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	{{Short description\|Maharaja of Bharatpur from 1755–1763}}		{{Short description\|Maharaja of Bharatpur from 1755–1763}}
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{{Short description|Maharaja of Bharatpur from 1755–1763}}
{{distinguish|Suraj Mal of Nurpur}}
{{pp-30-500|small=yes}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2013}}
{{Infobox royalty
| title = [[Maharaja]] of [[Bharatpur State|Bharatpur]] Bahadur Jung
| image = Maharaja Suraj Mal.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| succession = [[Maharaja]] of [[Bharatpur State|Bharatpur]]
| reign = {{reign|1755|1763 AD}}
| coronation = [[Deeg]], 23 May 1755
| predecessor = [[Badan Singh]]
| successor = [[Jawahar Singh]]
| issue = [[Jawahar Singh ]] Nahar Singh [[Ratan Singh of Bharatpur|Ratan Singh]] [[Nihal Singh of Bharatpur|Nawal Singh]] [[Ranjit Singh of Bharatpur|Ranjit Singh]]
| royal house = Sinsinwar
Dynasty
| father = [[Badan Singh ]]<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hadHAAAAMAAJ|title=Fall of the Mughal Empire, volume 2 |first=Jadunath |last=Sarkar |year=1950 |pages=43 }} </ref>
| mother = [[Maharani Devki of Bharatpur|Maharani Devki]]
| religion = [[Hinduism]]
| birth_date = 13 February 1707
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1763|12|25|1707|02|13|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Bharatpur State|Bharatpur]]
| death_place = near [[Delhi]]
| spouse = [[Maharani Kishori]]<ref name="Dwivedi">{{cite book |last=Dwivedi |first=Girish Chandra |title=The Jats, Their Role in the Mughal Empire |year=1989 |publisher=Arnold Publishers |isbn=978-81-7031-150-8 |pages=238 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AR5uAAAAMAAJ |quote= ... (i) Rani Kishori, the daughter of Chowdhari Kashi Ram of Hodal. She was issueless. ... (v) Rani Gauri, she originated from Gori Rajput clan of Amahand and was the mother of Jawahar and Ratan Singh.}}</ref> Rani Gauri<ref name="Dwivedi" />
| spouse-type = Wives
}}
'''Suraj Mal''' (13 February 1707 – 25 December 1763) was a [[Jat]] ruler of [[Bharatpur State|Bharatpur]] in present-day state of [[Rajasthan]]. Under him, the Jat rule covered the present-day districts of [[Agra district|Agra]], [[Aligarh district|Aligarh]], [[Bharatpur district|Bharatpur]], [[Dholpur district|Dholpur]], [[Etawah district|Etawa]], [[Hathras district|Hathras]], [[Mainpuri district|Mainpuri]], [[Mathura district|Mathura]], and [[Rohtak district|Rohtak]].<ref name="Chaudhuri1">{{cite book |last=Chaudhuri |first=J. N. |editor-last=Majumdar |editor-first=R. C. |editor-link=R. C. Majumdar |title=The History and Culture of the Indian People. Vol. 8: The Maratha Supremacy |year=1977 |publisher=[[Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan]] |page=157 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dl4HxwEACAAJ |chapter=Disruption of the Mughal Empire: The Jats |oclc=1067771105 |quote=During his regime the Jāt State reached its highest extent. Besides the original Bharatpur principality, it embraced the districts of Āgra, Dholpur, Mainpuri, Hathras, Aligarh, Etawa, Mirat, Rohtak, Farrukhnagar, Mewāt, Rewari, Gurgaon and Mathurā.}}</ref>

