The legend of Rani Kamlapati (Kamlavati) the last Hindu Queen of Bhopal

Nizam Shah was the ruler of Gond and his capital was Bhopal. Queen Kamlapati was his wife. Her beauty and bravery were legendary.

On moonlit nights she used to emerge from her palace and float on the Bhopal lake on a lotus with 500 maidens attending her. Such was her majesty.

Chain Singh was the cousin of Nizam Shah and he coveted Rani Kamlapati.

So he poisoned and killed him surreptitiously and annexed Gond and wanted to marry Rani.

But the Rani escaped with her 12-year-old son and plotted war against the killer of her husband.

Her son lead the army and fought his uncle and was also killed treacherously.

Then Rani lost both her husband and son and avenging their death became her only purpose in life.

Then she approached DOST MOHAMMAD an Afghan warlord and mercenary to help her kill Chain Singh. She offered him 1 lakh gold coins and even tied a Rakhi and made him her brother. Dost Khan’s Afghan mercenaries and Gond army fought the Chain Singh and defeated him and killed him. But she couldn’t give 100,000 coins and only could give 50,000 coins. So in lieu of the money, she gave half her kingdom to Dost Khan. Dost Khan became king but he also coveted her beauty and wanted to marry her.

Rani was devastated by this. So she decided to end this ordeal. She sent him a great pair of clothes and called him to her palace.

He came there wearing the clothes and saw a letter saying that you deserve death for coveting your sister and hence your clothes are poisoned. Then Rani Jumped to the lake of water and became one with the lotuses. That is the legend of Rani Kamlapati who is worshiped by Gonds who are 1.2 crores in number in MP.

By naming India’s most modern railway station after the Queen the Govt of India has recognized her and her life.