Saturday, August 17, 2013

Peethal Ri Paati (Peethal's letter to Maharana Pratap)



Maharana Pratap (May 9, 1540-January 29, 1597)  was a staunch patriot, the epitome of fiery Rajput pride and self-respect. Maharana Pratap never accepted Akbar as ruler of India, and fought Akbar all his life. He said that he would call Akbar only a 'Turk' and not an emperor. Pratap Singh's dogged resistance, even when he had to wander in the jungles of Aravallis and his persistent refusal to surrender even after being reduced to starvation while pursuing Haldighati, are indicative of an individual with a sacred mission rather than one who fought for power politics. His vow giving up all comforts of palace life till he recaptured his entire kingdom from the Mughals and his lifelong observance of that vow, speak to his steadfast patriotism and determination rather than a lust for power. Further proof of his beliefs is found in his repeated refusal to accept lucrative offers from Akbar in the shape of jagirs and subedaris.

During the period when Maharana Pratap was forced to lead his life in the hilly wilderness of the Aravallis to continue his struggle, there is a story that once while his son was eating a roti a jungle cat snatched it and ran away. Watching his son cry in this situation rather than leading the life of a Prince, Maharana Pratap was moved. He became emotional and decided to submit to Akbar and wrote a letter to Akbar. Akbar could not believe his eyes and sent for Maharana Pratap's unwavering supporter, his cousin Prithviraj Rathore to confirm if this was true. This Prithviraj Rathore was a historical personality with the poet's 'nom de plume' of "Peethal".

Prithviraj was shocked to see the seal of Maharana Pratap on that letter but he steadied himself and told Akbar that this cannot be possible and with Akbar's permission, he sent a letter to Maharana Pratap to confirm this. Prithviraj wrote a strongly worded and inspiring letter to Maharana Pratap. That gave a jolt to Maharana Pratap and restored his spirits. He sent an equally strongly worded reply to Peethal (Prithviraj) that he would never recognize Akbar as an emperor and would always call him a mere Turk.

This story is beautifully narrated in the below poem. For those who can understand this, it is a treat.


अरै घास री रोटी ही जद बन बिलावडो ले भाग्यो ।
नान्हो सो अमरयो चीख पड्यो राणा रो सोयो दुख जाग्यो ।

हूं लडयो घणो हूं सहयो घणो
मेवाडी मान बचावण नै ,
हूं पाछ नही राखी रण में
बैरया रो खून बहावण में ,

जद याद करू हळदी घाटी नैणा मे रगत उतर आवै ,
सुख दुख रो साथी चेतकडो सूती सी हूक जगा ज्यावै ,

पण आज बिलखतो देखूं हूं
जद राज कंवर नै रोटी नै ,
तो क्षात्र - धरम नै भूलूं हूं
भूलूं हिंदवाणी चोटी नै
मेहलां में छप्पन भोग जका मनवार बिना करता कोनी ,
सोनै री थाळयां नीलम रै बाजोट बिना धरता कोनी ,

अै हाय जका करता पगल्या
फ़ूला री कंवरी सेजां पर ,
बै आज रूळे भूखा तिसिया
हिंदवाणै सूरज रा टाबर ,

आ सोच हुई दो टूक तडक राणा री भीं बजर छाती ,
आंख्यां मे आंसू भर बोल्या मैं लिख स्यूं अकबर नै पाती ,
पण लिखूं किंयां जद देखै है आडावळ ऊंचो हियो लियां ,
चितौड खडयो है मगरां मे विकराळ भूत सी लियां छियां ,

मैं झुकूं कियां ? है आणा मनै
कुळ रा केसरिया बानां री ,
मैं बुझूं किंयां ? हूं सेस लपट
आजादी रै परवानां री ,

पण फ़ेर अमर री बुसक्यां राणा रो हिवडो भर आयो ,
मैं मानूं हूं दिल्लीस तनै समराट सनेसो कैवायो ।
राणा रो कागद बांच हुयो अकबर रो सपनूं सो सांचो
पण नैण करयो बिसवास नहीं जद बांच बांच नै फ़िर बांच्यो ,

कै आज हिंमाळो पिघळ बह्यो
कै आज हुयो सूरज सीटळ ,
कै आज सेस रो सिर डोल्यो
आ सोच हुयो समराट विकळ ,

