MTLNOVEL Chapter 47: Chapter 47: The Last March of Maharana Pratap
The Gathering Storm
The air was heavy with the scent of war. In the heart of the Aravalli mountains, Maharana Pratap stood before his assembled army, his eyes burning with unyielding resolve.
Mewar had reclaimed its land piece by piece, but now, Jahangir's army—20,000 strong—was marching to crush them once and for all.
For Pratap, this battle was not just another fight. It was the ultimate test.
Would Mewar's resistance shatter under the weight of the Mughal Empire?
Or would the spirit of Rajputana rise, unbreakable, like the mountains themselves?
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The Rajput War Council
Inside a dimly lit war tent, Maharana Pratap gathered his commanders. The fire in the brazier flickered as warriors leaned over maps spread before them.
"This is our greatest challenge," Pratap began. "Jahangir sends his best generals. This is not a battle we can afford to lose."
Raja Bagh Singh of Deogarh stepped forward. "If we meet them on an open field, their cavalry will crush us."
Hakim Khan Sur, the Afghan commander fighting for Mewar, nodded. "We must force them into the hills. Their numbers will mean nothing in narrow passes."
Pratap tapped the map. "We will split their forces, strike from all sides, and leave them lost in the mountains."
The plan was set. Mewar would not fight for survival. They would fight for victory.
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The Battle of Ranakpur
The Mughal forces, led by General Mahabat Khan, marched into Mewar, their banners flying high.
They expected a straightforward battle.
They were wrong.
At the Ranakpur Gorge, the first trap was sprung. Rajput archers, hidden in the cliffs, rained a storm of arrows upon the unsuspecting Mughals.
As they scrambled for cover, Rajput cavalry charged from the forests, swords flashing in the morning sun.
The Mughal forces reeled from the ambush. Their orderly formation turned into chaos.
For three days, the battle raged in the mountains. Every valley became a death trap, every river a battleground.
Maharana Pratap, riding his faithful horse Chetak's successor, led charge after charge, cutting through enemy lines.
By the fourth day, Jahangir's mighty army was broken. The survivors fled back to Delhi, carrying with them only the tale of their defeat.
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Jahangir's Last Move
Word of the loss reached Emperor Jahangir. He sat in his grand palace in Agra, his hands clenched into fists.
The Rajput king he had once dismissed as a rebel had humiliated the Mughal Empire again and again.
He knew now that Mewar could not be conquered.
But Jahangir was not one to admit defeat.
"If I cannot take Mewar by the sword," he murmured, "I will take it by time."
He ordered no more invasions. Instead, he would choke Mewar economically, cutting off its trade and resources.
It was a new kind of war.
And Maharana Pratap had little time left to fight it.
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The Rajput King's Final Days
Years passed. Mewar remained free, but at a great cost.
The endless wars had left its people exhausted, its treasury drained. Pratap, once a warrior in his prime, felt the weight of his battles upon him.
One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, he sat in his mountain palace, watching the land he had bled for.
His son, Amar Singh, knelt beside him.
"Father, you have done the impossible. Mewar stands free."
Pratap smiled weakly. "It is not enough, Amar. The battle is never truly over. You must lead them now."
A deep breath. His hand tightened around his sword one last time.
"Promise me, my son—never bow to the Mughals."
With those words, Maharana Pratap, the unbreakable warrior of Mewar, took his final breath.
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A Legend That Never Dies
Mewar wept for its king. But his story did not end with his death.
His son, Amar Singh, took up his father's sword, leading Mewar into a new age.
And though empires rose and fell, Maharana Pratap's name remained eternal—etched into the soul of Rajputana, whispered in the wind that passed through the Aravalli hills.
For some kings rule with crowns. But legends like Maharana Pratap rule in the hearts of their people, forever.
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