Bappa Rawal

'Bappa Rawal (Kalbhoj) (b. Prince Kalbhoj, ca 713-d. 753, possibly at Eklingji), eighth ruler of the Guhilot Dynasty and founder of the Mewar Dynasty (r. 734-753)in present-day Rajasthan, India.

Bappa Rawal was one of the most powerful and famous rulers of the Mewar Dynasty. Although a surviving member of the Guhilot clan, Prince Kalbhoj (his actual name) did not continue the family name of seven generations when he came to the throne; instead, he established the Mewar Dynasty, naming it for the kingdom he had just taken. He went on to become a celebrated hero on battlefields near and far, yet his fascinating life is full of enigmas, and many were the legends created about him. It is said that Bappa was blessed by Harit Rishi, a sage of the Mewar region, with kingship. His father, Rawal Mahendra II had married a woman of the Paramara Rajput clan, possibly from Mt. Abu or Chandravati, both Paramara centres at that time. She was also the sister of Maan Mori, the Paramara king who ruled much of the State of Mewar. This included Guhilot clan land, which Paramara invaders from Malwa had annexed a century or so earlier, and set up their capital in the ancient fortress of Chittorgarh.

Bappa Rawal is said to have spent his childhood near a place called Nagda. As with most high-spirited princes, there are several legends from Bappa's early years as a youth in the wild Aravalli Hills. The pranks of this royal shepherd (he tended the sacred cattle of the Brahmans) include his allegedly innocent mischief among village damsels, although perhaps it was not so innocent. One afternoon, in a game of his own devising, he 'married' several of the young girls, which ended with his having to flee Nagda to a hide-out in the hills to escape the maidens' irate parents. An interesting footnote to this legend of potential virility is that Bappa Rawal is said to have married many women, Hindu and Muslim, and sired well over one hundred children.

Bappa Rawal played an important role in the Battle of Rajasthan, a series of wars fought in the 8th century AD between the regional rulers of North-Western India and the Arabs of Sindh, where the latters had a sounding defeat.In order to face of Muslim invasions across the western borders of Rajputana, Bappa united the smaller states of Ajmer and Jaisalmer to repel the invaders. During the next 800 years, Chittor becomes the symbol of Hindu resistance in western India.

Besides being a brave warrior who lead his army to great victories, Bappa Rawal was also known to be a just ruler. After having ruled his kingdom for a long time he abdicated the throne in favour of his son he himself turned into Siva upasaka ( worshiper of Shiva ) and became a Yati ( an ascetic who has full control over his passions ).

References

*"Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan; or the Central and Western Rajput States" (Hardcover) by James Tod. Edited by William Crooke. 3 volumes, hardcover. Publisher: Trans-Atl (1994) ISBN 81-7069-128-1
* http://www.mmcfindia.org/Bappa_Rawal.asp

ee also

*List of Rajputs
*Gurkha
*Mewar
*Rajput