and it has already been seen that the prediction of a CHAPTERVIL seer sufficed to overthrow a Raja of Ujain, and to raise a cowherd to the throne." At this period there was a holy woman, a priestess of Charun devi, a form of Durga. She dwelt in a temple of the goddess, built on a lonely hill, which was known as the Tiger mountain. Her powers of prophecy were famous throughout all the country around. Not a Rajpoot doubted the truth of her predictions. One day the three brothers were discoursing together, when Sanga suddenly said, "The throne of Chittore will be mine; but if the priestess should foretell otherwise I would abandon my right." This rash assertion took the other princes by surprise, but nevertheless they all three proceeded to the Tiger mountain, to hear what the priestess had to say, and their uncle, named Soorajmul, went with them. Pirthi Rai and Jeimal entered first, and took their seats upon a pallet bed. Sanga followed and took his seat upon a tiger's skin, whilst Soorajmul sat by him and placed a knee upon the skin. Then the priestess said, "The tiger's skin is an omen of sovereignty: Sanga will reign over Chittore, and Soorajmul will have a portion of his inheritance." Scarcely had she spoken when Pirthi Rai drew his sword to slaughter Sanga. A bloody fray ensued, and the holy woman fled in consternation. Sanga lost an eye and was sorely wounded, but he escaped to a sanctuary. Jeimal then returned to the palace, but Sanga and Pirthi Rai became outlaws in the jungle, and the feud lasted many years.

25

The sequel of the tradition is characteristic of

24 See Hindú drama of the Toy-cart, ante, p. 305.

25 Tod's Rajasthan, vol. i., p. 292, et seq.

CHAPTER VII. Rajpoots. The prophecy of the priestess could not Punishment of be gainsaid. Jeimal the youngest dwelt in his

a barbarous

husband.

Mogul invasion.

father's palace at Chittore, and grew in the favour of the Rana; but he tried to seduce a damsel, and was slain by her father at her chamber-door. Then Pirthi Rai returned to his father's palace, but he perished after another fashion. His sister was married to the chief of Serohi; and she appealed to Pirthi Rai for protection. She complained that her husband got drunk with opium, and then compelled her to sleep on the floor. The Rajpoot blood of Pirthi Rai boiled at this insult. He gallopped off to Serohi, and compelled the barbarous husband to make atonement to his wife, and hold her slippers in his hand. The cowardly husband pretended submission, but was bent upon revenge. When Pirthi Rai left Serohi, he was presented with poisoned sweetmeats; and he died before he reached Chittore. Thus Sanga became the Rana of Chittore, as the priestess had foretold.26

During the sixteenth century the Moguls invaded India; and Baber, Humáyun, and Akber reigned

26 Tod's Rajasthan, vol. i., page 675.

The tradition of the barbarous husband is a grim illustration of Rajpoot humour. Another has been preserved of a disobedient wife, which is less tragical. A daughter of Chittore had been given in marriage to a feudatory of the Rana; and she proved vain and disdainful, and looked down upon her husband's lineage. One day her husband asked her for a cup of water, but she refused, saying, "The daughter of a hundred kings is not a cup-bearer to her father's feudatory." The chieftain replied in anger, "If you cannot serve your husband, you had better return to your father." At these words the princess was furious with rage. She sent a messenger to carry the words to her father, whilst she herself followed close at his heels. The Rana summoned his feudatory, and heard the explanation. He then held a court, and placed the chieftain on his right hand; and when the court was over the crown prince stood before the chieftain and held his slippers. The chieftain was aghast, and cried out, "I am unworthy!" "Not so," said the Rana; "no honour is too great for my son-in-law. Take home your wife now, and she will never again refuse you a cup of water."-Tod's Rajast'han, vol. i., page 612.

in succession on the thrones of Delhi and Agra. CHAPTER VII. Whilst Humayun was carrying on a war in Bengal, the Mussulman Sultan of Guzerat marched an army against Chittore. Sanga, the outlaw, had become Rana after the death of Pirthi Rai; but he too was dead. His widow and infant son remained at Chittore, but a prince named Bikramaject occupied the throne of the Rana. Bikramajeet was but a degenerate Rajpoot. He cared not for his horse and spear; only for wrestling and prize-fighting. The Rajpoot chiefs disdained such pursuits. They thought it mean to fight on foot; and they were insolently treated by the Rana. Bikramajeet

marched out to battle aginst the Sultan, but was utterly defeated. Chittore was again invested by the Mussulmans, and there was another Johur. Amongst those women who perished was the widow of Rana Sanga; but before she joined the sacrifice she despatched her little son, named Oody Sing, to a place of safety, and sent her bracelet to the emperor Humayun.27

bracelet.

