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Durgavati
Durgavati was that brave woman of India during the 47th century of Kaliyugas i.e. 16th century A.D. who fought with the alien invaders with utmost courage and heroic bravery and in the end, thinking that lest her living body may even be impurified by a touch of the aliens she with her own sword brought forth a situation of self-sacrificing through which she got the ' going of the brave ( Viragati )'.
After the death of king Dalpatishah of Gadha Mandala there came the hazard of a crisis over the state. The Mughal ruler Akbar sent a big army to capture the state of Gadha ( fort ) Mandala. Mounting on an elephant, Maharani Durgavati fought with utmost bravery along with providing a constant encouragement and inspiration to her army. Unfortunately because of internal disunity and her army being too small in comparison with the invaders, self-defence did not succeed. Among the brave women who resisted, retaliated and acted towards containing the Mughal thirst for empire-building Maharani Dureavati occupies a high place.
In 1564 Akbar sent the governor of Kara Asaf Khan to conquer Gondwana. That time the ruling
king of Gondwana was Bir Narayan. As he was a minor, his mother, Princess Durgavati, ruled as a
regent on behalf of her son. She was a lady bestowed with beauty, valour and riches. She was an
excellent shot with a gun, and with bows and arrows. Durgavati fought bravely with the Mughals
but was defeated in a fight with them between Garah and Mandala. Being a Rajput woman, she
preferred death to disgrace and so stabbed herself to death. Even after his mother's death Bir
Bahadur did not give up. He continued fighting in a brave manner against his enemies till he lost his
life. After this victory, the Mughals took great riches, jewels, gold and silver from this kingdom.
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