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* , (f\Q^A Photo by] [Donald Macbeth, London MAHARANA BHIM SINGH. Frontispiece TOD'S ANNALS OF RAJASTHAN THE ANNALS OF MEWAR ABRIDGED AND EDITED BY C. H. PAYNE, M.A. LATE OF THE BHOPAL STATE SERVICE With 16 full page Plates and a Map NEW YORK E. P. DUTTON AND CO. London : GEORGE ROUTLEDGE & SONS, LIMITED Preface "Wherever I go, whatever days I may number, nor time nor place can ever weaken, much less obliterate, the memory of the valley of Udaipiir." Such are the words with which Colonel James Tod closed his great work, the Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan. Few men have ever known an eastern race as Tod knew the Rajputs. He not only knew them through and through, their manners, their their ideals traditions, their character, and ; but so great was his admiration for their many noble qualities, and so completely did he identify himself with their interests, that by the time he left India he had almost become a Rajput himself. The history of Rajputana was, therefore, a subject very to Tod's heart both dear ; and, possessing imagina- tion and descriptive power, he was able to infuse into his pages much of the charm of a romance, and, what is still more rarely to be found in historical works, a powerful human interest. His sympathy for the is in line he wrote Rajputs apparent every ; but if his enthusiasm leads him at times to over- estimate their virtues, he never seeks to palliate their faults, to which, in the main, he attributes the ruin which overtook their race. Notwithstand- ing its author's occasional inaccuracies, and the somewhat glaring defects of his style, the Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan still holds its place as vii m5139G3 viii PREFACE the standard authority on the history of the Rajpiitana states. Of subsequent writers of Indian history, it would be difficult to point to a single one who has not benefited directly or indirectly by Tod's labours. " But however great the value of the Annals," viewed in the light of an historical record, they owe their chief charm to the vivid pictures they present of the character, sentiments, and heroic exploits of one of the bravest races that ever came under British control, and of the manner in which that control was established. Rajputana has passed through a " " century of progress since the Annals were written. But it must be remembered that, in our eastern Dependency, habits of life have undergone a much greater change than national prejudices and national it ideals ; and hence is that, for those who would understand the India of to-day, there is no surer guide than the past history of her peoples. Of the thousands of books that have been written about India, few reveal her secrets more faithfully than the Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan. And yet this great Indian classic is practically unknown to the present generation, and is all but unprocurable. The first edition, contained in two quarto volumes, and illustrated by a number of steel engravings of high quality, was published by Messrs Smith, Elder & Co. between the years 1829 and 1832. This is the only edition ever published in England, and it has long been out of print. A second, in two octavo volumes, but without the illustrations, appeared in in a third of a similar Madras 1873 ; and nature, but less accurate, in Calcutta in 1894. The two latter are likewise out of and hard to come while print, by ; PREFACE ix their fifteen hundred closely printed pages present the story of Rajputana in a form little calculated to attract the general reader. The indifference of English publishers to the importance of Tod's labours is a matter for and it both surprise regret ; though must be doubted whether the Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, in the form in which he left it, could ever have become popular. Passages of interest are abundant but to make one's throughout ; way through the heavier matter in which they are embedded, both time and nor is the task demands patience ; lightened by the author's style, which, though rich and picturesque, is, at times, so loose as to be almost incoherent. The actual annals comprise little more than half the entire work, the remainder consisting of a minute examination into the genealogies of the various Rajput tribes, an account of their ancient religious beliefs and systems of government, and a lengthy description of the author's own journeyings and experiences. To the student of Indian antiquities these are of value a chapters undoubted ; but know- ledge of them is by no means essential to an apprecia- tion of the historical narrative. The present volume is an attempt to rescue from obscurity at least a portion of this once famous work, and to place it before the reader in what, it is hoped, may prove a convenient and attractive form. Mewar, or Udaipiir, with which alone it deals, is, historically, the most of all the states for important Rajputana ; the history of Mewar was, for centuries, the history of Rajputana, while, at one period, it was almost the history of India. I have endeavoured, as far as possible, to retell the story in Tod's own language, x PREFACE omitting such details as seemed to me to confuse the action, or break the continuity of events, and occasionally introducing, from other portions of the original work, anecdotes and descriptions illustrative of the Rajputs of Mewar. The more obvious errors of composition have been corrected, and the spelling of proper names has been revised according to the system adopted in the Imperial Gazetteer of India, The illustrations have, so far as I know, never been reproduced before. The original drawings were by " Colonel Tod's friend and kinsman," Major Waugh. C. H. P. Contents CHAP. PAGE Preface ....... vii I. Introductory. —Geographical position ofMewar—boundaries —natural features and products—a prey to the invader— antiquity of the Ranas— Kanaksen—fall of Ballabhiputra — birth of —his childhood origin of the Gehlotes— — Bappa — —a frolic and its consequences flight to Chitor Bappa v""" becomes prince of Chitor — his death — chronological data ....... I-IO II. Tartar Invasions.—From Bappa to Khoman—The Khomdn Rasa—Samarsi—Rajput feuds—defeat of Shahab-ud-din — Tartars overrun Rajputana — origin of the term "Sesodia"—Allah-ud-din attacks Chitor—Bhimsi and Pudmani—capture and escape of Bhimsi—Allah-ud-din repulsed—a brave mother—second attack—the guardian goddess—how Chitor was defended—the johur—the sack of Chitor—Rajputana devastated—the term saca . 11-22 III. Recovery of Chitor.—Rana Ajaisi—the birth of Hamir— his youthful exploits—the tika-dour—Hamfr rallies his clans — his marriage — he regains Chftor — defeats Mahmud at Singoli—his powerful position—prosperity of Mewar—Lakha Rana—mineral wealth —rebuilding Chitor— the holy war ..... 23-31 —Position of women— IV. Chonda and Khumbho. Rajput— taming a shrew—scissors versus sword a costly jest— Chonda's sacrifice—Rao Rinmal and his treachery— Chonda to the rescue—the end of Rao Rinmal—the feud with Joda—accession of Khumbho—fortresses built by him — a mighty temple — Khumbho's victories — Mahmud taken captive—assassination of Khumbho . 3 2 "42 xi xii CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE V. Rana Sanga. — Uda the parricide — Rana Raemal— feuds—accession of — and family — Sanga strength extent of his dominions the advent of Babar—Babar 's early career—captures Delhi—invades Mewar—his vow— exhortation to his troops—treachery of the chief 01 Raisen—defeat of Sanga—his death and character— Rana Ratna—at feud with the chief of Bundi—a fatal — encounter the feast of the Ahairia . 43-54 VI. Second Sack of Chftor and Accession of Udai Singh. — Rana Bikramajft — his unpopularity — Bahadur Shah invades Mewar—besieges Chftor—bravery of the Rajputs — devotion of the Deola chief — the second sack of Chitor—the festival of the rakhi—Humayun restores the Rana—Bikramajit deposed by the nobles—election of Banbir—Bikramajft assassinated—escape of Udai Singh —expulsion of Banbir and accession of Udai Singh . 55-64 VII. Third and Last Sack of Chitor.—Character of Udai Singh — birth of Akbar — his early career — Humayun retakes Delhi—Akbar on the throne of Delhi—his policy —he invests Chitor—the attack repulsed—third and last siege of Chitor—Jaimal and Patta—an Amazonian mother —the final tragedy—numbering the slain—the building of — — of — Udaipiir death of Udai— Singh accession Partap— the shrine of Eklinga priestly authority of the Ranas— how acquired— position of Rajput princes under Akbar policy of conciliation—Mansabddrs—inter-marriages— bigotry of Aurangzeb and its results . 65-79 VIII. Rana —Perilous of his resolution Partap. position Partap— — and bravery — the Rajput chiefs side with Akbar courageous attitude of Partap—Raja Man Singh—battle of Haldighat—Partap's escape—his meeting with his brother Sukta—guerilla warfare—Partap is driven from Komulmfr — hardships of Partap and his family — with Akbar— Prithvi of Bikanfr— negotiations — Raj Partap regains his lost possessions his sickness and death . 80-98 IX. Rana Amra Singh. — Last years of Akbar' s reign—Amra's lapse — his recovery — battle of Deweir — defeat of Abdulla—Amra gains possession of Chftor—the heroic CONTENTS xiii — —siege of Ontala—rise of the Suktawats Sukta's child- — with — of Bhfndir— hood his quarrel Partap capture — defeat of the imperial forces at Khamnor termination of the strife —magnanimity of Jahangir—Rana Amra abdicates—his death and character . .99-115 X. Jaggat Singh and Raj Singh. —Rana Kurran—his peaceful reign—Khuram's rebellion—he finds refuge in Udaipiir—accession of Rana Jaggat Singh—his character —succeeded by Rana Raj Singh—revolt of the Mogul princes— character and policy of Aurangzeb—Rajput hostility — the princess of Rupnagar — Mew£r makes common cause with Marwar—the jezia—the Rana's letter to Aurangzeb ....

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