MTLNOVEL Chapter 43: Chapter 43: The Embers of Rebellion
A Kingdom Without a King
The fall of Chittorgarh sent shockwaves across Rajputana. The once-mighty fortress, the symbol of defiance, now stood as a burnt ruin under Mughal control. Word spread like wildfire, reaching the distant villages and hidden strongholds where the last remnants of Rajput warriors had retreated.
Among them was Maharana Pratap, the rightful ruler of Mewar. News of Chittorgarh's fall reached him as he stood atop the hills overlooking the Aravalli range. His heart burned with rage, but his mind remained sharp. He had expected this outcome—the Mughals had come with overwhelming force, but what they had won was nothing more than a graveyard of ashes.
Beside him stood his most trusted generals: Hakim Khan Sur, Rawat Krishna Das, and Bhamashah. The fire in their eyes reflected the unbreakable will of Mewar.
"Chittorgarh has fallen," Rawat Krishna Das said grimly. "But Rajputana has not."
Maharana Pratap tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword. "Then we will make sure they never rest. The war is not over. It has only begun."
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A New Strategy: Guerrilla Warfare
The Mughals had the numbers, the wealth, and the might of an empire behind them. But Rajputs had something more powerful—an undying spirit and the land itself.
Maharana Pratap knew that a direct confrontation would be suicide. His army was outnumbered, his resources limited. But in the mountains, in the forests, in the deserts of Rajputana, his people knew every hidden path, every secret cave, every untraceable route.
"We will not fight them in open battle," Maharana Pratap declared. "We will fight them in the shadows. We will be ghosts in the night, striking where they least expect and vanishing before they can retaliate."
Thus began Mewar's greatest resistance—an unrelenting war of ambushes, raids, and unpredictable attacks.
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The First Strike: A Message to Jahangir
The first blow against the Mughals came in the dead of night. A Mughal supply caravan, heavily guarded and carrying food, weapons, and gold for Jahangir's forces, was making its way through a narrow valley.
From the cliffs above, Maharana Pratap's warriors watched silently. Every movement was planned, every breath calculated.
With a single signal, boulders crashed down from the heights, blocking the path ahead and behind.
Before the Mughals could react, arrows rained from the darkness, striking down their riders with deadly precision. The few who tried to flee were met with Rajput swords, their throats slit before they could scream.
Within moments, the entire caravan was reduced to silence.
Maharana Pratap picked up one of the captured Mughal banners, dipped it in the blood of their fallen enemies, and left it hanging on the wreckage.
When news of the attack reached Jahangir's ears, his fury was boundless.
"This is no longer a battle for land," he growled. "This is a battle of vengeance."
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The Mughal Response: A Ruthless Hunt
Determined to crush Rajput resistance, Jahangir ordered his generals to hunt down Maharana Pratap like an animal. Mughal forces scoured the mountains and forests, burning villages suspected of aiding the Rajputs and offering vast rewards for anyone who betrayed the Maharana's location.
But Rajputana's people stood firm.
Despite hunger, despite suffering, despite the threat of death, they refused to bow.
Women, children, and elders hid warriors in caves, smuggled supplies through hidden routes, and sent coded messages using the stars. Every village, every town, every hut became a weapon in the fight against Mughal tyranny.
Jahangir grew restless. The more he sent soldiers, the more they disappeared into the shadows.
The frustration boiled over when another Mughal outpost was burned to the ground overnight, leaving only a single message carved into a stone wall:
"Rajputana Lives."
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A Kingdom in Exile, A King Unbroken
While his people suffered, Maharana Pratap himself endured a life of exile. His court was no longer in grand palaces but in the forests and caves of Mewar. His meals were no longer feasts but dry rotis and wild fruits.
And yet, he never wavered.
Seated by the fire, he looked at his warriors—tired, bruised, but still unyielding.
"We fight not for land," he reminded them. "We fight for our people. For our honor. For the future of Rajputana."
Bhamashah, his most loyal supporter, stepped forward. "And we are with you, till our last breath."
It was then that Bhamashah made his greatest sacrifice—offering his entire fortune to fund the war.
"With this," he declared, "Mewar will never run out of swords."
With newfound strength, Maharana Pratap and his warriors prepared for the next battle.
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The Unbreakable Will of Rajputana
Despite being hunted, outnumbered, and pushed to the edge, Mewar refused to fall.
For every village burned, ten more took an oath to fight.
For every warrior lost, five more picked up the sword.
For every Rajput slain, his name was etched into legend.
The Mughal Empire had conquered Chittorgarh, but it had not conquered the Rajputs.
And as long as one warrior remained standing, the flames of resistance would never die.
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