Rani Padmini is said to be the most beautiful queen of Mewar. She was born in the late 13th century on the island kingdom of Singhal (Modern-day Sri Lanka). She was born to Raja Ghadharvasena and Rani Champavati. She married Rawal Ratan Singh.

Raghav Chetan's Banishment

Rawal Ratan Singh was the ruler of Chittorgarh. One day at his court, one of his nobles told him about the beauty of the princess of Sinhala Island. He later went to the island kingdom and married her. A few days later after Ratan Singh and Rani Padmini returned to Chittor, one of the scholars at the court named Raghav Chetan said that that day it was the second day of the moon. But Raghav Chetan had made the wrong calculations and one of the scholars understood his mistake and told him that he was wrong. At the night when the king wanted to check that is Raghav Chetan right and it was the second day of the moon. Actually, he had tricked Rawal ji. When Rawal ji got to know about the trickery of Raghav Chetan he discussed the matter with Padmini. He thought that he should banish Raghav Chetan from his kingdom. But, Padmini cautioned him and told him that he knows many secrets about the state. Nevertheless, Raghav Chetan was banished from the country and he went to dense forests.

In the forest he was playing flute, meanwhile, Ala-ud-din Khilji, the sultan of Delhi was hunting in the same forest. When Ala-ud-din heard Raghav Chetan playing the flute he appointed him as the flutist at his court. Soon Raghav Chetan told Ala-ud-din about the beauty of Rani Padmini. Then Ala-ud-din thought that he should conquer Mewar and make Rani Padmini one of his begums. A few days later he marched towards Chittor with a massive army.

Rawal Ratan Singh's Abduction

A set a camp near the fort of Chittor and after a very long wait, he thought of a plan to make Rani Padmini his Begum. He thought that if he proclaims Rani Padmini as his sister, Rawal Ratan Singh will let him enter his fort as a brother. The next day a messenger visited the court of Chittor. He conveyed Ala-ud-din's message and Ala-ud-din was granted permission to enter the fort of Chittor. Ala-ud-din entered the fort with twenty of his best soldiers. Ala-ud-din was treated with great respect and finally, Rawal Ratan Singh called Padmini to pay a visit to sultan Ala-ud-din. Padmini told Rawal Ratan Singh that she would only show herself in a mirror because Sultan Ala-ud-din is not a good man. When Ala-ud-din saw Padmini he was astonished by her beauty. Then Ala-ud-din wanted to leave the fort. Meanwhile, he was thinking that he should abduct Rawal ji. He did that by bringing him outside of the Palace and then he was arrested. Not a single Rajput was aware of the fact that Rawal Ratan Singh had been abducted.

The First Siege of Chittorgarh (1303)

At the fort of Delhi, Rawal Ratan Singh was tortured. When Rani Padmini got to know about this she called Gora and Badal, Rawal ji's relatives for help. They all thought of a plan that they will tell the sultan that Rani Padmini will come to the camp to become his Begum and she will be accompanied by five hundred of her maids. But, the maids will actually be soldiers, dressed as maids. Then they will attack the camp and free Rawal ji. Everything went according to the plan and Rawal Ratan Singh was rescued but Gora died in the battle.

Jauhar & Saka

Soon the food supplies of the fort of Chittor began to dwindle. Then Rawal Ratan Singh thought that Jauhar is the only way of saving the honor of his wife. The next day all women in the fort committed Jauhar. And after the Jauhar took place no Rajput of the royal household had any desire to live. A fierce battle followed in which many enemy lives were taken by the Rajputs. But the small band of Rajputs was of no match to the huge enemy army and soon the battle was over.

Aftermath

Alauddin assigned Chittor to his son Khizr Khan (or Khidr Khan), who was 7 or 8 years old at the time. The Chittor fort was renamed "Khizrabad" after the prince.