Maharana
Kumbhakarna (Rana Kumbha) was the ruler of Mewar, the state in the western
India, between the AD 1433 and 1468. Rana Kumbha was the Rajput belonging to
the Sisodiya clan. Kumbha was the son of Rana Mokal of Mewar by his wife
Sobhagya Devi, the daughter of Jaitmal Sankhla, the Parmara fief-holder of
Runkot in the state of Mewar.
Maharana Kumbha
was vanguard of the fifteenth century Hindu resurgence in the north-western
India. A very tall and powerful man, he held the Mewar flag flying high in an
age when several Indian Kings like Kapilendradeva of east India, Deva Raya II
of the south India and Man Singh Tomar of the central India defeated the Turkic
invaders in different parts of India.
After being
overrun by the armies of Alauddin Khilji at the turn of 13th century, Mewar had
become relatively insignificant. Rana Hammira is credited with the casting off
Muslim yoke and establishing the second Guhila dynasty of Chittor in 1335.
Rana Hammira’s
grandson, Maharana Mokal was assassinated by the 2 brothers Chacha and Mera in
1433. Lack of support, however, caused Chacha and Meera to flee and Rana Kumbha
ascended the throne of Mewar. Initially, the Rana Kumbha was ably assisted by the
Ranmal (Ranmalla) Rathore of Mandore. In November 1442, Mahmud Khilji, Sultan
of Malwa, commenced a series of attacks on Mewar.
On April 26,
1443, Maharana Kumbha attacked the Sultan’s encampment, following an indecisive
battle the Sultan returned to Mandu. The Sultan again attacked in November
1443, capturing Gagraun and adjoining forts but the capture of Chittor eluded
him. The next attack was on Mandalgarh in October 1446 and was also
unsuccessful. The sultan did not attack Mewar for another ten Years. In order
to commemorate his resounding victory over the combined armies of Malwa and
Gujarat in 1440 AD, Rana Kumbha got the famed 37 meter, 9 storeys high ‘Vijay
Sthambha’ erected at Chittorgarh which was completed in 1448 AD.
In a patricide,
Rana Kumbha was killed by his son Udaysimha (Udai Singh I). His achievement,
however still continues to inspire successive generations of Indians.
Read more about rana kumbha: http://www.eternalmewarblog.com/rulers-of-mewar/Maharana-Kumbha/