Did Ratan Singh, Padmavati's husband, really die in battle? History says maybe not

 | Updated: Feb 18, 2018, 10:33 AM IST
There is no mention of the dual having ever taken place between the ruler of Medapata and the Sultan in historical documents.

Final dual?

Padmaavaat, the controversial Sanjay Leela Bhansali classic shows, in the end, Ratan Singh taking on Alauddin Khilji in a final dual, much like Achilles against Hector.

The movie shows how in the dual Ratan Singh actually outlasts Khilji as arrows shot by his principal aide Malik Kafur pierces the Rajput King’s heart and he dies heroically.

But history is somewhat different from Bhansali’s tale.
(Photograph:Zee News Network)

Malik Muhammad Jayasi’s version

Firstly, there is no mention of the dual having ever taken place between the ruler of Medapata and the Sultan in historical documents.

In fact, Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi in his famous poem in 1540 describes Ratan Singh being killed by Devpal, the Kumbhalner ruler. Jayasi in his poem says Devpal proposes to marry Padmini while Ratan Singh is imprisoned by Khilji. After he is freed by his aides, Ratan Singh attacks Devpal and in the ensuing duel, both are killed. Padmini later commits Sati on Ratan Singh’s pyre.
(Photograph:Zee News Network)

Hollow victory

As Alauddin Khilji reaches Chittor, the men fight till the last and women in the fort commit Jauhar. Khilji enters Chittor palace without ever meeting either Ratan Singh or Padmini.

The near empty fort breaks Khilji’s heart and he reflects on his hollow victory.
(Photograph:Zee News Network)

Khusrau’s version

The famous poet Amir Khusrau, however, presents an altogether different version.

Khusrau who apparently entered the fort after the defeat of the Mewar army wrote that upon entering Chittor, Khilji ordered the massacre of Hindus inside the fort but spared the royal family. Ratan Singh referred to as Rai lived to see another day, according to Khusrau.

Although it does seem improbable that after months of waiting it out outside the fort and capturing Ratan Singh and then coming back to conquer the fort, Khilji actually allowed Ratan Singh to live, but poems and legends have their own ghosts - and versions. (Image source: Wikimedia Commons)
(Photograph:Others)
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Legendary Princess

Muslim scholars of the day do not mention Padmini at all. Ziauddin Barani and Isami do not say anything about the legendary princess.

Their records suggest Khilji seized Chittor, forgave Ratan Singh and returned to Delhi. 16th Century historian Firishta and Haji-ud-Dabir differed with Jayasi’s version. The historians quite surprisingly wrote that Padmini was the daughter not the wife of Ratan Singh.
(Photograph:Zee News Network)

Ratan Singh

The only historical fact which everyone agrees with is that Ratan Singh was a Rajput ruler who was defeated by Khilji in 1303.

The existence and the legend around Rani Padmini is mostly hearsay and the fictionalised account of several historians and equally large number of versions about the Rajput princess.
(Photograph:India.com)

Final Battle

The reality of Padmini and Ratan Singh may have been lost in time. In all the focus on Padmini aka Padmavati, most forget about Ratan Singh and his place in history. It is ironical however that only two things are historical facts – Ratan Singh and Alauddin Khilji – as both existed but Padmini’s existence and her final act is somewhat confusing to many.

However, we choose to believe the version which is most fictionalised, the battle, the love, the lust and the final deed. History, however, has something else to say.
(Photograph:Zee News Network)