Firstpost
  • Home
  • Video Shows
    Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
  • World
    US News
  • Explainers
  • News
    India Opinion Cricket Tech Entertainment Sports Health Photostories
  • Asia Cup 2025
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
Trending:
  • PM Modi in Manipur
  • Charlie Kirk killer
  • Sushila Karki
  • IND vs PAK
  • India-US ties
  • New human organ
  • Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale Movie Review
fp-logo
Modi to attend Rani Durgavati Yatra: Who was the queen that died fighting Mughals?
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
  • Home
  • Explainers
  • Modi to attend Rani Durgavati Yatra: Who was the queen that died fighting Mughals?

Modi to attend Rani Durgavati Yatra: Who was the queen that died fighting Mughals?

FP Explainers • June 27, 2023, 09:01:26 IST
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter

Rani Durgavati was born on 5 October, 1524, into the family of Chandel emperor Keerat Rai during the Hindu festival of Durgashtami. Taking the Gondwana throne after the death of her husband, she proved to be a skilled fighter and able administrator. She died on the battlefield against the Mughals

Advertisement
Subscribe Join Us
Add as a preferred source on Google
Prefer
Firstpost
On
Google
Modi to attend Rani Durgavati Yatra: Who was the queen that died fighting Mughals?

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will mark the culmination of the Virangana Rani Durgavati Gaurav Yatra in Madhya Pradesh. The yatra, flagged off by Amit Shah on 22 June, pays homage to Rani Durgavati. But who is Rani Durgavati, the queen of Gondwana who died fighting the Mughals? Let’s take a closer look:  Early years According to the Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalayawas website, Durgavati was born on 5 October, 1524, into the family of Chandel emperor Keerat Rai. As per Indian Express, the Chandelas were famed for constructing the Khajuraho temples in the 11th Century. As per the website, the Chandelas also made history when their king Vidyadhar fended off Mehmood Gaznavi. Born at Kalanjar fort – present-day Uttar Pradesh – Durgavati’s father was Raja Salbahan of Ratha and Mahoba. According to News18, she was named Durgavati after being born during the Hindu festival of Durgashtami. Marriage and rule Durgavati, at age 18, married Dalpat Shah – the eldest son of King Sangram Shah of the Gond Dynasty. According to Indian Express, her father-in-law Sangram Shah ruled over the Garha-Katanga kingdom which spanned the Narmada Valley as well as parts of northern Madhya Pradesh.

This was a political match that brought both dynasties closer together.

According to the website, this alliance led to Keerat Rai receiving help from the Gonds and Dalpat Shah during the invasion of Sher Shah Suri – in which Suri ultimately perished. Durgavati gave birth to her son Vir Narayan in 1545. Unfortunately for Durgavati, her husband Dalpat Shah would pass away in 1550. Since her son was just a child, Durgavati ruled the Gond Kingdom in his name. According to CNBC, Durgavati was helped to rule by advisor Adhar Bakhila. [caption id=“attachment_12791532” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] The Centre on 24 June, 1988, paid homage to Durgavati by issuing a postal stamp. Image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/ India Post, Government of India[/caption] Durgavati moved her capital to Chauragarh – the fort on the Satpura hill range located at a strategically important spot –  from Singaurgarh. According to the Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalayawas website, Durgavati faced trouble after the death of Sher Shah Suri in 1556 when Baj Bahadur succeeded his father Sujat Khan. Bahadur declared war on Durgavati but suffered a heavy defeat – which brought Durgavati much acclaim. According to CNBC, in 1562 Akbar defeated Bahadur and took over his territory – thus pushing the Mughal Empire’s boundary right up against Durgavati’s kingdom. Defeat in battle and death In 1564, Akbar sent forces under Asaf Khan, the Mughal governor of Allahabad, against Gondwana. According to CNBC, Khan stationed his forces at Damoh after hearing that Durgavati was mustering her troops.

By then, Durgavati’s army had lost most of its troops – from 2,000 to just 300 men, according to Akbar’s court historian Abul Fazl.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

According to Indian Express, Durgavati regardless of the odds entered the battlefield and placed her troops at Narhi. This area, in a thick forest, forced Mughal forces to navigate narrow ravines and found themselves surrounded by her troops. Though Durgavati won the initial battle, she would go on to lose the war after the Mughals managed to build fortifications. Durgavati during the battle on 24 June, 1564, was pierced with arrows in her neck and her ear. When she realised the battle was lost, she killed herself with a dagger so that she would not be taken prisoner. Legacy According to Indian Express, historian Satish Chandra called Durgavati a ‘good marksman skilled at using guns, bows, and arrows’. Durgavati was so focussed on hunting tigers that “whenever she heard that a tiger had appeared she did not drink water until she shot it,” as per the newspaper.

Fazl called Durgavati a mix of “beauty, grace and manlike courage and bravery”.

More from Explainers
Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar Giorgio Armani will: Who will get the inheritance? What happens to his fashion empire? Giorgio Armani will: Who will get the inheritance? What happens to his fashion empire?

Fazl also noted Durgavati’s administrative prowess – saying her kingdom was so prosperous that people paid taxes with gold coins and elephants. The Madhya Pradesh government in 1983 renamed Jabalpur University of Jabalpur as Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya to honour her memory. The Centre on 24 June, 1988 paid homage to Durgavati by issuing a postal stamp to commemorate her martyrdom. According to The Print, the yatra by the BJP in Madhya Pradesh – which comes ahead of the Assembly elections – is being viewed as an attempt to get into the good graces of the Gond community. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan last week called the queen a “symbol of bravery, self-respect, strength and good governance.” With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.

Tags
ConnectTheDots Mughals Emperor Akbar Durgavati
End of Article
Latest News
Find us on YouTube
Subscribe
End of Article

Impact Shorts

Ghaziabad woman dead, pilgrims attacked in bus… How Nepal’s Gen-Z protests turned into a living hell for Indian tourists

Ghaziabad woman dead, pilgrims attacked in bus… How Nepal’s Gen-Z protests turned into a living hell for Indian tourists

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned following violent protests in Nepal. An Indian woman from Ghaziabad died trying to escape a hotel fire set by protesters. Indian tourists faced attacks and disruptions, with some stranded at the Nepal-China border during the unrest.

More Impact Shorts

Top Stories

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Top Shows

Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
Latest News About Firstpost
Most Searched Categories
  • Web Stories
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • IPL 2025
NETWORK18 SITES
  • News18
  • Money Control
  • CNBC TV18
  • Forbes India
  • Advertise with us
  • Sitemap
Firstpost Logo

is on YouTube

Subscribe Now

Copyright @ 2024. Firstpost - All Rights Reserved

About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms Of Use
Home Video Shorts Live TV