महाराणा कुम्भा (हरविलास सारदा - मेवाड़ साम्राज्य के अद्वितीय विजेता, निर्माता व विद्वान्)

Maharana Kumbha, The Sisodia nobles of Mewar became apprehensive not only of their own position but of the future of their country. All their hopes for the safety of Mewar and its rightful sovereign now rested in Chondá ; and to him they at once turned for help. He was apprised of the danger to his country and was asked to come and save it. Chondá, who had been a silent but not an inattentive spectator of the dangerous game that was being played in the land of his birth, lost no time in coming to the assistance of the Maharana.¹ ¹ Various traditions are current in Mewar about Chonda's return to Chitor. one of them is to the effect that he sent 200 of his followers, hunters by profession, to visit their families in Chitor, and while there to ingratiate them- selves in the favour of the gatekeepers of the fortress. The Maharana was asked to descend daily from the fort with a retinue to give feasts to the surrounding villages, and to hold the feast on the Diwali day at Ghosoonda. The day arrived : the feast was held at Ghosoonda, and night came, but no Chonda arrived. With heavy hearts, the nurse, the Purohit and others started homewards, and had reached the eminence called Chitori when forty horsemen passed them at full gallop, and at their head was the chivalrous Chonda, who, by a secret sign, paid homage to his nephew and sovereign. Chonda and his band reached the Rampol Gate unnoticed, but here they were challenged. They said they were neighbour- ing chieftains and had the honor to escort the Maharana home. But the main body, of which this was the advance, presently coming up, the stratagem was discovered. Chonda unsheathed his sword, and at his well-known shout, the hunters were speedily in action. The Bhatti chief in charge of the principal post of Chitor, was killed, though not before he had launched his dagger at Chonda and wounded him. 62.