Durgadas Rathore

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Sardar

Durgadas Rathore

Rajya Sanghrakshak
Durgadas Rathore and Ajit Singh
Born13 August 1638
Died22 November 1718(1718-11-22) (aged 80)
Allegiance Kingdom of Marwar

Durgadas Rathore (13 August 1638 – 22 November 1718) was the Rathore Rajput General of the Kingdom of Marwar. He is credited with having preserved the rule of the Rathore dynasty over Marwar, India, following the death of Maharaja Jaswant Singh in the 17th century. In doing so he had to defy Aurangzeb, a Mughal emperor. He commanded the Rathore forces during the Rajput War (1679–1707) and played a major role in the Rajput Rebellion (1708–1710) which became one of the main reason of decline of Mughal Empire. He was elected as the leader of the revolt along with Raja Jai Singh II of Jaipur.[1] He won a number of victories against the Mughals[2] and forced many Mughal officers to pay tribute to him in the form of chauth.[3]

Early life[edit]

Durgadas was the son of Askaran Rathore, a Rajput minister of Jaswant Singh, the ruler of Marwar. He was a distant relative of the royal family, being a descendant of Karana, a son of Rao Ranmal.[4]

Support for Ajit Singh[edit]

Painting of Durgadas Rathore by A.H. Müller in Mehrangarh Fort museum

Jaswant Singh was campaigning in Afghanistan when he died in December 1678, leaving no heir. Aurangzeb took the opportunity to intervene by imposing his direct rule over Marwar. Soon after Jaswant Singh's death two of his ranis (queens) each gave birth to male children. One of these sons died soon after his birth, leaving the other – Ajit Singh – as sole heir.[5]

Aurangzeb ordered the infant, Ajit Singh, to be brought to Delhi where he was kept in Noorgarh under house arrest. Durgadas Rathore, Raghunath Bhati and Ranchordas made a daring attack on the Mughal contingent of Delhi and rescued Ajit Singh and the widowed ranis of Jaswant Singh. Aurangzeb ordered Tahir Beg and Inder Singh Rathore to capture Durgadas, but they both failed, resulting in a long struggle between Durgadas and Aurangzeb. Fatuhat-i-Alamgiri noted that "all the Rajput households of Marwar had made preparations to challenge the imperial writ". Durgdas thus had the support of the Rajput clans of Marwar.[6]

The infant Ajit Singh was taken to safety in Balunda, where the wife of one of the delegation kept the child for almost a year. Later, he was moved to the safety of the Aravalli Hills near Abu Sirohi, a remote town on the southern fringes of Marwar. There Ajit Singh grew up in anonymity.[7] Rana Raj Singh I also offered refuge to Ajit Singh after which he was hidden in Nandlai, a village in Mewar.[6]

Durgadas, as the leader of the revolt, led his forces against the Mughals and through guerrilla warfare he harassed several outposts and compelled the Mughal officers to pay tribute.[3] Durgadas also instigated both Muazzam and Akbar against their father, Aurangzeb. During the war, Durgadas took care of Aurangzeb's granddaughter, Saif-un-nissa, who was in his custody and later returned her to Aurangzeb. The grateful Mughal Emperor bestowed upon Durgadas high ranks and jagirs of Merta and Dhandhuka, however, according to Mirat-i-Alamgiri, Durgadas continued to plead for Ajit Singh's cause instead of being placated by Aurangzeb.[6] Ajit Singh and Durgadas took advantage of the disturbances following the death of Aurangzeb in 1707 to seize Jodhpur and eventually evict the occupying Mughal force. Ajit Singh was proclaimed Maharaja of Jodhpur.[7]

Durgadas was also one of the leaders of the Rajput Rebellion (1708–1710). In July 1708 he routed Saiyid Hussain Khan Barha at Kaladera and forced him to retreat to Narnaul. Durgadas was also instrumental in securing the Rajput victory at Sambhar. Ajit Singh started becoming jealous of the fame and popularity that Durgadas had acquired. Durgadas also started disliking Ajit for his character. Ajit Singh had murdered Mukund Das, who was a loyal noble of Marwar, and this caused Durgadas to drift away from Ajit. After the battle of Sambhar, Durgadas chose to pitch his camp away from Ajit to show his dissatisfaction.[8]

The victory of Ajit Singh was the culmination of Durgadas and other loyal courtiers who chose to remain loyal throughout the Rathore rebellion, however Durgadas was soon exiled by Ajit Singh and his name was erased from the Marwari chronicles after the Battle of Sambhar, in which Durgadas and Jai Singh II won a notable victory against the Mughals.[1] The Mughals, however, continued to woo Durgadas. The Mughal Emperor offered Durgadas the title of Rao and a rank of 4,000 in the Mughal court and official Mughal records continued to write about him till his death. Durgadas was also invited by the Maharana Amar Singh II of Mewar who gave him the jagirs of Rampura and Vijaypur.[6]