A contemporary historian had described him as "the [[Plato]] of the Jat tribe" and by a modern writer as the "Jat [[Odysseus|Ulysses]]", because of his "political sagacity, steady intellect and clear vision."<ref>R.C.Majumdar, H.C.Raychaudhury, ''Kalikaranjan Datta: An Advanced History of India'', fourth edition, 1978, {{ISBN|0-333-90298-X}}, Page-535</ref> The people, under Suraj Mal, overran the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] garrison at [[Agra]]. Suraj Mal was killed in an ambush by the [[Rohilla]] troops on the night of 25 December 1763 near the [[Hindon River]], [[Shahdara district|Shahadra]], Delhi.<ref name="Chaudhuri">{{cite book |last1=Chaudhuri |first1=J. N. |editor1-last=Majumdar |editor1-first=R. C. |editor1-link=R. C. Majumdar |title=The History and Culture of the Indian People. Vol. 8: The Maratha Supremacy |date=1977 |publisher=[[Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan]] |page=157 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dl4HxwEACAAJ |access-date=20 December 2019 |chapter=Disruption of the Mughal Empire: The Jats |oclc=1067771105}}</ref> In addition to the troops stationed at his forts, he had an army of 25,000 infantry and 15,000 cavalry when he died.<ref name="Chaudhuri" />
==Early life==
Suraj Mal was born on 13 February 1707, to Badan Singh and Rani Devki into a [[Hindu]] [[Jat]] family of Sinsinwar clan in Bharatpur, Mughal India (present-day Rajasthan, India). Suraj Mal was the founder of the [[Bharatpur State|Kingdom of Bharatpur]]. The Hindu Kingdom reached its zenith under Suraj Mal.

==Establishment of Bharatpur==
Suraj Mal conquered the site of Bharatpur from [[Khemkaran Sogaria]], the son of Rustam, in 1733 and established Bharatpur town in 1743. He fortified the city by building a massive wall around the city and started living in Bharatpur from 1753.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/apac/photocoll/m/019pho000000037u00052000.html#:~:text=Bharatpur%20became%20the%20state%20capital,and%20capturing%20Agra%20in%201761.|title = Maharaja's Palace at Sewar, 3 miles from Bharatpur}}</ref>

==Lohagarh Fort==
{{Main|Lohagarh Fort}}

[[File:Iron Fort - Bharatpur India (4609963201).jpg|200px|thumb|Lohaghar Fort was commissioned by Suraj Mal.|left]]
Lohagarh Fort was considered an impregnable fort,<ref name="Gavin Thomas">{{cite book |last1=Thomas |first1=Gavin|title=The Rough Guide to Rajasthan, Delhi & Agra|date=2010 |publisher=Rough Guides|page=237 |isbn=9781405386883 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=73JeO1w9Qi8C&dq=Suraj+mal+king&pg=PA237 |access-date=20 September 2010 }}</ref> it was built in 18th century by Suraj Mal. It remains the only fort in India that was never militarily subdued, even the [[British people|British]] failed to capture it despite trying during several attacks under the command of British General Lake. The siege in 1805 lasted for six weeks but the British failed to conquer the fort. Suraj Mal built many other forts and palaces. The fort has three royal palaces inside built between 1730 and 1850.<ref name="GavinThomas">{{cite book |last1=Thomas |first1=Gavin|title=The Rough Guide to Rajasthan, Delhi & Agra|date=2010 |publisher=Rough Guides|page=237 |isbn=9781405386883 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=73JeO1w9Qi8C&dq=Suraj+mal+king&pg=PA237 |access-date=20 September 2010 }}</ref>{{Infobox military person
| battles = [[Battle of Bagru]] [[Aligarh Fort#History|Capture of Aligarh Fort]] [[Ghasera Fort#History|Battle of Ghasera]] [[Capture of Delhi (1753)|Capture of Delhi]] [[Battle of Kumher]] [[Capture of Agra Fort]]
}}The attack on the fort by General Lake was done as he wanted to create enmity between [[Rajput]] and [[Marathas]] so he reminded [[Ranjit Singh of Bharatpur]] of the treaty. At that time [[Holkar State|Holkar]] was in his protection and the Raja refused to hand him to the British. The British then laid a siege to the fort but were defeated badly. Many of their soldiers and officers were killed. After two days, the British managed to break a section of fort's wall and Suraj Mal attacked them with artillery.

In the third attack, the British successfully crossed the moat but the attack of maharaj filled the moat with the bodies of soldiers. General Lake was asked to secure a peace treaty but he refused, as he reasoned that reinforcement were arriving. The combined forces of Holkar, Amir Khan and [[Ranjit Singh of Bharatpur]] then attacked the British.

