In the sixteenth century Moguls had built Fatehpur Sikri as their new capital. It was situated near Agra. Mogul durbar had shifted to that place from Delhi. Emperor Akbar was also living at Agra. There every year ‘Navroz Mela’ used to be held in Agra Fort. It was a unique fair. The show was run entirely by women. Objects of feminine interest were brought into the fair. The shops were run by the women and the buyers also were ladies. The fair was banned for the men folk.
But there was one exception. Emperor Akbar could go to the fair. And he did go to the fair a few times during the nine day fair. It is claimed that Akbar used to take liberties with women in the fair with great enthusiasm because he thought that he had the royal licence for it. Some unscrupulous ladies also would use this opportunity to catch the attention of the Emperor and try to make something out of it. For many such ladies it was an achievement to indulge in some erotic verbal exchange.
Rajput women were of different kind. They believed in piety and absolute loyalty to the wedded husband. Some of them were so prudent that they never even caste their eyes on man other than their respective husbands. Usually Rajput woman sat on the funeral pyre in case of the death of their husbands and got burnt to the ashes.
Rajputs had heard the news that the emperor took liberties with their women. It was a cause of great resentment among the Rajputs. They felt humiliated but could do little because they were servants of the Empire ruled by Akbar, the wrong doer. But nevertheless a lava of anger was building up in the hearts of Rajputs although no one was openly criticizing the emperor for fear of losing Akbar’s patronage.
Once Akbar misbehaved with the wife of court poet, Raja Prithviraj in the fair. His wife Joshibai was a woman of great beauty. She was a woman who believed in piety. The emperor’s taking liberty with her was a great act of shame for her.
She felt defiled.
She revealed the entire episode to her husband and committed suicide during the night. Her death anguished entire Rajput community of the Mogul camp. The lava of anger was reaching the bursting point. An unusually hot situation was building up.
Emperor Akbar felt the heat and sensed the danger of Rajput ire which could greatly damage the empire. Emperor announced that ‘Navroz Mela’ would no more be held.
The husband of Joshibai, Raja Prithviraj was a sad person. The manner of the death of his wife was humiliating tragedy. To make matters worse he had no other option but to attend the Mogul Court everyday and pay obeisance to the same person who was the very cause of the shameful death of his wife. It was a living death for him and sitting in Akabr’s court for him was like sitting on the funeral pyre that was smouldering slowly.
Other Rajputs had experiences of similar humiliations of various degrees to live with. But in the defiance of Mogul Emperor by Maharana Pratap they felt a strange kind of solace. Maharana was taking revenge on the empire and he had become secret icon of the hearts of Rajputs wherever they were. For Rajputs in the Mogul camp Maharana was emotional anchor and a great consolation, a balm that soothed their humiliations and ruffled feelings.
It came as a shock when Emperor Akbar declared in the court that Maharana Pratap was negotiating for peace with the Mogul empire. He waved Maharana’s letter with great triumph and glee. Raja Prithviraj could not believe it. For him Maharana’s defiance had become a sole consolation.
He secretly revered Maharana for his indomitable courage. He could not sit quiet and rose from his seat to protest. “It is not possible Your Majesty. Maharana would never bend. I think that letter is fake.”
Akbar shook his head and spoke, “Raja, it is genuine. Rana is after all a human being. He must have got fed up with the life on the run. He has lost everything to Mogul empire. What is he left with but seek peace with us?”
It was a bitter truth. But somehow it did not go well with Rajputs. Maharana was their own moral support and the symbol of pride and valour. Prithviraj spoke, “Maharana is not ordinary soul, sir. He will break rather than bend.”
Akabr smiled, “You may be right, Raja. He is exceptionally adamant. But you will agree that joining Mogul empire does not mean breaking. It is a bigger way of standing after all we are all partners in the Mogul empire. That is how I see it.”
But Raja Prithviraj was inconsolable, “I still think that the letter is not genuine. Your Majesty, allow me to test its genuineness.”
“You can, Raja. Investigate and tell me about your finding.”
Emperor Akbar rose and retired from the court. He had sensed that Rajputs were not happy at the turn of events. And he didn’t like the mood.
Meanwhile, Raja Prithviraj went home and wrote a long verse and sent it to Maharana Pratap through a messenger. In the poetic language he had conveyed to Maharana that entire Rajput fraternity had their pride and honour emotionally invested in him. Raja had prayed that Maharana should not let down the Rajput race.