Amar Chand (sometimes spelled Amra), from a Brahman community at Barwa (Barva); a Prime Minister of Mewar whose administration during the reigns of Maharanas PRATAP SINGH II and RAJ SINGH II had banished corruption and disorder. He was first appointed Prime Minister by Maharana Pratap Singh in 1751. During the reign of the next ruler, Maharana ARI SINGH II (1761-1773), though displaced as a minister, the aging Amar Chand was still desirous of serving the kingdom and regaining at least a modicum of his former power. In 1769 he was to realise his desires because of a civil war that erupted in the kingdom. At the time, Mewar was all but ruined financially. MARATHAS, terrorist hordes from the south had overrun and annexed much of Rajputana and were bleeding the various treasuries dry by demanding and receiving large tribute payments from the Rajputs. Mewar hired mercenaries from Sind (then in western India) to help Mewar fight or at least control the Marathas. Maharana Ari Singh generously entertained the SINDI troops in Udaipur and gave them forfeited lands of the clans, creating discontent among the nobles (the clan chiefs), stifling their loyalty and patriotism. Consequently Ari Singh, who possessed an ungovernable temper, was highly unpopular and, in 1768, an unprecedented percentage of Mewar's leading nobles plotted to replace him. Their protégé was a distant, but younger and more amenable-and malleable-member of the royal family, Kunwar RATAN SINGH. However, those who did not join the rebellion remained sullenly at their castles. The rebels established the Pretender in Kumbhalgarh, north of Udaipur, calling the fortress the new capital of Mewar. To empower their cause, they hired the forces of two of the Maratha chieftains. In return, Maharana Ari Singh hired other Maratha chieftains to help him overthrow the revolt. Very soon Mewar was savaged by civil war.

In 1769, a casual incident brought Amar Chand forward at this critical juncture; he was then a backbench member of the Court. Udaipur had neither walls nor ditches for its defence, so Maharana Ari Singh was engaged in fortifying MACHHALA MAGRA, a lofty hill about one kilometre south of the centre of Udaipur; the small fort was called Eklinggarh. He planned to place heavy artillery on top of the hill, but his engineers did not possess the mechanical skills to get the large cannons up the craggy ascent. Amar Chand happened to be present when the displeased Ari Singh arrived to inspect the proceedings. Although the Maharana and the ex-Prime Minister, who also possessed a temper equal to that of his ruler, were not on the friendliest of terms, Amar Chand offered to accomplish the task, on condition that his orders should be supreme during the operation. The Maharana had no recourse but to agree, and appointed Amar Chand as Prime Minister for his second term. Amar Chand collected the whole working population, cut a road up to the crest, and in a matter of a few days gave the Maharana a triumphant salute from Eklinggarh.

Meanwhile, the civil war had escalated. Although boosted by auxiliary forces, both the Pretender and the Maharana needed the might of the Maratha Peshwa (self-styled leader), Mahadaji SINDHIA and his considerable force. The rival armies rode separately towards Ujjain in Malwa, where Sindhia was temporarily encamped. The Pretender arrived first and secured Sindhia's support. When the Maharana's Rajputs arrived, the Pretender's augmented army attacked (see UJJAIN, BATTLE OF). Suffering devastating defeat, the Maharana's force retreated to Udaipur, followed some time later by Sindhia who besieged the capital. Maharana Ari Singh now found himself in the midst of further trouble: his Sind mercenaries were demanding arrears in pay. Again Amar Chand stepped in, again demanding absolute power, found the necessary money, paid the Sindi mercenaries, and won back their support. Thus reinforced, Udaipur was able withstand the siege. While the blockade continued over the next months, the Pretender's contingent was busy elsewhere, establishing their new, soon-to-be kingdom. They had extended their influence over a great part of crown domain, even to the valley of Udaipur. In doing so, they had left Mahadaji Sindhia to besiege Udaipur on his own, not fulfilling their obligation to help him. The Maratha Peshwa, to whom time was money, became annoyed and negotiated with Amar Chand to lift the siege and abandon the Pretender-on payment of 70 lakhs (7 million rupees).

