Al Badayuni the historian, who was accompanying Mughal army asked Asaf Khan, the Mughal commander how he can tell which Rajputs to shoot arrows at. How numbers impacted this particular battle can be seen in one particular quote. Mughals won on the basis of their superior numbers and better arms.
The heroics of Jhala Sardar, the loyalty of Chetak, the daring of Maharana Pratap and the return of Shakti Singh are stuff of legends. The story of battle is too well known to be related here. Maybe, the courage came from strong religious beliefs or maybe it came from pride in the honour of family. It takes a special kind of courage to fight when defeat seems certain. At that time, Akbar was probably the most powerful King on that face of earth. The Mughal army by all accounts was at least three times the Mewar army and had better arms and supplies. Rana was leading from the front along with Ramdas Rathor, Ramsah Tanwar, Bhamashah and Hakim Khan Sur.Ī small contingent of patriotic Bheel bowmen under Chief Punja was also on his side. Mughal army was led by Man Singh of Amber, Asaf Khan and Ahed Khan Barha. It was 18th of June 1576, the height of Indian summer.
Haldighati pass was a strategic place en route to Gogunda and it was to defend it that Maharana waited there for the vast armies of Akbar. The capture had been marked by merciless killing of 30000 unarmed civilians by the ‘Great’ Emperor. Mewar had shifted its capital to Gogunda since the capture of Chittorgarh by Akbar in 1568. Battle lines were drawn and war was inevitable. He had wanted to add another piece of land to his domain and another bunch of girls to his harem. The imperialist Mughal king was not amused. Honour and independence to him was greater than any wealth. He had sent Jalal Khan, and Man Singh of Amber and lastly Todar Mal. Akbar had been sending envoys to Maharana Pratap for years. In Mewar, God Ekling ruled the country and Maharana was the deputy of God. Mewar, without capturing which the route to Gujarat could not be safe. Mewar, which had defied the self declared second Alexander/Sikandar-e-Sani Alauddin Khilji, and written a heroic chapter in the annals of India by its Jauhar-Saka in 1303. Mewar, which under Bappa Rawal, had stopped the Arab invasions in India in 8th century. The only place not under his dominion in the north was Mewar. His court poets were already writing his paens. Imitating Vikramaditya, he had appointed his own navratnas.
He had also conquered Gujarat and now his ambition was to equal the feats of Chakravarti kings of old. And the temples of his gods” – Thomas Babington Macaulay in Lays of Ancient Rome.īy 1573, Akbar had become the master of North India.
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