Anup Rai
Raja Anup Rai (Hindustani: राजा अनूप राय or راجا انوپ رای) was a Bargujar Rajput nobleman in seventeenth century India, and a courtier of the Mughal emperor, Jahangir.[1] He was also known as Singh Dalan (lion crusher) for intercepting a lion that was on verge of attacking the emperor during a royal hunt.[2][3]
The lion hunt
The royal party went on a hunt on or around January 6, 1611.[4] Jahangir dismounted from his horse and fired his musket at a lion during the hunt, but only wounded the animal. The lion began to advance on Jahangir, but Anup Rai confronted the animal instead, armed with nothing but a stick.[4][5] He "manfully faced him and struck him twice with both hands on the head."[2] When the lion still made for the emperor, Anup Rai used his bare arms against the maw of the animal, which grabbed both of Anup Rai's arms in his mouth and dragged him down to his knees. The crown prince, Khurram, and another member of the hunting party, Raja Ram Das, attacked the lion with swords. Prince Khurram struck at the lion's haunches and Raja Ram Das at the shoulder. Somehow Anup Rai managed to free his arms, which had been bitten through, and "struck him two or three times on the cheek with his fist."[2]
Had Anup Rai not intervened, the emperor would likely have been killed.[4] Jahangir was grateful. Anup Rai received thirty-two wounds, which the emperor bound himself, taking him in the emperor's own palanquin.[4] He was made a captain of five-thousand horsemen.[4]
Khusrau Mirza's captor
In 1616, Jahangir asked Anup Rai to keep Prince Khusrau Mirza (Jahangir's oldest son, whom Roe called Corsoronne) under confinement.[6] Sir Thomas Roe, the first English ambassador in India, records that General Asaf Khan and Prince Eteman Daulat waited until Jahangir was drunk one night and tricked the inebriated emperor into agreeing to release Khusrau into the prince's hands.[6] General Asif Khan immediately went to Anup Rai with an armed guard and demanded Khusrau's delivery to him. The Raja refused, saying that "he had receiued the Prince his brother from the handes of the king and to no other would deliver him (sic)." The next morning, Anup Rai went to the emperor, and "the king replyed: you haue done honestly, faythfully."[6] Khusrau was left in Anup Rai's custodianship for the immediate period.[6]
Founder of Anupshahr
The town of Anupshahr in Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh state was founded by Raja Anup Rai.[1]
References
- 1 2 William Wilson Hunter (1881), The imperial gazetteer of India, Government of India,
... Anupshahr ... Founded in the reign of Jahangir by the Badgujar Rajd, Anup Rai, from whom it derives its name ...
- 1 2 3 Ahsan Jan Qaisar, Som Prakash Verma, Art and culture: painting and perspective, Abhinav Publications, 2002, ISBN 978-81-7017-405-9,
... Anup Rai ... turned towards the lion ... manfully faced him and struck him twice with both hands on the head ... Baba Khurram and Ram Das came up to the assistance ... struck him two or three times on the cheek with his fist ...
- ↑ The journal of John Jourdain, 1608-1617, describing his experiences in Arabia, India, and the Malay archipelago, The Hakluyt society, 1905,
... the Rajput who was so severely mauled was named Anuprai. In recognition of his bravery the Emperor conferred on him the title of Anirai Singh-Dalan ('lion-cleaver') ...
- 1 2 3 4 5 Sir William Foster, Early travels in India, 1583-1619, H. Milford, 1921,
... About the sixt of January [1611] the King, being on hunting, was assailed by a lyon, which hee had wounded with his peece, with such fiercenesse that, had not a captaine of his, a Resboot ... interposed himselfe, thrusting his arms into the lions mouth as he ramped against His Majestie, he had in all likelihood been destroyed ... having received thirty two wounds; whome therefore the King tooke up into his owne palanke ... made him a captaine of five thousand horse ...
- ↑ Harry Johnston, Pioneers in IndiaPioneers of Empire, Asian Educational Services, 1993, ISBN 978-81-206-0843-6,
... The lion, being wounded, rushed furiously at the emperor; but the nobleman, who was a Rajput (Hindu) named Anuprai, stepped in front of the emperor. The lion, however, would not meddle ...
- 1 2 3 4 Sir Thomas Roe, Sir William Foster, The embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the court of the Great Mogul, 1615-1619: as narrated in his journal and correspondence, Volume 2, The Hakluyt society, 1899,
... they tooke oportunitye of the kinges beeing drunck, the Prince, Eteman Dowlett, and Asaph Chan mooued the king that, for the safety of Sultan Corsoronne and his honor, it were fitter he were in the keeping of his brother ... the king granted, and so fell asleepe ... the same night, Asaph chan in the name of the king ... came with a Guard to demand and receiue Sultan Corsoronne at the hand of Anna rah, a Rajah rashboot to whom the king had entruster him. He refuseth to deliuer his chardge, with this answere: that he was Sultan Coronns humble seruant, but that he had receiued the Prince his brother from the handes of the king and to no other would deliver him ... In the morning Anna rah came to the king ... the king replyed: you haue done honestly, faythfully ...