Search e-Library

Gonds : an aboriginal tribe which currently are found in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, & Orissa; they are said to exceed three million in number. Gondwānā (see India) or the original kingdom of Gonds was believed to be the northern portion of present Madhya Pradesh; it was also called Garha-Katanga. In course of time they became recognised as Rajputs. The Chandella kings of modern Bundelkhand were probably originally Gonds. Rani Durgāvati of Gondwānā is known as one of the most illustrious rulers in the history of India. She was a daughter of Kirāṭ Raj, the Chandella King of Mahobā & Kālinjar who was killed when Sher Shah (q.v.) besieged the fort of Kālinjar in 1545. Durgāvati was married to Raja Dalpat Sa of Garha Mandala (Gondwānā) in about 1545 but became a widow with a minor son, named Veer Narayan. She carried on the administration of the kingdom & maintained its integrity against both Raj Bahadur of Mālwā & the Afghans of Bengal. In 1564 Akbar sent his general Asaf Khan to make an entirely unprovoked invasion of Rāṇi Durgāvati’s kingdom. The Rāṇi, accompanied by her son, Veer Narayan, opposed the Mogul army of 50,000 men & fought with them a two-day’ battle at Narhi near the capital. One the second day her son was wounded & had to be escorted out of the battle-field to safety by a body of the Rani’s troops. The withdrawal of this escort had so weakened the Rani’s army that it was soon overpowered. The Rani herself was wounded by two arrows, stabbed herself to death & thus escaped the disgrace of capture. Her death was immediately followed by the advance of the Moguls upon her capital at Chauragadh where her gallant son, Veer Narayan, though wounded, offered a stout resistance, but was defeated & killed & the kingdom passed under the control of Akbar. The rich spoils in the form of jewels, gold & silver, coined & uncoined, & one thousand elephants taken by Asaf Khan bore testimony to the efficiency of Rani Durgāvati as a ruler. [S. Bhattacharya: 332-3, 398]