Rao Shekha


Maharao Shekha was a 15th-century Rajput chieftain and the founder of the Shekhawati region in present-day Rajasthan, India. A member of the Kachhwaha dynasty of Amber, Shekha asserted his independence and established a principality centered at Amarsar around the mid-15th century. His descendants came to be known as the Shekhawats, one of the most prominent and influential sub-clans of the Kachhwahas.

Birth

Rao Balaji, third son of Maharaja Udaikaran ji of Amer, was given estate of Nayan and barwada after death of his father. Descendants of Rao baloji are collectively called as "Balapota".
After death of Rao Baloji, Kunwar Mokal ji succeeded him as Ruler of estate, He had 4 wives, but he couldn't have any heir, he met a hermit who guided him to Brindavan, and pray to God, and take care of cattles. He followed this, one day in his estate, he met a mysterious man, who was sufi saint named Sheikh burhan chisti, he gave boon to him that his son will remain undefeated, but he have to name him similar to sufi saint, and wear tunic. On day of Vijayadashmi, in tyondagarh fort, in khetri, Rao shekha ji was born from womb of Maharani nirwan ji, daughter of Rao Lunkaran nirwan.
Shekhaji succeeded as the head of the Nayan and Barwada estate, along with 24 more villages, at the age of 12, as a result of the untimely death of his father Mokal Ji in 1445.

Life

When Shekhaji inherited his father's estate, his reputation and power attracted the jealousy of the Lord Paramount of Amber. He was attacked, but by the aid of the Punnee Pathans he successfully withstood the reiterated assaults of his suzerain lord. Up to this period they had acknowledged the Amber princes as liege lords, and in token of the alliance paid as tribute all the colts reared on the original estate. A dispute on this point was the ostensible cause of intermittent separations of the Shekhawat colonies from the parent state, which lasted until the reign of Sawai Jai Singh, who brought submission and pecuniary relief from them. Shekhaji left a well-established position to his youngest son Raimal.. After Rao Raimal, Rao Lunkaran was made the Head of Amarsar. After is Death, the Ancestral seat of Amarsar was succeeded by his Son Rao Manohar. Later Shahpura, became the capital of Old Amarsar - Manoharpur line of Shekhawats.

Death

Shekhaji died in 1488 fighting the Gaur Rajputs in the war of Ghatwa, reason being a newly lady of Kachwaha clan was ill treated and her husband was killed by Gaur ruler.Shekhaji took his last breath at Ralawta. A cenotaph was built where he died. A statue of Shekhaji was also inaugurated in the same place by the President of India Smt. Pratibha Patil.