Chapter 34: The Gathering Storm – Rajputana’s Last Stand
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1. The Aftermath of Victory
Amar Singh stood at the edge of the battlefield, the scent of blood and smoke thick in the air. The Mughal forces lay defeated, their general Abdullah Khan slain by his own hands. The Rajputs had struck a mighty blow, but this was only the beginning.
✔ Survivors looted the Mughal corpses, gathering weapons, armor, and supplies.
✔ The wounded were tended to, Rajput healers working tirelessly through the night.
✔ Pyres were lit for the fallen, their flames reaching toward the heavens as the warriors' spirits were sent to Veer Bhumi.
Amar Singh knew that Jahangir would not let this insult go unanswered. He had humiliated the Mughals, and they would return with a force greater than ever before.
The question was: Would Mewar be ready?
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2. The Message from Delhi – Jahangir's Response
As dawn broke, a lone rider approached the Rajput camp. His clothes bore the imperial insignia of the Mughals, and his face was filled with dread.
✔ "I come with a message from Emperor Jahangir," the rider announced.
✔ "He offers Amar Singh a choice—surrender and accept Mughal rule, or face total annihilation."
✔ "He has sent Asaf Khan with an army of 50,000 men to crush Mewar."
The Rajput warriors growled in fury, hands tightening around their swords.
Amar Singh's response was swift.
✔ "Tell your emperor that Mewar bows to no one."
✔ "Let Asaf Khan come. We will send him back in pieces."
The messenger trembled but left without another word. War was coming.
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3. Preparing for the Ultimate Battle
With only weeks before the Mughals arrived, Amar Singh mobilized all of Rajputana.
✔ Every noble house of Mewar was summoned.
✔ Weapons were forged, arrows crafted, and war elephants prepared.
✔ Women and children were moved into the mountains for safety.
The war council convened at Kumbhalgarh, where the most seasoned Rajput leaders gathered to discuss their strategy.
(1) Rawat Chundawat's Plan – The Mountain Stronghold
✔ "We should fortify the mountains, force the Mughals to fight uphill."
✔ "Their numbers will mean nothing if they cannot maneuver."
(2) Bagh Singh's Idea – The Guerilla War
✔ "We should not wait for them. Let us harass their march, bleed them before they reach us."
✔ "They will be tired and starving before the real battle begins."
(3) Amar Singh's Decision
✔ "We do both. We will make the mountains our fortress, and the roads their graveyard."
✔ "Mewar will not just fight. We will haunt them."
The strategy was set. The Rajputs would make the Mughals regret ever setting foot in Mewar.
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4. The Silent War – Bleeding the Mughals Dry
Asaf Khan's army marched from Agra, its banners waving, its numbers overwhelming.
But the Rajputs were waiting.
✔ At every narrow pass, boulders rained down, crushing men and horses.
✔ At every river crossing, Rajput archers struck from the shadows.
✔ Mughal supply wagons were burned, food stolen, water tainted.
By the time the Mughals reached the outskirts of Mewar, they had lost nearly 5,000 men without ever facing Amar Singh in open battle.
✔ "Who are these devils?" Asaf Khan growled. "They fight like ghosts in the wind!"
His army was starving, exhausted, and terrified—and they hadn't even reached Kumbhalgarh yet.
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5. The Siege of Kumbhalgarh – The Battle Begins
Finally, Asaf Khan arrived at Kumbhalgarh, his 45,000 soldiers facing only 15,000 Rajputs behind the great fortress walls.
The Mughal commander laughed.
✔ "Fools. They think walls will save them?"
✔ "We will break their gates, slaughter them all, and end Mewar forever!"
The Mughal cannons roared, blasting against the fort's walls.
The Rajput archers answered, raining fire upon the invaders.
✔ For three days, the battle raged.
✔ The Mughals stormed the walls, only to be thrown back each time.
✔ Hundreds of Mughal soldiers burned alive as Rajput warriors poured boiling oil on them.
✔ Every breach was met with swords, spears, and unrelenting fury.
Amar Singh stood at the front lines, his sword never still, his presence a beacon of defiance.
✔ "Mewar does not fall!" he roared as he cut down another Mughal invader.
✔ "Let them break themselves upon our walls!"
But then, Asaf Khan revealed his trump card.
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6. The Treachery of the Rajput Traitor
One night, as the battle raged, a Rajput noble—Singhvi Bharmal—betrayed Mewar.
✔ He led the Mughals through a secret passageway into the fort.
✔ Suddenly, enemy soldiers appeared inside the fortress itself.
✔ Kumbhalgarh was breached.
Amar Singh's warriors fought like demons, but the walls had been compromised.
✔ Rajput blood flowed in the corridors.
✔ The Mughals began their slaughter.
✔ It seemed that Mewar was doomed.
But Amar Singh was not finished yet.
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7. The Final Stand – Amar Singh's Defiance
Knowing that the fort could not be saved, Amar Singh gathered his best warriors.
✔ "We will not let them take us alive."
✔ "Every Rajput will take ten Mughals with him."
✔ "We die as lions, not as slaves!"
The warriors painted their faces red with blood, tying saffron cloths around their heads—the mark of warriors ready to die for honor.
✔ With a final war cry, they charged into the heart of the Mughal ranks!
✔ Swords clashed, blood splattered, men fell by the dozens.
✔ The ground shook as war elephants trampled Mughal invaders.
Amar Singh himself cut through the enemy, his blade flashing like lightning.
✔ He found Singhvi Bharmal, the traitor, and beheaded him in one stroke.
✔ "This is the price of betrayal," he spat.
The Rajputs fought like gods, but the Mughals kept coming.
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8. Escape into the Night – The Battle is Not Over
As dawn approached, Amar Singh realized the truth:
✔ Mewar had lost this battle.
✔ But the war was not over.
✔ Using the hidden mountain paths, Amar Singh and his warriors vanished into the forests.
✔ The Mughals took Kumbhalgarh—but they did not take Amar Singh.
✔ And as long as he lived, Mewar lived.
From the shadows, Amar Singh swore:
✔ "This land will never belong to the Mughals."
✔ "We will rise again, stronger, deadlier."
✔ "And this time, we will not retreat. We will reclaim everything."
The Rajputs had lost a fortress—but the fire of their resistance had only just begun.
The war was far from over.
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