Here
is the story of a true princess Krishna Kumari (1794 –1810), who chose death
before a war was ignited.She choose death instead of putting the lives of their
people at risk.Reality is harsh and painful. It is not lyrical fiction and it
does not have Romeo-and-Juliet kind of endings.
However,
there is tragic story linked to this wing of the City Palace. In the 19th
century, a royal princess was unable to choose from two suitors seeking her
hand in marriage, one from the royal family of Jaipur and another from Jodhpur,
and hence in a state of dilemma, she poisoned herself to death
Her
mother, heartbroken at her daughter's fate, died soon after her. And Rana Bhim
Singh, too weak to have prevented the sacrifice, consoled himself through the
lonely years of his remaining life by turning his daughter's room into shrine
of beauty and splendor.
It
was my second day of tour in Udaipur. We were in city palace of Udaipur and
standing inside Krishna Vilas. Krishna
Vilas is another chamber inside City Palace, which has rich collection of
miniature paintings that portray royal processions, festivals and games of the
Maharanas.
Princess
Krishna Kumari was a Rajput princess with many suitors. A succession of battles
was fought to gain her hand. Unlike Padmini, she was a real figure whose story
was detailed in annals and letters composed during her life and immediately
after her death.
The manner of that death was unique and tragic, so shameful
that no bard was ever commissioned to glorify it in verse.
Rana
Bhim Singh was the ruler of Mewar in the early nineteenth century. The state had
lost all its power and was beset by enemies from all sides.
The Marathas from
the southwest had overrun parts of it and extorted levies from his subjects,
while the states of Jaipur and Marwar were poised to attack him.
Jaipur and Marwar threatened war, not to
increase their kingdoms but for another reason. Both the princes, Jagat Singh
of Jaipur and the Raja Man of Marwar wanted to marry the Sisodia princess,
Krishna Kumari, daughter of Bhim Singh. Bhim Singh dared not refuse either. He
knew that whoever lost the hand of his daughter would join his enemies and
attack his state.
Krishna
Kumari, the young, sixteen-year beauty, was told of her father's predicament. She
was determined to maintain the heroic tradition of her race and die rather than
plunge her country into war
Poison
made of the Kasumba blossom was prepared for her. When the fatal cup was
presented to her she received it with a smile, I fear not to die. Rajkumari
Krishna Kumari drank it, and fell into a deep sleep … from which she never
woke.
It happened in Krishna Vilas of the Udaipur palace, in a room that is
still preserved exactly as it was when the brave Krishna Kumari gave her life
to save the state of Mewar from war.
The
delicately frescoed Krishna Mahal is now a memorial to the girl (photography
not permitted) in Udaipur City Palace, where respect can be paid to a brave
little princess who became the victim of political circumstance.The room
contains some of Mewar's best miniature paintings.The brave Krishna Kumari gave
her life to save the state of Mewar from war.
Written and posted by Engr Maqbool
Akram, with help of various materials available on net.