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Royal Resilience: Unforgettable Tales from Garhwal’s Past
We have often heard about the great Rani Laxmibai and Rani Rudrama Devi, but there are very few who know about the Queen of Garhwal, Rani Karnavati, popularly known as Nak Kati Rani.
The irony of our suppressed factory-based education is that it has always focused on disciplining the newly born minds so that they can be trained for only clerical work, and this works by systematically destroying critical thinking and whitewashing regional history as it empowers the person with the quality of discernment. Always remember that majoritarian ideology doesn’t want you to be educated because if the right education and skill come into play, then how will they be able to get hold of the two things that set the narrative, which are money, wealth, and power? Thus, in this age of information, we have to find our own ways to inculcate traits like natural inquiry and inquisitiveness, as it will only drive you towards actual substance for enhancing the horizons of perception or creative thinking because any form of education, certificate, or degree that holds no substance will not serve you. Without being self-critical, you can’t expect reform.
Coming back to the topic, the queen who took the decision to confront the Mughal army despite belonging to the lesser-known, smaller kingdom of Garhwal is one of the queens who proved herself in the most adverse conditions.
A sneak peek into the history of Garhwal.
Garhwal was founded in 823 by Kanak Pal. The capital was shifted from Dewalgarh to Srinagar (Uttarakhand) by Mahipat Shah who ascended the throne in 1622. However, Mahipat Shah died young in 1631, leaving behind a very young successor, a seven-year-old Prithvipati Shah. Rani Karnavati was the wife of Mahipat Shah. She was known for her valour, courage, and war strategies.
Back to the Mughal throne, Shah Jahan knew the importance of the natural resources Garhwal held; thus, he decided to conquer the kingdom despite knowing the mystical fact that the entire Dev-Bhumi territory is protected by the territorial gods known as local gods that protect the region, and that’s why every time his army came, they were made to wander far away from the actual place where the queen resided.
Niccolo Manucci an Italian traveller talks about the battle in his written account that Shah Jahan decided to send a contingent of about 30,000 soldiers under General Najabat Khan. The Mughals weren’t aware of the difficult mountain terrain, and this became the reason for their call out for peace after reaching the Laxman Jhoola (Rishikesh), but to their surprise, the queen not only closed and blocked the exit but also rejected their plea for peace and ordered them to chop off their noses, which is known to be inspired by the epic Ramayana, which served as an insult for them. When the Mughal army faced the same fate after repeated attempts, the queen was then given the title of “Nak Kati Rani." It is said that in this whole struggle to defend the territory, the consecrated spaces and the ancient, well-known spiritual entities have played a role much greater than one’s sensory perception.
It's also a fact that the grace Rani Karnavati had was reflected in the qualities bestowed upon her by the divine itself that came with her intention as the flag bearer of righteousness, or dharma. Her godly wisdom (Bhagvati Buddhi) instructed her commander, Dost Beg, to build hurdles on the route from where the Mughal army was marching. Every mile, the Mughal army had to cross a wall of stones and fallen trees. This exhausted them. Her kootniti instigated the psychological warfare by spreading rumours that the queen's army is much bigger than the Mughal army and that it will take no time for her to eradicate the Mughals the moment they reach the battle ground.
She is also known for her visionary initiatives, such as building monuments, water canals, spiritual energy centres, trade centres, gurukul institutions, and the list goes on. Unfortunately, she now is known only for her famous Rajpur Canal and Karanpur Bazar near DAV PG College in Dehradun.
A forty-five to one-hour journey from Dehradun city to Navada is where her fort once resided. Unfortunately, no trace was left that would have served as an inspiration for generations to come. One is restricted to feel her presence only in folk dances, poems, and novels.
If we want our ancestors to guide us through whatever challenges we as a generation face, then it’s high time that we learn to pay respect to our collective ancestors who sacrificed their lives for the prosperity that we enjoy today. Celebrating their achievements through cultural activities can be one way to not only boost the tourism but also install the qualities that a conscious soul aspires for.
Thus, we need education that can inspire us to build our characters to be an evolved, inclusive, and conscious beings.
- Atul Tyagi
© Solutions in terms of clarity for life.
