Rao Chandrasen was the youngest son of Rao Maldeo (1532-62 CE), the famous ruler of ‘Jodhpur. During the reign of Rao Madeo, the ruler of Delhi, Sher Shah Suri had invaded Marwar. In the battle of Giri Sumel (Pali) fought between the two in 1544 CE, Sher Shah Suri was able to win owing to treason and deception, but Rao Maldeo’s two courageous commanders Jaita and Kumpa gave such stiff shock to him that according to historian Farishta, Sher Shah got off from his horse and started to pray to God for his safety.
The fear of Sher Shah is known from his statement in which he had said, “I would have lost the kingship of India for a handful a millet.” According to the Khyat of Jodhpur state, Chandrasen was born in 1541 CE. Rao Maldeo was unhappy with his elder son Ram, while his younger son Udai Singh was deprived of royal succession by queen consort Swarupde (Chandrasen’s mother). For this reason, after the death of Maldeo, Chandrasen attained the throne of Jodhpur 31st December 1562 CE as per his wishe on.
During the reign of Maldeo, he had been granted the jagirs of Bisalpur and Siwana Suppression of internal revolt-After a short time of becoming the ruler, Chandrasen once became agitated and killed his servant. Due to this, Jaitmaal and some other similar chieftains got angered. The annoyed chieftains made an alliance with his rebel brothers Ram Udai Singh and Raimal and invited them to invade in order to punish Chandrasen. Ram started tyranny in Sojat while Raimal started nuisance in Dunara province and Udai Singh occupied Gangaani and Bavadi.
As soon as chandrasen got this information, he sent his army to suppress the tyranny, due to which Ram and Raimal returned to their respective jagirs while Udai Singh fought him back at a place called Lohavat. In this battle Udai Singh became injured and Chandrasen stood victorious. In 1563 CE, another struggle took place between the armies of Chandrasen and Udai Singh at a place called Nadol, but noticing no chances of winning, Udai Singh fled away to the court of Emeror Akbar.
Jodhpur Occupied by the Mughals Akbar got on opportunity to interfere due to mutual conflict between Rao Chandrasen and his unsatisfied brothers Ram, Udai Singh and Raimal. Soon after, he sent an army under the leadership of Hussain Quli Khan, which occupied Jodhpur.
In Jodhpur Ki Khyat, an exaggerated description of the Mughal campaign has been done which says that the royal army invaded Jodhpur three times and after around ten months of enclosure, due to the lack of good material and water, Chandrasen was forced to leave the place and move to Bhadrajun. After Jodhpur slipped away from his hands, Chandrasen’s financial position started to deteriorate and he started selling his gems and other precious things to bear his daily expenses.
Pt Bishweshwar Rao has considered the main reason of Akbar’s attack upon Jodhpur to be the non-co-operation by Rao Maldeo of Jodhpur to his father Humayun. Nagaur Court-During his Ajmer visit in 1570 CE, Akbar heard about the dearth of Marwar region and he reached Nagaur. On this occasion, he dug a pond as a remedy for this dearth, which became famous by the name of ‘Shukra Talab’. In fact, the objective of this court was to evaluate the political condition of Marwar.
Mughal Campaign Against Chandrasen-After some time of organization of Nagaur, the Mughal army invaded Bhadrajun. In February 1571 CE, Chandrasen renounced Bhadrajun and went away towards Siwana. On one hand revolts were spread in Gujarat in 1572 CE while on the other hand due to Maharana Pratap becoming the ruler, the threat of Mewar becoming aggressive had also emerged.
In such condition, Akbar appointed Rai Singh of Bikaner as the ruler of Jodhpur and sent him towards Gujrat so that Maharana Pratap could not block the road to Gujrat and provide any harm. The conquest of Akbar on Siwana fort-In 1573 CE, in order to subjugate Chandrasen, Akbar sent Jagat Singh, Keshavdas Medatia, Rai Singh of Bikaner alongwith Shah Quli Khan.
This army defeated Kalla, the nephew of Chandrasen in Sojat and reached Siwana. According to the advice of his Commanders, Chandrasen handed the task of protection of the fort to Patta Rathore and himself went away in the hills and from there itelf, he started causing harm to the Mughal army from the backside by adopting gurilla method of warfare.
