Maharana Pratap or Pratap Singh

Maharana Pratap

Pratap Singh I, also known as Maharana Pratap (c. 9 May 1540 – 19 January 1597), was the Guhilot dynasty's Kshatriya monarch of Mewar. He fought numerous key battles against Akbar, notably the Battle of Haldighati in 1576, to oppose the Mughal empire's expansionist strategy. Pratap became a folk hero for his military resistance through guerilla warfare, which inspired other Mughal rebels like as Malik Ambar and Shivaji.

Childhood and Admittance : 

Maharana Pratap was born in 1540 to Udai Singh II of Mewar and Jaiwanta Bai, the year after Udai Singh came to the kingdom following his defeat of Vanvir Singh. Shakti Singh, Vikram Singh, and Jagmal Singh were his younger brothers. Pratap had two stepsisters, Chand and Man Kanwar. Maharani Ajabde Punwar of Bijolia Amar Singh I was his wife. He was a member of the Mewar Royal Family. Rani Dheer Bai wanted her son Jagmal to replace Udai Singh after his death in 1572, but top courtiers desired Pratap, the eldest son, to be their monarch.


The nobles' ambition won out, and Pratap rose to the throne as Maharana Pratap, the 54th monarch of Mewar in the Sisodia Rajput line. Jagmal vowed vengeance and travelled for Ajmer to join Akbar's army, receiving the town of Jahazpur as a Jagir as a reward for his assistance.

History of military service : 

In sharp contrast to other Rajput rulers who accommodated and formed alliances with the various Muslim dynasties in the subcontinent, Mewar was embroiled in a long-running conflict with the Mughals, which began with the defeat of his grandfather Rana Sanga in the Battle of Khanwa in 1527 and continued with the defeat of his father Udai Singh II in the Siege of Chittorgarh in 1568. Pratap Singh was notable for his unwillingness to forge any formal partnership with the Mughal Empire and his opposition to Muslim dominance. The Battle of Haldighati resulted from the tensions between Pratap Singh and Akbar.

Haldighati Battle

The terrible Siege of Chittorgarh in 1567-1568 had resulted in the Mughals capturing the rich eastern belt of Mewar. The majority of the forested and steep kingdom in the Aravalli range, however, remained under Maharana Pratap's dominion. Mughal Emperor Akbar was determined to secure a stable path to Gujarat through Mewar; when Pratap Singh was anointed king (Maharana) in 1572, Akbar dispatched a number of envoys, including one from Raja Man Singh I of Amer, imploring him to become a vassal like many other Rajputana kings. When Pratap refused to surrender to Akbar personally. When repeated diplomatic attempts to resolve the situation failed, war became unavoidable.

On June 18, 1576, the troops of Pratap Singh and Mughal Rajput commander Man Singh clashed outside a tiny mountain pass at Haldighati near Gogunda, modern-day Rajsamand in Rajasthan. The battle became known as the Battle of Haldighati. Pratap Singh led an army of 3000 cavalry and 400 Bhil archers. Man Singh led an army of around 10,000 troops.  Pratap was wounded and the day was lost after a ferocious struggle that lasted more than three hours. He was able to flee to the hills and fight another day. The Mughals won and caused large fatalities on the Mewar army, but they were unable to capture Maharana Pratap.

The Mughals' triumph at Haldighati proved useless because they were unable to kill or capture Pratap or any of his close family members in Udaipur. While some suggest that Pratap was able to flee, Man Singh was able to seize Gogunda within a week after Haldighati finished his campaign. Following that, in September 1576, Akbar personally conducted a continuous battle against the Rana, and soon, Gogunda, Udaipur, and Kumbhalgarh were all under Mughal authority.

Death :

Pratap died on 19 January 1597, at the age of 56, from injuries incurred in a hunting accident near Chavand. His eldest son, Amar Singh I, succeeded him. Pratap advised his son on his deathbed not to succumb to the Mughals and to reclaim Chittor.

Film and television

1. 1925: Rana Pratap
2. 1929: Mewad Nu Moti
3. 1946: Maharana Pratap
4. 1958: Chetak Aur Rana Pratap, about the bonding with his warhorse Chetak.
5. 1961:Jai Chitod
6. 1988–1989: Bharat Ek Khoj, broadcast on Doordarshan, where he was played by Puneet Issar.
7. 1993: Chetak
8. 1997–1998: Maharana Pratap
9. 2010: Chetak – The Wonder Horse
10. 2012: Maharana Pratap: The First Freedom Fighter
11. 2013–2015: Jodha Akbar, broadcast on Zee TV, where he was played by Anurag Sharma
12. 2013–2015: Bharat Ka Veer Putra – Maharana Pratap, broadcast by Sony Entertainment Television (India), where he was portrayed by Faisal Khan and Sharad Malhotra
13. 2016: ABP News presented Bharatvarsha, in which episode 8 showcased the story of Maharana Pratap.
14. 2023: Deepraj Rana as Maharana Pratap in Webseries Taj: Divided by Blood on Zee5