Rider of the Blue Horse - Maharana Pratap

"Ho! Neela Ghora re Sawar"

"Ho! Rider of the Blue Horse"

A voice pierces through the hobbled canter of a steed amidst sounds of rattling metal and rustling wilderness. It interrupts again, as a shadow approaches riding another steed through the flames of dust, the hooves of whose glow, as they spark like ambers on the hard flint rock...

Maharana Uday Singh, the founder of Udaipur had suddenly fallen ill, a beloved king of Mewar, he was in Gogunda, preparing for war against the Mughals who had aggressed into his kingdom and captured the prized fort of Chittaur. Within less than a month he succumbs to his illness on 28th of February 1572, his dying lament, to have not reacquired Mewar in its entirety. This although was not before he had proclaimed his younger son Jagmal as successor to the throne of Mewar. The nobles of Mewar however had another plan and did not see Jagmal fit to rule, and Pratap Singh instead was crowned the Maharana of Mewar. Even though it seemed like, the contest was all but over, for another brother, Shakti Singh, elder to Jagmal deemed himself to be more deserving of the title.

It was in October 1572, the festival of Aheria had come, and among all festivities, the Maharana and his brothers were blessed by the women for the Ritual Hunt, even the horses were given sacred oblations, and before sunrise, the men went into the wilderness for the hunt. Pratap's childhood friend Tej Singh was accompanying him with the Rajguru (Royal Priest), as they entered the forests, Maharana's steed Chetak smelled wild boar and galloped towards it. Soon Pratap saw the beast moving in the bushes and with a careful aim hurled his spear into it, a shrill cry was heard, and Tej Singh exclaimed, "A good omen, you have felled the animal with the day's first throw". Upon dismounting and approaching his kill, the Maharana was surprised to see his brother Shakti Singh standing beside the killed boar, which now seemed to have another spear in it. "How lucky I am, I got the first kill of the day", Shakti smirked mockingly, to Pratap's bafflement who returned to his friend, "Tej, tell him". "The Maharana's spear hit the boar first, I saw it with my own eyes", Tej Singh repeats. "Lower your tone, it is mine and I will take it", Shakti stares Tej Singh down to which Maharana shouts "Don't touch it", to which Tej again repeats even louder "Don't touch it". Irritated, Shakti draws his sword and walks towards Tej but is interrupted by the Maharana. This was no sibling rivalry for they were step brothers and former claimants to a throne, a fight ensues and as the Rajguru tries to calm both of them down through first verbal and then physical intervention, he is struck by Shakti Singh's sword. The old man dies instantly. Shocked, both of them back off at the mishap "Oh my god, what have you done, this is Brahmahatya, that too of the Rajguru" Pratap shouted in disbelief and anger, "This is unpardonable, leave the soil of Mewar, and don't ever come back". Shaken by all this, Shakti recollects himself, sheathes his sword, mounts his horse and leaves, but not before one final word of severance "Know this Maharana of Mewar, one day I will be back and I will take my revenge"...

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