A #Thread on Hindu Idea of Kingship
Everyone knows about the military excellence of Maharana Sanga, how he defeated Delhi Sultan Ibrahim Lodi twice, at the Battle of Khatoli(1518) &Battle of Dholpur(1519).
The forces of Sultan of Gujarat & Malwa in Battle of Gagaran& in Mandsaur.

But, here I want to talk about something different, about the character of the honorable man, which illustrates the Hindu Idol of Kingship.

Their idea of Kingship was not to dominate the will of people but serve as the representative of the interests of people.
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After Rana Sanga defeated Ibrahim Lodhi, we was severely wounded, he lost a leg, a hand and an eye in the previous battle. Once he has back in state of health, he invited a Darbar and called all his chiefs and sardars. While entering the darbar hall he was greeted by all his (3)

chiefs and nobles, but contrary to the usual practice of raising both hands up to the chest, Maharana raised his right hand upto the head, whole assembly was filled with astonishment, as it was against the established customs of the Mewar Darbar something of utmost importance.(4)

The astonishment increased when Maharana instead of occupying the Royal throne, came and sat among other nobles. Finally, Rawal Ratan SIngh of Salumbar, inquired to Maharana. On this, Maharana got up and declared:

"It was an ancient and well established rule that when an idol was injured and a part of it knocked off, it losses its right to be worshiped and another one was installed in its place. Similarly, the royal throne being a place of worship for the people, its occupant should also

be a person who is entire and who is able to render full service to the State ; that he had lost one arm and the full use of a leg, in addition to an eye, and was therefore, in his own opinion, he is no longer fit to occupy the throne.

He requested the whole assembly to elect someone whom they considered to be a fit person to fill Royal throne of Mewar and Hindu Confederacy, and also to bestow upon him a suitable maintenance (a jagir or thikana), so that he might continue, like other samants (warrior nobles)

Now take a small brake and think about this, the most powerful Indian Ruler of his time, the head of all the Hindus and Indians, whom the Hindus and Muslims looked up to save India from the wrath of Invaders, vacating his Royal Throne in accordance with his principles and

was ready to serve under someone else as a Jagirdar. This is a no normal, people today don't even give up the seat of Sarpanch, while on the contrary there are these great men.

Anyway,coming back to the topic, On hearing this, the assembled kings and chiefs submitted that the heroic Maharana had received injuries on a field of battle, where he had, by heroism and valour, defeated the enemy and won victory for Mewar, and that he had, therefore, not lost

anything, but had become adorned with laurels, and was, in consequence, the fittest person to enhance the glory of that exalted throne. Thereupon Raja Viramdeva of Merta and other chiefs got up, and taking Sanga by the hand placed him on the unoccupied throne.

After this, Lodhi again attacked Mewar & received another brutal defeat from Maharana Sanga.
Maharana attacked Sutan of Gujarat in Battle of Mandsaur and Battle of Gagaran and reduced him to shambles and Gujarat Sultan was forced to flee to Muhammadabad near Vadodra.