Scarcely was the treaty signed when Sindhia received reports of the liberal payout to the Maharana's Sindi mercenaries. The Peshwa's avarice got the better of him and he imposed an additional 20 lakhs (2 million rupees). Amar Chand tore up the treaty and defiantly sent the fragments back to the faithless Maratha. He assembled the Sindis and told them what had happened, infusing them with new loyalty by distributing amongst them (useless) ornaments from the Treasury. He also issued every fighting man with six months' provision of grain, which for some time had been scarce and expensive. The Sindis, having no longer cause for discontent, went in a body to the palace to swear in public never to abandon the Maharana. Their exuberant cheers and newfound loyalty towards Mewar and their king brought tears to the eyes of the otherwise acerbic ruler. When Sindhia received this news, the wary Maratha became apprehensive and made overtures for a renewal of the negotiation. It was now Amar Chand's turn to triumph. He replied that he must deduct from the original terms the expense Udaipur had incurred in suffering a further six months' siege. Thus outwitted, Sindhia was compelled to accept only 60 lakhs (6 million rupees), plus 3.5 lakhs (350,000 rupees) for official expenses. In 1769 the siege ended and Sindhia withdrew his support for the Pretender. Reluctant to continue their rebellion with inferior numbers, the nobles walked out on Ratan Singh, who disappeared from the pages of Mewar history. Still under the crippling Maratha yoke, the kingdom managed to survive until the BRITISH moved in and drove out the invaders. At the time, SARDAR KUNWAR JHALI, the widow of Maharana ARI SINGH II, was the Rajmata (Queen Mother) of the infant Maharanas, HAMIR SINGH II, then his younger brother, BHIM SINGH. One of her powerful maidservants, RAMPIYARI, who dominated court affairs, abused old Amar Chand, who rebuked her for her insolence, also calling her a prostitute. Infuriated, Rampiyari reported him to her mistress. A heated exchange followed between the Rajmata and the Minister, which resulted in Amar Chand giving his jewellery and possessions to the Choondawat clan in a bid to suppress the Rajmata's suffocating power. Hearing of this treachery against her, she poisoned the Minister. Thus, in 1773, Amar Chand, who had saved the kingdom from destruction by the Marathas, died penniless and his cremation was paid for by the State.

Amar Kund (Sagar), the northern portion of Pichola Lake, Udaipur, in front of Gangor Ghat. It was built by AMAR CHAND BARWA, the Prime Minister during the reign of Maharana ARI SINGH II (1761-1773) for use of the public.

Amar Mahal (Amar Vilas, Badi Mahal) (City Palace, Udaipur): see BADI MAHAL.

Amar Singh. Apart from Maharanas Amar Singh I and II, there were several leading members of clans who had this name. They came from Banera (Sisodia); Bansi (Saktawat); Bhainsrorgarh (Choondawat); Bhindar (Saktawat); Hinta (Saktawat); Jharol (Jhala); Kaladwas (Chavda); Kareda (Choondawat); Lasani (Choondawat); Meja (Choondawat) (Choondawat); Moie (Bhati); Muroli (Bhati); Nimbahera (Mertia Rathore); Nimri (Machecha Rathore); Peethwas (Choondawat); Sangramgarh (Choondawat); Sardargarh (Dodia Rajput); Shahpura (Sisodia), and Tana (Jhala). Another was Kunwar Amar Singh, a name that appears in several SAKTAWAT families: 1. a son of Mokham Singh of Gadarmala, his son being Prithvi Singh; 2. of Bhinder during the reigns of Maharanas Ari Singh II, Hamir Singh II, and Bhim Singh; 3. of Bansi during the reign of Maharana Pratap Singh II; 4. of Vijaipur, an offshoot of Bansi, a son of Narhardas of Bansi. (Jai Singh established Vijaipur during the reign of Maharana Raj Singh II.); 5. of Shahpura in the Bhilwara District, a descendant of Maharana AMAR SINGH II through his second son, Puranmal.

Amar Singh I, Maharana (b. March 16, 1559-d. January 26, 1620 at Udaipur, cremated at Ahar); fifty-fifth ruler of the Mewar Dynasty (r. 1597-1620); eldest of the seventeen sons of the hero Maharana PRATAP SINGH I, he succeeded his father, January 19, 1597 at CHAVAND, aged 38, and ruled for twenty-three years from Udaipur. Because Pratap Singh had insisted on quitting the comforts of Udaipur and fighting the Mughals in guerilla warfare conditions in the Aravalli Hills, Amar Singh's first job after succession was to make Udaipur the capital of Mewar once more. He had to persuade his subjects, who had followed Pratap Singh (under orders) into the wilderness, to return to the city. With the death of Mughal emperor Akbar, eight years after Pratap's demise, it was hoped that Mewar would enjoy peace for the first time in many decades. Amar ensured the status quo by not pursuing aggression against the Mughals. Although the peace was not to last, Amar pursued a vigorous programme to better the condition of his war-scarred subjects.

