Durgadas Rathore

Last updated • 5 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia


Durgadas Rathore

Rajya Sanghrakshak
DurgadasAndAjitSingh.jpg
Durgadas Rathore and Ajit Singh
Born13 August 1638
Died22 November 1718(1718-11-22) (aged 80)
Allegiance Flag of Jodhpur.svg Kingdom of Marwar

Durgadas Rathore (13 August 1638 – 22 November 1718) was the Rathore Rajput General of the Kingdom of Marwar. He is credited with having preserved the rule of the Rathore dynasty over Marwar (present-day Rajasthan), India, following the death of Maharaja Jaswant Singh in the 17th century.

Contents

In doing so he had to defy Aurangzeb, a Mughal emperor. He commanded the Rathore forces during the Rajput War (1679–1707) and played a major role in the Rajput Rebellion (1708–1710) and supported the Maratha ruler Sambhaji in the Siege of Janjira aganist the Siddis of Janjira. He was elected as the leader of the revolt along with Raja Jai Singh II of Jaipur. [1] He won a number of victories against the Mughals [2] and forced many Mughal officers to pay tribute to him in the form of chauth. [3]

Early life

Durgadas was the son of Askaran Rathore, a Rajput minister of Jaswant Singh, the ruler of Marwar. He was a distant relative of the royal family, being a descendant of Karana, a son of Rao Ranmal. [4]

Support for Ajit Singh

Painting of Durgadas Rathore by A.H. Muller in Mehrangarh Fort museum Durgadas Rathore painting.jpg
Painting of Durgadas Rathore by A.H. Müller in Mehrangarh Fort museum

Jaswant Singh was campaigning in Afghanistan when he died in December 1678, leaving no heir. Aurangzeb took the opportunity to intervene by imposing his direct rule over Marwar. Soon after Jaswant Singh's death two of his ranis (queens) each gave birth to male children. One of these sons died soon after his birth, leaving the other – Ajit Singh – as sole heir. [5]

Aurangzeb ordered the infant, Ajit Singh, to be brought to Delhi where he was kept in Noorgarh under house arrest. Durgadas Rathore and other nobles of Jodhpur made a daring attack on the Mughal contingent of Delhi and rescued Ajit Singh and the widowed ranis of Jaswant Singh. Aurangzeb ordered Tahir Beg and Inder Singh Rathore to capture Durgadas, but they both failed, resulting in a long struggle between Durgadas and Aurangzeb. Fatuhat-i-Alamgiri noted that "all the Rajput households of Marwar had made preparations to challenge the imperial writ". Durgdas thus had the support of the Rajput clans of Marwar. [6]

The infant Ajit Singh was taken to safety in Balunda, where the wife of one of the delegation kept the child for almost a year. Later, he was moved to the safety of the Aravalli Hills near Abu Sirohi, a remote town on the southern fringes of Marwar. There Ajit Singh grew up in anonymity. [7] Rana Raj Singh I also offered refuge to Ajit Singh after which he was hidden in Nandlai, a village in Mewar. [6]

Durgadas, as the leader of the revolt, led his forces against the Mughals and through guerrilla warfare he harassed several outposts and compelled the Mughal officers to pay tribute. [3] Durgadas also instigated both Muazzam and Akbar against their father, Aurangzeb. During the war, Durgadas took care of Aurangzeb's granddaughter, Saif-un-nissa, who was in his custody and later returned her to Aurangzeb. The grateful Mughal Emperor bestowed upon Durgadas high ranks and jagirs of Merta and Dhandhuka, however, according to Mirat-i-Alamgiri, Durgadas continued to plead for Ajit Singh's cause instead of being placated by Aurangzeb. [6] Ajit Singh and Durgadas took advantage of the disturbances following the death of Aurangzeb in 1707 to seize Jodhpur and eventually evict the occupying Mughal force. Ajit Singh was proclaimed Maharaja of Jodhpur. [7]

