Royals and their extraordinary lives have always fascinated people. Be it their stories of courage and victory or their oppulent lives, they continue to grab people’s attention even today. History is filled with stories of royals who lost their lives when empires crumbled. But have you ever heard of a queen who chose to behead herself — not out of defeat, but out of love, honour, and sacrifice?
Here’s the unforgettable story of Hadi Rani, the Rajput Queen from Mewar whose act of courage still echoes through the deserts of Rajasthan.
The lesser-known story of Hadi Rani
At a time when Rajasthan was soaked in the blood of battles, when honour and duty were heavier than life itself, Hadi Rani made a choice that would stun generations to come. She was the daughter of Hada Chauhan Rajput Sangram Singh and the newlywed wife of Rawat Ratan Singh, a valiant chieftain of Mewar.
According to legends, just days after their marriage, Rawat Ratan Singh was called to lead his forces against the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s armies. Torn between his love for his new wife and his duty to his people and land, he hesitated. Sensing her husband’s conflict to choose between her and Mewar, Hadi Rani did something unthinkable — something only a heart fueled by immense love and fierce patriotism could endure.
She believed she was holding her husband back from his duty to their people. And so, she severed her own head, got it placed on a plate by a servant, and sent it to her husband as the memento he had requested to take with him at war.
When the King lifted the cloth and saw her lifeless face, his soul shattered — yet her final sacrifice filled him with unbreakable resolve. He tied her hair and head around his neck like sacred armour, charged into battle with fearless might, and fulfilled his duty to fight for his people and save them from the Mughals. But once the war got over, grief consumed him. Without his wife, life felt hollow for Rawat Ratan Singh. He knelt, drew his sword, and followed her into death.
Hadi Rani’s legacy
Hadi Rani’s sacrifice is not just a legend — it is Rajasthan’s living soul.
Even today, her spirit breathes in the folk songs sung by village storytellers, in the textbooks that teach children about true devotion, and in the heroic ballads that float through the dry winds of the desert. The Hadi Rani Ki Baori in Todaraisingh stands as a timeless tribute to her bravery. The Rajasthan Police even named a women’s battalion after her — the Hadi Rani Mahila Battalion — honouring her as the epitome of courage and loyalty.
There were also plans for a Bollywood movie based on her life, it was later shelved following Padmavati’s controversy.