Death[edit]

Canopy of Durgadas at Chakratirth, Ujjain

Durgadas left Jodhpur and lived in Mewar for some time and then left to Mahakaal at Ujjain. On 22 November 1718, on the banks of the Shipra at Ujjain, Durgadas died at the age of 81 years,[7]

Recognition[edit]

A soul of honour, he kept the deserted daughter of Akbar free from every stain and provided her with every facility for Islamic religious training in the wilderness of Marwar. Fighting against terrible odds and a host of enemies on every side, with distrust and wavering among his own country-men, he kept the cause of his chieftain triumphant. Mughal gold could not seduce, Mughal arms could not daunt that constant heart. Almost alone among the Rathors he displayed the rare combination of the dash and reckless valour of a Rajput soldier with the tact, diplomacy and organizing power of a Mughal minister of State. No wonder that the Rathor bard should pray that every Rajput mother should have a son like Durgadas.[9]

  • The government of India released a stamp (in 1988) and various coins (on 25 August 2003) in his honour.
Durgadas Rathore dak ticket (stamps) of Rs. 0.60 also released on 16 August 1988
  • The government of India also introduced commemorative coins in 2003 in the name of Durgadas Rathore.[10]

In popular culture[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Sarkar, Jadunath (1994). A History of Jaipur: C.1503-1938. Orient Blackswan. p. 162. ISBN 9788125003335.
  2. ^ Chandra, Satish (2005). Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals Part - II. Har Anand Publications. p. 312. ISBN 9788124110669. With the return of Durgadas to Marwar in 1686 and with the appearance of Ajit Singh in person to head the resistance, the Rathores gained a number of victories.
  3. ^ a b Majumdar, R.C. (2020). An Advanced History of India. Trinity Press. pp. 494–497. Under the able leadership of Durgadas, the Rathors ceaselessly carried on a guerrilla warfare and harassed the Mughal outposts so that the Mughal officers were compelled to pay chauth
  4. ^ Singh, Rajvi Amar (1992). Mediaeval History of Rajasthan: Western Rajasthan. p. 156.
  5. ^ Sen, Sailendra (2013). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Primus Books. p. 189. ISBN 978-93-80607-34-4.
  6. ^ a b c d Hooja, Rima (2006). A History of Rajasthan. Rupa. pp. 595–610, 709. ISBN 9788129115010. On July 15, 1679 AD, Aurangzeb ordered that the infant Ajit Singh and entourage be shifted to Noorgarh, virtually as prisoners. At this Durgadas Rathore and a select band of Marwars warriors including Ranchordas Rathore and Raghunath Bhati took action. These Marwar loyalists contrived the daring rescue of the closely guarded infant Ajit singh and the widowed ranis of Jaswant Singh from imperial hands. Aurangzeb commanded Tahir Beg Khan and Inder Singh to capture the figitive party...both men were unsuccessful in this...thereafter began a long struggle against Emperor Aurangzeb by Durgadas and other loyal supporters...recorded in his contemporaneous Fatuhat-i-Alamgiri that all the Rajput households of Marwar had made preparations to challenge the imperial writ.....Durgadas did not flail in his loyalty. It was for this loyalty, as well as his personal valour and chivalrous deeds that Durgadas was to become part of popular lore during his lifetime....Ajit Singh was brought away from the territory of Sirohi to Nandlai, three miles north-west of Desuri in Mewar. Raj Singh's action enraged Aurangzeb.....Durga Das features in the official records of the Mughal court till c . AD 1716....Emperor Jahandar Shah gave him the title of ' Rao ' , and a mansab of 4,000...Marwar chronicles however do not mention Durgadas after the Rathore victory at Sambhar.
  7. ^ a b c Hooja, Rima (2006). A History of Rajasthan. Rupa Publication. p. 705.
  8. ^ Bhatnagar, V.S. (1974). Life and times of Sawai Jai Singh. Impex India. pp. 57, 69. The Saiyid returned to Kaladera where he was again routed by Durgadas. He then fled to Narnaul....After the victory at Sambhar, Durgadas who had played an important part in the encounter...
  9. ^ Sarkar, Jadunath, ed. (1971), "Durgadas", History of Aurangzeb Vol 3, Orient Longman Limited
  10. ^ "1 Rupee, India". en.numista.com. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  11. ^ "दुर्ग गाथा | 400 से अधिक कलाकारों ने 17वीं शताब्दी के दृश्यों को जीवंत किया". dainikbhaskar (in Hindi). 13 October 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  12. ^ Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (1999). Encyclopaedia of Indian cinema. British Film Institute. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
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