Rani Durgavati

Rani Durgavati

News: A 6-day Rani Durgavati Gaurav Yatra was recently launched in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

Who was Rani Durgavati?
• Rani Durgavati is said to have been born in 1524, in Mahoba’s Chandela dynasty.
• She was later married to Dalpat Shah, the son of the Gond King Sangram Shah of the kingdom of GarhaKatanga.
• Durgavati, however, was widowed in 1550, a few years after her marriage. Her young son Bir Narayan presided over the throne in name and she then “ruled the country with great vigour and courage.”
• Historian Satish Chandra, in his book Medieval India, describes her as a good marksman, skilled at using guns, bows, and arrows.
• She was a wise and benevolent ruler who promoted peace, trade, culture and learning in her kingdom. She constructed reservoirs for irrigation and public welfare. She also patronized the Pushtimarg sect of Vaishnavism.
• Given the number of lakes and tanks she constructed in her kingdom, Durgawati came to be known as “the lady of lakes (tal talab Rani).
• She defended her kingdom from various invaders, such as Baz Bahadur of Malwa and Asaf Khan (fighting on behalf of Akbar) of the Mughal Empire. She fought valiantly against Asaf Khan’s army at Narrai in 1564, but was outnumbered and outmatched by the superior Mughal forces.

Death:
• She chose to die with honour rather than surrender to the enemy. She stabbed herself with a dagger after her son and most of her soldiers were killed in the battle. She died on 24 June 1564 at the age of 39.
• Rani Durgavati is remembered as a symbol of courage and patriotism in Indian history.