stone railing to the temple which was installed in front of the deity at some distance; the devotees stood outside this railing to have ‘darshan’ of Keshava Rai. The railing was removed on Auranzeb’s orders in October 1666.The temple of Keshava Rai was demolished in the month of Ramzan, 1080 A.H. (13th January – 11th February 1670) by Aurangzeb’s order.He built a mosque over the existing temple's  plinth .

Mastani and Maharaja Chhatrasal Bundela  were followers of the Pranami Sampradaya  ,  a Hindu sect based on the  Bhakti /worship of Sri Krishna. Her mother was a Shia Muslim from Iran  ,  a follower of Islam. Mastani died in 1740, shortly after Bajirao's death. Her cause of death is unknown. According to some,  she died of a shock after knowing about  her husband's death. But, many believe that she committed suicide after she heard of Bajirao's death . Mastani was buried in the village of Pabal. Her grave is called both Mastani's  Samadhi and Mastani's Mazaar.

Despite being a lifetime freedom warrior, Chhatrasal was a greatly respected leader, a protector of art, culture, and religion, and an inspirational poet. Chhatrasal is the only known Hindu Maharaja who demonstrated love for the entire humanity through his actions. He proved himself to be a unique humanitarian Hindu Maharaja of medieval India.A patron of art and  literature, his court had several noted poets like Kavi Bhushan, Lal Kavi, Bakhshi Hansaraj, etc.

Dr Shashi Shekhar Toshakhani informs this:-

" It is said that when Shivaji’s famous court poet Bhushan went to Orchha, capital of Chhatrasal’s kingdom, Chhatrasal himself came out to receive him and offered to carry his litter (पालकी) on his own shoulders. Feeling that this was the height of courtesy, Bhushan jumped out of the litter and uttered : “Shivaa ko saraahaun ki saraahaun Chhatrasal ko!” (शिवा को सराहौं कि सराहौं छत्रसाल को”)— Shall I admire Shivaji or shall I admire Chhatrasal ?"

Prominent people from Bundelkhand include Acharya Rajneesh, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Tantiya Tope, Vrindavan Lal Verma,Dhyan  hand ( hockey wizard) ,Indeevar ( film lyricist), Maithili Sharan Gupt( national poet) ,Phoolan Devi ( bandit queen) , Uma Bharati( politician), Subodh Khandekar( Olympic hockey player),Pankaj Mishra ( novelist ) ,Harishankar Parsai( writer) ,Joy Mukherjee ( actor) ,Shashadhar Mukherjee( film producer ),Raja Bundela( actor politician) ,Dr Hari Singh Gaur( member constitution drafting committee) and many more.

Alas! Chhatrasal  finds little space in our history books.

( Avtar Mota )

 

 

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