Untold story of Pratap Khan

Come the summer months of May-June each year and the celebratory chants of ‘Rana Pratap amar rahe’ get more heated. 

The iconic 16th-century ruler of Mewar remains probably the most charismatic leader of the sub-continent, whose birth anniversary on May 9 and the Battle of Haldighati anniversary on June 18, is celebrated with a reverence that defines deification.  

To imagine 479 years after his birth, during the recent elections in the region of Mewar, candidates were heard seeking votes in the name of Maharana Pratap. Why only 2019 general polls, every election sees candidates from all parties chanting his name, recalling his sacrifices, vowing to uphold Pratapi gaurav and shaan (Pratap’s honour and pride).  

Come to think of it in England, campaigners would be mocked at if they sought votes in the name of Queen Mary of Scots. Or Queen Elizabeth whose age marked the 16th CE. In today’s China or Russia, no one in their right mind would refer to the 16th century and hope to win elections. It happens here in Rajasthan, especially in southern districts where Rana Pratap is omnipresent. His glory, his story continues to grow with time.  

Few are aware of the story of Pratap Khan. We owe it to Dr Paul T Craddock, a renowned archaeo-metallurgist from the British Museum, London. He takes us deeper into the zinc mines of Zawar near Udaipur. (Read DNA Opinion 29-3-19 and 6-5-19). 

Pratap Khan or Pratap’s mine is an ancient zinc mining site in Zawar where Rana Pratap often took shelter as he waged relentless battles against the Mughal Empire. 

There are innumerable historical references to Rana Pratap going underground, becoming untraceable for months in the Aravalli Hills. Dr Craddock’s focus on zinc mining in Mewar sharpens our understanding of Rana Pratap’s life and traumatic times. 

Early Metallurgy Report (Dr Paul T Craddock, KTM Hegde, LK Gurjar, L.Willies) provides a historical narrative while researching on ‘the production of lead, silver and zinc through three millennia in north-west India’.  

The first historical references, specifically to Zawar, occur in the reign of Maharana Lakha Singh (1382-1421). The territory in which Zawar lies is described as having silver and tin deposits. In Rana Lakha Singh’s time, silver and lead mines were discovered and substantial amounts of these metals produced, thereby increasing the state’s income. Col James Tod stated that “the riches of the mines of Jawura were expended to rebuild the temples and palaces levelled by Alla-a-din (the Tartar, Alauddin Khilji, Sultan of Delhi).” 

It is possible that Lakha Singh established the production of zinc on a large scale and developed major chemical industry, a truly remarkable achievement. As a result of this industrial activity in the 14th CE, the Report notes, Zawar became a prosperous town. 

Mewar, under successive Maharanas after Rana Sanga, continued to defy the Mughal Empire. “Finally, in 1576, Emperor Akbar, determined to end Mewar’s independence, attacked with overwhelming strength and rapidly occupied the whole country. Rana Pratap (period of reign: 1572-1597), however, refused to submit and guerrilla warfare continued for many years with some actions taking place at Zawar itself. According to tradition, Rana Pratap retreated to the hills with his queen, young family and a few loyal supporters, and quite literally went underground into the mines of Zawar Mala to bide his time and attempt to rally support while being hunted by the Mughal forces. The stories of their privations have been recounted many times, together with the legends of the hideout in Zawar Mala,” states the Report. 

“Today, the villagers on Zawar Mala still refer to one of the ancient mines as Pratap Khan and another opposite as Rani Khan. The former was almost certainly Pratap’s headquarters during his long sojourn as a fugitive. Our investigations have shown that in fact, he was occupying long-abandoned ancient workings, with no evidence of later reworking for ore. At ‘Pratap Kha’n there is a relatively broad flight of steps of carefully cut stones, otherwise unparalleled in the mines, which descend to what is still referred to as the Audience Chamber,” explains Dr Craddock. 

“This is in an ancient worked-out stope that forms a great circular domed chamber and in this, a substantial stone platform had been constructed which could not have served a mining function. This could have been the hideout for some of the Bhil nomads, but it seems too grand a conception and it is more likely that it is indeed the base of Pratap’s last resistance,” the Report notes. 

Lest we forget, the report reminds us that “Nowadays natural ventilation is good in most mines but is assisted by electric fans…earlier, the air currents would have been dispersed.” 

A pointer to how tortuous and difficult life must have been deep down in Zawar Mala for Rana Pratap, his family and supporters: “Access is very constricted, at times limited to a low, flat-out crawl until blocked entirely at the upper end.” With Early Metallurgy Report, we pay a silent homage to Rana Pratap and all the braves who made Pratap Khan their refuge: as the locals would say, Jai Mewar! 

Author is a journalist, researcher, writer and communications consultant