Maharana Pratap Singh was the one who founded the great lakes city of Udaipur in 1559. He is often described as India’s First Freedom Fighter because he refused to surrender to the invading Mughals led by Akbar. His marvelous tactics of Guerrilla warfare against the troops of Mughal Emperor Akbar inspired several later rulers, including the founder of the Maratha Empire Chhatrapati Shivaji.
9th May, that is today is Maharana Pratap’s birth anniversary.
Let’s go through some of his lesser-known facts:
- Maharana Pratap is known for his military resistance against the expansionism of the Mughal empire and his crucial role in the Battle of Haldighati & the Battle of Dewair. He defeated Akbar thrice.
- His first wife was Ajabde Punwar of Bijolia and then later he married 10 other women. He had 17 sons and five daughters, including Amar Singh I. Maharana Pratap, and had 11 spouses, including Phool Bai Rathore, Amarbai Rathore, Jasobai Chauhan, and Alamdebai Chauhan.
- Story of Chetak everyone might have heard, Chetak was the loyal horse of Maharana Pratap with whom he shared a very special and deep bond. During a battle of Haldighati, Chetak galloped away from the battlefield with his wounded master on his back, to save his life. Chetak crossed two miles and after jumping across a stream that was approximately 22 feet wide, collapsed and passed away.
- Maharana Pratap died of a hunting accident on January 19, 1597. According to previous data, he died of an injury from a hunting accident while tightening the string of a bow and an arrow.