Rajputs Go To War

‘O Rana¹’
The odds are heavy
The match is five to one
Or may be more
Our enemies united
For our annihilation
And knock like
Ocean waves
At our doorsteps
Surrounded
From all sides
We are
With no help coming
Our friends have deserted
And changed their flags
Like the weathercock
Does with the change
Of the wind
A few men
A small garrisoned fort
We are
Full of peasants
And women and children
Men have rallied
And wait for your command
Either to die or surrender
To live and fight
Another day
Surrender? The lion roared
What does that mean?
I am afraid I don’t know
You say the odds are five to one
But my friend
I know courage
Does not fails you
I know you do your duty
To give an apt advice
But you know
Surrender we don’t know what is
Numbers we never count
Let them plague like insects
We will stand them like men
Till the last men stands
With blood flowing through his veins
Rajputs haven’t lost
The other side has not yet won
And what honour
Unless we fight
My friend
There is no choice
For life is eternal
Honour is fleeting
And a Rajput’s honour
Is his life and
It lay in a just fight
We save our honour
We make this choice
So men of honour
Brothers in arms
I ask none less
Than the supreme sacrifice
Either we turn tables
Against heavenly odds
Or we perish
Like our ancients
Till the last men standing
Since what I ask for
Is much
I also give a choice
Those wishing to leave
Can do so
And save their lives
The men laughed
O King!
What you say is just
But you know
We are bonded
By a code of honour
And who has heard
Rajputs fleeting from the war
History never taught this
It never will teach
A Rajput bowing in a battle
Or kissing the ground
O Rana’
Our hearts never fail
And how many times
We successfully
Stood up to these odds
And saved our civilization
We already tied Kesariya²
Our women ready for Jauhar³
Last words have been spoken
Fair ones have left
The men are murmuring
Within the fort
We should not hide
For we are men
And not mice
Order to open the gates
O King!
And we will tell them
Who we are
We will strike them like lightening
Their generations
To come will know
The terror of the Rajput sword
This is what we wish for
Our King
Seeing their thrust for enemy blood
The King saluted them
They bowed down
To each other
For one last time
And reconciled with their fate
And lo!
Jai Bhavani, Jai Bhavani⁴
The fort gate was opened
And out came men of daring faith
Like lions they pounded
Upon their enemy
And kept their pledge
To fight and too die
Till the victory is won
Or till the last men standing
Veer Bhogya Vasundhara⁵.

A Eulogy for the gallant Rajputs who died fighting in The Battle of Chittor 1568.

Referring to the Rajput King
A cloth strip of deep saffron symbolizing readiness for a life sacrifice
A term used to describe women killing themselves either by immolation or drowning to save their honour when the Rajput army goes down fighting
The Battle cry of Rajputs
The Rajput battle cry meaning ‘earthly pleasures belong to the brave.’

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