Begun/Begu

Origin and Foundation of Begun Thikana

The foundation of the Begun (Begu) Thikana is deeply rooted in the historical sacrifice of Chunda Ji (Rawat Chunda), the eldest son of Maharana Lakha of Mewar. In the early 15^th century, Chunda Ji renounced his right to the throne of Chittor in favor of his younger stepbrother, Mokal. Impressed by this supreme sacrifice, the Maharana granted the descendants of Chunda—the Chundawat clan—the premier position among the nobles of Mewar, along with the hereditary right to lead the vanguard (Harawal) of the Mewar army in battles. The estate of Begun was subsequently established as one of the premier 16 Solah Umrao estates of Mewar, granted to the Meghawat sub-branch of the Chundawats.

The Chundawats of Begun and Military Services

The chiefs of Begun, styled as Rawat Sawai, played a critical role in the defense of the Mewar state. Due to their strategic location on the eastern frontier bordering Bundi, Kota, and Malwa, Begun was constantly vulnerable to external invasions. True to their martial heritage, five successive Rawats of Begun laid down their lives on the battlefield defending Mewar against the Mughal Empire and other invading forces. The Rawats of Begun actively participated in key campaigns of Mewar, securing their legacy as elite military commanders of Rajputana.

The Begun Peasant Movement (1921–1923)

In the early 20^th century, Begun became the epicenter of one of the most significant agrarian uprisings in modern Indian history, known as the Begun Peasant Movement (Begun Kisan Andolan). Led by the Dhakad farmers of the region, the movement arose in 1921 as a protest against high land revenues, forced unpaid labor (Begar), and 53 different types of arbitrary taxes (Lags) imposed by the thikana administration under Rawat Sawai Anup Singh.

Influenced by the Bijolia Peasant Movement, the farmers sought assistance from the Rajasthan Seva Sangh and nationalist leaders such as Vijay Singh Pathik and Ram Narain Chaudhary. Fearing a massive uprising, Rawat Anup Singh signed an agreement with the farmers, conceding to many of their demands. However, the Mewar State and the British Resident rejected this treaty, terming it a "Bolshevik Agreement," and placed Rawat Anup Singh under house arrest in Udaipur.

A commission headed by British officer G.C. Trench was appointed to investigate, which ultimately recommended further repression. This culminated in the tragic Govindpura massacre on July 13, 1923, where British-led forces opened fire on a peaceful assembly of farmers, resulting in the martyrdom of revolutionary farmers Rupa Ji and Kripa Ji Dhakad. This historic struggle is detailed in modern historical works on agrarian movements in Rajasthan, such as those cataloged on Wikipedia's Peasant Movements in Rajasthan.

Post-Independence and the Modern Era

Following India's independence in 1947, the princely states and their tributary estates were integrated into the Indian Union. Rawat Sawai Hari Singh Ji, the last ruling chief of Begun, oversaw the transition of the estate and signed the instrument of integration. In 1952, the jagirdari system was abolished, and the majority of Begun's 18 forts and administrative territories were handed over to the Government of India.

Today, the town of Begun is a municipality in the Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan, preserving its rich heritage of valor, sacrifice, and social reform. The surviving forts and palaces remain historical landmarks, telling the stories of the Sisodia-Chundawat clan's enduring legacy.