He remodelled his country's institutions, reassessing land holdings and distribution of fiefs, and established a new system of ranking for the nobility. He regulated sumptuary laws, those that control personal habits that offend a community's moral or religious conscience. Adding to the City Palace, he built the lower gateway, Badi Pol. Amar Singh had been his father's constant companion during Pratap's extensive campaign as a guerilla fighter. He was a faithful and loyal son and companion, yet he caused his father concern that he would not pursue independence as he had, but surrender Mewar's freedom to the Mughals (see PRATAP'S CONCERN ABOUT AMAR). Earnestly, the chiefs pledged themselves "by the throne of Bappa" that the dying ruler's fears would not eventuate. To some degree, Pratap's predictions would turn out to be correct, even though Amar Singh eventually fought many more battles than his father did.

In North India, following Akbar's death, Prince Salim succeeded as Emperor Jahangir (1605-1627). Shortly thereafter, he dismissed the peace treaty and renewed the war against Mewar with vigour. From 1605 to 1614, successive Mughal generals tried to conquer Mewar: Asaf Khan, 1606-1608; Mahabat Khan, 1608-1609; Abdullah Khan, 1609-1611; Raja Basu, 1611; Aziz Koka, 1611-1614; and Jahangir's ablest son, 32-year-old Prince Khurram, 1614. Villages and towns were sacked; crops, orchards and forests were destroyed indiscriminately; and temples were razed. Once more the people of Mewar suffered great distress. At first, Amar Sing³h was reluctant to return to arms. However, the Choondawat chieftain of Salumbar exhorted the Maharana to honour the memory of his heroic father, Pratap Singh, and to repel this renewed wave of Mughal invasion. Although at first indignant at Salumbar's verbal attack, Amar Singh soon rallied his army and rode forth to meet the Mughals. The conflict was to seesaw throughout the following decade. In Mewar's primary victories, the Imperial force was almost annihilated, though many brave chiefs of Mewar perished regaining the province of GODWAR, west of the Aravallis on the Marwar border. In 1611, concerned by Mewar's apparent invincibility, Emperor Jahangir relocated his court to Ajmer near Mewar's northern border, and mounted an overwhelming force to crush Maharana Amar Singh. Amar followed his father's example, and moved into the Aravalli jungles, while Jahangir, in a wide sweep, annexed the areas of Kapasan, Untala, Debari, Gogunda, Chavand, Bari Sadri, and finally Udaipur itself. Amar retaliated, recapturing the areas of Untala, Mandal, Badnore, and Malpura. Next, Jahangir appointed his son, Prince Parvez, commander of the Mughal army. However, Maharana Amar, flushed with his recent successes, and with the help of Punja, chieftain of Pandevi (Panawara), whose force containefierce Bhil warriors, again routed the Mughal army in the pass near Khamnor, the scene of many bloody combats in the past, including the famous Battle of HALDIGHATI. Parvez fled the battlefield and retreated to Ajmer in disgrace. By then, Maharana Amar had fought seventeen pitched battles, but each victory had meant the loss of many more of Mewar's most experienced veterans.

In 1614, a substantial army now led by Prince Khurram (known to history as Emperor SHAH JAHAN) headed out from Ajmer to attack Mewar. He camped with his Mughal army at GOGUNDA, 36 km. northeast of Udaipur. Although Amar had tried to carry out his father's policies for seventeen years, he could muster only a handful of chieftains to meet the approaching enemy. The Mewar generals and ministers (the nobles), dismayed by the heavy odds against them and dejected by their earlier losses in the continuous battles of the past, pressured Amar into negotiating a peace treaty with Emperor Jahangir. With reluctance, the Maharana sent two of his nobles, Haridas Jhala and Shubh Karan (the Maharana's maternal uncle), to Khurram with a peace proposal. In turn, Prince Khurram sent a message to his father, Emperor Jahangir, in Ajmer, recommending there was no surer way of earning the approbation of the Maharana than by maintaining friendly relations with Mewar. The emperor agreed and issued a farman (decree) for the ramification of the negotiated terms, which were based on Maharana Amar Singh's own conditions.