Durgadas was also one of the leaders of the Rajput Rebellion (1708–1710). In July 1708 he routed Saiyid Hussain Khan Barha at Kaladera and forced him to retreat to Narnaul. Durgadas was also instrumental in securing the Rajput victory at Sambhar. Ajit Singh started becoming jealous of the fame and popularity that Durgadas had acquired. Durgadas also started disliking Ajit for his character. Ajit Singh had murdered Mukund Das, who was a loyal noble of Marwar, and this caused Durgadas to drift away from Ajit. After the battle of Sambhar, Durgadas chose to pitch his camp away from Ajit to show his dissatisfaction. [8]

The victory of Ajit Singh was the culmination of Durgadas and other loyal courtiers who chose to remain loyal throughout the Rathore rebellion, however Durgadas was soon exiled by Ajit Singh and his name was erased from the Marwari chronicles after the Battle of Sambhar, in which Durgadas and Jai Singh II won a notable victory against the Mughals. [1] The Mughals, however, continued to woo Durgadas. The Mughal Emperor offered Durgadas the title of Rao and a rank of 4,000 in the Mughal court and official Mughal records continued to write about him till his death. Durgadas was also invited by the Maharana Amar Singh II of Mewar who gave him the jagirs of Rampura and Vijaypur. [6]

Death

Canopy of Durgadas at Chakratirth, Ujjain DURGADAS CHHATRI.jpg
Canopy of Durgadas at Chakratirth, Ujjain

Durgadas left Jodhpur and lived in Mewar for some time and then left to Mahakaal at Ujjain. On 22 November 1718, on the banks of the Shipra at Ujjain, Durgadas died at the age of 81 years, [7]

Recognition

A soul of honour, he kept the deserted daughter of Akbar free from every stain and provided her with every facility for Islamic religious training in the wilderness of Marwar. Fighting against terrible odds and a host of enemies on every side, with distrust and wavering among his own country-men, he kept the cause of his chieftain triumphant. Mughal gold could not seduce, Mughal arms could not daunt that constant heart. Almost alone among the Rathors he displayed the rare combination of the dash and reckless valour of a Rajput soldier with the tact, diplomacy and organizing power of a Mughal minister of State. No wonder that the Rathor bard should pray that every Rajput mother should have a son like Durgadas. [9]

Durgadas Rathore dak ticket (stamps) of Rs. 0.60 also released on 16 August 1988 Stamp of India - 1988 - Colnect 165262 - Durgadas Rathore.jpeg
Durgadas Rathore dak ticket (stamps) of Rs. 0.60 also released on 16 August 1988

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marwar</span> Region in Rajasthan, India

Marwar is a region of western Rajasthan state in North Western India. It lies partly in the Thar Desert. The word 'maru' is Sanskrit for desert. The word "wad" literally means fence in Rajasthani languages. English translation of the word 'Marwar' is the region protected by desert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rathore dynasty</span> North Indian dynasty

The Rathore dynasty or Rathor dynasty was an Indian dynasty belonging to the Rathore clan of Rajputs that has historically ruled over parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ajit Singh of Marwar</span> Maharaja of Marwar (1679–1724)

Ajit Singh Rathore was the ruler of Marwar region in the present-day Rajasthan and the son of Jaswant Singh Rathore. He also served as the Subahdar of Gujarat for two terms from 1715–1717 and 1719–1721.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maldeo Rathore</span> Rao of Marwar (1511–1562)

Rao Maldeo Rathore was a king of the Rathore dynasty, who ruled the kingdom of Marwar in present day state of Rajasthan. Maldeo ascended the throne in 1531 CE, inheriting a small ancestral principality of Rathore's but after a long period of military actions against his neighbours, Maldeo swept significant territories which included parts of present day Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Sindh. He refused to ally with either the Sur Empire or the Mughal Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jodha of Mandore</span> Rao of Marwar and founder of Jodhpur (1416–1489)

Rao JodhaRathore was the 15th Rajput chief of Rathore clan who ruled the Kingdom of Marwar in the present-day state of Rajasthan. He was the eldest son of Rao Ranmal. He is known for his illustrious military career and for founding the city of Jodhpur in 1459, which subsequently became the new capital of Marwar after Mandore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaswant Singh of Marwar</span> Maharaja of Marwar (1626–1678)

