Panna dhai a sacrifice for motherland the History blog
Punna Dhai was the loyal maid of Rani Karnavati, wife of Maharana Sangram Singh (Rana Sanga) of Mewar.
Before committing 'Jauhar', she called her little son Udai Singh's faithful nurse and said, "Punna, my lord awaits me in 'Heaven'. I entrust the future king of Mewar to your care. You will be his mother hereafter, not I. Promise me to protect him till he is able to rule his people." Punna accepted the great responsibility with tears in her eyes. "He will be my son
hereafter, oh queen!," she said sobbingly.
Prince Vikramajit, an unworthy ruler, was already unpopular in Mewar.
The high spirited and brave men of Mewar could not tolerate his cruelity, insolence and injustice. They murdered him. Banbir, the son of Rana Sanga's brother, Prithviraj, was then choosen to rule during the minority of Prince, Udai Singh. "He was both ambitious and cunning. He wanted the throne, so he decided to kill Udai Singh. He was neither noble nor kind. He awaited the approach of night to kill the child (Udai Singh),
Now the night had fallen. Little Udai Singh had just taken his food and gone to bed. Punna had just lulled him into deep sleep, suddenly she heard great uproar in the direction of the women's quarters. An old maid servant had just arrived to pick up the remains of the prince's meal.
"What is the noise about?", asked Punna anxiously.
"Banbir, the new ruler, is eager to siege the throne permanently for himself. He wants to murder the young prince, Udai Singh", whispered the old women in a trembling voice.
Without wasting a moment, Punna took up the little prince. She hid him in a fruit basket. She covered the basket with leaves. She handed it to the woman She ordered the woman, "Take it and hide it among the bushes of the river bed Then she put her own child in the place of Udai Singh. And she was just in time.
Banbir rushed inside the apartment
almost the next moment. "Where is the
Prince,Udai Singh?", thundered Banbir.
With a painful heart she pointed to the cradle. With a broken heart she witnessed the cruel dagger thrust mercilessly into the tender body of her own son. Can you imagine her feelings at that time? She saved Udai Singh but sacrificed her son.
Nor could Punna stay to mourn her dead child. As soon as cruel Banbir left the hall, she ran to the river-bed. She carried Udai Singh far into mountains to a spot of safety. Thus Punna Dhai, the loyal nurse, fulfilled her promise to the departed
queen.
What a great sacrifice of an unlettered maid-servant for motherland!
