Editorial Note: The term Rajput is used here as much to denote Sanatana Ksyatriya warrior culture of Hindus as to the Kshatriya blood lineages. Although neither Rana Pratap nor Rana Hamir were of (Shoor)Saini Kshatriya or Yadava lineage, yet there is much in this letter that resonates with Punjabi Saini (Jadon) historical experience and ethos. As frontline Rajput warriors who confronted invading Islamic armies of Central Asian Turks and kept them out of India prior to second battle of Tarain in 1192 CE, they showed the same doggedness and grit later on in their refusal to give up Hindu identity or serving in Islamic armies, even when it brought same advantages as those which Prithvi Raj Rathore successfully persuades Rana Pratap to reject with scorn in the letter given below. It is noteworthy Rana Pratap's equally brave, and his proud ancestor's namesake and relative, Rana Hamir Dev Chauhan had Saini (Jadon) or Shoorsaini Generals in his army, with Rana Gurdan Saini being the most celebrated among them. Writes historian Dasrath Sharma (1966) , "The Shura Rajputs , of whom Hammira's minister and commander, Ranamalla, was one, probably represented the ancient Surasenakas". Please also note that term "Saini" here is used as an abbreviation of the historically grounded term Shoorsaini, which is the Yadava lineage to which belonged kings like Raja Shalivahan, Raja Gaj, Raja Bhati (Bhupati), Hindushahis of Kabul and Lahore, Jadon and Tomara lineages of Mathura and Delhi. It is explicitly not used here in respect to the non-Punjabi groups which adopted a fabricated Saini or "Sainik" identity in 20th century for their social promotion and easier access to army jobs. Prithviraj Rathod's letter to Rana PratapThe letter from Prithviraj Rathod sent to Pratap in poetic language, ran like this.
Pratap replied to this letter like this.
When the exiles were facing the prospect of actual starvation, Pratap wrote to Akbar indicating his readiness to negotiate a treaty. Pratap's first cousin (his mother's sister's son) Prithviraj Rathod, who was one of Akbar's courtiers, heard of this overture. He is said to have grown despondent and wrote thus to his cousin Pratap:
Pratap replied to him:
Thus ended the incipient rapprochement between Pratap and Akbar. This Prithviraj Rathore was the husband of Kiranmayee ,sister of Shakti Sinh (a stepbrother of Maharana Pratap, who gave Rana Pratap his horse to escape after Chetak died). |  Rana Pratap  Rana Hammir Dev Chauhan Rana Hammir Dev Chauhan was both, Rana Pratap's direct ancestor, Rana Hamir Singh's namesake and relative, whose bravery is celebrated in Hammira Mahakavya of Nayanchandra Suri. Both had direct paternal and maternal lineage from Prithviraj Chauhan. He had Saini (Jadon) Generals in his army, most well-known among whom was Rana Gurdan Saini, whose battlefield prowess and bravery has been commended by Amir Khusro. "The Shura Rajputs , of whom Hammira's minister and commander, Ranamalla, was one, probably represented the ancient Surasenakas " -Rajasthan Through Ages , pp 13, Dr. Dasharatha Sharma, MA , D.Litt , Rajasthan State Archives, Bikaner, 1966 |