बस दूत इसारो पा भाज्या पीथळ नै तुरत बुलावण नै ,
किरणां रो पीथळ आ पूग्यो ओ सांचो भरम मिटावण नै ,

बी वीर बाकुडै पीथळ नै
रजपूती गौरव भारी हो ,
बो क्षात्र धरम रो नेमी हो
राणा रो प्रेम पुजारी हो ,

बैरयां रै मन रो कांटो हो बीकाणूं पूत खरारो हो ,
राठौड रणां मे रातो हो बस सागी तेज दुधारो हो,

आ बात पातस्या जाणै हो
घावां पर लूण लगावण नै ,
पीथळ नै तुरत बुलायो हो ,
पण टूट गयो बीं राणा रो
तूं भाट बण्यो बिड्दावै हो ,

मैं आज तपस्या धरती रो मेवाडी पाग़ पग़ां मे है ,
अब बात मनै किण रजवट रै रजपूती खून रगां मे है ?

जद पीथळ कागद ले देखी
राणा री सागी सैनाणी ,
नीवै स्यूं धरती खसक गई
अंाख्यां मे आयो भर पाणी ,

पण फ़ेर कही ततकाल संभल आ बात सफ़ा ही झूठी है ,
राणा री पाग़ सदा ऊंची राणा री आण अटूटी है ।
ल्यो हुकम हुवै तो लिख पूछूं
राणा ने कागद खातर ,
लै पूछ भलांई पीथळ तूं
आ बात सही बोल्यो अकबर ,

म्हे आज सुणी है नाहरियो
स्याळां रे सागे सोवैलो ,
म्हे आज सुणी है सूरजडो
बादळ री ओटां खोवैलो ,

म्हे आज सुणी है चातकडो
धरती रो पाणी पीवैलो ,
म्हे आज सुणी है हाथीडो
कूकर री जूणां जीवैलो ,

म्हे आज सुणी है थकां खसम
अब रांड हुवेली रजपूती ,
म्हे आज सुणी है म्यानां में
तलवार रवैली अब सूती ,

तो म्हारो हिवडो कांपै है मूंछयां री मोड मरोड गई,
पीथळ नै राणा लिख भेजो आ बाट कठै तक गिणां सही ?

पीथळ रा आखर पढ़तां ही
राणा री अंाख्यां लाल हुई ,
धिक्कार मनै हूं कायर हूं
नाहर री एक दकाल हुई ,

हूं भूख मरुं हूं प्यास मरुं
मेवाड धरा आजाद रवै
हूं घोर उजाडा मे भटकूं
पण मन में मां री याद रवै ,

हूं रजपूतण रो जायो हूं रजपूती करज चुकाऊंला,
ओ सीस पडै पण पाघ़ नही दिल्ली रो मान झुकाऊंला ।
पीथळ के खिमता बादळ री
जो रोकै सूड़ ऊगाळी नै ,
सिंघा री हाथळ सह लेवै
बा कूख मिली कद स्याळी नै ?

धरती रो पाणी पिवै इसी
चातग री चूंच बणी कोनी ,
कूकर री जूणां जिवै इसी
हाथी री बात सुणी कोनी,

आं हाथां मे तलवार थकां
कुण रांड कवै है रजपूती ?
म्यानां रैै बदळै बैरयां री
छात्यां मे रेवै ली सूती ,

मेवाड धधकतो अंगारो आंध्यां मे चमचम चमकैलो,
कडखै री उठती तानां पर पग पग खांडो खडकैलो ,
राखो थे मंूछयां एठयोडी
लोही री नदी बहा दंयूला ,
हूं अथक लडूंला अकबर स्यूं
उजड्यो मेवाड बसा दयूंला ,

जद राणा रो संदेशो गयो पीथळ री छाती दूणी ही ,
हिंदवाणो सूरज चमकै हो अकबर री दुनियां सूनी ही

4 comments:

मोहित जांगिड़ said...

Superb, जय हो भारत माता के शूरवीर महारणा प्रताप , आपकी सदैव जय

Ashish siroli said...

🙏🙏🙏🙏🚩🚩🚩🙏🙏🙏🙏

Unknown said...

Maharana pratap never seen these kind of days in his entire life. Even he had enough money (given by bhamashah ) not for his family even for his troop.
Jai Jai Maharana Pratap.

Veterinary medicine education said...

Jai rajputana jai maharana Jai mewar

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