Masani, (Hindi) a Purohit (family priest).

Masani, house of the, Chittorgarh; a former residence of the Masani clan (not to be confused with Masani, a Purohit or family priest) near the house of the PUROHITS, with the dwellings of several other officers of the royal household (Mir-i-akhwar) nearby.

mashaal, (Hindi) an oil torch.

masjid, (Persian) a mosque.

Masters, Brian, author of MAHARANA (1990) under the auspices of Shri Arvind Singh Mewar. Masters studied French and Romance Philology at University College, Cardiff, where he emerged with a First Class Honours degree, and at the University of Montpellier in France. He has written histories and several biographies, one of which won the Gold Dagger award for non-fiction in 1985.

Mata Ratheshwari Temple, Eklingji. Dedicated to the goddess DURGA (the family deity of the RATHORES of MARWAR) who has various names, among them Ratheshwari, Rastha Shayna and Rathasan.

matam, (Urdu) mourning.

Matam, the ceremony of mourning; in Mewar, when a member of the royal family died, Matam was held at the house of the family priest (PUROHIT), while the palace was decorated to welcome the new ruler.

Mathan Singh, Rawal, thirty-seventh ruler of the GUHILOT Dynasty (r. 1191-1211), forerunner of the Mewar Dynasty; succeeded Rawal KUMAR SINGH and ruled for twenty years; his predecessor ruled at either DUNGARPUR, in exile, or at NAGDA. Mathan is shown as ruling at Nagda, but whether he or Kumar Singh made the relocation is not recorded. When Mohammed of Ghur invaded Rajputana in 1191, Mathan Singh and a large Mewari force joined the Chauhan King of Ajmer, Prithviraj III, and many other Rajput princes in an alliance to repel the invaders. Meeting at Tarain, just north of Delhi, they managed to beat the Muslims (1191), but in the second encounter (1192), they were defeated and Prithviraj was killed. This was the beginning of Islamic power in India, leading to the establishment of the Delhi Sultanates. Mathan Singh's son, PADAM SINGH succeeded him. See also MEWAR'S LOST GENERATIONS.

Mathur, Shri M.N. (b. July 10, 1922 at Ajmer-d. November 22, 1997 aged 75); author of Udaipur's first tourist guide; edited two books (Battle of Haldi Ghati and Pratap and His Times); Vice President of Maharana Pratap Smarak Samiti, Maharana Kumbha Sangeet Parishad, Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandal, and Rajasthan Sangeet Natak Academy; he was a member of INTACH, U.I.T., and the Udaipur Municipal Council.

Mattat, Rawal, tenth ruler of the Guhilot Dynasty (773-793), forerunner of the Mewar Dynasty; succeeded Rawal KHUMAN I; ruled for twenty years from Chittor. Little is known of his reign. His son, BHERT PATT (I), succeeded him.

Maun Mori: see MAAN MORI.

Mavli, a major town 50 km. northeast of Udaipur on the road to Chittor. The surrounding countryside, where local farmers now grow their crops, was, on a decisive day in 1540, a bloody battlefield. It was here that the army of 18-year-old Maharana UDAI SINGH II, who had spent several years in hiding at KUMBHALGARH, defeated a force led by the usurper BANBIR, and returned in triumph to CHITTOR to reclaim the throne of Mewar.

Mayo College, Ajmer, once an exclusive college for the sons of Rajput rulers, where each pupil had his own quarters and his own staff to look after him. The States of Rajputana largely funded it and every large state had its own house. Those of the Mewar family who attended Mayo College were BHAGWAT SINGH MEWAR, his son, ARVIND SINGH, and his son, Prince LAKSHYARAJ SINGH. Today, the college is an open institute of learning.