Historical shows continue to peeve community specific viewers in Rajasthan.  After the Rajput community who had recently registered strong objections to some scenes regarded as obscene in the television show ‘Bharat ka Veer Putra- Maharana Pratap’, a delegation of Historians representing Mewar region met the administrative officers on Thursday and demanded de-airing of the serial.

A delegation led by Dr. Niranjan Narayan Singh Rathore, the Managing Director of Bhupal Nobles Sansthan handed over a memorandum addressed to the President, PM and MIB alleging that some part of serial contents are portraying the historical characters in a bad light which is defaming the glorious image of the Mewar land, known for its valor and courage, world wide.

Chroniclers Dr. KS Gupta, Dr. Bhupendra Singh Rathore, Dr GN Mathur, Dr Meena Gaur, Dr. Brijmohan Jawalia, Dr Devilal Paliwal, Dr Neelam Kaushik, Dr Pankaj Ameta and many other members of the delegation raised serious objections over some scenes telecasted recently which they claimed to be distorting historical events and putting the characters in bad light. Maharana Pratap the iconic figure has been held with great esteem by the people not only in the state but nationally since 500 years of the freedom battle but fiction wrongly combined with chronological events is misinterpreting his valor, the delegation claimed demanding immediate de-airing of the serial.

The show Maharana Pratap had been at the center of controversy at its inception too,  an year ago when the Rajput community had objected to the dressing style and mannerism of the protagonist wearing Marathi headgear and Afghani pants.  Also, with Mewar as the backdrop of the serial, where there are no sand dunes, the characters had been depicted to engage in a war in a similar background. Another objection was raised over Maharani Bhatiyani, shown to be Maharaja Uday Singh’s wife in the serial, however, if historians are to be believed she was not his wife but his mistress.

Few days ago, Shree Rajput Karni Sena and Mewar Kshatriya Mahasabha had registered similar objections in their letter to Raja Mahendra Singh, the erstwhile ruler of Chittorgarh, urging him take serious action against the production and creative team of the serial and demanding the soap to be off aired immediately.

Some intimate scenes and dialogues delivered by the actors portraying the characters of Raja Udai Singh and his wives Rani Dheerbai and Maharani Jaimanta, aired recently had irked the Rajput community.

Dr. Rajendra Singh Jagat, the President of the Mahasabha said ‘ Maharana Pratap is the only Rajput ruler who is celebrated throughout the country for his courage and patriotism. Colonel  Toad, the famous British antiquarian had held Pratap with great reverence. Quoting Toad, Singh said “There is not a pass in the Alpine Aravalli that is not sanctified by some deed of Maharana Pratap – some brilliant victory, or oftener, more glorious defeat.”

Pratap was the only Rajput who never surrendered to the Mughal Emperor Akbar despite facing immense hardships. Historical show based on the life of great heroes should aim to present their glory and valor rather than attempting to tantalize the audience which is neither necessary nor acceptable by the mass who regard the characters in high esteem.

By Geetha Sunil Pillai