Chawand

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (Retd.)

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Location of Sarada in Udaipur District‎

Chawand (चावंड) is a historical village in Sarada tahsil of Udaipur district in Rajasthan.

Variants

• Chavand(चावण्ड)

Location

Location of Chawand in Sarada tehsil of Udaipur district

Chawand is located in Sarada tehsil of Udaipur district of Rajasthan. It is 5 km north-west of Sarada and 60 km south of Udaipur city. The village Chavand is situated 6 km in east from Parsad (परसाद) village on Udaipur- Khairwar road.

History

Chawand was the last capital of Mewar under the reign of Maharana Pratap. After the battle of Haldighati, Maharana Pratap captured this area from the Rathors and established his new capital at Chawand in 1585 CE. Maharana Pratap built Chamunda Devi temple here. He built about 16 hideouts within the radius of 10 km to 1 km around his capital to look after the administration. Many secret army stores, palaces, temples and buildings for his loyal Bhils were also constructed here.

Rana Pratap (1540–1597) was son of Rana Udai and his Songarri Chauhan Rani. He had to face not only Akbar's army but also had to fight against other Rajput kings like Raja Todar Mal and Raja Man Singh of Amber who aligned with the Mughals. In the Battle ofHaldighati (1576), Maharana Pratap was badly hurt and was saved by his famous horse Chetak, who took him in an unconscious state away from the battle scene.

Later, Pratap relocated to Chavand in the mountainous southeastern area of Mewar. Maharana Pratap died of injuries sustained in a hunting accident. He died at Chavand, on January 29, 1597, aged fifty-six, during a hunting accident. in Chawand. A fine statue of Maharana Pratap and his four aide has been built in the memory of Maharana Pratap. There is a Jaina temple here and Mahals of Maharana Pratap. He was cremated in village Bandoli (बंडोली) about 3 kms from Chavand. There is a chhatri on the bank of nalah.

चावंड

चावंड राजस्थान के उदयपुर से ऋषभदेव जाने वाली सड़क पर सघन अरावली पहाड़ियों के पठारी भाग में बसा हुआ एक गाँव है। चावंड जिस पहाड़ी इलाक़े में बसा हुआ है, वह 'छप्पन' का इलाक़ा कहलाता है। चावंड पहले छप्पनियें राठौड़ों का वतन था। महाराणा प्रताप ने इस पर आक्रमण कर हल्दीघाटी युद्ध के पश्चात् अपनी नयी राजधानी बनाया। चावंड गाँव से सटी हुई पहाड़ी पर प्रताप ने महल बनवाये थे जो आज खण्डहर मात्र हैं। यहाँ के खण्डहरों के निचले भाग में चामुण्डा माता का मन्दिर बना हुआ है। यह मन्दिर महाराणा प्रताप ने ही बनवाया था। यह भी उल्लेखनीय है कि महाराणा प्रताप की मृत्यु चावंड में ही हुई थी। चावंड गाँव से लगभग डेढ़ मील दूर बण्डोली गाँव है, उसके पास जो नाला बहता है, उसी नाले के किनारे प्रताप का दाह संस्कार किया गया था। इस स्थल पर स्मारक स्वरूप एक छतरी बनी हुई है.

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