HEROIC DURGADAS RATHORE: A GREAT NOBEL IN MARWAR HISTORY

Kamal Singh Rathore,

Reader, BN Girls College of Pharmacy, Udaipur (Raj.)313002

e-mail:kamalsrathore@yahoo.com

Mobile: 09828325713

Hindusthan is a land of heroes gave birth to many great personalities like Ram, Krishna, Ashoka, Harsha, Kanishka, Vikramaditya, Samudragupta, Rana Sanga, Rana Kumbha, Rana Pratap, Veer Shiwaji, Veer Durgadasji and many more.

Durgadas Rathore, the third son of a Rajput noble of Marwar, Askaran Rathore, was born on 13th August 1638 at Salwa. He led a quiet, uneventful life with his mother in village Lunawa near Sawla Kalan. But in 1655 he killed the official hardsman who looked after the king’s camels for speaking insolently about the king. This act of loyalty changed the course of his life. Aurangzeb became the Emperor of Hindustan and, gaining the loyalty of Jaswant Singh I, ruler of Marwar, appointed him Governor of Kabul. Durgadas served Jaswant Singh throughout his life-time and after his death, in 1678, he shouldeered the task of safeguarding the freedom of Marwar and his life of its young king, Ajit Singh, son of Jaswant Singh. The task was not an easy one, beset as he was with court intrigues and faced with the might of Mughal Emperor. Battles, skirmishes and diplomatic manouvers kept Durgadas busy till 1708, when he restored Ajit Singh, to the throne of Marwar. His soldiers were men of various castes and creeds. His zeal roused the fervour of many Rajputs bringing them togather under one flag in an unprecedented manner. His chivalry towards women was well known, as is seen from his protection of Aurangzeb’s grand daughter.

Aurangzeb captured the throne and started jaziya after a few years and this alieneated his hindu generals. Finally he tried to annex the kingdom of Jodhpur by imprisioning son of Jaswant Singh, Ajit Singh, in his haream but Durgadas rathore /Raghunandan bhati and others foiled Aurangzeb’s plans and smuggled out infant Ajit from Delhi right from the jaws of delhi sultanate and its defenders. They started with a band of 300 and when they reached Jaipur only 7 were left alive but mughals had to retreat.

Saving Ajit Singh

Maharaja Jaswant Singh, ruler of Marwar, died in 1679 without immediate male heirs. However, two of his wives were pregnant at the time of his death. These circumstances allowed the mughal emperor Aurangzeb to intervene; he appointed a Muslim to rule over Marwar, which upset the Rathore clan a great deal. One of Jaswant Singh’s pregnant widows gave birth, in due course, to a male child, who was named Ajit Singh. After the birth of this rightful heir, prominent grandees of Marwar, including Durgadas, went to Delhi along with the infant Ajit Singh and asked Aurangzeb that the infant be confirmed in his late father’s estates and titles. Aurangzeb did not absolutely refuse, but suggested, supposedly for the infant’s own safety, that Ajit grow up in his harem.

The nurturing of the head of the Rathore clan in Aurangzeb’s staunchly muslim household was not acceptable to the clan. Durgadas and others of the delegation resolved upon smuggling Ajit Singh out of Delhi. Even as they approached the outskirts of the city, the mughal guard fell in hot pursuit of them. Durgadas and his 300 men, notable among them Raghunandan Bhati, had to make their escape while fighting hand-to-hand with the much larger mughal guard. Every so often, some 15-20 Rajputs would fall behind to check the mughal pursuers, in the process getting them killed, thus allowing the forward party to create some distance between Ajit and the Mughals. This continued till the evening; Durgadas was left with just seven men out of the 300 he started with, but he managed to convey the infant Ajit Singh to safety in Jaipur. Later, the infant was removed to the safety of Sirohi, a remote town on the southern fringes of Marwar, and grew up in anonymity.

For 30 years after this event, Marwar remained under the direct rule of a mughal governor. During this period, Durgadas carried out a relentless struggle against the occupying forces. Trade routes that passed through the region were plundered by the guerillas, who also looted various treasuries in present-day Rajasthan and Gujarat. These disorders adversely impacted the finances of the empire.

Aurangzeb died in 1707; he was to prove the last of the great mughals. Durgadas took advantage of the disturbances following this death to seize Jodhpur and eventually evict the occupying mughal force. Ajit Singh was proclaimed Maharaja of Jodhpur. He rebuilt all the temples that had been descecrated by the occupying muslims.

Character

Aurangzeb’s son Akbar rebelled against his father. Naturally, Durgadas extended aid to him in the rebellion. This venture came to nought, as Akbar died in exile; he left his children in the custody of Durgadas. Aurangzeb became extremely anxious to get his grandchildren back. He requested Durgadas, who agreed to send them to Aurangzeb. When the children arrived, Aurangzeb asked a Qazi to start teaching them the Quran. On hearing this, his little grand-daughter began reciting ayats from the holy book. Aurangzeb was left dumbfounded. On being asked, his grand-daughter told him that while she was in Durgadas’s custody, a Qazi had been engaged to take care of their religious instruction. Such was Durgadas. Till today, people in Rajasthan pray: Maa puut jane to aisa jan  jaisa Durgadas (Mother, if you want to give birth then give birth to a son just like Durgadas).

Colonel James Tod well known historian write about Veer Durgadas in his book “Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan” that- What a splendid example is the heroic Durgadas, of all that constitutes the glory of rajput valour, loyalty, integrity combined with prudence in all the difficulties which surrounded him, are qualities which entitle him to the admiration which his memory continues to enjoy. The temptations held out to him were almost irresistible… Durga had, indeed, but to name his reward, but as the bard justly says, he was “Amol” beyond all price, “Anokha” unique. Not even revenge, so dear to the rajput, turned him aside from the dictates of true honour… but to conclude our eulogy in, the words of the bard, he was reaped the immortality destined for good deeds, his memory is cherished, his actions are the theme of constant praise, and his picture on his white horse, old yet in vigour, is familiar amongst the collections of portraits of Rajputana.

Last breath

Heroic Durgadas after completing his duties successfully and fulfilled the promise which he given to Jaswant Singh Ji, left Jodhpur and live in Sadri, Udaipur, Rampura, Bhanpura for some time and then left to worship Mahakaal at Ujjain. On 22nd November 1718, on the banks of the Sipra at Ujjain, Durgadas passed away at the age of 81 years, his beautiful canopy in red stone is still at the Chakrathirth, Ujjain, which is pilgrimage for all freedom fighters and rajputs. Veer Durgadas left behind a shining example of loyalty, chivalry and courage.

References

Col. James Todd, “Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan”, Vol.II, Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd. London, 1832, Rupa Publishers, India(2005) pp 44-55. Col.G.H.Trevor, “Rhymes of Rajaputana”, McMillan And Co.London and NewYork, 1894.pp 59-73. Veer Durgadas Rathore by Raghuveer Singh ji Sitamau. Veer Durgadas Rathore by Munshi Premchand. Veer Durgadas Rathore by Pt.Vishveshwar Nath Reu Veer Durgadas by Kesari Singh Barhath Rashtraveer Durgadas by Thakur Arjun Singh Natwara Durgadas Rathore by Pt. Heera Chand Ojha et al. Swamibhakt Durgadas by Jagdish Singh Veer Durgadas in Sangh Shakti from Jaipur in June 08 edition by Kamal Singh Rathore

Fig.: This portrait of Veer Durgadas is at Mehrangarh Museum, Jodhpur