________________
16 ]
INTRODUCTION
from Persian accounts. Also, the Khyāts in old Rajasthani of different families present different and sometimes contradictory accounts of events when their respective heroes are concerned.
In spite of these difficulties, however, we are able to gather much reliable information about Kumbhakarna and his times. It gives us the picture of a great warrior and ruler, a patron of arts and learning and a builder of magnificent monuments.
Mahārāṇā Kumbha's life was full of storm and stress, even for those stormy times. He was with his father Mahārāņā Mokal when the latter had started on a campaign to fight Sultan Ahmad Shah of Gujarat who, according to the Vir Vinod had, in 1432 A. D., proceeded to Mewar with a large army and was passing, through Jheelwara-a part of Mewar-and was plundering the country and breaking temples (M.K. pp. 29-30).1
According to the S'ṛngirs'i inscription of V.S. 1485 (A.D. 1429) Mokal had defeated Ahamad once before, when he had come to espouse the cause of Firojkhan of Nagor. However Mahārāṇā Mokal, before he could meet Ahamad was, in A.D. 1433, assassinated, when encamped at Baga, by his uncles Chacha and Maira-natural sons of his grandfather Khetsingh by a woman of the carpenter class. They interpreted an innocent inquiry about the name of a particular tree by Mokal as a reflection on their birth and so made a conspiracy with Mahipā to kill Mokal.
Kumbha as the heir-apparent to the throne had to reach Chitor quickly, which he could do with great difficulty on account of the ensuing fray. His life was also aimed at (p.32) by the conspirators, who pursued him to Chitor, where, however, they found that the gates were closed against them. Chacha, Maira and Mahipa returned to Madaria, where Chacha was proclaimed as the Mahārāņa of Mewar, Mahipa becoming his Diwan (pp.32-33). But they received no support and had to run away to the hills of Pai Kotra with their families. They threw themselves into the stronghold of Rätākot which they fortified against Kumbhā.
Kumbhakarna ascended the throne of Mewar at Chicor in 1433 A.D. He was the eldest son of Mahārānā Mokal2 by his Paramāra queen
1 The page-numbers in this section of the Introduction refer to the Kumbhā Rāņā, by Harbilas Sarda, Second edition, when not otherwise specified.
2 Mokal had in all seven sons-Kumbhakaran, Kshemakaran, Shiva, Satta, Nathsingh, Viramdeva, Rajdhar (p. 33) and a daughter named Lalbai-married to Achalsingh the Khuchi Chief of Gagroon. It was to help this son-in-law that Mokal had to start on an expedition in which he was eventually murdered (p. 29).
