Background
Chhatrasal was born in Kachar Kachnai on the 4 May 1649, to Champat Rai and Lal Kunwar.
Chhatrasal was born in Kachar Kachnai on the 4 May 1649, to Champat Rai and Lal Kunwar.
He was a descendent of Rudra Pratap of Orchha. Inspired by Chhatrapati Shivaji"s advice Chhatrasal raised the banner of revolt against the Mughals in Bundelkhand at the age of 22, with an army of 5 horsemen and 25 swordsmen, in 1671. During the first ten years of his revolt he conquered a large tract of land between Chitrakoot and Panna on the east and Gwalior on the west.
His domains stretched from Kalpi in the north to Sagar, Garah Kota and Damoh in the south.
Some of the Mughal generals who were defeated by him were Rohilla Khan, Kaliq, Munawwar Khan, Sadruddin, Sheikh Anwar, Sayyid Latif, Bahlol Khan and Abdus Ahmed et cetera Chhatrasal captured Mahoba in 1680.
In the second phase of his struggle between 1681 and 1707, Chhatrasal suffered a few reverses. The Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao I"s second wife Mastani was Chhatrasal"s daughter.
Before his death on the 20 December 1731, Chhatrasal bequeathed Mahoba and the surrounding area to Baji Rao I in return for Baji Rao"s assistance against the Mughals.
Chhatrasal was a patron of literature, and his court housed several noted poets. His eulogies written by Kavi Bhushan, Lal Kavi, Bakhashi Hansaraj and other court poets helped him gain lasting fame. The Chhatarpur town and its eponymous district in Madhya Pradesh are named after Chhatrasal.
Several places in Chhatarpur, including the Maharaja Chhatrasal Museum, are named after him.
The Chhatrasal Stadium in Delhi is also named after the Maharaja Chhatrasal. The Royal family still resides in Chhatarpur.