Durgadas Rathore
Topic: Regional Resistance: Rajputs, Ahoms, Sikhs · NCERT: Class 8, Ch 2 "Reshaping India's Political Map"
Meaning
Durgadas Rathore (1638–1718) was a Rathore noble of Marwar, the Rajput kingdom ruled from Jodhpur. When Marwar's ruler Jaswant Singh died in 1678, Aurangzeb tried to take over the kingdom. Durgadas protected Jaswant Singh's infant son, Ajit Singh, and fought the Mughals for about 30 years. He became a symbol of Rajput loyalty and resistance.
Example
Durgadas secretly got baby Ajit Singh out of Delhi and kept the war going in Marwar using surprise attacks. After Aurangzeb died in 1707, Ajit Singh got Jodhpur back. This showed that Mughal power stayed limited in Rajasthan.
Don't confuse with
- Maharana Pratap: he resisted the Mughals from Mewar under Akbar, in the 16th century. Durgadas fought for Marwar under Aurangzeb, in the late 17th century.