Maharana Pratap Jayanti 2023: Date, Significance, History, Celebration

Maharana Pratap, born as Pratap Singh, was a great king and warrior of Mewar (presently in the sate of Rajasthan) who is known for resisting the expansion of Mughal empire and his opposition to become a vassal for the Mughal Emperor Akbar, like other Rajput chiefs. Every year, the birth anniversary of Maharana Pratap is celebrated with great pomp in the country, especially in the states of Rajasthan, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. This article provide some important details related to Maharana Pratap Jayanti 2023 like date, celebration, practices, significance, etc.

Maharana Pratap Jayanti 2023 Overview

Event	Maharana Pratap Jayanti 2023
Maharana Pratap Jayanti Date	May 22
Day	Monday

Maharana Pratap Jayanti 2023 Date

Maharana Pratap Jayanti falls every year on the third day of the Hindi month Jyestha. According to Gregorian calendar, it usually falls in the month of May or June. In the year 2023, Maharana Pratap Jayanti will fall on Monday, May 22, 2023. This day will be observed as a regional holiday in the states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan and all public offices will remain close on this day. Private offices may or may not observe this holiday.

As per the Gregorian calendar, Maharana Pratap was born on May 9 and therefore this day is also celebrated as his birth anniversary at many places.

Significance of Maharana Pratap Jayanti

Maharana Pratap was the 54^th ruler of Mewar and was called as Mewari Rana. His fight against the Mughal rulers was a notable one and the courage he showed in his fight is still praiseworthy. He fought two major battles at Haldighati (Battle of Haldighati) and Dewair (Battle of Dewair) that played major roles in restricting the expansion of Mughal Empire.

On his jayanti, Rana Pratap is remembered for his bravery and courage with which he fought his enemies without accepting defeat and gave his life for the freedom of his people. Maharana Pratap Jayanti marks the birth anniversary of an eminent ruler who fought against the mighty Mughal rulers without giving up, when many submitted themselves in front of the Mughals. To honor his valor and courage a statue of Maharana Pratap was unveiled in the Parliament of India in 2007.

History of Maharana Pratap

Pratap Singh I was born on 9 May 1540 in a Hindu Rajput family to Mewar King Udai Singh II and his wife Jaiwanta Bai. When king Udai Singh I died in the year 1572, Pratap Singh succeeded him to the throne and became the new ruler of Mewar. This made his brother Jagmal Singh upset who wanted to become the new king after Uday Singh’s death and he joined the army of Akbar to seek revenge from Rana Pratap.

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Against Mughals, Rana Pratap fought the famous battle of Haldighati against Mughal Emperor Akbar on June 18, 1576. Although his army was far less in number than the Mughals army, he still gave them a tough time. However, he came on the brink of losing the war and being captured and therefore had to escape from there. He escaped on his favorite horse Chetak and rendered the win of the Mughals fruitless. On their failure to capture Rana, he Mughals shifted their focus to other parts of the empire, which allowed Rana Pratap to recover much of the lost territory. However, his dream of taking Chittor under his reign still didn’t fulfill.

At the age of 56, Maharana Pratap died due to the injuries sustained in a hunting accident. He took his last breath at Chavand on 19 January 1597 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Amar Singh I. Before his death, Rana Pratap told his son to never give up in front of the Mughals and to win back Chittor.

Maharana Pratap Jayanti Celebration

On his jayanti, Maharana Pratap Singh is remembered by the people for his courageous fight against the Mughals. His life is an inspiration to all and his birth anniversary is observed with much excitement by people in different parts of the country. Maharana Pratap Jayanti is a major holiday in certain states like Rajasthan, Haryana, etc and is celebrated with puja and rituals.

Processions are also carried out at many places and children can be seen dressed as Maharana Pratap participating in the procession. People also visit the bronze statue of the Maharana astride his favorite horse Chetak located at Moti Magri (Pearl hill) in Udaipur.