Rani Padmavati – Ever since the controversies have taken rage with the release of the posters of Bollywood’s most awaited movie ‘Padmavati’ which was later renamed to Padmavat. Sanjay Leela Bhansali is said to have got the inspiration of Rani Padmavati from his visit to Rajasthan, where he was told by an old man about Rani Padmavati. Thereafter, research and constant analysis went into the making of Padmavati.

However, the release date, the storyline, and various other segments have brought forward several questions about Rani Padmavati. People have been questioning the existence, the story, and the realism of Rani Padmavati. Every now and then people ponder to know who was rani Padmavati? Did she ever exist, or is she a fictional character?

How Malik Mohammad Jayasi described Padmavati

The poem “Padmavat” by an Avadhi poet Malik Mohammad Jayasi, is said to the be real inspiration for Padmavati. The poem was written 200 years after the fight of the actual fight of the Chittor King Rana Ratan Sen and Alauddin Khilji.

According to the poem, the following are some facts about Rani Padmavati:

• Rani Padmavati was the most beautiful lady and her beauty tales were popular in Rajasthan. One could see the water sliding down her throat and the betel leaves she chewed, as she was very fair.
• She had a parrot “Hiraman” who is responsible for spreading the tales and stories about the beauty of Padmavati around the country.
• It is said it was from the parrot that Rana Ratan sen got to know about the beauty of Padmavati and was attracted towards her beauty despite being a married man
• He went to the swayamvar of Padmavati and won the princess after she lost the match of sword fighting with him
• It was the tales of Rani Padmavati’s beauty that made Alauddin Khilji attack Chittorgarh and capture Rana Ratan sen and leave him in exchange for Rani Padmavati.
• The Rajput army wanted to knock down the Mughals but in vain
• Therefore, the women of Chittorgarh decided to perform Jauhar instead of getting into the hands of Mughals

In the poem, Padmavati, the queen of Chittorgarh is said to possess a breathtaking beauty. Alauddin Khilji got to hear the stories of Rani Padmavati either through the two brothers of Rana Ratan-Sen, who betrayed him because they did not get their share of dowry from Rani Padmavati.

Also, another story that goes on is that an insider of the palace was indulged into black magic. When the king got to know about it he threw him out of the palace. This made him seek revenge on the king. He, therefore, told stories about Rani Padmavati to the Mughal ruler Khilji.