The First Saka of Citod
Summary
“The First Saka of Citod” examines the earliest Muslim siege of the fortress of Chittor (Citod) and disentangles legend from history. Chittor, the stronghold of the Mewar Rajputs, endured three major sackings: by Alauddin Khilji in 1303, by Bahadur Shah of Gujarat in 1534–35 and by Emperor Akbar in 1567. Rajput tradition speaks of “three and a half śākās,” referring to these sackings and an earlier partial defeat. While the later events are well documented, the first siege has been romanticised in literature, particularly in the epic poem Padmāvat composed by Malik Muhammad Jayasi. The poem narrates that Alauddin Khilji coveted the beauty of Queen Padmini, besieged Chittor, captured her husband Rana Ratan Singh by treachery and demanded Padmini in exchange. The Rajputs ultimately rescued Ratan Singh by subterfuge, after which Alauddin renewed the siege, captured the fort and massacred its defenders, while the women performed jauhar to avoid dishonour. The article compares this narrative with contemporary Persian chronicles such as Amir Khusraw’s Khaza’in‑ul‑Futuh, the Delhi chronicle Tarikh‑i‑Firishta and later works like the Akbarnama and Ain‑i‑Akbari. It notes that Amir Khusraw mentions only Alauddin’s desire to subdue Chittor for strategic reasons, with no reference to Padmini. Ferishta repeats elements of the Padmāvat story, showing that the legend entered Persian historiography. The article also examines Rajput bardic traditions and local records, which emphasise Rajput heroism but provide little factual detail. By analysing the chronological sequence of siege, capture, negotiations and final fall, the author argues that the Padmini episode is a later interpolation and that Alauddin’s motives were political rather than romantic. He suggests that Ratan Singh may have been released and later executed, and that the jauhar tradition reflects Rajput social customs rather than a specific event. The study therefore seeks to reconstruct a plausible historical narrative from conflicting sources and to highlight how myth-making transformed an episode of medieval warfare into an enduring legend.
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Conclusion
Through critical comparison of literary romances and contemporary chronicles, the article concludes that Alauddin Khilji’s siege of Chittor was primarily a campaign of conquest, not a quest for Padmini. The Padmāvat’s story of the queen’s beauty inspiring the attack appears to be a later poetic embellishment that was subsequently absorbed by Persian and Rajput accounts. While Chittor did fall after intense fighting and a brutal massacre, the legend of Padmini represents the fusion of historical memory with cultural ideals of honour and sacrifice rather than a factual record.