Raja Jaswant Singh I was the Rathore Rajput ruler of the Kingdom of Marwar in the western part of Rajputana modern day Rajasthan. He was a distinguished man of letters and author of noted literary works like Siddhant-Bodh, Anand Vilas and Bhasha-Bhushan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muhammad Akbar (Mughal prince)</span> Indian mughal empire prince

Mirza Muhammad Akbar was a Mughal prince and the fourth son of Emperor Aurangzeb and his chief consort Dilras Banu Begum. He went into exile in Safavid Persia after a failed rebellion against his father in the Deccan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amar Singh Rathore</span> Subahdar of Nagaur

Rao Amar Singh was the eldest son and heir-apparent of Raja Gaj Singh I of the Rathore Kingdom of Marwar in seventeenth-century Rajputana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingdom of Marwar</span> Kingdom in Rajasthan, India, 1243 to 1818

Kingdom of Marwar, also known as Jodhpur State during the modern era, was a kingdom in the Marwar region from 1243 to 1818 and a princely state under British rule from 1818 to 1947. It was established in Pali by Rao Siha, possibly a migrant Gahadavala noble, in 1243. His successors continued to struggle against regional powers for domination and 9 out of 15 rulers till 1438 died in combat. In 1395, its capital was changed to Mandore by Rao Chunda of Mandore and to Jodhpur in 1459 by Rao Jodha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mughal–Rajput wars</span> 1526–1779 conflicts in India

The Mughal–Rajput wars were a series of battles between the Rajput Confederacy and the Mughal Empire. The conflicts originated with the invasion of northwestern India by the Mughal ruler Babur, to which the head of the Rajput confederacy, Rana Sanga, offered staunch resistance. The conflicts went on since 1526 for over 200 years, with the Mughals having the upper hand until the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, following which they entered a declining phase and the Rajputs gained the upper hand, with the last recorded conflict taking place in 1779.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jagat Gosain</span> Empress Consort of Mughal Emperor Jahangir

Manavati Bai, also spelled Manvati Bai,, better known by her title, Jagat Gosain, was the second wife and the empress consort of the fourth Mughal emperor Jahangir and the mother of his successor, Shah Jahan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raj Singh I</span> Maharana of Mewar from 1652–1680

Maharana Raj Singh I, was the Maharana of Mewar Kingdom and eldest son of Maharana Jagat Singh I. He fought against Mughal Empire and annexed many Mughal territories He participated in Rajput-Mughal War (1679–1707) and defeated the Mughals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Decline of the Mughal Empire</span> Period in Indian history, c. 1712–1857

The decline of the Mughal Empire was a period in Indian history roughly between the early 18th century and mid 19th Century where the Mughal Empire, which once dominated the subcontinent, experienced a large scale decline. There are various factors responsible for this decline such as internal conflicts, Rajput, Sikh and Maratha rebellions, Afghan and Persian invasions and expansion of East India Company influence and power.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chandrasen Rathore</span> Rao of Marwar (1541–1581)

Rao Chandrasen was a Rathore Rajput ruler of the Kingdom of Marwar.He was a younger son of Rao Maldev Rathore. He followed his father's policy and stayed hostile to the ruling foreign powers in north India. He is remembered for resisting the territorial expansion of the Mughal Empire in Marwar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bakht Singh of Marwar</span> Maharaja of Marwar (1706–1752)

Bakht Singh or Bakhat Singh was an 18th-century Indian Raja of the Rathore Clan. Born in 1706, he ruled over various domains in the Jodhpur and Marwar states and was a major political force during his life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajput Rebellion (1708–1710)</span> Rajput Rebellion 1708–1710

The Rajput rebellion began in 1708, due to the harsh treatment of the Rajput Rajas by the Mughal emperor. It erupted into a two-year rebellion that forced the Mughal emperor to sue for peace, give them gifts, and restore the Rajput holdings which had been annexed by the previous Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

Gora Dhay (1646–1704) was a woman from Kingdom of Marwar who exchanged her son with infant Ajit Singh, her son was later captured by Aurangzeb and was raised as Muslim.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rathore rebellion (1679–1707)</span> War between Rajputs and Mughals

Described variously as the Rajput war, Rathore war of independence and Rathore rebellion, the conflict between Rajputs of Marwar and the Mughals started after the death of Jaswant Singh of Marwar, due to Aurangzeb's attempt to interfere in the succession of Marwar. The resistance to Mughal interference was started by the Rajput nobles under Durgadas Rathore and erupted into an all-out war between the Mughal empire and Rajputs of Marwar supported by Mewar Rajputs. It lasted for almost thirty years. The rebellion reached a climax after the death of Aurangzeb on 3 March 1707 and the capture of Jodhpur by the Rathores on 12 March 1707.

