Rana Sanga: The Remarkable Warrior of the Sisodia Dynasty
Rajasthan has always been a land of brave warriors and patriots. Many great fighters and leaders have been born from Mother India, but today we will talk about a remarkable warrior from the Sisodia dynasty. Despite losing one eye, one leg, and his left hand, he fought in several major battles and emerged victorious.
Early Life and Rise to Power
Rana Sanga, born in the 14th century, was the son of Maharana Rai Mal, the ruler of Mewar. In his youth, he lost an eye during a conflict with his brothers, Kunwar Prithviraj and Jaymal. After this, he sought refuge with Karmchand Pawar in Ajmer.
Two of Rana Sanga’s older brothers were killed, and another, Rai Singh, died in battle. This left Rana Sanga as the only capable ruler, so his father called him back from Ajmer. After Maharana Rai Mal’s death, Rana Sanga became the ruler of Mewar in 1509.
Challenges Surrounding Mewar
At that time, Mewar was surrounded by Mughal rulers, making it unsafe. To secure his territory, Rana Sanga built friendly relationships with other states and began defeating the Mughal rulers who posed a threat.
He fought battles against Muzaffar Khan of Gujarat and Mahmud Khilji II of Malwa, emerging victorious in both. Rana Sanga not only defeated Mahmud Khilji II but also kept him as a prisoner for several months. Showing generosity, he later released him, and Mahmud Khilji II, pleased by Rana Sanga’s kindness, gifted him many valuable items.
Expanding Borders and Confronting Delhi
After this, Rana Sanga began to expand his borders towards Delhi, which worried Sikandar Lodi. However, Sikandar Lodi did not have the courage to confront Rana Sanga and did not oppose him. After Sikandar Lodi, Ibrahim Lodi ascended the throne of Delhi, and his first battle with Rana Sanga took place in 1517 at a place called Khatauli.
The Battle of Khatauli
In this battle, Rana Sanga lost his left hand and was hit by an arrow in one leg, which left him unable to walk. Despite this, he did not give up and won the battle, capturing Ibrahim Lodi’s son. Showing his generosity again, Rana Sanga kept him in captivity for a few months before releasing him.
The Battle of Chittor
Defeated and seeking revenge, Ibrahim Lodi sent a large army led by Mia Makhan and Mia Hussain to attack Chittor in 1518. When Rana Sanga learned of this, he prepared for battle. The two armies met in a fierce confrontation, and the Rajput forces defeated Ibrahim Lodi’s army, forcing them to retreat.
After being defeated twice, Ibrahim Lodi never dared to attack Chittor again.
Conflict with Babur
When the Mughal invader Babur saw Ibrahim Lodi losing control over Delhi, he invaded and killed Ibrahim Lodi, establishing Mughal rule in Delhi. Babur wanted to establish his dominance over all of India, but this was impossible as long as Rana Sanga was alive, which led to conflict between them.
When Babur’s army took control of Bhayana, Rana Sanga quickly arrived there with his troops and drove the Muslim army away. As the fleeing Muslim soldiers started recounting the bravery of the Rajput forces to Babur and his troops, the morale of Babur’s soldiers began to falter. However, Babur rallied his men by invoking religion and jihad to prepare them for battle.
The Battle of Khanwa
Once again, the two armies faced each other on the battlefield of Khanwa. Rana Sanga and his forces initially seemed to have the upper hand against the Mughal army, but this time, the Mughal forces came fully prepared with guns and cannons.
During the battle, Rana Sanga lost consciousness and had to be carried off the battlefield. When news of his unconsciousness spread among the troops, morale fell, leading to chaos in his army. As a result, the battle did not go as he had hoped, and on January 30, 1528, Rana Sanga passed away.
Legacy of Rana Sanga
Throughout his life, from taking charge of his kingdom to his last breath, Rana Sanga dedicated himself to protecting his homeland and spent his life fighting against foreign powers. Babur, impressed by Rana Sanga’s bravery, wrote in his memoirs that Rana Sanga had become very powerful through his sword and valor.
Although his kingdom was Chittor, his bravery and love for the nation earned him a place in the hearts of every Indian beyond Chittor’s borders.
Reviving Rajput Unity
Another notable achievement of Rana Sanga was that he revived the “Pati Parvan” tradition in the battles of Bhayana and Khanwa, successfully uniting all Rajputs under a single banner. Bharat Samanvay Parivar pays deepest respects to Rana Sanga.
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