Karamchand, Rao, a Paramara Rajput ruler of Srinagar in today's Ajmer District, who employed Kunwar Sangram Singh during his self-exile, and who was later abused by Maharana Vikramaditya II, which led to the ruler's downfall. In the late 1400s, when Sangram Singh (also known as Sanga) had a violent argument with his eldest brother, Crown Prince Prithvi Raj (see SANGA AND PRITHVI RAJ), he went into self-exile fearing for his life. In disguise, he travelled north to the Ajmer District where, ultimately, he went into service with Karamchand who had discovered the youth's true identity. While Sanga was thus employed (and obviously presumed dead), his two brothers, Prithvi Raj and Jaimal were killed. Their father, Maharana RAIMAL had no option but to name JESA (possibly a relative) as his successor. Unfortunately, Jesa was weak and not competent to rule. Then the Maharana learned that Sanga was alive and serving with Karamchand. He sent a party to bring the Crown Prince back to Mewar. Karamchand accompanied them to hand over Sanga to his father, and the Maharana bestowed great honours on the Rao including the jagir of BAMBORI (his descendants are now 2^nd Class Nobles of Mewar, living in the village of Bambori). Sanga eventually became the new Maharana (1509) and Karamchand became one of the leading nobles in the Mewar Court.

Eighteen years later, Sanga died as a result of wounds sustained at the Battle of KHANWA (1527) and was succeeded by his son, RATAN SINGH II, who was assassinated after only four years on the throne, which then went to Ratan's younger brother, VIKRAMADITYA, an inept and repugnant teenager. Following the second sack of Chittor by Bahadur Shah of Gujarat (1534), Vikramaditya resumed the throne-and renewed his former insolence to his chiefs. One day, in open Court, he again lost his temper. Throwing aside any dignity and reverence shown to old age, he struck Karamchand, the protector of his father, Sanga, at the time of his early misfortune, and now an elder noble still at court. It was an untoward action that soon led to the young king's downfall. The assembly rose with one accord at this indignity to their order. As they retired, the Choondawat leader Kanji, the chief noble exclaimed, "Hitherto, brother chiefs, we have had but a smell of the blossom, but now we shall be obliged to eat the fruit." To which the insulted Karamchand added, as he hastily retired, "Tomorrow its flavour will be known." A Rajput always looked up to his sovereign as to a divinity, and was, by his religion, commanded to display implicit obedience; yet this doctrine had its limits, and precedents are abundant for removal of a monarch when the acts of the prince may endanger the realm. Some historical texts state that, after a meeting of the nobles, they agreed to depose Vikramaditya and hand the throne to his younger brother, Udai Singh. The new Maharana, being a minor too young to rule in his own right, so a cousin, BANBIR, was appointed his Regent, which proved to be a fatal mistake. See UDAI SINGH II, MAHARANA.

Karamchari Rajkiya Bima Hospital/Dispensary (ESI Hospital), Udaipur, on Moksh Marg.

Karan Singh. Apart from Rawal Karan Singh I and Maharana Karan Singh II, there were several leading members of clans who had this name. They came from Amet (Choondawat); Bedla (Chauhan Rajput); Kanor (Choondawat); Karjali (Ranawat), and Sardargarh (Dodia Rajput). There was also Kunwar Karan Singh, one of the seven sons of Maharana SANGRAM SINGH I, the others being BHOJRAJ, Parbat Singh, Krishna Singh, RATAN SINGH (II), VIKRAMADITYA (II) and UDAI SINGH (II); he died during Sanga's lifetime.

Karan (Ran) Singh I, Rawal, thirty-third ruler of Mewar (1158-1168); son of Rawal VIKRAMADITYA (VIKRAM SINGH) I. Ruled for ten years from AHAR. Two of Karan Singh's sons were MAHAP, who established a breakaway kingdom at DUNGARPUR, and RAHAP who formed the breakaway Rana branch of SISODIAS at Sisoda, taking the title of Rana. In most official lists of Mewar rulers, Karan I is shown simply as ‘Ran Singh’, but research has revealed that this was, indeed, an abbreviation of ‘Karan’. Very little is known of his reign. There is a probability that another of his sons was KSHEM SINGH, who succeeded him. See also MEWAR’S LOST GENERATIONS.

Karan Singh II, Maharana (b. January 7, 1584─d. March, 1628), fifty-sixth ruler of the Mewar Dynasty (r. 1620-1628); son of Maharana AMAR SINGH I whom he succeeded at the age of 36; his capital was Udaipur where he ruled for eight years. He had seven sons, two of them being (Crown Prince) Jagat Singh, and Garibdas. Karan Singh had the dubious prestige (in those troubled times) of having a Mughal prince as a friend, which resulted in the only recorded mention of a Mughal prince residing in Udaipur as a guest-this, after a century of bitter enmity between Mewar and the Mughals. As well, Karan's own father had been forced, finally, to betray Mewar, more or less, by negotiating and signing a peace treaty with the Mughals (1615). The treaty totally undermined the heroic lifelong struggle of Karan's grandfather, Maharana PRATAP SINGH I against the northern Muslims. One of the terms of the treaty, signed by Amar Singh and the son of Emperor Jahangir, Prince Khurram, was that, subsequently, the Mewar prince (Karan, who was then aged 21) would spend a period at the Mughal court in Delhi. In Emperor Jahangir's own words:

He arrived, paid his respects, and his rank was commanded to be, at the request of my son (Prince Khurram), immediately on my right hand.

