Padmavati was an exceptionally beautiful princess of the Singhalese kingdom (now Sri Lanka). Ratan Singh, the Rajput ruler of Chittor, heard about her beauty from a talking parrot named Hiraman. Ratan Singh made efforts and married Padmini.
Alauddin Khilji, the Sultan of Delhi, heard of Padmini’s beauty from a Brahmin who had been banished by Ratan Singh for fraud. So Alauddin attacked Chittor. Initially, he was defeated. The following year, he attacked again and deceitfully captured Ratan Singh. Meanwhile, the King of Rambhalner, Devapal, became attracted to Padmini and proposed to marry her. However, Ratan Singh escaped from prison and had a duel with Devapal, in which both died. Seizing the opportunity, Alauddin Khilji attacked Chittor to capture Padmini. Before Chittor was taken, Padmini and her companions committed Jauhar (self-immolation). Many other versions of her life exist in Hindu and Jain traditions. The Sufi composer Malik Muhammad Jayasi in his poem Padmavat made no mention of Padmini. However, Jain texts by Nabindra Janudhar, Chitai Charitra, and Rayan Sehra have mentioned Rani Padmini. James Tod’s version, between 1829-32, retold the legend in his book Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan. His version was based on information compiled from the oral and textual traditions of writers employed by the Rajput chiefs.
In addition to literary accounts, oral traditions also exist after 1500 AD. The oral legends and the literary texts share the same characters but diverge in specific details. The oral versions emphasize social groups, while the literary texts are court-centric in context.
The earliest source to mention the Chittor siege of 1303 is Khazain ul-Futuh by Amir Khusrau, a court poet and panegyrist who accompanied Alauddin to Chittor. Khusrau did not mention Padmini. However, the poet mentioned a bird called Hudhud, which was actually a parrot. The Sultan insisted on the surrender of a woman, possibly Padmini. Nehru’s Discovery of India (1946) also narrates Khalji seeing Padmini in a mirror.
The life story of Padmini is also symbolic. Chittor symbolizes the human body, the king is the human spirit, the island Kingdom of Singhal is the human heart, and Padmini is the human mind. The parrot is the Guru, who guides, and Sultan Alauddin symbolizes Maya (illusion). This symbolism is found in Bardic traditions.
Opinions differ regarding the Padmini legend. However, when there is smoke, there is fire. So the existence of Padmini cannot be denied. Padmini showed that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Many people were fascinated by the beauty of Padmini. Padmini was a symbol of Indian beauty. Charm is the bloom on a woman. If she has it, she need not have anything else. If she does not have it, it does not matter what else she has. Prof. Arbuthnot said in his preface to the Kama Sutra:
“No joy in the world of mortals can be compared with what is derived from the knowledge of the creator. Only subordinate to this is the joy arising from the possession of a beautiful woman.”
The story of Padmini was tragic, but the possession of Padmini was a bone of contention, which was even more tragic.
(The views expressed are the writer’s own.)
Radhakanta Seth is an Income tax officer in Sambalpur. He is a Freelance writer and his articles have been published in some Oriya dailies like Sambad, Samaj, Dharitri and English dailies like The Telegraph and in a sociological journal ‘Folklore’ published from Kolkata.