When the British forces was reinforced from the troops that came from [[Mumbai]] and [[Chennai]], they renewed the attack. The British soldiers were attacked by boulders but some of them succeeded to enter the fort, the British however suffered heavy losses. Around 3,000 were killed and several thousand were injured. After this General Lake entered into a peace treaty with the [[Rajputs]].

Jawahar Burj and the Fateh Burj were built to celebrate the victory over the [[Mughals]] and the [[British people|British]]. The fort is surrounded by deep moats. There is a legend which states that the fort will fall down if a crocodile takes up all the water of the moats. Another legend states that a gate of the fort was brought from Delhi which [[Alauddin Khilji]] brought from the fort of [[Chittorgarh]]. The gate was brought and fixed in the fort in the 17th century.

==Military career ==
=== Plunder of old Delhi ===
{{Main|Plunder of Old Delhi}}
[[File:1751 map of India from "Historical Atlas of India", by Charles Joppen.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Map of the [[Indian subcontinent|Indian Subcontinent]] in 1751.]]
The Mughal Emperor had taken back the domain of [[Oudh State|Awadh]] and [[Allahabad]] from [[Safdar Jang]], wazir of [[Oudh State]], and to avenge his humiliation, Safdar Jang rebelled and attacked Delhi. Suraj Mal also fought under Safdar Jang against the Mughals.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Hasan|first=Prof. M.|title=HISTORY OF ISLAM (2 Vols. Set)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NbUB_ACAR5QC&dq=suraj+mal+help+safdar+jung&pg=PA521|publisher=Adam Publishers|year=2002|isbn=978-8-174-3-50190}}</ref> On Suraj's advice, Safdar Jang reacted by appointing Akbar Ādilshāh as emperor. On 14 May the supporters of Suraj Mal sacked Chārbāg, Bāg-e-kultāt and Hakīm Munīm Bridge; the next day, Jaisinghpura went on to burn several areas. On 16 May Suraj Mal under Safdar Jang attacked Delhi and defeated Sādil Khan and Raja Devidatta in battle.

===Battle of Kumher===
{{Main|Battle of Kumher}}
{{anchor | 1754 Battle of Kumher | Battle of Kumher }}

Mughal Emperor [[Alamgir II]] and his rebellious courtier [[Siraj ud-Daulah]] were having a factional feud. Suraj Mal had sided with Siraj. Alamgir sought the help of the [[Holkar]] [[Maratha Empire|Marathas]] of [[Indore]]. [[Khanderao Holkar]], son of the Maharaja of Indore, [[Malhar Rao Holkar]], laid siege on Suraj Mal's town of [[Kumher]] in 1754. While inspecting the troops on an open [[palanquin]] in the battle of Kumher, Khanderao was hit and killed by a cannonball from the Bharatpur army. The siege was lifted and a treaty was signed between Suraj Mal and the Marathas, which later proved helpful for Suraj Mal in consolidating his rule.<ref name=kr1>[https://books.google.com/books?id=d1wUgKKzawoC&pg=PA606 ''Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813'', by Jaswant Lal Mehta, pp606]</ref><ref name=kr2>[https://books.google.com/books?id=1YSU9Qp9w0MC&pg=PA184 ''Images of Women in Maharashtrian Literature and Religion]'', edited by [[Anne Feldhaus]], pp185-186</ref>

===Battle of Bharatpur===
The battle of Bharatpur was fought between the army of [[Bharatpur State|Bharatpur]] and the Afghans under [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]] on 12 February 1757 when Durrani attacked Bharatpur. Durrani dared not proceed to attack on [[Deeg|Deeg, Rajasthan]]. Suraj Mal's troops fought against him in Ballabgarh, Chaumunha, Gokul, Kumher and in [[Bharatpur, Rajasthan|Bharatpur]]. Suraj Mal's army defeated the Afghan army and Durrani was forced to retreat. During this, he ruined and looted the holy places of Mathura and Vrindavan.{{cn|date=May 2022}}

