There was once a newly wed Rajput king who was asked to go to battle against Aurangazeb . But there was one problem . He was newly wed . And typical of newly weds his mind was with his wife and he reluctantly went to battle . But he wanted a memento to remind him of his wife . But what he forgot was the tradition of Rajput honor . And he received the severed head of his wife(she asked her aides to kill her and present it to her husband ) as memento so that he never lost his concentration in his battle against the enemy . He won the war and later killed himself to join his wife in the afterlife .
A tale fact or fiction ? I read it long ago in amar chitra katha but it has internet references now in wikipedia and the rani is Hadi Rani Hadi rani
And whether fact or fiction this is one group where honor and hospitality were hand in hand . I had blogged about Chittor fort long back when i visited Udaipur in Rajasthan and the innumerous johars ( self immolation in fire to prevent loss of honour ) by Rajasthani women and the battle to the death by Rajput men keeps this group the Rajputs a group apart .
I know 3 modern day Rajputs as friends and though i dont know them thoroughly found them quite hospitable . They look just like you and me except that they still have their traditions alive . Four years ago i was shocked when my friend who was shorter than me and who was very pleasant in his manners , extremely hospitable showed me a video in his mobile . It was his ceremony of initiation into an adult and this pleasant youngster was carrying a sword . A goat was just moving about and a crowd was watching . For few minutes the video played both the goat and this young man just looking at the crowd . Suddenly with one stroke he cut the neck of the goat . It was one of the initiation ceremonies of Rajputs carried out to this day just like the masai tradition of killing a lion . (now dont ask me why rajputs dont kill lions ) .
Talking about hospitality i should mention my city palace visit this time to jaipur . For first time in my life i got an audio guide ( a tape which when pressed will tell the historic details ) . What i was not prepared for was the young girl insisting that i put my bag there after explaining twice how to use the audio guide (idiot as always with gadgets :)) . I asked her again "Can i take my bag in ? " . She replied that i could definitely but since its heavy it would be good for me if i didnt carry it . The way they were telling it was more out of genuine hospitality than a random comment . And i was just one random tourist in one of the most visited tourist places in india the city palace of jaipur . Having gone to numerous monuments in india such incidents are rare . When many visitors are there you are not given any attention other than the ticket and an unsmiling face . (at other places)
When i came out of the city palace after my 3 hour tour the girl was gone . I returned the audio guide to two rajput men in traditional attire . They asked me "did you fly kite " ? Its kite festival . I sheepishly told no . I didnt have company on this particular day and had visited the city palace alone . I had already given back my tickets at the exit gate . They took me back inside the palace and up the spiral path to one of the roofs of the palace . And there it was a box of kites completely free and they and their friends helped me and a few others to fly a kite over the jaipur palace . It was a dream come true for me as not only i flew a kite after a decade and that too on kite festival in jaipur and that too over the jaipur palace .
I dont know whether the clang of metals is music to their ears ( but have never seen this much swords as in their museums ) but one thing is sure . They are a hospitable bunch to this day and to the best of my knowledge not "regional " . When regionalism is raising its ugly head in some parts of india let us look up to the Rajputs who by their hospitality and courage earn their dignity ... the real warriors ( and warrior women ) .
A tale fact or fiction ? I read it long ago in amar chitra katha but it has internet references now in wikipedia and the rani is Hadi Rani Hadi rani
And whether fact or fiction this is one group where honor and hospitality were hand in hand . I had blogged about Chittor fort long back when i visited Udaipur in Rajasthan and the innumerous johars ( self immolation in fire to prevent loss of honour ) by Rajasthani women and the battle to the death by Rajput men keeps this group the Rajputs a group apart .
I know 3 modern day Rajputs as friends and though i dont know them thoroughly found them quite hospitable . They look just like you and me except that they still have their traditions alive . Four years ago i was shocked when my friend who was shorter than me and who was very pleasant in his manners , extremely hospitable showed me a video in his mobile . It was his ceremony of initiation into an adult and this pleasant youngster was carrying a sword . A goat was just moving about and a crowd was watching . For few minutes the video played both the goat and this young man just looking at the crowd . Suddenly with one stroke he cut the neck of the goat . It was one of the initiation ceremonies of Rajputs carried out to this day just like the masai tradition of killing a lion . (now dont ask me why rajputs dont kill lions ) .
Talking about hospitality i should mention my city palace visit this time to jaipur . For first time in my life i got an audio guide ( a tape which when pressed will tell the historic details ) . What i was not prepared for was the young girl insisting that i put my bag there after explaining twice how to use the audio guide (idiot as always with gadgets :)) . I asked her again "Can i take my bag in ? " . She replied that i could definitely but since its heavy it would be good for me if i didnt carry it . The way they were telling it was more out of genuine hospitality than a random comment . And i was just one random tourist in one of the most visited tourist places in india the city palace of jaipur . Having gone to numerous monuments in india such incidents are rare . When many visitors are there you are not given any attention other than the ticket and an unsmiling face . (at other places)
When i came out of the city palace after my 3 hour tour the girl was gone . I returned the audio guide to two rajput men in traditional attire . They asked me "did you fly kite " ? Its kite festival . I sheepishly told no . I didnt have company on this particular day and had visited the city palace alone . I had already given back my tickets at the exit gate . They took me back inside the palace and up the spiral path to one of the roofs of the palace . And there it was a box of kites completely free and they and their friends helped me and a few others to fly a kite over the jaipur palace . It was a dream come true for me as not only i flew a kite after a decade and that too on kite festival in jaipur and that too over the jaipur palace .
I dont know whether the clang of metals is music to their ears ( but have never seen this much swords as in their museums ) but one thing is sure . They are a hospitable bunch to this day and to the best of my knowledge not "regional " . When regionalism is raising its ugly head in some parts of india let us look up to the Rajputs who by their hospitality and courage earn their dignity ... the real warriors ( and warrior women ) .
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