The terms were: 1. Neither the Maharana nor any future Maharana would be called upon to present themselves at Court while India was ruled by a foreign power (thereby retaining the independent dignity of the House of Mewar). Therefore, the Maharana would not attend the Mughal court in person. Instead he would only meet with Khurram at Gogunda, and send his young son, Crown Prince Karan Singh, to the Mughal court-Amar had fathered two sons, Karan Singh and Surajmal. 2. The Maharana would not accept any Imperial title, nor agree to any matrimonial alliance between the two families. 3. Chittor would be restored to the Maharana on condition it would not be repaired or fortified. 4. The Maharana would provide a contingent of 1,000 horse (horsemen), whenever demanded.

The Maharana accepted the terms and, in February 1615, met Prince Khurram at Gogunda and signed the peace treaty. As noted above, Pratap Singh held fears that his son and successor might not continue the battle to regain all of Mewar from the Mughals. Perhaps his fears were realised as some chroniclers have accused Amar Singh of treachery because of the treaty. In 1616, Amar finally achieved the long dream held by his father: he regained the ancient capital of Chittor when Emperor Jahangir returned the fortress to Mewar. Also, as per the treaty, Prince Karan Singh spent two months at the Mughal court, at Jahangir's invitation. There, he and his family's recent aggressor, Prince Khurram, became firm friends; it was a friendship that was to be called upon during Karan Singh's subsequent reign.

Although Maharana Amar Singh, unlike his proud father, had given in to Mughal demands and nominally lost his independence, his decision to sign a treaty, a commonsense decision which had the backing of the Mewar nobles, secured freedom from oppression for his people. Mewar remained the only independent Rajput kingdom of the northern empire. Amar Singh took this important moment in history personally. He went into a deep depression and lived a secluded life in a small haveli (manor) at AHAR. One day in 1620, he returned briefly to the City Palace and called a special meeting of his Court. He placed the mark of the tika (sign of sovereignty) upon the forehead of his 16-year-old son, then announced his abdication. Amar Singh retired in permanent privacy to Ahar but passed away six months later, aged 61, being the first Maharana of Mewar ever to die in Udaipur. Succeeded by his son, Crown Prince Karan Singh, Amar Singh was also the first Maharana to be cremated at Ahar, where his young successor erected a magnificent white marble cenotaph.

Amar Singh II, Maharana (b. October 3, 1672-d. December 10, 1710), sixtieth ruler of the Mewar Dynasty (r. January 15, 1700-December 10, 1710); at age 28, succeeded his father Maharana JAI SINGH and ruled for ten years from Udaipur. Crown Prince (Baiji Rao) Amar Singh, had two brothers, Kunwar Pratap Singh and Kunwar Ummed Singh. His mother was Ganga Kunwar, a daughter of Rao Shatrusal of Bundi, and Jai Singh's senior Rani. Before he came to the throne, Amar Singh was a key player in an event that very nearly resulted in civil war. In his father's later years, the old Maharana virtually turned his back on his responsibilities, and secluded himself with his favourite queen, Komala Devi, at the palace he had built for her at Jaisamand Lake. Dissension was rife in Udaipur. Prince Amar was left under the guidance of a Pancholi, a chief minister of the State.

