Rana Sanga: Warrior with 80 wounds defeated Babur and Ibrahim Lodi

Sangram Singh Sisodia, popularly known as Rana Sanga, was an Emperor (Rana) of the Sisodia Dynasty of Mewar present-day Rajasthan. Maharana Sanga stood united several Rajput clans, including Marwar and Kachwaha and resisted several tyrants including foreign invader Babur. During his life span, he defended Indian culture, prestige, and it’s inhabitants from tyranny of several foreign invaders by decisively defeating them in several battles including Battle of Khanwa, Battle of Bayana, Battle of Khatoli and Battle of Dholpur. 

Due to his valorous war cry, despite losing one eye, wrist, one lower leg and having around 80 wounds on the body, he is embraced with the title of Maharana. 

80 घाव लगे थे तन पे, फिर भी व्यथा नहीं थी मन में!

Early Life and Accession to the throne:   

Whole Mewar blossomed when a child took birth in the Royal Family of Rana Raimal and Ratan Kunwar (Chauhan princess) and the child was named Sangram Singh Sisodia. Sangram Singh was well versed in several languages, a proficient warrior and an able administrator. 

At a tender age, Young Sanga was blinded from one eye by his elder brother Prithviraj III when a priest predicted that Sangram Singh will become next king of Mewar. Prithviraj III, the eldest son of Rana Raimal, ascended the throne after his father’s death but, Sangram Singh refused to accept him as a king and as a consequence Sanga was deported from Mewar. After the assassination of Prithviraj and Jaimal at the hands of Abu Deora Chief, Sangram Singh attacked the Mewar with his few followers and ascended the throne in 1508.

Rana Sanga was married to Rani Karnawati (princess of Bundi) and had four son’s from his marriage. Rani Karnawati was equally gallant as of his husband, Sangram Singh. After the death of Rana Sanga, ensuring the advantage of time, Bahadur Shah of Gujarat attacked the Chittorgarh in 1535 in the absence of King. After losing on the battlefield, nobles of Mewar insisted Rani Karnawati flee but, she relentlessly refused and opted to perform Jauhar with 13,000 women. 

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Rule of Rana Sanga:

Rana Sangram Singh ruled Mewar from 1508 to 1528 and was the last Hindu Ruler of Northern India to hold the most significant territory. Rana Sangram Singh was an able orator thus, succeeded in uniting the Hindu rulers of Northern India and Rajputana under a single flag. Thus, the collective forces of Rajputana relentlessly succeeded in eliminating the foreign invasion. 

Rana Sanga is often acknowledged for abrogating Jizya tax upon Hindu’s or any other community or religion. Sanga’s liberal views and Sanatani Nature is still a very hidden aspect of his life. He respected every religion, faith and belief in his kingdom. During his reign, he abolished the ideology of bigotry and favoritism spread by Islamic rulers and established the principle of equality and sovereignty.   

During his reign, he controlled prominent parts of present-day Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat and Amarkot in Sindh province. The fall of Paramara Kingdom in 1305 removed Rajput rule from Malwa; he is credited for re-establishing Rajput authority in Malwa after around two centuries by defeating Mahmud Khilji.  

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Military Career of Rana Sanga:

Rana Sangram Singh fought around 100 battles and adorned the motherland with victories in all. Rana Sangram Singh defeated various Sultanates and Sultans in a lionizing military career, including Sultanate of Malwa, Gujarat and Delhi (Babur and Ibrahim Lodi). 

Campaign against Delhi Sultanate:

Battle of Khatoli: In 1517, Ibrahim Lodi was crowned with the diadem of Delhi Sultanate and followed the cruel expansionist policy of his ancestors. Sultan of Delhi attacked Mewar with heavy force, outnumbering Rajput Army. But, he was unaware of the mettlesome Rajput’s under Rana Sanga and met them in the field of Khatoli. Ibrahim Lodi faced a crushing defeat, and frightened Afghan forces fled to Agra. During the Battle, Sanga lost one arm and one leg. 

Battle of Dholpur: In 1519, the Afghan army planned a two-front attack on Mewar thus, forming a coalition with the Sultan of Malva and attacking Mewar. This time battle took place in the field of Dholpur, again outnumbered the fierce Rajput army and injured Sanga defeated mlechchha’s. 

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Campaign against Gujarat and Malva Sultanate:

Battle of Gagron:  Rana Sanga led mighty Rajput forces to Malwa province, serving under a cruel ruler Mahmud Khilji II. Medini Rai, a true and rebel king of the Malwa, sought help from Rana Sanga to free his kingdom from the oppression and tyranny of Khilji’s. Rana’s forces and Medini Rai defeated and later captured Mahmud Khilji II. 

Rana made Medini Rai the new ruler of Malwa and appointed him as the vassal or loyalist of Mewar. Rana directed him to remove the Jizya tax imposed by Khilji upon Hindus. Another prominent face and rebel king of Malwa, Silhaditya Tomar, established himself as Raisen and Sarangpur region head under Rana’s guidance. 

During the Gujarat conquest, mighty forces of Rana attacked the Nizam Khan to free up the public from barbarism and wickedness. Rana’s forces defeated Nizam Khan, and trembling Nizam Khan fled to Ahmadabad. Rana appointed his vassal to rule the northern Gujarat province. 

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Chapter of Mughal’s against Rana Sanga:

The chapter of the Mughal invasion of India began with the Babur’s notion of “Jihad against Kaffirs (infidels)” and performing forced religious conversion and persecution upon non-Islamic communities.