The battle of Dharmat was fought during the Mughal war of succession (1658–1659) by Aurangzeb against Jaswant Singh Rathore who was allied with the Mughal prince Dara Shikoh. The battle was fought on the open plain of Dharmat on the hot Summer day of 15 April 1658 in which Aurangzeb won a decisive victory due to advantage in artillery and tactics.

References

  1. 1 2 Sarkar, Jadunath (1994). A History of Jaipur: C.1503-1938. Orient Blackswan. p. 162. ISBN   9788125003335.
  2. Chandra, Satish (2005). Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals Part - II. Har Anand Publications. p. 312. ISBN   9788124110669. With the return of Durgadas to Marwar in 1686 and with the appearance of Ajit Singh in person to head the resistance, the Rathores gained a number of victories.
  3. 1 2 Majumdar, R.C. (2020). An Advanced History of India. Trinity Press. pp. 494–497. Under the able leadership of Durgadas, the Rathors ceaselessly carried on a guerrilla warfare and harassed the Mughal outposts so that the Mughal officers were compelled to pay chauth
  4. Singh, Rajvi Amar (1992). Mediaeval History of Rajasthan: Western Rajasthan. p. 156.
  5. Sen, Sailendra (2013). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Primus Books. p. 189. ISBN   978-93-80607-34-4.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Hooja, Rima (2006). A History of Rajasthan. Rupa. pp. 595–610, 709. ISBN   9788129115010. On July 15, 1679 AD, Aurangzeb ordered that the infant Ajit Singh and entourage be shifted to Noorgarh, virtually as prisoners. At this Durgadas Rathore and a select band of Marwars warriors including Ranchordas Rathore and Raghunath Bhati took action. These Marwar loyalists contrived the daring rescue of the closely guarded infant Ajit singh and the widowed ranis of Jaswant Singh from imperial hands. Aurangzeb commanded Tahir Beg Khan and Inder Singh to capture the figitive party...both men were unsuccessful in this...thereafter began a long struggle against Emperor Aurangzeb by Durgadas and other loyal supporters...recorded in his contemporaneous Fatuhat-i-Alamgiri that all the Rajput households of Marwar had made preparations to challenge the imperial writ.....Durgadas did not flail in his loyalty. It was for this loyalty, as well as his personal valour and chivalrous deeds that Durgadas was to become part of popular lore during his lifetime....Ajit Singh was brought away from the territory of Sirohi to Nandlai, three miles north-west of Desuri in Mewar. Raj Singh's action enraged Aurangzeb.....Durga Das features in the official records of the Mughal court till c . AD 1716....Emperor Jahandar Shah gave him the title of ' Rao ' , and a mansab of 4,000...Marwar chronicles however do not mention Durgadas after the Rathore victory at Sambhar.
  7. 1 2 3 Hooja, Rima (2006). A History of Rajasthan. Rupa Publication. p. 705.
  8. Bhatnagar, V.S. (1974). Life and times of Sawai Jai Singh. Impex India. pp. 57, 69. The Saiyid returned to Kaladera where he was again routed by Durgadas. He then fled to Narnaul....After the victory at Sambhar, Durgadas who had played an important part in the encounter...
  9. Sarkar, Jadunath, ed. (1971), "Durgadas", History of Aurangzeb Vol 3, Orient Longman Limited
  10. "1 Rupee, India". en.numista.com. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  11. "दुर्ग गाथा | 400 से अधिक कलाकारों ने 17वीं शताब्दी के दृश्यों को जीवंत किया". dainikbhaskar (in Hindi). 13 October 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  12. Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (1999). Encyclopaedia of Indian cinema . British Film Institute. Retrieved 12 August 2012.