Bamani (Brahmani) River: see NATURAL FEATURES OF MEWAR.

Bamboo of Mewar: see NATURAL FEATURES OF MEWAR.

Bambora, a town 20 km. from Udaipur; jagir of the descendants of Rawat Kandhal of (Salumbar's son, Samant Singh). In the reign of Maharana Sangram Singh II (1710-1734), Samant Singh fell wounded in the battle with the Mughal, Ranbaj Khan. In gratitude of Samant's bravery, the Maharana rewarded him with the jagir of Bambora. Samant's grandson, Kalyan Singh fought in the Battle of Ujjain.

Genealogy: Samant Singh; Khuman Singh; Kalyan Singh; Salam Singh; Hamir Singh; Jodh Singh; Pratap Singh; Onar Singh; Mod Singh.

Bambori, a town 60 km. from Udaipur, near Kurabar; Paramara jagir of the descendants of Karam Chand of Srinagar (Ajmer). When Maharana Raimal's younger son, Sanga was wounded by his brothers, Prithvi Raj and Jaimal, fearing further conflict he escaped to Srinagar and eventually was given shelter by Rao Karam Chand (see SANGA AND PRITHVI RAJ). Following the death of Prithvi Raj and Jaimal, and when the Maharana learned Sanga was still alive, he called his son to Chittor; Karam Chand accompanied the prince. When Sanga became Maharana (Sangram Singh I), in gratitude for the services Karam Chand had rendered, he gave him several villages as jagirs (including Bambori, Parbaisar, Fulia, and Benera), and the title of 'Rawat'. Karam Chand, to immortalise his name, gifted many villages to Brahmans and Charans. Later, Karam Chand's successors were deprived of their estates, and today only Bambori remains.

Genealogy: Roop Singh; Mukand Singh; Chandra Singh; Maldeo; Padam Singh; Dalel Singh; Jodh Singh; Sohan Singh; Sangram Singh; Hamir Singh; Jai Singh; Tej Singh.

Banas River: see NATURAL FEATURES OF MEWAR.

Banbir Singh, Kunwar, allegedly the illegitimate son and heir apparent of Crown Prince PRITHVI RAJ. His father was the heir of Maharana RAIMAL (1473-1509) who exiled Prithvi Raj after a bloody fight with his younger brother, Sangram Singh (see SANGA AND PRITHVI RAJ). Prithvi Raj died in exile, never ascending the throne. No doubt Banbir was fully acquainted with his late father's failure to rule Mewar. Despite (the possibility of) being born on the wrong side of the blanket, he obviously (and if so, incorrectly) considered he was the rightful heir to the throne. The only people that stood in his way were his cousins Maharana VIKRAMADITYA II, an arrogant 19-year-old very unpopular with the nobility, and the younger UDAI SINGH, the final living sons of SANGRAM SINGH I. After the second sack of Chittor, which both brothers survived, Vikramaditya continued his intolerable rule.

When the ambitious Banbir learned of the disaffection between the Maharana and his courtiers, he migrated to Chittor and gained a position in his cousin's court. Thus he was on hand when, in 1535, Vikramaditya finally overstepped the bounds of decency and assaulted a respected older chieftain, and the nobles placed the Maharana under palace arrest. (One report says that they actually deposed the 19-year-old Vikramaditya. Technically, Udai Singh, next in line to the throne, became Maharana-elect. However, he was a minor about 14 years of age and, considering the political instability of the time, too young to rule Mewar in his own right, even though elder brother Vikramaditya had ascended the throne at age 14. So they appointed Banbir his Regent. Another report says that the nobles offered to place Banbir on the throne, knowing him to be of the royal lineage despite the suggestion he was illegitimate. At first, so goes the report, Banbir resisted the solicitation. However, taking into account the troubled times, the nobles warned him about the dangers of having an unstable monarchy, and Banbir accepted. Although Tod, in his Annals, has a sub-heading: "Rana Banbir Singh, AD 1535-37", Banbir is not listed officially as a ruler of Mewar. Therefore it is possible that the second scenario is incorrect and that he was only appointed Regent of Udai Singh.)

One night the following year, 1536, eager to take the throne, Banbir decided to remove the obstacles to his ambition. First, he went sword in hand to the palace and assassinated Vikramaditya. Then he hurried to the women's quarters and (as he thought) slew the young heir apparent, Udai Singh. However, the royal child had been smuggled out of the fort and, later, taken to safety at Kumbhalgarh by his loyal nurse, PANNA DHAI. That same evening, Banbir confronted the nobles, claiming he was next in line of succession and promptly usurped the throne of Mewar for himself. Not wanting their kingdom to be without a ruler, whether they wanted him or not, the nobles were forced to accept Banbir's self-imposition.

During his brief and illegal reign, Banbir built the fort's Tulja Bhawani Temple and began to build the Banbir-ki-Dawar, a large wall directly opposite the royal palace. Perhaps neurotic and insecure about his position, Banbir intended to divide the fort and live behind the wall, in the northern sector, with the remainder of the fort on the southern side. One year later (1537), after Mewar's nobles had discovered Udai Singh was still alive, they held a coronation at Kumbhalgarh, claiming the youth as their true sovereign. In 1540, augmented by forces from other States, a Mewar army marched on Chittor to expel Banbir. The usurper, learning of their approach, formed his own army and met them at Mavli. Banbir was either killed in the clash, or managed to flee Mewar, and disappeared from the pages of history. Other reports claim that young Maharana Udai Singh II (he was 18 at the time) exiled Banbir instead of executing him for his treachery, also that Banbir sought refuge in the Deccan and founded the Bhonsla clan of Nagpur. The bastard Banbir's 'reign' was brief and unrecognised. His unfinished wall in Chittor stands as a mute reminder of his murderous and unfulfilled ambition.

Banbir's Wall, a colloquial nickname for the BANBIR-KI-DIWAR, Chittor.

Banbir-ki-Diwar, Chittorgarh; a wall (literally the Wall of Banbir) running east-west not far from the final gate into the fortress (Ram Pol). It has a huge circular bastion with vaulted chamber on the western end. BANBIR, the assassin and usurper, built it (ca 1537) with the intention of erecting an inner fort for his protection. It was constructed from stone pieces of ruins in the fort. The vaulted chamber (the Navlakha Bhandar) that is part of the wall was built to keep Mewar's treasures, which amounted to 9 lakhs at the time. (Sometimes the wall itself is called Navlakha Bhandar, and is sometimes given the colloquial nickname of Banbir's Wall.)