Chittore Rani Padmini (14th Century) Poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar

The legend of cute Queen Padmavati
Is a tale of lust and war, the tragic.
The epic poem of Padmavati was written
By Malik Muhammad Jayasi far back
In the early sixteenth century.
There are many versions of the epic
But all spoke of the beauty of the queen,
Lust of the Sultan and the glory of Rajput. 1

Padmavati, also known as Padmini,
Was the second wife by swayamvara
Of King Rawal Ratan Singh, who had ruled
Chittorgarh, also known as Chittore.
Padmavati is known for her beauty.
She was the daughter of king Hamir Sank,
The Chauhan ruler from Shingala kingdom.
Chittor Rani Padmini she has become. 2

Alauddin Khilji, the Sultan of Delhi,
Who ruled in the thirteenth century,
Heard of the beauty of Padmavati
From Raghav, a brahmin musician,
Who took refuge with the Delhi Sultan,
After he was banished from Chittore fort
For his indulgence in sorcery act.
He sang the queen's beauty, to settle his score 3

Intrigued by the description of Padmini,
Alauddin marched with army to Chittorgarh.
Camping outside the fort, he sent a word
About his wish to see the beauty of the queen.
Not to upset the Sultan and invite his wrath,
Ratan Singh relented to the Sultan's wish,
Which Rani Padmini declined from modesty.
Rajput queens cannot be seen by strangers.4

Rani was coaxed to let her reflection
From a mirror be seen by Alauddin.
Smitten by the beauty from the mirror,
He decided to have her as his own.
Her husband was kidnapped when he saw off
The Sultan outside his fort and Padmavati
Was bargained for exchange of the king.
Gora and Badal came to the queen's rescue. 5

In the name of Padmavati and her aids,
A hundred palanquins carrying soldiers
In disguise led by Gora and Badal
Reached Delhi and brought the king back.
Alauddin Khilji's rage went out of bound.
Meanwhile, Ratan Singh was killed in a duel
With Devpal, the king of Kumbhalner,
Who also was enamoured with Padmini.6

The Sultan army, unable to break the fort,
Laid siege on Chittor, cutting off supplies.
Many events took place and the fort fell.
Men dying in the battle, sensing the defeat,
Women in the fort, led by Padmavati
And Nagmati, the queens, committed jauhar,
By jumping into the huge fire pit set.
Alauddin got empty fort and the charred queen.
June,2020