RAS question
Which battle is considered the 'Thermopylae of Rajasthan'?
Correct answer: (A) Battle of Haldighati.
The Battle of Haldighati is considered the Thermopylae of Rajasthan, more precisely described by Colonel James Tod as the Thermopylae of Mewar.
Explanation
Haldighati is the right answer because Colonel James Tod explicitly called it the Thermopylae of Mewar and called Dewair the Marathon of Mewar. In the 1576 battle, Maharana Pratap faced Mughal forces despite heavy odds. Tod presents Haldighati as a heroic stand by the small principality of Mewar against the resources of what he calls the most powerful empire of the time, in a narrow mountain pass and difficult terrain. The comparison therefore rests on courage and steadfast resistance under unequal conditions, rather than on numbers or the final outcome. The label belongs to Haldighati, not to another major Rajput battle.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) The Battle of Sumel was a separate battle involving Rao Maldeo and Sher Shah Suri; Tod did not use the Thermopylae comparison for it.
- (C) The Battle of Khanwa was fought between Babur and Rana Sanga; Tod's Thermopylae of Mewar label refers to Haldighati, not Khanwa.
- (D) Tod called the 1582 Battle of Dewair the Marathon of Mewar, whereas he used the Thermopylae comparison for Haldighati.
Concept
For RAS preparation, it is important to link famous Rajasthan battles and rulers with the interpretive labels used by colonial-era historians. Such questions often rearrange a battle, its ruler and a historian's description among the options; Haldighati, Dewair, Khanwa and Sumel are frequently tested through both factual details and historical epithets.