Have a look at some lesser known facts about the warrior queen who has always intrigued history buffs…
1) Padmavati was a legendary 13th-14th century Indian Queen, who was also known as Padmini.
2) Padmavati who was a skilled warrior was from Singhal kingdom, which today is known as Sri Lanka.
3) She had a talking parrot called Hiramani who was her close confidant. In fact, according to Padmavat, it was Hiramani, who sang praises of her beauty to King Ratan Singh of Chittor.
4) The princess had set out a condition for anyone who wished to marry her. They had to defeat a designated fighter in a sword fight in order to win her hand in marriage. Ratan Singh agreed to the condition. He fought with the sword fighter and won. Interestingly, it was the brave princess Padmini, who was in disguise as the fighter.
5) When Ratan Sen banished his Raj Purohit Raghav Chetan for fraud. To seek revenge Raghav Chetan went to the court of ruler Alauddin Khilji of Delhi Sultanate and informed him about Rani Padmavati’s exceptional beauty. The Sultan was enamored by the descriptions of Padmavati’s beauty and wanted to see it for himself.
6) Alauddin Khilji sent a word to Maharawal Ratan Singh that he wish to see the Queen and witness her beauty for real. Alauddin was known to be one of the most powerful rulers and sensing the danger his kingdom would be under if he rejects the proposal, Ratan Singh agreed. However, the brave Queen Padmini suggested he can see her reflection instead. Upon seeing her reflection, Khilji got completely obsessed with Rani Padmini and fell in love with her.
7) He even attacked the kingdom of Chittorgarh and captured Ratan Singh. He sent a message to Padmini that the king would be released if she agrees to go along with him.
8) But Rani Padmini sent out 800 troops to rescue her husband. The troops were successful in rescuing the king.
9) However, Ratan Singh lost his life in a battle that soon ensued and Alauddin Khilji ordered his forces to invade Chittor and capture Padmini and other women of Chittor. while Khilji sent his army of men to capture them, Rani Padmini along with the other women boldly walked down the secret passage linked from Chittor fort into the Jauhar Kund. Legend has it that Rani Padmini was the first one to jump into the Jauhar Kund.
