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RAS question

Alauddin Khalji's siege of Chittorgarh in 1303 CE led to the first Jauhar of Chittorgarh, which is associated with:

Correct answer: (D) Rani Padmini.

Alauddin Khalji's siege of Chittorgarh in 1303 CE is associated with the first Jauhar of Chittorgarh, led in tradition by Rani Padmini after Rawal Ratan Singh's defeat.

  1. (A)

    Rani Hadi

  2. (B)

    Rani Karnavati

  3. (C)

    Rani Phool Kanwar

  4. (D)

    Rani Padmini

Explanation

The first Jauhar, or Saka, of Chittorgarh is associated with Rani Padmini, also known as Padmavati. The question links it to Alauddin Khalji's 1303 siege, and the Rajasthan Foundation's account of “Jauhar at Chittorgarh” states that Rani Padmini held the first Jauhar of Chittorgarh in 1303 after Alauddin Khilji defeated Raja Rawal Ratan Singh. In the traditional framing, Khalji besieged Chittorgarh to capture the famously beautiful queen, and Padmini, along with other royal women, chose jauhar to protect honour after defeat became unavoidable. Rawal Ratan Singh then fought and died in the battle. That is why the event is remembered in Rajasthan history through Padmini, not through later Chittorgarh jauhar traditions.

Why the other options are wrong

  • (A) Rani Hadi is not specifically linked by Rajasthan Foundation to the first Jauhar of Chittorgarh in 1303.
  • (B) Rani Karnavati belongs to the later Chittorgarh Jauhar tradition of 1535, so she does not match the 1303 siege under Alauddin Khalji.
  • (C) Rani Phool Kanwar is associated with the third Saka, whereas the question asks about the first Jauhar of Chittorgarh in 1303.

Concept

This tests the Rajasthan history sub-topic of medieval Mewar, Chittorgarh and the Saka-Jauhar traditions. It recurs in RAS because such events connect rulers, forts, chronology and cultural memory in a single factual frame.

Source

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