Maharana Pratap Singh is a name for heroism and valor in the history of India. He was a brave man who did not succumb to the tyranny of the Mughal emperor Akbar but continued to fight for the country, even after going to the forests and eating grass bread. His life, which proved that "it is better to live in the forest as an independent person than to bow down to a foreigner and sit on the throne," became an inspiration for future freedom struggles.
On May 9, 1540, a brave boy was born to Raja Uday Singh and Jaywant Bai in Chittorghar Fort in Rajasthan. That boy was Rana Pratap. When Pratap was still young, the Mughal Emperor Akbar invaded Mewar with his huge army and captured the mighty Chittorgarh fort. The boy's blood boiled as he saw the enemy of his homeland being defeated before his eyes.
In 1572, Rana Pratap ascended the throne as the king of Mewar. Akbar had already subdued all the other Rajput kings with his cunning. Akbar also sent a message to Pratap: "If you bow down to me and become a vassal, I will give you your kingdom." But Rana Pratap rejected the offer, saying, "It is better to live in the forests as a freeman than to bow down to a stranger and live as a slave in the palace."
Maharana Pratap's life was a continuous battle. During his lifetime, he fought more than 100 battles/lightning raids with the Mughals, both large and small. In the Battle of Haldighati in 1576, Rana Pratap faced Akbar's army of lakhs with his small army. His life-like horse 'Chetak' brought the injured Pratap out safely. After the battle, he left the royal pleasures and went to the Aravalli forests. He vowed to "never eat on a golden plate or sleep on a soft bed" until his kingdom was liberated and spent his time eating grass bread in the forests. He built an army with Bhil youth and recaptured 36 forts held by Akbar.
Rana Pratap was 7'6 "tall and had a strong arm. The weight of the weapons he wore while going to war is astonishing. He used to carry an 81 kg spear and a 72 kg shield. He used to carry two swords, one for himself and the other to give to the enemy if he had no weapon. Maha Rana Pratap was brave enough to fight. The total weight of the two swords and other weapons he had was 208 kg! Carrying this much weight, he fought at the speed of the wind. We can still see those weapons in the Udaipur City Palace Museum today. Among the Rajputs, kings are generally called 'Rana'. But only Pratap Singh was given the honor of 'Maha'. Akbar made almost all the kings (Ranas) of India his vassals. But Rana Pratap was the only one who stood firm. Since he was the best of all the kings, he became 'Maharana'. He was not limited to the palace alone. He lived with the common Bhil people of the forest and ate grass bread with them. He had a great heart, sacrificing everything for his people. Even in difficult times, he lived his life with the utmost priority of protecting Hindu Dharma and Swarajya. That is why history elevated him from 'Rana' to 'Maharana' (great king).
Maharana Pratap is an inspiration to many, starting with Shivaji Maharaj, who became famous as a hero in India in later times. Their heroism is not limited to India alone; the President of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh, who defeated the superpower America, declared that Maharana Pratap's war strategies were the inspiration for his victory. When the Vietnamese Foreign Minister came to India, he set aside protocol and visited Rana Pratap's tomb, then sacredly placed soil from the tomb on his forehead. "We are lucky to touch the soil where this hero was born," he praised.
Maharana Pratap was accidentally injured while hunting a tiger. While he was stringing his heavy bow while hunting, the bowstring suddenly broke and hit him hard in the stomach. Due to the internal injury, his health deteriorated. On January 19, 1597, when he was on his deathbed, he saw his sardars (chiefs) around him and wept. When asked the reason for this, he said, "I am not sad that I am dying. But my grief is that I have not been able to completely free my homeland, the Chittorgarh fort, from the enemies. I am afraid that my son Amar Singh will succumb to those luxuries and forget my vow. I will die peacefully only if you promise to liberate Chittor through my son." Then all the sardars present there placed their hands on Rana Pratap's feet and swore, "We will fight for the freedom of Chittor till we die." After hearing that, Maharana Pratap passed away peacefully. Even when Maharana Pratap was dying, he did not think about his possessions or his comforts. He thought only about his country until his last breath.
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