Handicrafts and Art Galleries (main), Udaipur. Govt. Handicrafts Shop (Rajasthali), Chetak Circle and Jagdish Chowk, City Palace Road; Art Centre, near Jagdish temple; Mewar Art Gallery, opposite the Lake Palace main gate; Angira Art Products, near Gulab Bagh; Ashoka Art, near Jagdish Temple; Pushpa Handicrafts Emporium, Hathi Pol; Jain Art and Exports, Bhuwana; Taiyabi Handicrafts Emporium, Hathi Pol; B.G. Sharma Art Gallery, Saheli Nagar; Bandhani Emporium, Hathi Pol.

Hansabai, Rajmata, of the Rathore family, originally from Mandor in Marwar; wife of Maharana LAKHA (1382-1421), mother and, later, Rajmata (Queen Mother) of Maharana MOKAL (1421-1433); sister of Rao Ranmal of Mandor. In medieval Mewar, when one royal father offered his daughter in marriage to the son of another ruler, usually for a political alliance, it was tradition to send a coconut. Rao Ranmal of Mandor, wanting such an alliance with Mewar, sent the traditional coconut, proposing his sister Hansabai's marriage with Lakha's heir, Crown Prince CHOONDA. The prince was not present at the time so his aging father received the Marwar ambassador and commented jokingly, "Who brings coconuts for this old man?" Lakha ended up marrying Hansabai himself, with disastrous consequences: Crown Prince Choonda renounced his birthright and when a son, Mokal, was born to Lakha and Hansabai, he became the heir to the kingdom. When the very young Mokal ascended the throne, his Rathore relatives moved to Chittor intent on taking over the kingdom and Hansabai was forced to recall Choonda from self-exile to save Mewar. For the full story, see CHOONDA, PRINCE.

Hanspal, Rawal, twenty-seventh ruler of Mewar (1088-1103); succeeded Rawal VAIRATH; ruled from AHAR. Little is known of his reign. His son, VAIRSINGH, succeeded him. See also MEWAR'S LOST GENERATIONS.

Hanuman, the Hindu monkey god who (in the epic RAMAYANA) lent his agility, speed and strength to RAMA to help free SITA from the demon RAVANA; in return, he asked to live as long as men remember Rama; thus, Hanuman is immortal.

Hanuman Ghat, a wharf on the banks of PICHOLA LAKE opposite BAGORE-KI-HAVELI, Udaipur.

Hanuman Pol, Chittorgarh; the third gateway arch to the main eastern entrance of Chittor. In the second sack of Chittor (1534) by Bahadur Shah of Gujarat, Rajrana Sajja of Delwara and Rajrana Sinha of Bari Sadri fought and died here. The gateway was so named so because of the Hanuman Temple nearby which housed an idol of the monkey god HANUMAN. See also GATES (POLS) IN UDAIPUR.

Hanuman Pol, Kumbhalgarh; the third of Kumbhalgarh's gates, 1.5 km. from ARAT POL. It contains a shrine dedicated to the monkey-god HANUMAN. See also GATES (POLS) IN UDAIPUR.

Hanuman Temple, Udaipur, at the end of the Palace Promenade along the eastern shore of Pichola Lake (just south of Shiv Niwas Palace and the City Palace complex). ARVIND SINGH MEWAR built it in 2001. Hanuman the Monkey God is worshipped as a protector by Hindus and is always placed at the south side of a residence, a practice that stems from the Ramayana, when Hanuman led his monkey army south to Lanka to help Rama rescue Sita.

Haraoti: see HAROTI.

Haras, rulers of the kingdom of HAROTI (Kota) and BUNDI on Mewar's northeastern border.

Haravati: see HAROTI.

Harawal: see SAKTAWATS.

harem, (Hindi) Rawala; (Persian) Zanana; the women's quarters in a palace.

Hari Das Ji-ki-Magri, a large tract of land on the western shore of PICHOLA LAKE, opposite the City Palace. One of India's chain of luxury hotels, The Oberoi Group leased a large area of this land from the HRH GROUP. At the time of writing, Oberoi are now building the second of two luxury hotels there. After their sixty-year lease expires, the land and the hotels revert to HRH. Staggering the timing of such lucrative projects will ensure ongoing expansion of holdings and future income for the Mewar organisation, not to mention easing the overwhelming demand on HRH management resources.

Hari Singh. There were several leading members of clans who had this name. They came from Bansi (Saktawat); Begun (Choondawat); Bemali (Choondawat); Netawal (Ranawat); Nimbahera (Mertia Rathore); Pipalya (Saktawat), and Singoli (Poorawat).

Haridas Chauhan, one of the Mewar nobles who took part in Maharana Pratap Singh's war council at Gogunda (1576) prior to the Battle of HALDIGHATI.

Haridas Jhala, a nobleman in the time of Maharana AMAR SINGH I (1597-1620). After decades of battle with the Mughals who had invaded Mewar but were unable to conquer the kingdom, the State's nobles, weary from the turmoil, and their numbers sorely depleted, urged the Maharana to sue for peace. In 1614, Amar Singh reluctantly sent a peace proposal with two nobles to Prince Khurram, commander of the Mughal army who was camped at GOGUNDA. The emissaries were Haridas Jhala and Shubh Karan (the Maharana's maternal uncle). The Maharana and the Prince signed the treaty February 16, 1615. See AMAR SINGH I, MAHARANA.

Harinath Singh. There were several leading members of clans who had this name. They came from Falichra (Chauhan); Mangrop (Purawat); Nimri (Machecha Rathore), and Pansal (Saktawat).

Harish Chandra (poet and dramatist): see BHARTENDU HARISH CHANDRA.

Harit (Harita) Rishi, an eminent sage of the LAKULISH Cult, a great devotee of Lord SHIVA (Shri EKLINGJI). He was the guru of BAPPA RAWAL, who founded the Mewar Dynasty (AD 734). Harit laid down four cardinal duties as guiding principles for Bappa and his successors, for the service to the State: 1. To follow the eternal principles of Manav Dharma (the Religion of Man) and preserve and perpetuate Vedic Culture; 2. To serve all God's Creations as a service to God, the Creator of all life; 3. To constantly endeavour to keep the human soul awakened and alive, in order that human beings would value the Dignity of Man; 4. To help recognise Man's special status in the hierarchy of God's creations-the eternal principles underlying cosmic creation. One of the annual MAHARANA MEWAR FOUNDATION AWARDS is named for Harit Rishi to honour scholars for works of permanent value in awakening society through the medium of Vedic culture, the ancient Shastras and Karma Kand.

Harit Rishi Award, one of the annual State of Rajasthan awards in Udaipur. See MAHARANA MEWAR FOUNDATION AWARDS.

Harita Rishi: see HARIT RISHI.

Hariyali Amavasya Fair, a local holiday in Udaipur; for two days in the rainy season of July-August (one day for women, the second for men) at the Pal (embankment) of FATEH SAGAR and SAHELION-KI-BARI; the Municipal Council organises sweet stalls, jhoolas (children's swings), and boating on the lake. Actually, it is mainly a festival for ladies, when they pray for prosperity for all the family.

Haroti, a region north of Mewar where Kota, a former kingdom of Rajputana is situated. It was ruled by the Hara Rajputs, who were related to the Mewar Royal Family, and was an independent kingdom like Mewar and Marwar. Its most renowned States were BUNDI and KOTA.