Why was hurda meeting called
Answers
The land of Rajasthan has witnessed very few moments when its warriors united on a common issue shading all the differences. One such occasion was the battle of Khanwa when all the kings fought in unison against the mighty Mughal Babar. May be it was the charismatic leadership provided by Maharana Sangram Singh. But the bitter truth is that after Sangram Singh the threads of unity shattered. The death of Aurangzeb coincided with the rise of Maratha power. The Maratha power reached its zenith under the leadership of Peshwas. They used to collect Chauth and Sardeshmukhi as tax or tribute. In the first half of eighteneeth century their interference in the politics of Rajasthan reached disturbing levels. They started plundering territories of Rajasthan inflicting defeats on various rulers. Even kingdoms of high stature like Mewar were humbled by the Marathas. At this time Sawai Jai Singh of Jaipur tried to unite all Rajput rulers under one umbrella by convening Hurda Conference. It was attended by almost all Rajput kings. Was the effort successful? Were they successful in containing Maratha power?
Although the effort was not successful it is remembered as an important episode in the history of Rajasthan. This quiz explores various dimensions of Hurda conference like reasons for organizing the event, outcomes, and reasons for failure etc. It is useful for RAS Exam conducted by RPSC and various state level exams involving Rajasthan General Knowledge. It is also useful for UPSC aspirants as it provides a glimpse in the history of north India of eighteneeth century.