#RaniKarnavatiGarhwal
#GarhwalHeritage #QueenOfGarhwal
#LegacyOfRaniKarnavati
#GarhwalRoyalty
#HistoricalGarhwal
#KarnavatiDynasty
#RoyalResidence
#HeritagePalace
#GarhwalCulture @writco
The irony of our suppressed factory-based education is that it has always focused on disciplining the newly born minds so that they can be trained for only clerical work, and this works by systematically destroying critical thinking and whitewashing regional history as it empowers the person with the quality of discernment. Always remember that majoritarian ideology doesn’t want you to be educated because if the right education and skill come into play, then how will they be able to get hold of the two things that set the narrative, which are money, wealth, and power? Thus, in this age of information, we have to find our own ways to inculcate traits like natural inquiry and inquisitiveness, as it will only drive you towards actual substance for enhancing the horizons of perception or creative thinking because any form of education, certificate, or degree that holds no substance will not serve you. Without being self-critical, you can’t expect reform.
Coming back to the topic, the queen who took the decision to confront the Mughal army despite belonging to the lesser-known, smaller kingdom of Garhwal is one of the queens who proved herself in the most adverse conditions.
A sneak peek into the history of Garhwal.
Garhwal was founded in 823 by Kanak Pal. The capital was shifted from Dewalgarh to Srinagar (Uttarakhand) by Mahipat Shah who ascended the throne in 1622. However, Mahipat Shah died young in 1631, leaving behind a very young successor, a seven-year-old Prithvipati Shah. Rani Karnavati was the wife of Mahipat Shah. She was known for her valour, courage, and war strategies.
Back to the Mughal throne, Shah Jahan knew the importance of the natural resources Garhwal held; thus, he decided to conquer the kingdom despite knowing the mystical fact that the entire Dev-Bhumi territory is protected by the territorial gods known as local gods that protect the region, and that’s why every time his army came, they were made to wander far away from the actual place where the queen resided.
Niccolo Manucci an Italian traveller talks about the battle in his written account that Shah Jahan decided to send a contingent of about 30,000 soldiers under General Najabat Khan. The Mughals weren’t aware of the difficult mountain terrain, and this became the reason for their call out for peace after reaching the Laxman Jhoola (Rishikesh), but to their surprise, the queen not only closed and blocked the exit but also rejected their plea for peace and ordered them to chop off their noses, which is known to be inspired by the epic Ramayana, which served as an insult for them. When the Mughal army faced the same fate after repeated attempts, the queen was then given the title of “Nak Kati Rani." It is said that in this whole struggle to defend the territory, the consecrated spaces and the ancient, well-known spiritual entities have played a role much greater than one’s sensory perception.
It's also a fact that the grace Rani Karnavati had was reflected in the qualities bestowed upon her by the divine itself that came with her intention as the flag bearer of righteousness, or dharma. Her godly wisdom (Bhagvati Buddhi) instructed her commander, Dost Beg, to build hurdles on the route from where the Mughal army was marching. Every mile, the Mughal army had to cross a wall of stones and fallen trees. This exhausted them. Her kootniti instigated the psychological warfare by spreading rumours that the queen's army is much bigger than the Mughal army and that it will take no time for her to eradicate the Mughals the moment they reach the battle ground.
She is also known for her visionary initiatives, such as building monuments, water canals, spiritual energy centres, trade centres, gurukul institutions, and the list goes on. Unfortunately, she now is known only for her famous Rajpur Canal and Karanpur Bazar near DAV PG College in Dehradun.
A forty-five to one-hour journey from Dehradun city to Navada is where her fort once resided. Unfortunately, no trace was left that would have served as an inspiration for generations to come. One is restricted to feel her presence only in folk dances, poems, and novels.
If we want our ancestors to guide us through whatever challenges we as a generation face, then it’s high time that we learn to pay respect to our collective ancestors who sacrificed their lives for the prosperity that we enjoy today. Celebrating their achievements through cultural activities can be one way to not only boost the tourism but also install the qualities that a conscious soul aspires for.
Thus, we need education that can inspire us to build our characters to be an evolved, inclusive, and conscious beings.
- Atul Tyagi
© Solutions in terms of clarity for life.
#RaniKarnavatiGarhwal
#GarhwalHeritage #QueenOfGarhwal
#LegacyOfRaniKarnavati
#GarhwalRoyalty
#HistoricalGarhwal
#KarnavatiDynasty
#RoyalResidence
#HeritagePalace
#GarhwalCulture @writco
