Vijai Singh. There were several leading members of clans who had this name. They came from Daulat-gadh (Choondawat); Deogarh (Choondawat); Dharyavad (Sisodia); Jamoli (Baba); Karoi (Ranawat); Kotharia (Chauhan); Marchya Kheri (Solanki); Nimri (Mahecha Rathore); Peeladhar (Sisodia); Thana (Choondawat), and Vijaipur (Saktawat).

Vijai Singh, Rawal, twenty-ninth ruler of Mewar (r. 1107-1127); succeeded Rawal VAIRSINGH; ruled for twenty years from AHAR. Very little is known of his reign. His son, ARI SINGH, succeeded him. See also MEWAR'S LOST GENERATIONS.

Vijaipur, 145 km. from Udaipur near Chittor; the jagir of Vijai Singh, fourth son of Narhardas of BANSI.

Genealogy: Vijai Singh; Kushal Singh; Lal Singh; Jait Singh; Achaldas; Bakhat Singh; Bahadur Singh; Mokham Singh; Bhairav Singh; Madho Singh; Javan Singh; Naval Singh; Pratap Singh.

Vijay Stambh (Tower of Victory), Chittorgarh, the visual symbol of the ancient fort. A unique specimen of architecture built by Maharana KUMBHA (1433-1468) between 1440 and 1448 to commemorate his victory over Mahmud Khilji of Malwa. The tower, which cost 9 million rupees, has made this victory memorable, and is an excellent example of Kumbha's love for art and architecture. The square base is 3 m. high, and the tower itself is 9 m. wide at the base and 37 m. high. Built chiefly of compact limestone, it has nine storeys connected by a 157-step staircase that alternates through a central wall and the gallery around it. The two upper storeys are open and more ornamental than those below. The view from top offers panoramic views of the fort and the plains beyond, extending to the east, far into the State of Malwa. Kumbha's builders decorated its nine storeys with powerfully delicate carvings of Hindu gods, scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, plus social life of the time, and symbols of every religion in India, also figures of lions (for protection) and elephants (for prosperity). The tower's dome was destroyed by lightning and replaced by Maharana SWAROOP SINGH (1842-1861). British Administrator, Colonel James TOD considered this tower "superior to the Qutub Minar in Delhi in both design and execution."

Vijayapur, an ancient city in Saurashtra, supposedly where Dholka now stands, at the head of the Saurashtra peninsula in Gujarat; founded by Raja Vijaya. See MEWAR'S TRADITIONAL LINEAGE.

Vijayaraj Kumari Mewar of Kutch (b. December 21, 1942), wife of Shriji ARVIND SINGH MEWAR; daughter of Maharaj Fateh Singh of Kutch, granddaughter of the Maharao of Kutch. They have three children, BHARGAVI, PADMAJA, and LAKSHYARAJ.

Vijya (Vijayasen), Raja, founder of Vijayapur, Saurashtra. See MEWAR'S TRADITIONAL LINEAGE.

Vikram Singh. There were a couple of leading members of clans who had this name. They came from Delwara (Jhala Rajput), and Kerya (Poorawat).

Vikram Singh, Rawal: see VIKRAMADITYA I, RAWAL.

Vikramaditya. There are several known kings by the name of Vikramaditya (Sun of Valour-a common royal appellation) in the history of India. These include Vikramaditya, also known as Candra or Chandra Gupta II (ca 380-ca 415) who ruled North India; and King Vikramaditya VI who founded the western Chalukya dynasty in AD 1075 and was the legendary Paramara king of Ujjain (see AHAR). He is said to have ruled over the Malava (Sanskrit for Malwa) kingdom and other regions of India, and had a victory over the Sakas (ancestors of ancient Scythian or Greek tribes) which, in Jain historical texts, issued in the Vikrama era (58 BC) However some scholars doubt his existence. The Vikramadityas pertinent to this Encyclopaedia are Rawal VIKRAMADITYA I and Maharana VIKRAMADITYA II of Mewar.

Vikramaditya I, Rawal (also known as Vikram Singh), thirty-second ruler of Mewar (r. 1148-1158); succeeded Rawal CHAUD SINGH; ruled for ten years from AHAR. In most official lists of Mewar's rulers, he is shown simply as 'Vikram Singh', but research has revealed his name was 'Vikramaditya'. Very little is known of his reign. His son, KARAN (RAN) SINGH I, succeeded him. See also MEWAR'S LOST GENERATIONS.

Vikramaditya II, Maharana (b. 1517-d. 1536, Chittor), fifty-second ruler of the Mewar Dynasty (r. 1531-1536); succeeded his older brother Maharana RATAN SINGH II; third son of Maharana SANGRAM (SANGA) SINGH I and Rani KARMAVATI; ruled from Chittor. Vikramaditya was a young teenager (only 14), a political minor when he came to the throne, inexperienced and incapable of looking after State affairs. On top of that, he had all the turbulence without the redeeming qualities that had endeared his late brother, Ratan Singh to his subjects. Vikramaditya was insolent, passionate, vindictive, and had no respect for his nobles, which made him very unpopular with his Court. Instead of appearing as their leader, he passed his time among wrestlers and prize-fighters on whom he lavished gifts and sanctions to which the Rajput aristocracy claimed exclusive right. His preference to spend too much time with paiks (foot soldiers) also incensed the cavalry-reared Rajput nobles who, except in battle, held the foot soldier in low regard. Perhaps Vikramaditya was emulating his foes who had learned the superiority of infantry for protection in battle, cavalry becoming more and more ineffective against the modern use of artillery. (Proud Rajput warriors still preferred falling with dignity from their steeds to descending to dependence upon protection by enlisted ranks.)