Due to the sucessful joint opposition of Patta Rathore and Chandrasen, Rai Singh demanded for additional military assistance from Akbar. As Akbar sent a massive army, Chandrasen moved towards the hill. Although the Mughal army followed him yet it remained unsuccessful in catching him. Being dissapointed by this failure, Akbar called his Emirs up and scolded them bitterly.
In order to subjugate Chandrasen, Akbar sent a massive army towards Siwana in 1575 CE under the leadership of Jalal Khan, in which emirs such as Syed Ahmed, Syed Hashim, Shimal Khan and others were also included. During the extended struggle, one day Chandrasen got an opportunity and invaded the Mughal army with the assistance of his companion Devidas. Jalal Khan was killed in this attack.
This incident gave a severe set back to the Mughal army. Now Akbar sent Shahbaz Khan, Soon after he occupied Devkor and Dunada and surrrounded Siwana. When the food stock ended in the fort, the protector of the fort was forced to leave the fort. In this way, Akbar occupied Siwana fort in 1575 CE.
After the ‘Emergency-time Capital Siwana went out of hands, Rawal Harrai of Jailsalmer invaded Pokaran in October, 1575 CE. At this time, Anandram Pancholi was the fort keeper from the side of Rao Chandrasen. After four months of enclosure, Rawal Harrai put an offer in front of Chandrasen that, “In exchange of one lakh fadiyas; give me Pokaran, and after Jodhpur is occupied, return those one lakh fadiyas to me and take Pokaran back.
In that condition of financial emergency, Chandrasen accepted this offer and granted Pokaran to the Bhatis in January 1576 CE. Even after Pokaran, which was the last way of hope for Chandrasen, went out of his hands, he did not become disappointed. Roaming in Sirohi, Dungarpur and Banswari for around one and a half year, Chandrasen looted the Sarwad Thana of the Mughals in 1579 CE and occupied it.
After this, he started to invade the province of Ajmer also. As Emperor Akbar got this news he sent an army under the leadership of Payanda Mohammad Khan, Chandrasen confronted this army in 1580 CE, but he was forced to return to the hills after becoming unsuccessful. After a few days. Chandrasen reorganized the army and invaded Sojat on 7th July 1580 CE. After occupying Sojat, he established his settlement in the hillls of Sarna.
At the same place he died on 11th January 1581 CE. According to the Khyat of Jodhpur state, Vaisal, one of the feudal lords of Chandrasen, betrayed him and gave him poison in the food that caused his death. Evaluation of Rao ChandrasenChandrasen was the first ruler of independent throughts in Rajasthan during Akbar’s period. His brothers continued to lead a royal life while he sustained his life by selling his gems and ornaments.
Chandrasen chose to leave the state of Jodhpur and roam for days and nights in the hills and confront the Mughal army, but he did not accept the sovereignty of the Mughals. The start of the struggle which was done by Chandrasen, was adopted by Maharana Pratap who became extremely renowned in the later period. Due to this, Chandrasen is also known as “The Mentor of Pratap” and “The Pratap of Marwar”.
As Chandrasen did not receive due recognition in history, he is also called as “The forgotten Hero of Marwar.” The major reason behaved the fading off the name of Chandrasen in history is because on one hand, after the death of Pratap the rule of state of Mewar fell into the hands of his sons and son – in – laws, and on the other hands after the death of Chandrasen, his brother Udai Singh occupied the throne of Marwar.
Chandrasen and Udai Singh were always in conflict. Chandrasen and Pratap Both Rao Chandrasen and Maharana Pratap are renowned for their lifetime struggle against Mughal emperor Akbar. In their context, it has been said that (At that time there were only two brave warriors in entire India – Maharana Pratap and Rao Chandrasen who neither accepted the sovereignty of Akbar nor they allowed the royal seal to be applied on their horses. Their weapons always glittered against the Mughal Emperor).
Both Chandrasen and Pratap were forced to confront the opposition of their brothers and companions. Like Pratap, Chandrasen did not occupy extended part of Marwar. The Mughals were occupying Mandalgarh and Chittor in Mewar and Medta, Nagaur, Ajmer and other places in Marwar. Alongwith similarities, we also find fundamental differences in the activities of both the rulers.
Both the rulers remained in their hilly territories and beat the Mughals but like Pratap did, Chandrasen was unable to establish a permanent capital like Chavand. Pratap received assistance in special circumstances due to presence of Chandrasen and decentralization of the Mughal army.
