Rakhabdev (Rakhabnath): see RIKHABDEO.

Rakhabnath: see RAKHABDEV.

Rakhi, (Hindi) a special bracelet. At the annual Bracelet Festival (known as the Rakhi Festival), a young woman sent a bracelet to her favoured young man whom she wished to adopt 'as a brother'. Often, it was a girl who did not have a brother, but would like one, to look after her interests and give her brotherly support at family gatherings. For an historical instance of this, see KARMAVATI.

rakhwali, (Hindi) protection from aggressors. See SERVANTS IN FEUDAL MEWAR.

Ram, one of the three main Hindu gods.

Ram Pol (Gate), Chittorgarh; the fort's main entrance. See also GATES (POLS) IN UDAIPUR.

Ram Shah Tanwar, Raja, of Gwalior, at whose house in Gogunda Maharana PRATAP SINGH held his war council (1576) before moving out to meet the Mughal army at the Battle of HALDIGHATI.

Ram Singh. There were several leading members of clans who had this name. They came from Amargadh (Kanawat); Gogunda (Jhala Rajputs); Pansal (Saktawat); Rampura (Mertia); Tal (Choondawat); and Kunwar Ram Singh, a son of Maharana Pratap Singh I (1572-1597) and brother of Maharana Amar Singh I (1597-1620), whose his sons had estates at Udlias and Mankari.

Rama (Ram Chandra), the seventh avatar of Vishnu. The hero of India's great literary epic RAMAYANA, he overcame the terrible demon, Ravana. Rama represents the ideal Hindu: a gentle husband, a devoted son, a considerate brother, a good friend, a kindly king and, most significantly, a leader valiant under oppression. The rulers of Mewar claim mythological descent from LAV, one of Rama's twin sons.

Ramayana (the Life and Deeds of Rama), an inspiring Hindu epic poem whose hero, Ramachandra (or Rama), is one of the incarnations of Vishnu. (Rama's son, Lav, is the traditional ancestor of the ruling dynasty of Mewar). It is the shorter of the two great epics of India, containing seven books of about forty-eight thousand lines. As with The Mahabharata, it is a heroic tale and a moral lesson, on the one hand extolling the deeds of antiquity, and on the other offering for Hindus a religious meaning that it is revered as much as Biblical stories are in the West. The essence of the Ramayana's main story:

To rescue Sita, his wife, who had been abducted by Ravana, the Great King of Lanka (Ceylon or modern Sri Lanka, but actually called a "great southern kingdom"), Rama, invaded that island, captured his enemy's fortress-town, rescued the beloved Sita, and returned with her to Kosala, where he was crowned king at Ayodhya, the capital. Unfortunately, being bound by sacred law, Rama had to cast her out for having lived under another man's roof. Sita did as her dharma demanded; she threw herself on to a sacred fire. But because she was innocent, the fire-god Agni refused to take her, and she emerged from the fire unscathed. With this proof of her virtue, Rama took her back.

Ramlila, an Indian dance drama based on the epic, RAMAYANA; generally performed during the Dashera Festival to commemorate the victory of the Hindu god Rama over demon king Ravana.

Rampiyari Gujari, a strong-willed and often outspoken handmaiden (and a GOLI, an hereditary slave) at the Mewar court who had spiritual control of the Rajmata (Queen Mother), SARDAR KANWAR JHALI, who was Regent for her two young sons, Hamir II (1773-1778) and Bhim Singh (1778-1828). One day, this feisty favourite servant, by nature an arrogant and proud woman herself, insulted the ageing AMAR CHAND, an important ex-Prime Minister and still a government minister. In rage, Amar Chand rebuked the woman, also calling her a prostitute. Humiliated and infuriated, Rampiyari reported his behaviour to her mistress. The Rajmata, angry at the treatment of her favourite, demanded the help of Rawat Bhim Singh, the Choondawat chieftain of Salumbar to get rid of him (possibly with poison). However, discovering the Queen Mother's nefarious plan, Amar Chand quickly retired to his residence and sent all his jewellery and belongings to Rawat Bhim Singh's father, Janani Dyodhi as a bribe. He followed this up with a visit to Dyodhi in person and said, "My duty is to think of you and your son's welfare. Instead of opposing me you should co-operate with me. In getting rid of me, she (the Rajmata) is trying to maintain her power at Court." In a Court so full of intrigue, every secret quickly became public knowledge. Hearing of Amar Chand's attempt to discredit her, the ruthless Rajmata Sardar Kanwar Jhali acted quickly and, allegedly, poisoned Amar Chand herself. Thus she maintained her powerful position in Mewar until her son, Hamir, came of age.

Rampiyari's lavish villa is still to be seen in Lake Palace Road, not far from Shiv Niwas Palace. It was a large, two-storeyed palace with a small Vishnu temple, and a large step-well. Some years later, one wing of the villa became the residence of Colonel TOD, the British Agent, during his second stay in Udaipur; Maharana Bhim Singh often visited him here. Today, one section, now controlled by the Rajasthan Government (and in sad disrepair), has a small Ayurvedic hospital. The other portion is now the home of a relative of the royal family, Rawat Surendra Singh of Bohera, and his family. A descendant of SAKTA, his great grandfather received the palace from Maharana Sajjan Singh. It adjoins the Mahendra Prakash (Hotel), operated by Surendra Singh. From the garden rooftop there is a magnificent panorama of the entire City Palace complex on the adjacent hill.

Rampura (Mertia Rathore), 175 km. from Udaipur; an estate (jagir) that Maharana Swaroop Singh granted to Girdhari Singh and the descendants of Jodh Singh of BADNOR.

Genealogy: Girdhari Singh; Sangram Singh; Gulab Singh; Ram Singh.

Rampura-ki-Haveli (House of Rampura) (Chittor): see BUNDI AND RAMPURA, HOUSES OF.