By this time, Karan was aged 31. Every day during his stay in Delhi, Karan kept receiving extraordinary gifts, from the Emperor and from the Empress Nur Jahan … a jewelled dagger, a sword, caparisoned Persian horses, elephants, a rich necklace of pearls, hunting hawks and falcons, a coat of chain mail and plate armour, two valuable rings, carpets, state cushions, perfumes, vessels of gold, and a pair of bullocks from Gujarat. It was political bribery, an effort to sway Mewar into becoming a Mughal vassal state. While at the Mughal court, Karan befriended former enemy, Prince Khurram. When he was granted leave "to return to his jagir (Mewar)", Karan received more gifts from the Emperor and from his new friend, Prince Khurram … more elephants and horses, and a pearl necklace valued at Rs. 50,000.

Not long after Karan returned to Udaipur, his father the Maharana, hugely depressed by his betrayal in signing the treaty, abdicated in favour of his 36-year-old son and retired. A few months later he died and Crown Prince Karan officially ascended the throne. Because of his father's submission to the Mughals, Karan was to be the last independent king of Rajputana. He had often proved his courage and bravery in battles; soon he was to show ability in repairing the damage of former adversities. Mewar was now at peace for the first time in several generations. The new Maharana divided Mewar into different states and appointed revenue collectors. The kingdom's finances began to recover, the treasury having been almost bankrupted by his grandfather Pratap Singh I's ongoing warfare with the enemy some fifty years earlier. A man of vision, Maharana Karan began rebuilding his capital. He added many rooms, courtyards and halls to the City Palace, the most notable being the MOTI MAHAL (Pearl Palace), MANAK MAHAL (Ruby Palace) and DILKHUSH MAHAL with its walls decorated with mirrored glass. He constructed the ZANANA MAHAL (Palace of the Queens) at the southern end of the complex for the private use of the court's ladies. The city's walls were fortified; Pichola Lake's dam was strengthened and the lake enlarged. His crowning achievement, in 1622, was the start of a magnificent pleasure palace on an island in the lake. (It was subsequently called JAG MANDIR, when it was completed by Karan's successor, Jagat Singh.) One year later, still unfinished, it became a royal refuge for Karan's longtime Mughal friend, Prince Khurram who had rebelled against his father.

Despite possible repercussions by the Mughal emperor, Karan offered refuge to his friend, his wife Mumtaz Mahal, and two of their infant sons, Aurangzeb and Dara. Originally, they were allocated some apartments in the City Palace. However, a special domed palace was built at Jag Mandir for the Mughal prince, becoming known, appropriately, as Khurram's Palace. There the rebel lived a quiet, safe existence for some months. Ultimately, Prince Khurram was forgiven, and he rejoined his father, later taking over the Mughal Empire and adopting name of SHAH JAHAN. Before he left Jag Mandir, Khurram embraced his gracious host and longtime friend, Maharana Karan Singh and, in a traditional ritual of respect and brotherhood, they exchanged turbans (Khurram's turban is now on display in the Government Museum, Udaipur). Additionally, the Mughal prince restored five districts of Mewar taken by the Mughals, and presented his friend with a ruby of inestimable value. Fortunately, Jahangir did not seek revenge against Mewar for having harboured his rebellious son. In 1628, having enjoyed a spare eight years of tranquillity and renewed prosperity, Karan died at the age of 44. His son, JAGAT SINGH (I), succeeded him.

Kareda, a village originally known as Karapur Pattan, in the administrative headquarters (tehsil) of Kapasan district, 120 km. northeast of Udaipur near Nimbahera. Simandhar Shah constructed the famous Jain temple of Kareda Parsvanath here in AD 967. Nearby is the lake, BHUPAL SAGAR, which provides canal irrigation to the village. Local industry includes the growing of rice and sugar cane, production of sugar, and the brewing of liquor. Kareda (Choondawat clan), is the jagir of the Sardars of Kareda who are descendants of Rawat Jaswant Singh’s son, Gopaldas, who received the jagir from Maharana Raj Singh II (1754-1761). Their title is ‘Raja Bahadur’, given by the ruler of Jaipur.

Genealogy: Gopaldas; Ajit Singh; Mohan Singh; Bhawani Singh; Jalim Singh; Dai Singh; Amar Singh.

Kareda Parsvanath Jain Temple, in the village of Bhupal Sagar (Kareda), 56 km. from Udaipur; built by Simandhar Shah in AD 967; it displays fine architecture.