Former Rawal of Salumber made a cut on his thumb and applied blood as ’tilak’ on Vishvaraj’s forehead.
Hours before clashes erupted at the Udaipur Palace between the new Maharana of Mewar and his cousin Dr Lakshay Raj Singh Mewar, a five-hour-long coronation ceremony was held to officially declare BJP MLA Vishvaraj Singh Mewar as the 77th Maharana. The enthroning – a centuries-old tradition – took place on Monday at 10 am at the Fateh Prakash Mahal in Chittorgarh.
The ceremony began with Vishvaraj Singh Mewar arriving at the Fateh Prakash Palace, dressed in a ‘Rajput’ attire, along with a royal entourage. In a video, the new Maharana can be seen walking on a carpet of flowers. He, then, performed a ‘havan’ (a ritual performed on special occasions by burning grains and ghee).
Former Rawal of Salumber, Devvrat Singh, a descendant of the Chunda family, held the Maharana’s hand and took him to the throne. After this, the former Rawal of Salumber made a small cut on his own thumb with a sword and applied the blood as a ’tilak’ on Vishvaraj Singh’s forehead – symbolising loyalty and sacrifice. During this time, the Pandits chanted Vedic mantras and a 21-gun salute was given to the newly-throned Maharana.
How did the clashes start?
As a part of the tradition, Vishvaraj Singh decided to seek the blessings of his family deity and wanted to visit the Dhuni Mata temple in the palace complex and the Ekling Shiv Temple about 50 km from Udaipur, both managed by the trust run by his uncle – Arvind Singh Mewar. However, when the new Maharana, who was throned after the death of Mahendra Singh Mewar, reached the palace, its gates were shut.
A notice refusing unauthorised entry to the Palace was put up on Monday morning, and Vishvaraj Singh was turned away.
This incident angered his supporters, following which six vehicles of Vishvaraj Singh Mewar’s convoy reached the Palace and tried breaking down the barricades put up by the administration in an effort to get close to the city palace gates.
Visuals also showed the two parties – one representing Vishvaraj Singh’s camp and another from his uncle Arvind Singh Mewar – coming face to face and pelting stones at one another.
Several hours of clashes later, the new Maharana, on early Tuesday, asked his supporters to return home.
“The situation that we see today is unfortunate…I am grateful for your support. On one side are properties, but there are also traditions where we seek blessings. This is wrong as far as traditions and society norms are concerned,” he said.
