The Aesthete Maharana of Mewar

Maharana Jagat Singh II, the scion of the Sisodiya clan and the ruler of the Kingdom of Mewar was famous for his indulgence in worldly pleasures. Many paintings including the story of his life attest to this fact. Let us know more about the Maharana of Mewar.

A portrait of Maharana Jagat Singh II, Image Source- Udaipurtimes

Maharana Jagat Singh II was the successor of Sangram Singh II, his father. His succession faced the need to find an immediate remedy to the consistent Maratha attacks. The Marathas, under the command of Holkars, continuously pushed the Rajput states to pay Chauth or tax. The Rajputs then come together to find a prominent solution under the chairmanship of Maharana Jagat Singh II. The Hurda conference took place in July 1734 and unified the fragmented Rajput kingdoms of Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Bikaner, Kishangarh and, Nagore. The Rajput rulers promised to stand in solidarity in the face of threatening Maratha invasions. Thus Maharana Jagat Singh II turned to be the harbinger of peace and unity, which cemented the Rajputana legacy.

Another instance that shows that Maharana Jagat Singh was a peace-loving and amiable ruler is the visit of Peshwa Balaji Rao I and his mother around 1735 – 1736 CE. Both of them were well-received with utmost hospitality and respect. It was Maharana's social nature that allowed him to maintain good relations with other rulers of his time. It is something that he inherited from his ancestors.

Aside from being famous for his peace calling at the Hurda conference, Maharana Jagat Singh II is also known as an aesthete. He was one of the best patrons of art and architecture in Mewar or the present-day state of Udaipur. Myriads of paintings and architectural marvels still adorn the state of Udaipur to date.

In architecture, one of the best contributions of Maharana Jagat Singh II is the Jag Niwas or the Lake Palace. As the name suggests, the palace is built on an island in Lake Pichola. The fact that it was strategically constructed to face the rising sun only adds to the reverence of Sun God, from whom the Sisodiya clan descended. The Lake Palace is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Udaipur. Other architectural projects patronised by Maharana Jagat Singh II include Pitam Niwas and Ras Niwas at the Palace. He also built the Rana Mahal at Varanasi.

Maharana Jagat Sing II was also a big fan of paintings. He patronised many paintings which depicted his life in and around the world of the court. The painting of Maharana Jagat Singh II watching a girl dance in the court is one of the favourite paintings of historians. As we can see, the painting depicts Maharana Jagat Singh II sitting in a leisurely position with a hookah pipe in his hand while he enjoys the dance performance.

Unlike his predecessors, Maharana Jagat Singh II was not very involved in governing the kingdom of Mewar. Despite his efforts in protecting the Rajputana, the Hurda conference failed when individual rulers backed out from their pact. Maharana Jagat Singh was also famous for his over-indulgence in the pleasures of worldly life. It explains his patronisation of numerous art and architectural projects. It was his leniency and indifference that led to the downfall of Mewar.

Even though Maharana Jagat Singh could not hold on to the ancestral dream of free Mewar, his developments and contributions to the aesthetics of the Mewar Kingdom is appreciated in the history of Rajasthan.

The Maharana of Udaipur watching the dancing girl, Image Source- Christies