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The emperor Akbar was much offended at the insult offered to him, and the
incident hastened the first of those bloody battles which have made Pratap's
name immortal. Prince Salim led the war guided by Man Singh, Mahabat Khan and
son of Sagarji, brother of Pratap. The scene of battle was a mountain pass,
named Haldighati. Pratap with the flower of Mewar, defended the pass; and the
struggle was glorious. At length when he was nearly overwhelmed,
Manah, the chief of Jhala, seized the umbrella and raising it over his head, drew after him
the attack of the enemy, while Pratap was forced from the field. The noble of
Jhala fell with all his brave followers. Of Pratap's 22,000 warriors, only 8000 left the field.
Pratap was defeated and driven towards
Gogunda. Unfortunately, Pratap’s favourite charger Chetak died in the battle, but not before saving the life of his master. The horse is supposed to have jumped over a mountain stream when
pursued by two Mughal chiefs. Chetak died soon after he had seen his master to
safety. Rana escaped to the jungles of Chavand, living with the Bhils and
sometimes going without food. Left without an army, Pratap took to guerilla warfare, hitting the Imperial army
and withdrawing into the forests. Years thus rolled away, each ending with a diminution of his means and a
comparative increase of his misfortunes. His family was the chief cause of his
anxiety; it was on the point of being captive many a time. He had beheld his
sons and relatives fall around him on the battle-field without any emotion -"for
this was the Rajput born", but the lamentation of his children for food unmanned
him, and he asked Akbar to alleviate their miseries. Akbar showed Pratap's letter to Prithvi Raj, a
brother of prince of Bikaner. This prince adored the very name of Pratap; and
this news filled him with grief. He told the emperor frankly that the letter was
a forgery of some foe to the fame of Pratap. He made a strong appeal to
Pratap not to submit.
Prithvi Raj saved Pratap and Mewar from disgrace; for this appeal was equal to
10,000 men, and it roused Pratap into action. The honour of saving Mewar also
belongs to Bhama Shah, the minister of Pratap. He offered to the Rana the
accumulated wealth of himself and his ancestors, quite sufficient for the
maintenance of 25,000 men for twelve years. Thus the name of Bhama Shah has been preserved as the saviour of
Mewar. This went on for 25 long years, and eventually the Rana was able to conquer most of
Mewar. On his deathbed Pratap took an oath from his chiefs "by the name of Bappa
Rawal" that they would not permit mansions to be raised till Mewar had
recovered her independence. He made his successors vow that they would not live in palaces, sleep on beds nor eat off metal utensils until Chittor was recaptured.
Pratap died in 1697 with the unfulfilled dream of conquering Chittor, but not until his courtiers assured him that they would not submit to the
Mughals.
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