TEJAJI-THE UNSUNG HERO

Stories form a very important part of our culture. These small folktales get somewhere hidden beneath the great epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata, which is relived again in those small lanes in the form of folklores. The story of a brave warrior who is considered the pride of Rajasthan. This unsung legend is still worshipped in the town of Nagaur, Rajasthan, who laid down his life for the sake of protecting his villagers. Localites believe Tejaji to be an incarnation of God, who will free them from all troubles and pain.

The folkgod of Rajasthan, Tejaji was born in the year 1704 in the family of Dhaulya Gotra Jats. His father Taharji was the chief of Khadnal district and his mother was Sugna who is believed to have conceived Tejaji by the blessings of Naag devta (snake god).

Since his sacrifice for life was associated with cows, the people of Nagaur built several cowsheds in his memory, instead of temples. The local folks believe that Nagaur never faced shortage of milk and dairy products, owing to the blessings of Tejaji.

Several folk songs are part of their culture which has been dedicated to Tejaji, but besides that, another character named Pemal, who is actually Tejaji's wife, has got an equally significant position in these folktales. What is so fascinating about their love story, that it still exists to be an example for many?

Pemal (1074-1103) was daughter of Raimal of Jhanjhar gotra, chieftain of Paner. She was married to Tejaji in her early childhood. 

The story states that Tejaji accidentally came to know one day from his sister-in-law that he was already married to Pemal when he was hardly 5 months old. Their parents met at Pushkar fair and their alliance was fixed. But unfortunately on the wedding day, Tejaji's father got into a huge conflict with Pemal's uncle. Her uncle died and the wedding was called off. Tejaji, now aware of his past, decided to bring back his wife with due respect at any cost.

Next day early in the morning he mounted his mare Lilan and started journey to Paner to bring back his wife. As soon as he reached there, he was badly insulted by his mother-in law and was cursed to be bitten by a black snake. Pemal, with no option left, allowed Tejaji to stay back at her friend Laccha's house, so that she could seek out at night from her home to meet him secretly.

To take revenge from Tejaji, another rival group of chieftains residing in Paner called Meenas, took away all of Laccha's cows. Laccha had no other option than seeking help from Tejaji. Tejaji, being a man of words promised to bring back her cows on time.

In this process of bringing her cows back, Tejaji got involved in a huge war with the Meenas and was badly injured. It is believed that he killed 150 of them from his tribe singlehandedly and brought back all the cows. Already injured after this huge fight, Tejaji kept value of his mother-in law's curse and he himself appeared before the snake. Since no part of his body was left unwounded, the snake bite on his tongue and he died.

Tejaji's mare, Lilan, took the message of Tejaji's death to his wife in Paner and also in his village. Pemal, grief-stricken at the death of her husband, performed Sati (self-immolation) at a place called Sursura. A temple has been constructed there known as the Tejaji Muktidham Mandir.

Tejaji's sister Rajal also couldn't bear this loss of his brother's death and she also performed sati. This is a unique example of a sister becoming sati on the death of his brother.

So this was the unsung tale of the fearless warrior, Tejaji. A man of words, who sacrificed his life for the protection of cows and his villagers, is considered no less than the God itself, for the people of Nagaur. It is said that words have enough power to defeat the sharpness of the sword...and its proved, that how a man of words is still worshipped as a God and a protector till today's times...and how this unsung legend is still alive in the folklores of the small lanes of Rajasthan.

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