Modi to attend Rani Durgavati Yatra: Who was the queen that died fighting Mughals?

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will mark the culmination of the Virangana Rani Durgavati Gaurav Yatra in Madhya Pradesh.The yatra, flagged off by Amit Shah on 22 June, pays homage to Rani Durgavati.But who is Rani Durgavati, the queen of Gondwana who died fighting the Mughals?Let’s take a closer look: Early yearsAccording to the Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalayawas website, Durgavati was born on 5 October, 1524, into the family of Chandel emperor Keerat Rai.As per Indian Express, the Chandelas were famed for constructing the Khajuraho temples in the 11th Century.As per the website, the Chandelas also made history when their king Vidyadhar fended off Mehmood Gaznavi.Born at Kalanjar fort – present-day Uttar Pradesh – Durgavati’s father was Raja Salbahan of Ratha and Mahoba.According to News18, she was named Durgavati after being born during the Hindu festival of Durgashtami.Marriage and ruleDurgavati, at age 18, married Dalpat Shah – the eldest son of King Sangram Shah of the Gond Dynasty.According to Indian Express, her father-in-law Sangram Shah ruled over the Garha-Katanga kingdom which spanned the Narmada Valley as well as parts of northern Madhya Pradesh.

This was a political match that brought both dynasties closer together.

According to the website, this alliance led to Keerat Rai receiving help from the Gonds and Dalpat Shah during the invasion of Sher Shah Suri -- in which Suri ultimately perished.Durgavati gave birth to her son Vir Narayan in 1545.Unfortunately for Durgavati, her husband Dalpat Shah would pass away in 1550.Since her son was just a child, Durgavati ruled the Gond Kingdom in his name.According to CNBC, Durgavati was helped to rule by advisor Adhar Bakhila.[caption id="attachment_12791532" align="alignnone" width="640"]

The Centre on 24 June, 1988, paid homage to Durgavati by issuing a postal stamp. Image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/ India Post, Government of India[/caption]Durgavati moved her capital to Chauragarh – the fort on the Satpura hill range located at a strategically important spot –  from Singaurgarh.According to the Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalayawas website, Durgavati faced trouble after the death of Sher Shah Suri in 1556 when Baj Bahadur succeeded his father Sujat Khan.Bahadur declared war on Durgavati but suffered a heavy defeat – which brought Durgavati much acclaim.According to CNBC, in 1562 Akbar defeated Bahadur and took over his territory – thus pushing the Mughal Empire’s boundary right up against Durgavati’s kingdom.Defeat in battle and deathIn 1564, Akbar sent forces under Asaf Khan, the Mughal governor of Allahabad, against Gondwana.According to CNBC, Khan stationed his forces at Damoh after hearing that Durgavati was mustering her troops.

By then, Durgavati’s army had lost most of its troops – from 2,000 to just 300 men, according to Akbar’s court historian Abul Fazl.

According to Indian Express, Durgavati regardless of the odds entered the battlefield and placed her troops at Narhi.This area, in a thick forest, forced Mughal forces to navigate narrow ravines and found themselves surrounded by her troops.Though Durgavati won the initial battle, she would go on to lose the war after the Mughals managed to build fortifications.Durgavati during the battle on 24 June, 1564, was pierced with arrows in her neck and her ear.When she realised the battle was lost, she killed herself with a dagger so that she would not be taken prisoner.LegacyAccording to Indian Express, historian Satish Chandra called Durgavati a ‘good marksman skilled at using guns, bows, and arrows’.Durgavati was so focussed on hunting tigers that “whenever she heard that a tiger had appeared she did not drink water until she shot it,” as per the newspaper.

Fazl called Durgavati a mix of “beauty, grace and manlike courage and bravery”.

Fazl also noted Durgavati’s administrative prowess – saying her kingdom was so prosperous that people paid taxes with gold coins and elephants.The Madhya Pradesh government in 1983 renamed Jabalpur University of Jabalpur as Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya to honour her memory.The Centre on 24 June, 1988 paid homage to Durgavati by issuing a postal stamp to commemorate her martyrdom.According to The Print, the yatra by the BJP in Madhya Pradesh – which comes ahead of the Assembly elections – is being viewed as an attempt to get into the good graces of the Gond community.Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan last week called the queen a “symbol of bravery, self-respect, strength and good governance.”With inputs from agenciesRead all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.