The gift of the bracelet is a relic of the days of Custom of the Rajpoot chivalry. Whenever a Rajpoot lady is in peril, be she wife or maiden, she may select a protector by sending him her bracelet. She thus adopts him as her brother. He can never see her, but nevertheless he is flattered by the mystery and the honour. In return he sends a corsage as a pledge that he will guard his sister with his life. Humayun was a Mogul and a gallant prince. He accepted the bracelet and obeyed the summons. He expelled the Guzerat Sultan from Chittore, and restored Bikramajeet to his throne.2

27 Tod's Rajasthan, vol. i., page 309.

28

28 Ibid., page 312.

CHAPTER VII.

ramaject.

But the Rana had learnt no lessons from his disMurder of Bik- asters. He treated his chieftains as insolently as ever, and they began to look abroad for a leader. At last they selected Bunbeer to rule Chittore until Oody Sing should be grown. Bikramajeet was murdered in his zenana. The women filled the palace with their screams; but their wailing was drowned in the shouts which hailed the accession of Bunbeer.29

Usurpation of
Bunbeer.

Accession of
Oody Sing.

But Bunbeer was illegitimate. His father was Pirthi Rai, but his mother was a handmaid. He was the uncle of Oody Sing, but he betrayed his trust. The boy's nurse became alarmed for the safety of her charge. She sent Oody Sing out of the palace, and placed her own child in the royal cradle. Bunbeer entered the chamber and asked for the prince. In an agony of terror she pointed to the cradle. In another moment Bunbeer had plunged his dagger into the heart of the boy. unfortunate woman was stricken with horror. remains of her child were burned in Rajpoot fashion amidst the tears of all the women of the zenana; and she then left the palace and sought out Oody Sing, and placed him in charge of the chieftain of Jhalore.30

The

The

Henceforth Bunbeer was hated as a murderer and usurper. The servile condition of his mother

29 Tod's Rajasthan, vol. i., page 314.

30 Tod's Rajasthan, vol. i., page 315. The narrative in the text is in accordance with Rajpoot customs, and perhaps it would be considered profane in Rajpootana to doubt its credibility. It is, however, easier to believe that the nurse palmed off her own son as the infant Rana, than to believe that she sacrificed her own son to save the life of a foster-child. The hypothesis is strengthened by the fact that the young Rana ultimately proved to be a coward; and in this manner the baseness of his origin may be supposed to have found expression.

lowered him in the eyes of the Rajpoot aristocracy. CHAPTER VII. At length it was whispered that Oody Sing was still alive, and had married a daughter of the chieftain of Jhalore. The vow of Hamir was still remembered, that none of his successors should wed a daughter of Jhalore. But the original affront was supposed to be condoned by the protection furnished to Oody Sing; and the young prince was accepted as the Rana by every chieftain in Rajpootana. The nobles rallied round his banner, and conducted him in triumph to Chittore; whilst Bunbeer escaped to the Dekhan, and became the ancestors of the Bhonslas of Nagpore.31

towards the

Akber had now succeeded his father Humayun Policy of Akber on the throne of the Moguls, and was bent on the Rajpoots." reduction of Rajpootana. His policy was simple enough. He demanded that the three great princes of Rajpootana should pay him homage, and should each give him a daughter in marriage.32 Jeypore submitted, but Marwar and Chittore still held out. Akber then resolved to strike at the heart of Rajpootana by the capture of Chittore.

Chittore.

The first attack failed. A favourite concubine Akber captures of the Rana headed a sally of the Rajpoots, and routed the army of the Moguls. The infatuated Rana declared that the concubine had saved Chit

31 Tod's Rajasthan, vol. i., page 319.

32 There is reason to believe that Akber was an unscrupulous admirer of the fair sex. He was accustomed to hold a kind of fancy fair within the palace, where the wives and daughters of princes and nobles were induced to serve as shopkeepers, and were often compelled to listen to his advances. The wife of one Rajpoot prince is said to have been dishonoured by the emperor. An Udaipore princess is reported to have been inveigled into his presence, but she held a poniard to his heart, and compelled him to retire. These Rajpoot scandals, however, refer more immediately to the personal character of Akber. Tod's Rajast'han, vol. i., page 345.