However, the numerical superiority of the Mughal army finally prevailed. Seeing that the battle was lost, Prataps generals prevailed upon him to flee the field so as to be able to fight another day. To facilitate Prataps escape, one of his lieutenants, a member of the Jhala clan, donned Prataps distinctive garments and took his place in the battlefield. He was soon killed. Meanwhile, riding his trusty steed Chetak, Pratap made good his escape to the hills. But chetak was critically wounded on his left thigh by a Mardana (Elephant Trunk Sword) while Pratap was attempting to nail down Mansingh. Chetak was bleeding heavily and he collapsed after jumping over a small brook few kilometers away from the battle field. While Pratap’s General (also named Mansingh but a Jhala Rajput) donned Pratap’s closthing and armour, nobody could notice it due to the chaos of the war but two Turk Knights from the Mughal Army. They could not explain it to others due to linguistic barrier (the appropriate language would have been Pharsi, Marwari or Arabi). They immediately followed Pratap without wasting time. The moment the started chasing him Pratap’s younger brother Shaktisingh who was fighting from the Mughal Side (he had some disputes with Pratap at the time of Pratap’s coronation; hence he had defected and went to Akbar’s court) realized that his own Brother was under threat. Mansingh Jhala’s trick had already been discovered by him. He could not help the strong feeling of brotherhood to act instantly. He followed those to Turks and killed them, within minuted he killed them Chetak collapsed and Pratap saw his brother Shaktisingh killing two Mughal Knights. Saddned by the loss of his beloved General and horse, he embraced his brother and broke into tears. Shaktisingh also cried and asked for pardon. Pratap pardoned him (later on he was given a huge estate near Chittor). Shaktisingh them offered him his own horse and requested him to get to a safe place. This incident has been made famous in a very famous Rajasthani Folk song “O Neele Ghode re Aswar” (O Rider of the Blue Horse). There is mausoleum of Chetak’ constructed at the site of Chetak’s death. The impact on Mughal army was also heavy. In numbers Mughal Army suffered heavier losses. Mainly because of the intensive arrow showers by the Bhill tribes of the surrounding mountains who had aided with Pratap. To honour their contribution, a Bhil warrior was placed next to Pratap in the Royal Coat of Arms of Mewar. It is considered to be the first Major breakthrough of Rajputs aginst the Mughals since the Second Battle of Khanwa in 1527 fought between Rana Sanga(Great Grand Uncle of Maharana Pratap). It left a very high degree of significance to many Rajput Families. Even today there are some families, descendants of those who were martyred in the battle fighting the Moghuls along with Pratap, worship Maharana Pratap and regularly do “Tilak (holy dot on forhead) with the Yellowish sand of Haldighati. Pratap retreated into the hilly wilderness of the Aravallis and continued his struggle. His one attempt at open confrontation having thus failed, Pratap resumed the tactics of guerilla warfare. Using the hills as his base, Pratap harassed the large and therefore awkward mughal forces in their encampments. He ensured that the mughal occupying force in Mewar never knew peace: Akbar despatched three more expeditions to ferret Pratap out of his mountainous hideouts, but they all failed. During this era, Pratap received much financial assistance from Bhamashah, a well-wisher. The Bhil tribals of the Aravalli hills provided Pratap with their support during times of war and their expertise in living off the forests during times of peace. Thus the years passed. As James Tod writes: There is not a pass in the alpine Aravalli that is not sanctified by some deed of the great freedom fighter , Maharana Pratap Singh; some brilliant victory or, more often, some glorious defeat. On one occasion, the Bhils saved the Rajput women and children in the nick of time by conveying them into the depths of the mines at Zawar. Later, Pratap relocated to Chavand in the mountainous southeastern area of Mewar. Still harassed by the mughals, the exiles survived in those ravines for many years by subsisted on wild berries and by hunting and fishing.
Posted on: Tue, 03 Jun 2014 06:39:10 +0000
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