Indian Antiquary Vol 60

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 73

MARCH, 1931)
BOOK NOTICE
59
BOOK-NOTICE. RAJPUTANE KA ITIHAS [The History of Rajpâtânâ), victory, as indeed Akbar seems to have recognized
Fasc. III, by MAKAMAHOPADHYAYA RAI BAHADUR at the time, whence his displeneure with ManaGAURISHANKAR HIRNAND OJKÅ. 93 x 64 in.; simha. Among the most impressive pictures pp. 737-1136; with illustrations. Ajmer, Vaidikdrawn by Tod is that of the physical hardships Press, 1929.
and mental suffering endured by Pratapa and Since Col. James Tod completed-just a century his family as they were hunted from one hiding egohis immortal work, The Annals and Antiquities place to another in the hills, how the brave Rând of Rajasthan, enormous strides have been made was unmanned by the "lamentation of his children in the critical study of Indian history and, besides for food," and how, his funds being exhausted, the discovery and publication of further historical he was unable further to stem the torrent of Mughal and other records, a vast quantity of epigraphical attacks and formed the resolution of abandoning And numismatic material has become available. Mewâr and of leading his Sisodias to the Indus Tod, in the absence of these sources of knowledge, and there planting the crimson banner "on the was dependent upon local traditiong, such archives insular capital of Sogdoi," when the noble devotion as had been preserved in the States and, more of his minister Bhâmå gah, who placed at his disposal particularly, upon the bardic chronicles, which, the accumulated wealth of a family that had for as Mahêmahopadhyâya G. H. Ojha has shown, only generations held the first office in the state, enabled began to be recorded after the sixteenth century of him to turn back and renew the struggle with fresh the Vikrama Samyat and abound in errory. These resources and energy. The Mahamahopadhyâya old chroniclers had no knowledge of correct chrono- shows that all this is largely hyperbole and par logy, and Tod had no means of testing and correcting | imagination. He points out that from Kumbhalgash their assertions, to which his eloquent pen added a in the north to beyond Rşabhadeva in the south Warrant of authenticity. The time was ripe for (a distance of some 90 miles), and from Debari rewriting the story told in the fascinating pages of in the east to Sirohf in the west (about 70 miles) Tod; and it is fortunate that the task should have the country remained under Pratapa's control. been undertaken by the present author, whose The tale of the Rank's privations and penury he scholarly attainments and unique knowledge of the pronounces to be altogether baseless, giving detailed subjeot, acquired by life-long research and stimulat- reasons for his opinion. In these matters he ed by personal interest in the land and people,
thinks Tod must have been misled by unreliable render him proeminently qualified for the work. hearsay. The account of Pratapa's reign concludes The errors in the bardio accounts, as well as in with an expression of regret that up to date no vernacular compilations of more recent date, have ! memorial should have been erected in Mewar to now been indicated and corrected. The narratives the memory of so valiant and patriotic a Mahârâpa. of the Muhammadan historians have been carefully
In spite of Pratapa's misgivings, his son Amaraexamined and utilized where they afford relevant
simha continued the struggle for another seventeen information. But the outstanding feature of this or eighteen years against the Mughal troops, until work is the use that has been made of stone and in 1615, with the co-operation of Prince Khuram, copperplate inscriptions, so many of which have the memorable compromise was effected under which been discovered by the author himself, and some of the MahârâpA's son Karna wae sent to Jahangir's which have not hitherto been edited or published. court, he himself being exempted from attendance.
In the present fascicule, which is the third to be The fact was that, after constant fighting with the printed, we have the history of the premier state, Mughals for 47 years, the Rajputs had become thinUdayapur (begun in fasc. II) carried on from the ned in numbers and weary of the struggle. In many time of the great Pratápa (Pratapasimha I) down families two generations, in some three, had passed to that of Mahârånå Sajjanasimha, i.e., from the away in this warfare, and the feeling was gaining reign of Akbar to the last quarter of the nineteenth ground that a truce should be called: but the concentury. The story of Pratapa and his long and ditions attaching to submission to the emperor and gallant struggle to preserve the independence of attendance at court deterred the proud Sisoding from his country is one of the most absorbing in a history coming to terms. The Sardars put their heads replete with striking episodes; and our author does together with a viow to finding way for peace with justice to the subject. A full description is given honour, some arrangement by which the Maharap of the fiercely contestod battle fought near Haldi would not be required to submit to the indignity of Ghât in 1876, when the imperial forces under having to dance attendance at the Mughal court. the famous Månasimha narrowly escaped defeat. They decided to approach Khurram, to ascertain if Tod had been misled to think that Salim (afterwards the attendance of the oldest son, Karpa, would be Jahangir) was in chief command of the Mughal accepted, and first of all to sound Karps as to troops. MM. G. H, Ojha points out that the whether he would consent to guch a solution, Karpa prince was only six years old at the time. He having agrood, Kburram was approaobod. The latter gives reason for holding that very littlo advantage sent word of the proposal to Jahangir, who appears accrued to the imperial sido from their ultimate readily to bave assentod, granting the Maharåņ& "