Raja Bhamashah

Raja Bhamashah was a noted general, minister and close aide of Maharana Pratap, a Hindu Rajput ruler of Mewar, a region in north-western India in the present day state of Rajasthan.

He was born in 1542 and belonged to Kavdia gotra of the Oswal Jain community. His father Bharmal was qiledar of Ranthambore fort appointed by Rana Sanga and was later prime minister under Maharana Udai Singh.

Bhamashah was a great general, adviser, minister of Mewar, who was later promoted to post of Prime Minister of Mewar by Maharana Pratap, to whom he served as close aide and confidant. He along with his younger brother Tarachand fought in several battles for Mewar.

He was follower of Jainism and noted for his statesmanship, war skills, patriotism and generosity.

After Battle of Haldighati,June 21, 1576 , Maharana Pratap had no resources at all to carry on the fight against the Mughals. At this point of time, Bhamashah and his brother Tarachand, presented their wealth consisting of 20,000 gold coins and 2,500,000 rupees to Pratap, who was overwhelmed. They, being skilled in war skills and patriotism, attacked Mughal army camps and won a lot of wealth from Mughals; from which they partially financed Pratap. With this help Pratap could organize an army and carried on his further fights against Mughals. Bhamashah was promoted to the post Prime Minister, by Maharana Pratap after this.

Bhamashah was a devotee of Adinath Bhagwan the first tirthankar of Jainism.Bhamashah is also noted for having built one of the famous Dilwara Temples, where his personal palace was also situated.

Bhamashah died in 1600, at the time of his death he was in-charge of Mewar's treasury under Amar Singh I. Descendants of Bhamashah also served as prime ministers of the Maharanas of Udaipur for a few generations. His descendants still live in Udaipur.