Few figures in the history of Mewar evoke as much pride and controversy as Rana Punja Solanki, the legendary leader from Panarwa who fought alongside Maharana Pratap in the Battle of Haldighati (1576). His memory continues to inspire, yet in recent decades, his true identity has been distorted for political purposes. This blog sets the record straight, drawing upon official records, historical texts, and testimonies from descendants and the Mewar royal family.
Rana Punja: A Rajput Leader of the Bhils
Historical sources spanning more than a century establish that Rana Punja was a Solanki Rajput chieftain of Panarwa. He was not a tribal chief himself, but rather a Rajput leader of the Bhils, who held sway over the forested Bhomat region.
Key facts include:
Ancestry: Descended from the Solankis of Gujarat, with Panarwa founded by Akshayraj Solanki.
Hereditary Title: The title of “Rana” was granted to his grandfather, Rana Harpal Solanki, by Maharana Uday Singh of Mewar.
Twin Estates: Panarwa and Oghna were Solanki Rajput estates under Mewar. Contemporary Recognition: British-era works like Chiefs and Leading Families in Rajputana (1903) and Rajputana and Ajmer List of Ruling Princes (1931) consistently identify Rana Punja as Rajput.
The Distortion of Identity
The controversy began in 1997, during the government of Bhairo Singh Shekhawat. In a move critics called the “Shekhawat Doctrine”, efforts were made to portray Rana Punja as a Bhil tribal hero rather than as a Rajput leader.
This reinterpretation, aimed at political vote-bank expansion, was strongly opposed at the time:
The Mewar Royal Family issued statements clarifying that the coat of arms of Mewar only depicts a generic Bhil warrior, not Rana Punja.
Letters were written to the President of India and the Chief Minister of Rajasthan by Maharana Mahendra Singh of Mewar and Rana Manohar Singh Solanki of Panarwa, protesting the distortion. The Solanki families of Panarwa and Oghna, along with prominent nobles like Maharaj Randhir Singh Bhindar, openly rejected the false narrative. Despite this, statues and public messaging continued to misrepresent Rana Punja’s identity.
What the Records Actually Say
Across history books, genealogies, and administrative documents, Rana Punja is consistently recorded as Rajput:
Chiefs and Leading Families in Rajputana (1903) → Establishes Solanki Rajput ancestry.
Feudal Polity of Mewar (1987, T.K. Mathur) → Confirms Panarwa as a Solanki Rajput estate.
Mewar and the Mughal Emperors (1954, G.N. Sharma) → Places Punja in Rajput military tradition.
Even the Mewar coat of arms, often misused, depicts a Rajput warrior and a Bhil warrior side by side—a symbol of unity, not a claim that Rana Punja himself was Bhil.
Why This Matters
Misrepresenting Rana Punja is not a trivial mistake—it deliberately distorts the heritage of Mewar, marginalizes the contributions of Rajput estates like Panarwa and sabotages human rights of the concerned families. It also undermines the unique Rajput–Bhil alliance, where a Rajput chieftain commanded the loyalty of indigenous Bhils, creating one of the strongest resistance fronts against the Mughals.
Rana Punja Solanki was a Rajput leader of the Bhils, not a Bhil himself. His Rajput identity is affirmed in British records, Mewar archives, and genealogies spanning centuries. The distortion of his identity began only in the late 20th century for political reasons.
His descendants still reside at Panarwa Fort, with the current titular prince being Kunwar Parikshit Singh Solanki.
Rana Punja’s story is not just about one man—it is about truth, memory, and the fight to preserve history against political distortion. His legacy deserves to be told with accuracy, dignity, and pride.