Soon, a wide chasm developed between Vikramaditya and his nobles. His rule was no longer respected; the police were despised; mountain rebels carried off the cattle from under the very walls of Chittor. When Vikramaditya ordered his cavaliers to pursue the rebels, they taunted him, saying "Send your paiks." Unwilling to cater any longer to their young Maharana's continued arrogance and insolence, many nobles quit the State. News was widespread that the discord among Mewar's nobles had seriously weakened the government. Taking advantage of this, Sultan Bahadur Shah of Gujarat, in a bid to annex Mewar, launched a full-scale attack against the kingdom. Maharana Vikramaditya and a small squad of horsemen and foot soldiers quit the fort for the surrounding hills to provide an external line of attack against the invaders. (see CHITTOR, 2^ND SACK).

Bahadur Shah captured the fortress but held it for a mere fortnight, before Mewar's allies joined forces and stormed their capital. The Gujarat sultan was forced to abandon Chittor, foiled in his bloody attempt to annex Mewar, and retire. The Mewar forces, including the warriors under Maharana Vikramaditya returned to take charge of what was left of their capital. Unfortunately, the recent struggle and defeat did not alter Vikramaditya's attitude, and he resumed his offensive habits. He was hated; but his actions were tolerated, superficially, only because, following the widespread slaughter in the recent sack, there was no other member of the royal family adequate enough to replace him. Younger brother Udai Singh, who had been sent to safety at Bundi, was still too young (only 14 or so) and inexperienced, and the nobles certainly did not want a repeat of the mistakes made by Vikramaditya's similar lack of leadership qualities. So, although there had been precedents, these dangerous times demanded the wisdom and leadership of a mature ruler.

Then, one day in open Court in 1536, losing his temper, the Maharana struck an elderly noble, KARAMCHAND of Ajmer, the protector of his father Sanga in his misfortunes. The assembly rose with one accord at this indignity to their order; and as they retired, the Choondawat leader Kanji, the first of the nobles, 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, "Tomorrow its flavour will be known." Unanimously, the nobles decided there was no other recourse but to remove Vikramaditya from all responsibilities and privileges of leader, and placed him under palace arrest. Meanwhile, a distant and ambitious cousin, BANBIR, had emerged on the scene. He was the son (some reports say the illegitimate son) of the boys' uncle, PRITHVI RAJ, who had been exiled from Mewar when he attacked his brother, Crown Prince Sanga. Prithvi Raj died in exile without succeeding to the throne, but his son considered he was the rightful heir. One evening that same year, Banbir approached the Maharana's palace with his sword drawn and murdered the young king while he was carousing in the zanana (women's quarters). To complete his coup, Banbir went immediately after his younger cousin, Udai Singh, the only remaining obstacle to his ascending the throne. His nursemaid (see PANNA DHAI) saved the 15-year-old. Thus, after a brief reign of only five years, Vikramaditya, then only 19, became the victim of an act of violence, perhaps predictable retribution for his abominable treatment of his subjects and the dereliction of his kingly responsibilities.

vilas, (Hindi) a place of comfortable residence, as opposed to a niwas (nivas), which is simply a residence without the style of a vilas.

Vimal Vasahi Temple, Dilwara, Mt. Abu: see DILWARA JAIN TEMPLES.

vimar (vimana), the craft, similar to a small boat, in which the gods and goddesses travelled. In Hindu mythology, Harit Rishi departed this world in a vimar, leaving Bappa Rawal to establish the Mewar Dynasty.

Vintage and Classic Car Collection (Vintage Car Museum), part of the Commercial Division of the MAHARANA MEWAR INSTITUTION TRUST. See GARDEN HOTEL AND RESTAURANT.

Vir (Veer) Vinod, the history of Mewar written by Shayamal Das, commissioned by Maharana SAJJAN SINGH (1874-1884); currently available only in Hindi in the MAHARANA MEWAR SPECIAL LIBRARY, City Palace, Udaipur.

Viramdeo, Kunwar, a son of Maharana UDAI SINGH II (1537-1572) and brother of Maharana PRATAP SINGH I (1572-1597); his sons had estates (jagirs) at Hameergarh, Khairabad, Mahua and Sanwad.

Vishnu (Visnu), from the Sanskrit, 'to pervade'; one of the three main Hindu gods (with Shiva and Brahma); the Protector and Preserver of the world and restorer of dharma (moral order). He is known chiefly through his avatars (incarnations), particularly Rama, hero of the Ramayana, and Krishna (the divine cowherd of the Bhagavata-Purana and the charioteer-philosopher of the Bhagavadgita). The standing Vishnu is dressed in royal garments and holds in his four (sometimes two) hands the sankha (conch), chakra (discus), gada (club), or padma (lotus). On his chest is a curl of hair known as the srivatsa mark, a sign of his immortality; and around his neck he wears the auspicious jewel Kaustabha. In painting, Vishnu is usually shown as fair complexioned, a distinguishing feature also of most of his incarnations. Vishnu's mount is the bird Garuda; his heavenly abode is called Vaikuntha. His wife (consort) is the goddess Lakshmi.

Vishnu Temple, Chittor; an old temple and a small horticultural garden on the western side of Bhimlat Kund in the fort's northern sector. A lingam of SHIVA is in the shrine.