===Suraj Mal and Abdali===
[[File:Temple of Kishn Soraba, Gobardun -View across the Kusum Sarovar Tank towards Suraj Mal's Cenotaph, Gobardhan-; a photo by William Henry Baker, 1860's.jpg|thumb|200px|right| Suraj Mal's Cenotaph at [[Govardhan]], a photo by William Henry Baker, c.1860.]]
After his victory over [[Dattaji Rao Scindia|Dattaji]] on 10 January 1760, Durrani came to [[Delhi]], and called upon Suraj Mal to pay him tribute and join his camp. On such occasions Suraj Mal invariably played a humble role, pleading that he was a petty [[zamindar]]. He informed the Shah that he would readily pay his share to the lawful ruler of Delhi at a fixed time. If Durrani stayed in India and assumed sovereignty, he would obey him as his legal master. At the time of the demand he possessed no money as his country had been ruined by the constant movements and pillage of the [[Maratha (caste)|Marathas]] and Afghans. It was not in Durrani's nature to tolerate such defiance. He besieged Suraj Mal's fort of Dig on 6 February 1760. Later, he realized that it would require a long time to reduce the strongly fortified, largely garrisoned and heavily provisioned fortress. In such cases he did not make it a matter of prestige. He quietly raised the siege, and marched in pursuit of [[Malhar Rao Holkar]].

Having routed the Maratha chief at [[Sikandarabad, Bhopal|Sikandarabad]] on 4 March 1760, Durrani marched upon Koil (modern [[Aligarh]]) which was ruled by Suraj Mal, and he invested the fort of Ramgarh which was commanded by Durjansal. The fort was well-garrisoned and fortified, and large stocks of provisions had been stored therein. The fort could have resisted for long; but the [[qiladar]] was disheartened at the occupation of the entire upper Ganga Doab by the Afghans, and to save himself from a massacre, he capitulated in a fortnight or so.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gupta|first=Hari Ram|url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.530358|title=Marathas And Panipat|date=1961|language=und}}</ref>

===Capture of Agra Fort===
{{Main|Capture of Agra Fort}}
[[File:Musamman Burj (Agra Fort)-1.jpg|thumb|Agra Fort was captured by Suraj Mal in 1761.]]
Suraj Mal decided to capture [[Agra Fort]] (which was closeby to the rich town of Agra) to re-establish his influence in [[Doaba]] region. On 3 May 1761 the army of Suraj Mal with 4,000 soldiers reached Agra under the command of Balram and gave the message of Suraj Mal to the {{transl|hi|kiledar}} (in charge) of Agra Fort that the army wanted to cross the [[Yamuna]] and required a place to camp, which the {{transl|hi|kiledar}} gave his sanction. Meanwhile, the army entered the fort, but was resisted by the guards, this resulted in 200 lives lost. The army started war from the [[Jama Mosque, Agra|Jama Masjid]]. During this period, Suraj Mal stayed at [[Mathura]] to observe the situation. On 24 May 1761 Suraj Mal along with Imād and Gangadhar Tantya moved from Mathura, crossed the Yamuna and reached Aligarh. From Aligarh his army moved and captured the areas of the ruler of Koīl and [[Jalesar]]. They reached Agra to help his army at Agra in the first week of June. Suraj Mal arrested the family members of the guards staying in Agra town and pressured the guards of the fort to surrender. At last the {{transl|hi|kiledar}} agreed to surrender by receiving a bribe of Rs 1 lakh and a [[jagir]] of five villages. Thus after a siege of one month, Suraj Mal captured Agra Fort on 12 June 1761.<ref>{{cite book|author=Sir Jadunath Sarkar|title=Fall of the Mughal Empire: 1754-1771 (Panipat)|year=1966|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GxMhAAAAMAAJ&q=suraj+mal+capture+agra|publisher=M. C. Sarkar, 1966}}</ref>

