Did Queen Karnavati send Rakhi to Humayun? (Illustrative image)

Queen Karnavati – March 8, 1535

Humayun, Rakhi, Karnavati, Mewar
Did Queen Karnavati send Rakhi to Humayun? (Illustrative image)

Since childhood, we have been taught that during times of war and crisis, Queen Karnavati of Mewar sent a letter and Rakhi to the Mughal ruler Humayun, after which he immediately set out to help her. However, if we look at history critically, there is no mention of such an incident in contemporary historical records, despite the elaborate narratives built to glorify the Mughals.

Now, let’s understand where this story actually came from. In the 19th century, there was a British officer named Colonel James Tod in the court of Mewar. He authored a book called Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, and it is in this book that this story is mentioned.

He wrote that Humayun proved himself a ‘true warrior’ and, abandoning his campaign in West Bengal, set out to save Chittor. Although Bahadur Shah had already captured Chittor before Humayun’s arrival, and Queen Karnavati committed Jauhar along with 13,000 women, Humayun managed to drive away the invader and fulfilled his promise.

Understanding the Story from a Historical Perspective

Queen Karnavati was the wife of Rana Sanga. Maharana Sanga united the Rajputs and launched a front against the Mughal ruler Babur. In 1527, he confronted Babur in the Battle of Khanwa (in Bharatpur, Rajasthan). However, Babur’s artillery, the religious zeal within his army, and his technological advantages worked in favor of the Mughals.

Rana Sanga was severely wounded and died a few days later. After his death, Maharani Karnavati began ruling by placing their elder son, Vikramaditya, on the throne. They also had a younger son, Rana Uday Singh, who ruled Mewar for over 30 years and established the city of Udaipur. His son, Maharana Pratap, later became famous for resisting Akbar.

After Babur’s death in 1530, Humayun ascended the throne. At that time, Gujarat was ruled by Bahadur Shah, who had fought several wars to expand his kingdom. Humayun’s invasion eventually ended Bahadur Shah’s reign, and he was later killed. This was the same Bahadur Shah who had once hidden in Chittor out of fear of his father, Shamsuddin Muzaffar Shah II, and his brother, Sikandar Shah.

Later, Bahadur Shah conquered Malwa and then attacked Chittor. These were the main characters of the story. Historian Satish Chandra writes in his book History of Medieval India that no contemporary writer mentioned the event of Karnavati sending Rakhi to Humayun. It may well be a fabricated story. So what was the truth that was hidden from us?

Historical Accounts of Humayun and Chittor

In the book The History of India for Children (Vol. 2): From the Mughals to the Present, Archana Garodia Gupta and Shruti Garodia write that Humayun actually reached Chittor a few months after Sultan Bahadur Shah had already occupied it. Humayun was waiting for the right moment to strike, as the Mewar kingdom had already fallen. During this time, Bahadur Shah openly indulged in massacres and plunder in Chittor.

His ministers told him that since he was fighting a non-Muslim, Humayun, being a Muslim, would not harm him. But Humayun waited for Chittor to be fully under Bahadur Shah’s control and then attacked. Initially, Humayun faced setbacks, but ultimately, he managed to gain control over Gujarat and Malwa, ending Bahadur Shah’s Sultanate.

During the Chittor attack, Humayun and Bahadur Shah also exchanged letters, which SK Banerjee mentions in his book Humayun Badshah.

What Happened to Queen Karnavati?

During the three Jauhars in Chittor, one involved the women, including the queens, committing Jauhar. Men wore saffron garments and went out to fight, while inside the fort, the women performed Jauhar to avoid capture by the Islamic invaders. On March 8, 1534, these women chose death over falling into enemy hands. The princes were kept in a safe place, which is why they survived.

The story of Humayun helping Karnavati after receiving Rakhi is as fictitious as the tale of Jodha and Akbar. Many films and television series have been made on these stories, but no one has verified their authenticity through historical research. Colonel James Tod was the first to mention Jodha by name; prior to him, there was no record of any of Akbar’s wives being named Jodha. This is another fabricated story.

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