KristalBabbage2 at 20:29, 27 March 2026

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{{Short description|Indian rebel}}
{{more footnotes needed|date=May 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox person
|name=Kushal Singh Champawat
|image=Kushal_Singh_of_Auwa.jpg
|caption=Statue of Thakur Kushal Singh in [[Auwa]]
|birth_place=[[Auwa]], [[Marwar|Jodhpur State]]
|death_date=1864
|death_place=[[Mewar]]
|movement=[[Indian rebellion of 1857]]
}}
'''Kushal Singh Rathore,''' also known as '''Kushal Singh Champawat''', (died 1864) was the [[Thakur (title)|Thakur]] of a prominent Thikana of [[Auwa]] in [[Kingdom of Marwar|Jodhpur State]]. During the [[Indian rebellion of 1857]], he defeated the [[East India Company|British army]] in the Battle of Bithoda and Chelawas.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Sarma |first1=Gollapalli Nagabhushana |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fipuAAAAMAAJ&q=thakur+kushal+singh+of+auwa |title=Political Awakening and Indian Freedom Movement with Special Reference to Rajasthan |last2=Vashishtha |first2=Vijay Kumar |date=1993 |publisher=Centre for Rajasthan Studies, University of Rajasthan |language=en}}</ref>

==Role in Indian Rebellion of 1857==
Kushal Singh, who was in open rebellion, invited the rebel soldiers of Jodhpur region to Auwa who were marching from [[Mount Abu]] to [[Delhi]]. The Thakurs of Asop, Bajawas, Gular and Alaniawas also joined Thakur Kushal Singh at Auwa to put combined effort. The Agent of Governor General of Rajputana General Lawrence when hearing of the news of the rebellion asked [[Maharaja of Jodhpur]] to collect an army and march towards Auwa. The Jodhpur state army half-heartedly marched, furious General Lawrence sent Lt. Heathcote to encourage the men to attack Auwa.<ref name="google">{{Cite book|last=Hooja|first=Rima|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tosMAQAAMAAJ|title=A History of Rajasthan|date=2006|publisher=Rupa & Company|isbn=978-81-291-0890-6|pages=836|language=en}}</ref><ref name="google2">{{Cite book|last=Khadgawat|first=Nathu Ram|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v3cMAQAAIAAJ|title=Rajasthan's Role in the Struggle of 1857|date=1957|publisher=General Administration Department, Government of Rajasthan|pages=36–56|language=en}}</ref>

==Battle of Bithoda ==
Kushaal Singh at the head of the rebel army marched to meet the state army near Bithoda, where a battle ensued and the state army fled along with Lt. Heathcote. The Auwa army became victorious.

==Battle of Chelawas==
Highly disappointed General Lawrence personally marched from [[Nasirabad, Ajmer|Nasirabad]] to subdue Kushal Singh, Jodhpur Political Agent Captain Monck Mason also joined him from Jodhpur with his army. Combined army led of Lawrence and Mason laid siege to Auwa fort.<ref name="google"/><ref name="google2"/>

The besieged sallied from the fort and a battle ensued near Chelawas where Captain Monck Mason was killed and later his head was hanged at the gate of Fort of Auwa. General Lawrence, being defeated, retreated and fell back to Nasirabad.<ref name="google2"/>

==Rebels Marched Towards Delhi==
In October 1857 men of Jodhpur Legion departed from Auwa and went towards [[Delhi]]. The thakurs of Gular, Asop and Alaniawas also marched towards Delhi along with the rebels of Jodhpur legion.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Khadgawat |first=Nathu Ram |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v3cMAQAAIAAJ&q=thakur+kushal+singh+of+auwa |title=Rajasthan's Role in the Struggle of 1857 |date=1957 |publisher=General Administration Department, Government of Rajasthan |language=en}}</ref>

==Siege of Auwa==
Thakur Kushal Singh's strength got weakened after their departure. [[Governor-General of India|Governor-General]] sent an expeditionary force of 30.000 men under Brigadier Holmes which attacked and occupied Auwa after 5 days siege. Thakur Kushal Singh escaped with his men but the fort was destroyed and his Jagir confiscated along with Jagirs of the various chiefs who allied with him.<ref name="google2"/><ref>{{Cite book |last=Chand |first=Tara |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0fomDwAAQBAJ&dq=thakur+kushal+singh+of+auwa&pg=PT143 |title=History of Freedom Movement in India - Vol 2 |publisher=Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting |isbn=978-81-230-2447-9 |language=en}}</ref>

==Later life==
After his escape from Auwa, he took shelter at [[Kotharia, Rajasthan|Kotharia]] in neighbouring [[Mewar|State]]. He was provided with monthly allowance of a thousand rupees by Maharana of [[Mewar]].
On 8 August 1860, he surrendered himself in front of britisher at Neemuch Cantonment nearby area of Mewar.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Hooja|first=Rima|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tosMAQAAMAAJ|title=A History of Rajasthan|date=2006|publisher=Rupa & Company|isbn=978-81-291-0890-6|pages=836–837|language=en}}</ref>

==Legacy==
A Panorama cum museum was built and inaugurated by [[Vasundhara Raje]], the [[Chief Minister]] of Rajasthan in 2018 at Auwa showcasing history of Rebellion of 1857 and Rajasthan's role in it. The Panorama also includes a statue of Kushal Singh and a small temple of Sugali Mata, the Chief deity of Auwa thakur. The original idol was broken and taken to Ajmer after the sack of Auwa in 1857.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Correspondent|first=dna|date=2018-08-31|title=Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje restores Auwa idol, Rajput pride|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/jaipur/report-chief-minister-vasundhara-raje-restores-auwa-idol-rajput-pride-2657212|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827052023/https://www.dnaindia.com/jaipur/report-chief-minister-vasundhara-raje-restores-auwa-idol-rajput-pride-2657212|archive-date=27 Aug 2019|access-date=2021-07-21|website=DNA India|language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Champawat, Singh Champawat}}
[[Category:1864 deaths]]
[[Category:Revolutionaries of the Indian Rebellion of 1857]]
[[Category:Kingdom of Marwar]]

Kushal Singh of Auwa - Revision history

KristalBabbage2 at 20:29, 27 March 2026