Battle of Bayana: Mughal’s captured the fort of Bayana, which was part of Sanga’s empire. Sanga having 80 wounds with a broken one leg, one hand, and blinded by one eye, marched towards the field of Bayana and decisively defeated the Mughal’s army under Babur. Sanga spared Mughal’s and afraid Mughal’s fled to Agra.

Battle of Khanwa: Once again, Mughal’s and a coalition of Hindu forces clash into the field of Khanwa. Severely Injured Sanga decided to wrap up the Mughal from India. Babur, with heavy machinery and advanced equipment, marched into the battlefield. The battle begins and shows favorable results for Mewar, even lacking professional equipment. The result of Battle of Khanwa ia biggest gamble by Anti-Indian and Anti-Hindu forces, as they propagated it’s result as Babur’s victory but, the truth is far away from this notion.

According to the book Maharanas: A Thousand Years of War For Dharma by Omendra Ratnu, when being surrounded by cannons, Rana’s warriors decided to put their heads into the cannons resulting bursting of cannons at the same place thus, they sacrificed their life to save bigger portion of army and to ensure victory for Rana side. As a consequence of their valor, Mewar attained victory in Battle of Khanwa. During the battle Rana Sanga got fatally wounded when an arrow struck into Sanga’s neck, and he fell unconscious. Maldeo Rathore of Marwar and Medini Rai taken off Rana Sanga from the battlefield. This incident in the war gave chance to Babur to escape from the battlefield, otherwise rana would have killed him if he was not attacked cowardly.

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Death of Rana Sanga:

After attaining consciousness, Rana Sanga decided to attack Babur and Delhi again in order to throw these invaders out of Indian boundaries but, a traitor bribed by Babur poisoned Rana Sanga. Rana Sanga embraced martyrdom on 30th January 1528 by poisoning. 

Eventually, the invincible legacy of Maharana Sanga taught us the principle of Unity, equality, affection towards your motherland and Dharma. The land of Mewar has adorned us with several chevalier son’s like Maharana Pratap, Rana Raj Singh, Amar Singh, Rana Kumbha, Bappa Rawal, Rana Raimal, Rana Fateh Singh, Rawal Ratan Singh, Rana Hammir Dev and many more.

At last, a beautiful poetry written by a brilliant unknown poet defining the glory of Maharana Sanga:-

सांगा अमर रहेगा ...
रण बांका अमर रहेगा ...
दिल्ली जिसके चरण चूमती ...
हिन्द की माटी जिस पर इठलाती ...
बप्पा की वो शान था ...
कुम्भा का वो मान था ...
वो राणा अमर रहेगा ...
वो सांगा अमर रहेगा ...
रण बांका अमर रहेगा ...

सौ युद्धों का था वो विजेता ...
मेवाड़ धरा का राज दुलारा ...
हिन्द धरा का था वो पुजारा ...
वो राणा अमर रहेगा ...
वो सांगा अमर रहेगा ...
रण बांका अमर रहेगा ....

धोड़े जिसके सिंधु जल पीते ...
सैनिक जिसके नर्मदे में नहाते ...
यमुना जिसके चरण पखारें ...
हिन्द का वो मान था ..
भारत माँ की शान था ...
वो राणा अमर रहेगा ...
वो सांगा अमर रहेगा ...
रण बांका अमर रहेगा ...

बाबर का जो काल था ...
हसन मेवाती जिसकी ढाल था ...
लोधी का यमकाल था ...
भागा जिसके आगे अहमदाबाद था ...
मांडू जिसकी कैद में था ...
गीत जिसके गाते खानवा और खतौली है ...
वो राणा अमर रहेगा ...
वो सांगा अमर रहेगा ...
रण बांका अमर रहेगा ...

जिसके जौहर से चमका हिंदुस्तान था ...
उस कर्णावती की वो मांग था ...
जन जन की वो जान ...
हिन्द का वो स्वाभिमान था ...
गूहिलों का अभिमान था ...
वो राणा अमर रहेगा ...
वो सांगा अमर रहेगा ...
रण बांका अमर रहेगा ...

गोरा - बादल पर जो गर्वित था ...
प्रताप उस सांगा पर गर्वित था ...
पद्मिनी जिसकी माई थी ...
रतन सिंह उसका साई था ...
अल्लट - सामन्त - कुमार - जैत्र - समर - हमीर और चूंडा
जिसके कुल अभिमान थे ...
उस सिसोदिया कुल पर उसको मान था ...
हिन्द उसकी जान था ...
हिमालय पर जिसको मान था ...
वो राणा अमर रहेगा ...
वो सांगा अमर रहेगा ...
रण बांका अमर रहेगा ...

उदय - प्रताप - अमर - राज - फतेह
जिनको उस पर मान था ......
अज्जा - सज्जा - गोकुल - नरवद
रायमल - खेतसी - रामदास
माणकचन्द - गंगा - करमचंद
पृथ्वी - वीरमदे - भारमल
जोगा - उदय - रतन और मेदनी का जिसको साथ था ...
अस्सी घावों से सुशोभित ...
वो राणा अमर रहेगा ..
वो सांगा अमर रहेगा ..
रण बांका अमर रहेगा ...

उस राणा की गाथा मैं क्या गाऊ ...
गीत जिसके गाता समरांगण है ...
जिसमें बसे हर हिन्द वाशी के प्राण है ...
धरा जिसके रक्त से लाल है ...
आसमा जिसके पदचापों की रज से रंजीत है ...
आंसू बहा मैं उसके पथ को न लजाऊंगा ...
पी अश्रु मैं उसके गीत सदा गाऊंगा ...
वो राणा अमर रहेगा ...
वो सांगा अमर रहेगा ...
रण बांका अमर रहेगा ...

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