Maharana as a Trustee of his Kingdom
Architecture, Culture and Patronage
The origin of the Sisodia Rajputs, the rulers of Mewar dates back to 734 AD. Bappa Rawal of the Guhil lineage founded the Mewar Dynasty. As the founder, Bappa Rawal made a solemn promise to his Guru, Maharishi Harit Rashi that he and his descendants would protect and fulfill the sacred trusteeship of Shree Eklingnath ji (a manifestation of Lord Shiva) who would be the real ruler of Mewar. As direct descendants of Bappa Rawal, all the rulers of Mewar are hereditary custodians of Mewar on behalf of Shree Eklingnath ji. The shrine of Eklingnath ji is located about 22 km north of Udaipur, the last capital of erstwhile Mewar, This shrine is protected and worshipped by the royal family and people of Mewar region till date. This principle of ‘kingship’ as ‘trusteeship’ formed the basis for governance of the state of Mewar and continues to reflect in the maintenance and protection of the City Palace at Udaipur today. The first capital of Mewar was Chittorgarh, which remained the seat of power for several successive generations until 1553 AD, when the new capital of Udaipur was founded by Maharana Udai Singh II. The City Palace at Udaipur has seen continued patronage; even as its earlier administrative and residential role came to an end with democratic India, the custodianship is continued under the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation. This aspect reflects in the way the site is used, maintained or taken care of, with the best known contemporary approaches as well as a continuity of traditional processes. The City Palace is significant for continuity of traditional building crafts and technology; few craftsmen associated with the palace have been retained over generations enabling this continuity. Most traditions associated with the life of the royal family are retained in palace spaces such as the annual celebration of festivals of Ashwa Poojan, Kartik Poornima and Holika Dahan, which see broader participation by the citizens too. The tradition of patronizing the arts and crafts of the region continues, as the palace is a venue for annual arts and crafts market such as ‘Rang’. In fact, introduction of new events validate the historic site’s importance in the present day context. The royal family continues linkages with the site as patrons and users of the site. The temples within the complex are worshipped by the royal family till today and several traditional rituals are carried out in the palace and museum spaces, thus truly making it a Living Heritage Site.
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The Living Heritage of Mewar
