Chundawat

Chundawats are a Suryavanshi Rajput clan and were powerful chiefs in the Mewar region during the 1700s.[1]

The Chundawats are descendant of Chunda (or Choonda), a son of Mewar's ruler Lakha Singh. Chunda was the eldest son of Maharana Lakha and crown prince of Mewar, but made the supreme sacrifice of abdicating the throne of Mewar in favor of his yet to born step brother Mokal Singh.

Crown prince of Mewar - Chunda renounces his Birth Right

Chunda, being the heir apparent to the throne of Mewar was to inherit the title of Maharana of Mewar. But a certain twist of incidents changed that. It so happened that Rao Ranmal(father of Rao Jodha) of Mandore, Marwar visited the court of Mewar and offered the hand of his sister Hansa Bai in marriage to the crown prince Chunda of Mewar. Rao Ranmal of Mandore was received by Chunda father Maharana Lakha as Chunda ji was out on a hunting expedition. Maharana Lakha was past the prime of his life and when this marriage proposal (in the form of a coconut) came from Rao Ranmal for Maharaj Kunwar Chunda. Maharana Lakha drawing his fingers over his mustache said “I didn’t expect such playthings to be sent to an old grey- beard like me.” According to historian James Tod, Chunda was offended when he saw that his father still had a secret longing for married life then Chunda made up his mind that Maharana Lakha should himself accept the marriage proposal. Initially, princess Hansa Bai was not agree to marry old aged Maharana Lakha but later got agree on one condition that only her biological son will be successor of the throne of Mewar after Maharana Lakha. Prince Chunda agreed on her condition and took the bhishama pratigya ('terrible oath') like Bhishma of Mahabharat — the vow of lifelong service to whomever sat on the throne of his father (the throne of Mewar). Later Mokal Singh (1409 – c. 1433)[2] born and become Maharana of Mewar after the death of his father Lakha Singh.

In Mewar, Chundawats are mainly spread across the near by Thikana's of Parawal, Begun, Salumber, Devgarh and Amet.

References

  1. Sreenivasan, Ramya (2006). "Drudges, Dancing Girls, Concubines: Female Slaves in Rajput Polity, 1500-1850". In Chatterjee, Indrani; Eaton, Richard M. Slavery and South Asian History. Indiana University Press. p. 148. ISBN 978-0-25311-671-0.
  2. Soszynski, Henry. "UDAIPUR". members.iinet.net.au. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
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