Rani Kamlapati

Rani Kamlapati

Subject: History

Context: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister has set the stage for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the State by renaming the Habibganj railway station after Rani Kamlapati, an 18th century Gond queen

Content:

• Rajgonds are the ruling class among the Gond.The name Gondwana named after Gondi people. The Gond Tribal dominating Community in Gondwana.
• Ginnor was considered an impregnable fort, located summit of a steep 2000-foot-high rock and surrounded by thick forest and  also area around the upper lake of Bhopal was mainly (1710s)   populated by  Bhil and  Gond tribals.
• Nizam Shah, strongest local Gond warlords and ruled his territory from the Ginnor fort (Ginnorgarh in the present-day Sehore district).Rani Kamlapati (or Kamlavati) was one of the seven wives of NizamShah.Kamlapati famous for her beauty and talents. local legends describe her more beautiful than a pari.
• Nizam Shah was poisoned to death by his nephew Alam Shah (known as Chain Shah) the raja Chainpur-Bariand also who wanted to marry Kamlapati. Kamlapati offered Dost Mohammad Khana hundred thousand rupees to protect her honor, kingdom and to avenge her husband’s death.
• Mohammad Khan led a joint army of Afghan and Gond soldiers to defeat and kill Alam Shah. Khan accepted the offer, and also Kamlapati tied a rakhi on his hand. In lieu of the remainder king’s territory was annexed to Kamlapati’s kingdom.   Rani did not have one hundred thousand rupees and so she paid him half sum and gave the village of Bhopal.
• Rani Kamlapati committed suicideIn 1723 near her palace (present- Kamla Park in Bhopal)and also Dost initially feigned allegiance to the Rani’s son Nawal Shah, who controlled Ginnor fort and was invited to live in the fort.
• The unprefaced guards of Nawal Shah let the inside the fort without examination and At night, Khan’s soldiers killed Nawal Shah and his guards.
• Mohammad Khan then took the control of Ginnor fort, other territories and of Kamlapati’s kingdom. The greater part of Gondwana, was incorporated into the dominions of the Bhonsle rajas of Nagpur andnizams of Hyderabad.The Gonds   18th century were   conquered by the Marathas.