“To have tolerance means to be stable” – Mewar Vibhuti Pradhan Mehta Sher Singh Bachhawat
Mewar Vibhuti, Mehta Sher Singh (1788- 1869*) was Pradhan of Mewar from 1827-29*, 1831-39, 1844-56 and served four Maharanas – Bhim Singh, Jawan Singh, Sardar Singh, Swarup Singh. He was also loyal to his masters and the state like all his forefathers. He too developed many detractors, who constantly filled the ears of the Maharana with negative image about him. But this did not deter him from being a patriotic son of the soil. He was removed and reinstalled number of times.
Mehta Sher Singh believed, “When one is faced with defamation or insult, tolerance gives the power to be stable and cool. And so there is the ability to smile even when there is negativity that comes. Tolerance means to see beyond the insults because of being stable in the stage of self-respect.”
According to Swa-Jeewni (autobiography) of Rai Pannalal Mehta, soon after Maharana Sardar Singh (1838-42) ascended the throne, Mehta (Bachhawat) Sher Singh was dismissed as Pradhan and arrested. It was alleged that on demise of Maharana Jawan Singh, Mehta Sher Singh tried to install Shardul Singh, son of Maharana Sardar Singh’s younger brother Sher Singh, as Maharana of Mewar. Mehta Sher Singh was subjected to hardship whilst in custody, hence the Political Agent Maj Robinson, requested Maharana for leniency towards Mehta Sher Singh. However, his detractors told Maharana to not to listen to the British Agent. At the end, on the promissory note of paying Rupees ten lakhs as fine, Mehta Sher Singh was released from the prison but advised to escape to Marwar as his detractors wanted to kill him.
Rai Pannalal Mehta further observes in his book Swa-Jeewni (autobiography), that Maharana Swarup Singh (1842-61) expressed no confidence in his successor, Pradhan Mehta (Cheel) Ram Singh, due to fiscal mismanagement. He recalled Mehta Sher Singh from Marwar and reappointed him as Pradhan by signing a khaas ruqqa (special order). The ruqqa praised the services rendered by his ancestors like Mehta Agar Chand. The Maharana also recalled the efforts of Mehta Sher Singh towards improving the revenue of the state, liquidating old debts, obtaining the remission of a portion of the tribute.
The cenotaph (chatri) of Mehta Sher Singh is at Mahasatiyaji, Ayad in Udaipur.
My resolve: “When faced with criticism, if I am able to be stable in my stage of self-respect, I am able to learn from every negative remark that comes my way. I will never become defensive, but will be able to see clearly what new learning I could take.”