Khairabad: see KHERABAD.

Khajora of Rajasthan (temple): see AMBA MATA TEMPLE, JAGAT.

Khajuraho of Rajasthan, the (sometimes incorrectly spelled Khajora), the nickname of the AMBA MATA TEMPLE, Jagat, so called because of its erotic carvings.

Khalsa, (Hindi) a revenue term; all the villages whose income went to the State Treasury were Khalsa villages, the money thus belonging to the Maharana and not the local feudal lord.

Khamnor, a small town 45 km. from Udaipur, on the south bank of the Banas River, about 12 km. west of Haldighati. This was the Mughal army's staging ground for the Battle of HALDIGHATI (1576). It was also the scene of a fierce battle when Maharana AMAR SINGH I defeated Mughal commander, Prince PARVEZ in the early 1600s, retaking Khamnor, which had been annexed by the MUGHALS earlier.

Khan Khana, Abdulla-Rahim, commander of the Mughal army that captured the village of Shahpur after the Battle of HALDIGHATI (1576). His wives were taken prisoner by Prince AMAR SINGH, the son of Maharana PRATAP SINGH I (1572-1597), but he was forced to return them. See following entry.

Khan Khana, Begums. In 1580, when Maharana PRATAP SINGH I was stationed at Gogunda, after the Battle of HALDIGHATI (1576), Pratap’s son and heir, Prince AMAR SINGH attacked the nearby village of Shahpur where the Mughal commander, Abdulla-Rahim Khan Khana was camped. Amar captured the begums (wives) of Khan Khana and proudly took them to his father. Pratap, his Rajput chivalry knowing no limitations, took his son to task and ordered him to return the ladies immediately to the commander at Shapur with all due dignity. Amar obeyed his father and a thankful Khan Khana became a longtime admirer, and friend, of both Pratap Singh and the errant prince.

khando, (Hindi) a double-edged straight sword.

Khanua, Battle of: see KHANWA, BATTLE OF.

Khanwa (Khanua), Battle of (March 17, 1527), a finally disastrous conflict for Mewar, which led to the death of one the kingdom's greatest heroes, Maharana SANGRAM SINGH I, popularly known as Rana Sanga. By 1526, BABUR had conquered the last of the Delhi Sultans and established his own Muslim dynasty, the MUGHAL EMPIRE at Agra. On one of the very few occasions Rajput states joined forces against a common enemy, Rana Sanga led a powerful confederacy in a bid to conquer the new assailant and drive him from India. Apart from the combined Rajput army bearing down on him, Emperor Babur discovered he had several problems. With most of the neighbouring strongholds held by his foes, he was virtually surrounded. His own men, suffering from the heat, and disheartened by the hostile surroundings of this new land, wished to return home. Needing to encourage them, the Emperor set them an example of sacrifice: he sought divine favour by swearing off liquor for the duration of the coming battle, even to breaking the wine vessels and pouring the wine down a well. By employing threats, reproaches, promises, and appeals, vividly described in his memoirs, Babur won back their allegiance.

The Emperor then advanced against Rana Sanga whose Rajput confederacy of seven major rulers, nine Raos and one hundred and four Rawats commanded an estimated eighty thousand soldiers, 100,000 horse (horsemen), and five hundred elephants. On March 17, 1527, the two armies met at Khanwa (also known as Khanua), about 60 km. west of Agra. At first, Sanga tasted victory, entirely destroying the Mughal advance guard of fifteen hundred. Unfortunately, the Maharana failed to follow up his advantage, hampered by discord among his allies (one reason why Rajput confederacies were few and far between and seldom worked). Babur's forces entrenched themselves. On March 17, Sanga launched a furious attack on the centre and right wing of the Mughal force; the tremendous conflict lasted several hours. Babur quickly employed his customary tactics: a barrier of wagons for his centre with gaps for the artillery and for cavalry sallies, and wheeling cavalry charges on the wings. His artillery wreaked dreadful havoc in the Rajputs’ closed ranks. The cannon fire also stampeded the Rajput elephants, and the Mughals’ flank charges bewildered the Rajputs not accustomed to such battle tactics. Sangram sustained more wounds, at one time being felled by an arrow; nevertheless he fought on. For a while, the battle's outcome remained doubtful. Then, possibly sensing defeat was inevitable, Silahadi, one of Sangram Singh's most trusted generals, decamped to Babur with his force. After ten hours, the confederacy broke. Bleeding in many places (some reports say Sangram Singh had up to eighty-four wounds, apart from those received in childhood and in earlier battles), and with the best of his generals slain, Sanga was forced to retreat from the field. He vowed he would not re-enter Chittor except in victory. He died at Baswa on Mewar's northern border without redeeming his pledge. His death was put down to the war wounds, but there was also suspicion of poison. Babur returned to Agra to establish one of the greatest empires India has seen, the MUGHAL DYNASTY. (Sometime spelled Khanwaha). See also SANGRAM SINGH I, MAHARANA and BABUR, EMPEROR.

Khari River, originates north of Mewar in the hills of Devair and joins the Banas River at Devli near the Ajmer and Tonk borders.

kharita, (Hindi) official letters between an Indian prince and the British Viceroy, contained in a sealed silk bag.

Kharsana, a large charity-village in Mewar belonging to the Brahmans, approx. ½ km. from KHERODA on the Udaipur-Chittor highway.

Khasi Odi Hunting Lodge, Udaipur. See SHIKARBADI.

Khatan, Rani, a low caste (khati) concubine of Maharana KSEHTRA SINGH (1366-1382) for whom he built a palace at Chittor (KHATAN RANI'S PALACE). Said to have been a carpenter's daughter, a circumstance that, in 1468, led to her two sons, Chacha and Mera assassinating their nephew, Maharana MOKAL, Ksehtra Singh's grandson. See CHACHA AND MERA.

Khatan Rani's Palace, Chittor, at the southern end of Padmini’s tank; built by Maharana KSHETRA SINGH (1366-1382) for one of his concubines, the low caste Rani Khatan. Two of her sons CHACHA AND MERA later murdered Kshetra Singh's grandson, Maharana MOKAL.

khaula, (Hindi) an adopted son.

khazana, (Hindi) treasure, Treasury. See also KHAZANCHI.

Khazanchi, (Hindi) a Treasurer.