A King Fought Alongside Maharana Pratap. 450 Years On, 2 Groups Fight Over Him

Mewar's Rajput ruler, Maharana Pratap, took on the Mughals in the Battle of Haldighati in 1576. Among the smaller rulers who fought by his side was Rana Poonja, the ruler of Bhomat, a hilly and forested area in modern-day Rajasthan. Nearly 450 years after that epic battle, two communities are fighting over the clothes -- and legacy -- of Rana Poonja.

History, caste, politics and appropriation tactics criss-cross in this face-off, blurring the lines between the real and the myth. While Rajputs, including the erstwhile royal family of Panarwa, claim that Rana Poonja was a Kshatriya from the Solanki clan, local tribals say he was from the Bhil community. Both sides claim historical evidence is in their favour.

What has brought this never-ending debate to the spotlight now is a statue unveiled by Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma in Chittorgarh today.

A Statue Flashpoint

The Chief Minister today unveiled five statues -- Maharana Pratap riding into battle, Rana Poonja and Panna Dhai, the nursemaid to Mewar ruler Udai Singh II and a local icon. The spotlight is on Rana Poonja's statue. The statue shows the warrior king dressed in a dhoti and armed with a bow and arrow. Rajputs have objected to this sartorial choice. They claim Rana Poonja was a Kshatriya and is not "dressed appropriately" in the statue. The Bhils insist that Rana Poonja is a tribal leader and allege attempts to distort history.

Claims and Counterclaims

Bhil Sena, an outfit representing the tribal community, has submitted a memorandum to the local authorities and alleged that attempts are being made to distort their glorious history. "Some people are tinkering with history for their selfish interests. Rana Poonja is a Bhil warrior. In 1576, at the Battle of Haldighati, who was the warrior in dhoti and armed with bow and arrow? This is our question," said Gopal Lal Bhil, district president of Bhil Sena.

Local Rajput leaders disagree. Tej Pal Singh, a functionary of Jauhar Smriti Sansthan, said, "The attire on the statue is wrong. It should be in Kshatriya attire, with 'Rana Poonja Solanki' written on it."

Tribal Valour In Battle Of Haldighati

The Battle of Haldighati was a valiant display of Maharana Pratap's guerrilla tactics and multiple tribes, including Bhils, are said to have fought alongside the Rajput ruler. While the Bhils use this fact to stress that Rana Poonja was one of them, the Rajputs disagree.

A 'Coat Of Arms' Debate

The 'Coat of Arms' of the erstwhile Mewar kingdom has also been dragged into this Rajput vs Bhil debate. The Coat of Arms shows two individuals -- one dressed as a tribal, the other as a Rajput. Tribals claim the two figures are Maharana Pratap and Rana Poonja. The Rajputs argue the Coat of Arms is just a symbol to show Rajput-tribal unity. "Maharana Pratap's army had people from 36 communities, many tribals fought alongside him. This image is a symbol of social harmony under Maharana Pratap and not an actual representation of Rana Poonja," said Tej Pal Singh, adding that the Rajput community will distance itself from the idol unveiled today.

A Letter To PM Modi

The erstwhile royal family of Panarwa, which claims to have descended from Rana Poonja, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2022, alleging a distortion of their family's history. "We are proud of our connection and respectful terms with the brave Bhils, Garasiyas, etc. who've been our companions and with whom we have shared our brotherhood for about seven centuries, however we are Solanki Rajputs from Bhojawat subclan, that reside in Panarwa. This is how we have known ourselves through authentic genealogy as well as through other ancestral procured records. This equally applies to my ancestor, 'Rana Punja of Panarwa' who bravely fought in the Battle of Haldighati protecting the freedom of Mewar along with his fellow Bhil tribesmen and Rajput army getting himself labelled as 'Bhiloo Rana'," the letter by Krishna Solanki, a member of the Panarwa family, states.

Another member of the family Rana Manohar Singh Solanki, repeated the claim in a newspaper ad, and said any person who "defames the prestige and honour of his family and heirs in the society by distorting the caste of his ancestor Rana Punja ji" will face action.

The Political Backdrop

Rajputs claim the alleged historical distortion is driven by vote bank politics in a region where tribal voters play a key role. Interestingly, decades ago, an earlier statue unveiling programme by then President KR Narayanan was cancelled following Rajputs' protests because the statue had Rana Poonja in tribal attire. The Panarwa royals' letter mentions in. "...Mahendra Singhji Mewar (then MP from Chittaurgarh and descendant of Maharana Pratap) wrote an open Letter to President KR Narayan and Manohar Singhji Solanki (The 16th Direct descendant of Rana Punja Solanki) an open Letter to Rajasthan Chief Minister, Mr. Bhairon Singh Ji Shekhwat, recalling how it would create rifts between rajputs of Bhomat and Bhils in future, who cohabitated for centuries and fought together through generations shoulder to shoulder...," it states, adding that the event was eventually cancelled.

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