Jabalpur is the cultural capital of Madhya Pradesh. It occupies a glorious place in history. Jabalpur copiously finds mention in every era. This is the birthplace of sage Jabali in the Vedic period. In the medieval period, Jabalpur’s struggle has been unique in many ways. The residents of this region have bravely thwarted every attack. This bravery is expressed in the struggle and supreme sacrifice of great martyr Rani Durgavati. Jabalpur is a sacred land of supreme sacrifices. The brave queen Durgavati fought against Akbar’s huge army in this region. The martial skills, bravery and diplomacy of formidable Rani Durgavati are expressive in Kalinjar. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has expressed his profound commitment towards welfare and prosperity of scheduled tribes on the occasion of 500th birth anniversary of Rani Durgavati. The Madhya Pradesh Government is marching on with a deep commitment for realising the Prime Minister’s vision. Rani Durgavati was known for her good governance and golden era of administration, which is a golden chapter in the history. It is a matter of happiness that the newly formed Cabinet is holding its first meeting at Jabalpur, which witnessed Rani Durgavati’s good governance.

 

Born on October 5, 1524, to Chandela king Kirat Singh Shalivahan of Kalinjar, Rani Durgavati became skilled in weapons and studied scriptures even in her childhood. She grew up listening to heroic tales of war and bravery and watching the practice of weaponry. Sher Shah Suri attacked Kalinjar. Rani was then 20 years old. When the king was injured in war, the brave Durgavati adopted a diplomatic step. She sent a message intending to surrender with a handsome gifts. The gates of the fort were opened. When Sher Shah was about to enter, cannons were opened from the Kalinjar fort. Sher Shah tried to escape but failed and died there. This incident is dated May 21, 1545. With this strategy and fighting skills of the brave Rani Durgavati, the aggressor Sher Shah Suri was killed and the people of India heaved a sigh of relief. This historic event has rarely been mentioned in the public. Chandela Princess of Rath Mahoba came to Jabalpur in 1542 after marrying King Dalpat Shah of Gondwana. The Gondwana kingdom consisted of Seoni, Panna, Chhindwara, Bhopal, Hoshangabad now Narmadapuram, Bilaspur, Dindori, Mandla, Narsinghpur, Katni and Nagpur.

 

When the king of this huge kingdom, Dalpat Shah, died untimely, the dutious Rani, undisturbed by the loss, took over the administration by enthroning her son Veer Narayan. During her 15 years of rule, the Queen got many construction works done. The Queen was deeply committed to welfare of people. Her works are evident her determination. She gave priority to construction of reservoirs, bridges and roads so that the forest produce from remote forests on the banks of Narmada could be traded easily and farmers could irrigate their fields from the reservoirs. Amazing constructions like Ranital, Cherital, Adhartal in Jabalpur are reflective of the Queen’s vision and scientific approach. The safety of and respect for women was the firemost priority in the administration of Rani Durgavati. For the security of the kingdom, Rani built many forts and many were renovated. The result of protection for agriculture and business was that Gondwana became a prosperous kingdom. People used to pay taxes with gold coins. Queen’s representatives lived in 12 thousand villages for justice and social order. Rani herself used to address public issues.