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News: The Mahua Festival at the Madhya Pradesh Tribal Museum featured a special dance-drama on Maharaja Chhatrasal’s life and legacy.
About Bundel Kesari Maharaja Chhatrasal
- Maharaja Chhatrasal (4 May 1649 – 19 December 1731) was a medieval Indian warrior who fought against the Mughal Empire and established an independent kingdom in Bundelkhand.
- Birth: He was born on 4 May 1649 to Champat Rai and Lal Kunwar in the Bundela Rajput clan.
- Lineage: He was a descendant of Rudra Pratap Singh of Orchha, and his ancestors were vassals of the Mughal emperor.
- Disillusionment with Mughals:
- Father’s Sacrifice: His father had raised the banner of freedom against the Mughals but was killed in battle.
- Struggle Against Mughal Rule: Chhatrasal started his struggle against Mughal dominance in 1671 and continued it for about 50 years.
- Relation with Baji Rao I:
- Military Assistance: Baji Rao I helped Chhatrasal against Muhammad Khan Bangash and enabled him to retain his kingdom.
- Family Alliance: Mastani, Chhatrasal’s daughter, became the second wife of Baji Rao I.
- Influence by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj:
- Meeting with Shivaji: Chhatrasal met Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Deogarh in 1671.
- Inspiration for Swarajya: Shivaji inspired him to fight for self-rule and adopt guerrilla warfare tactics against the Mughal armies.
- Rise of the Bundela Kingdom:
- Modest Beginning: He started his rebellion at the age of 22 with only 5 horsemen and 25 swordsmen.
- Formation of Kingdom: He established his own kingdom at the age of 26 against Mughal dominance.
- Territorial Expansion: He expanded his control from Chitrakoot and Panna in the east to Gwalior in the west.
- Spiritual Guru: Mahamati Prannathji was his spiritual guru.
- He guided Chhatrasal in political, social, and economic matters and informed him about the diamond mines of Panna.
- Title:
- Maharaja: Sant Prannathji bestowed the title of ‘Maharaja’ upon Chhatrasal.
- Raja: Aurangzeb conferred the title of ‘Raja’ upon him before his rebellion against Mughal rule.
- Patron of Literature: His court supported noted poets such as Kavi Bhushan, Lal Kavi, and Bakhshi Hansaraj, whose writings brought him lasting fame.
- Legacy: The town and district of Chhatarpur in Madhya Pradesh are named after him. The Maharaja Chhatrasal Museum in Madhya Pradesh and the Chhatrasal Stadium in Delhi also commemorate his legacy.