One day−and the reason is not recorded−Amar either purposely or accidentally allowed an ill-tempered elephant loose in the town. It ran amok, terrifying the inhabitants and causing considerable property damage. The Pancholi rebuked the careless prince, who, in turn, indignant at the lax state of leaderless government in the capital, insulted the minister. When the incident was reported to Jai Singh, the Maharana felt obliged to leave his cosy retreat at Jaisamand and return, at his leisure, to the city to pull the prince into line. Amar, however, did not wait around for royal chastisement, but fled to Chittor, then to his mother's home kingdom of Bundi. There, with the help of his maternal uncle, he armed himself and called upon the support of many of the Mewar nobles and their private forces. He then headed back to Udaipur at the head of 10,000 armed men. Wishing to avert civil war, the Maharana retired to GODWAR. Prince Amar, along with at least three-quarters of the nobles, rode to the fortress at Kumbhalgarh, where Mewar's life-blood, the State treasure, was stored. The handful of chiefs still loyal to the Maharana made it known that they would defend the capital to the last. To mediate in this sad affair, Maharana Jai Singh called upon Thakur Gopinath of Ghanerao, Rathore Durgadas and Purohit Jagganath. They met with Amar Singh at the shrine of EKLINGJI. Amar Singh listened to the terms put forward, one of which was his immediate exile as a troublemaker, and was persuaded eventually not to proceed with his mission. His father, Maharana Jai Singh, was to return and reside in Udaipur, and the Crown Prince was to reside at his jagir of Rajnagar. Jai Singh agreed to forgive his son on condition that he would not interfere in State affairs and would remain at Rajnagar; in turn, the Maharana would not interfere in Amar Singh's affairs. Only after his father's death did the Crown Prince return to be crowned at Udaipur.

Although Amar Singh II possessed much of the gallantry of his namesake−i.e., AMAR SINGH I (1597-1620)−his was an ineffectual reign. Mewar's most recent aggressor, the aging Emperor Aurangzeb had virtually retired to Aurangabad, the Mughal Treasury empty from his waging a vainglorious and ultimately unsuccessful war to conquer southern India. Peace returned to Mewar. However the degrading conflict between Amar Singh and his father had much impaired the moral strength of the country and counteracted the advantages, which might have resulted from the decline of Mughal power. The only real benefit was that the peace allowed Mewari painters the serenity and finances to develop and perfect their art. Amar Singh II also added the Shiv Prasana to the City Palace complex, which is now known as Badi Mahal (Garden Palace, also known as Amar Mahal). Also, he built verandas on both sides of Badi Pol, the first entrance gateway to the City Palace with the cupolas of Ghariyal (where a ceremonial bell was rung) and the naqqarkhana (where ceremonial drums were sounded). When Aurangzeb died (1707), the Mughal Empire went into rapid decline. Three years later, Maharana Amar Singh II, aged 38, passed away as well. His son' SANGRAM SINGH (II), succeeded him.

Amar Vilas (City Palace): see BADI MAHAL.

amardoob: see AMARDUB.

amardub (amardoob, also doob or dub), (Hindi) a traditional arm adornment. In the 1600s, it was customary for the father to bind, round the arm of his first-born male, strands of the ever-spreading wild green grass called the amardub, or 'the imperishable dub', a most common yet useful Indian grass. Well known for its nutritive properties and luxuriant vegetation under the most intense heat, it was a symbol of good luck and was used on auspicious occasions such as pujas and weddings, and in the performance of certain rituals. The word also means lawn. (The pronunciation changes from 'dub' to 'doob' in different areas and, in Hindi, both words are written differently.) For an impossible legend about the amardub, see RAJ SINGH I AND THE AMARDUB.

Amargarh (also spelled Amargadh) (Kanawats), a town 255 km. from Udaipur, near Jahajpur. The Sardars of Amargarh are the descendants of Maharana Udai Singh II's fifth son, Kana, and they are known as Kanawats. Their title is 'Rawat'. Kana's ninth descendant, Dalel Singh was killed by Umaid Singh of Shahpura. Umaid Singh was penalised by Maharana Jagat Singh II (1734-1751) and forced to give five villages from his Jagir to Dalel's son in compensation.

Genealogy: Kana Singh; Parshuram; Ram Singh; Ratan Singh; Bhagwat Singh; Naval Singh; Koju Singh; Megh Singh; Ran Singh; Dalel Singh; Jawan Singh; Shiv Singh; Govind Singh.

Amarkavya (Amar Kavya), inscribed marble slabs at RAJSAMAND LAKE, which are allotted over the nine marble pavilions, and from which the embankment gets its name (Nauchowki). The inscription comprises 1,017 verses of the Raj-Prashasti by Ranchor Bhatt, which recounts genealogical history of the House of Mewar, up to the time of MAHARANA RAJ SINGH I (1653-1680), builder of Rajsamand. It is said to be the world's longest inscription on stone. The Amarkavya was written in Sanskrit, and has been published. (Today, these tablets are protected behind wire grids, but are almost impossible to see, let alone to read.)