In thirteen to fourteen century , there lived a princess in Sinhalese kingdom. She was known for her exceptional beauty. Her eyes were like the beautiful lotus petals, her lips resembled bloomed red lips. Her slender waist were like those plumped deers who used to wonder about in the forest. She was princess Padmini, also known as Padmavati, daughter of King Gandharvasena and Queen Consort Champavati. She had a red parrot whose name was Hiramani. It was her closest compatriot. She loved it dearly but her father was against her obsession with that parrot. He ordered his knights to kill it. When she got to know this, she silently at night flew it from the window.

Oneday, a brahmin came to the courts of the King of Mewar Kingdom. He had a beautiful red parrot encaged in his hand. He gifted it to the King, Rawal Ratan Singh, to get some money in return. The red colour of it's feather and it's talking ability attracted him and he took it to his palace afterwards. At first he thought it was an ordinary parrot but when he was alone with him at night he started singing. A song mixed with praises of the beauty of princess Padmavati. The song was actually taught to it by on of her maids. When he heard the song, a natural curiousity struck in his heart.  ' Is that lady really that much pretty? '

He was curious and his curiousity led him to the voyage to the kindom of Sinhala. When he arrived their he got to know about her from a merchant.

Princess Padmavati , the princess of Sinhala, was a well trained fighter. She was educated in war strategies and skills for a battleship.

When he arrived their, a Swayambar was being organized for her marriage. He thought that it would be the right opportunity to see her and check whether she is really that beautiful.

When he arrived at the Swayambar, he found that there were many Kings and Princes already present their to win her hand in marriage. However it was not a simple Swayambar. She herself, set out a condition for her marriage. If anyone could defeat the designated knight in sword battle, she would marry him.

One after the another, the Kings and Princes were defeated by that knight. At last Ratan's turn came. Though he only came there to just see her, he participated in that battle as found it amusing how nobody could defeat that knight. After a hefty battle, he defeated that knight.

After the battle was over, suddenly that knight opened his head armour. Everyone was shocked as behind that armour was a lady with long lustrous black hair.

Ratan who was standing their, was dazed by her beauty. He was mesmerized with her heavenly beauty and instantly asked her name. To everyone's shock it was none other than Princess Padmavati herself.

After that both of them got married. On reaching Chittor of Mewar she was bewildered to find her Hiramani . Later he told her how he got to know about her from it.

King Ratan Singh loved her dearly which became a reason of enmity between her and his first wife, Nagmati.

Raghav Chetan was an artist in the royal court of Chittor and was secretly a sorcerer who killed many for his purposes. Once, Ratan Singh caught him red-handed and he was banished from the kingdom. Humiliated and angry Raghav took shelter in Alaudin Khilji's palace. Alaudin Khilji was the Sultan of Delhi. He was known for his warfare and brutality. Fire of revenge was lingering inside Raghav , so he started singing praise of Padmavati's beauty infront of him. He got bent on obtaining her and launched an attack on Chittor.

He failed in beseiging Chittor as he found the fort to be heavily guarded. So he proposed a fake peace treaty and went inside the palace to get a glimpse of her beauty. When he demanded to see her, he was bluntly denied. He became furious and demanded that there would be no treaty if he could not see her.  Showing the face of the Queen to another male was a disgrace to him. However, in order to maintain peace and avoid loss of lives, Ratan consulted with his advisors and agreed to show her reflection on a mirror to him. Rani Padmavati was very intelligent. He draped her brother in her saree and showed his reflection on a mirror to Alauddin. Both the siblings were pretty much alike in appearance so there was no problem in fooling him.

Finally Alauddin feigned a peace treaty and deceitfully captured Ratan and took him to Delhi with him. When Khilji captivated the Rana, demanding the queen's surrender in return for her husband's life, the queen feigned submission and sent seven hundred knights dressed as maids in her palkis. She sought help from Ratan Singh's loyal feudatories Gora and Badal, who reached Delhi with their followers, disguised as Padmavati and her female companions. While Gora and Badal were killed fighting the Delhi forces, Ratan Singh reached Chittor safely.

In the meantime, when King Ratan Singh was escaping from Delhi, Devpal, the Rajput king of Kumbhalner proposed Rani Padmini for the marriage. And when Ratan Singh returned back to Chittor, he heard the news and fought with Devpal after which both Devpal and Ratan Singh killed each other. He died while saving his love.

Nagamati cursed her because according to her, it was Padmavati's beauty which brought misfortune to everyone.

Now that Ratan was dead Alauddin invaded Chittor once again to capture Padmavati. This time he also got to know about the mirror incident. Widowed Padmavati had her own pride. She could never surrender her dignity to him. When Alauddin was near to approach the fort, she with other ladies of the fort committed Jauhar.

It is said that Padmavati and the other women wailed for their men and sang praises of their bravery and together they jumped into the fire. Rani Padmavati was the first one to jump into the Jauhar Kund. The entire palace was echoed by their cries. When Khilji, after defeating the knights, came to the fort, the heat and sounds coming out from the Jauhar Kund were so fierce that Khilji ordered to permanently close the tunnel passage.

Alauddin could never see Padmavati's face for which he did so many hideous crimes.

Some says that Rani Padmavati is a work of fiction while others praise her bravery. Women of the palace who committed Jauhar perished but their memory has been kept alive till today by songs and tales which immortalized the story of their sacrifice. Some hundred years ago, the passage was reopened by the then King of Chittor who honoured these brave women.

End