==Death==
The [[Rohilla]] under [[Najib-ud-daula]] had now been encircled which made war inevitable. The Rohilla alongside Sayyidu Muhammad Khan, Afzal Khan and Zaibita Khan had mobilized their troops; though these were smaller in number and had inferior weaponry against Suraj Mal's army. The latter's army was then was mobilized and with its superior numbers could have decimated the Rohilla in two days, but an ambush by Sayyidu near the [[Hindon river]] took Suraj Mal by surprise. Outnumbered, Suraj Mal attained martyrdom on the night of 25 December 1763. It is manifest that Suraj Mal was slain by a contingent led most probably by Sayyidu.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=QF5DAAAAYAAJ&q=Sayyidu+muhammad+khan+suraj+mal |title=Journal of Haryana Studies Volume 17|publisher=Kurukshetra University|date=1985 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GdM5AQAAIAAJ&q=sayyid+muhammad+khan+suraj+mal|title=Fall of the Mughal Empire: 1754-1771 (Panipat) |author=Sir Jadunath Sarkar · |date=1966 }}</ref>

==Legacy==
[[File:Chhatris of Kusum Sarovar.jpg|thumb|Kusum Sarovar, where the [[cenotaph]] of Suraj Mal is located.]]

His [[Govardhan#Chhatri of Suraj Mal|large cenotaph]] is located in [[Kusum Sarovar]], [[Govardhan]], [[Uttar Pradesh]].<ref name=cen1>[http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/apac/photocoll/c/019pho000000971u00040000.html Cenotaph of Raja Sooruj Mull, Govurdhun. 97140, British Library online collection]</ref> His imposing [[chattri]] is flanked on either side by two smaller chattris of his two wives, ''"Hansiya"'' and ''"Kishori"''.<ref name=cent2>D. Anand, 1992, [https://books.google.com/books?id=EsvSwdUgQYcC&dq=surajmal+smadhi+govardhan&pg=PA56 Krishna: The Living God of Braj], Page 56.</ref> These memorial chattris were built by his son and successor [[Jawahar Singh]].{{citation needed|date=January 2019}} The architecture and carving is in the [[Jali|pierced stone style]] and the ceiling of cenotaphs are adorned with paintings of the life of [[Krishna]] and Suraj Mal.<ref name=cent2/> His court poet [[Sūdan]] recorded his biography in ''Sujān Charitra''.

Notable institutes named after him include [[Maharaja Surajmal Institute of Technology]], [[Maharaja Surajmal Brij University, Bharatpur]] and [[Surajmal Stadium metro station]].

==In popular culture==
* In 2019 Hindi film ''[[Panipat (film)|Panipat]]'', Suraj Mal's character was portrayed by [[Manoj Bakshi]].
* In 1994 [[Hindi]] TV series ''[[The Great Maratha]]'', Suraj Mal's character was portrayed by Arun Mathur.

==See also==

* [[Principality of Farrukhnagar]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
*{{cite book|author=K. Natwar Singh|publisher=Rupa & Company, 2001|title=Maharaja Suraj Mal, 1707-1763: His Life and Times|date=June 2001|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FZ_PwAEACAAJ&q=suraj+mal|isbn=9788171675104}}
*{{cite book|title=Maharaja Surajmal: युग निर्माता महाराजा सूरजमल|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0OhqCQAAQBAJ|author=Dr. Mohan Lal Gupta|publisher=Shubhda Prakashan}}
*{{cite book|title=महाराजा सूरजमल और उनका युग|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.403153|author=Dr. Prakash Chandra Chandawat|year=1962 |publisher=Jaypal Agency Dahtora, Agra}}

==External links==
* [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Suraj-Mal Suraj Mal] at ''[[Britannica]]''

{{Authority control}}{{S-start}}
{{s-hou|Sinsiniwar Dynasty||1707||1763|}}
{{s-reg}}
{{succession box|title=Maharaja of Bharatpur|before=[[Badan Singh]]|after=[[Maharaja Jawahar Singh]]|years=1755–1763 AD}}
{{S-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maharaja Suraj Mal}}
[[Category:Rulers of Bharatpur state]]
[[Category:History of Rajasthan]]
[[Category:History of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:History of Haryana]]
[[Category:Medieval India]]
[[Category:Hindu monarchs]]
[[Category:1707 births]]
[[Category:1763 deaths]]
[[Category:Jat]]

Suraj Mal - Revision history

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