Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, or the Central and Western Rajput States of India v3.c42.s1.t2.11

v3.c42.s1.t2.11

Abdication of Rāo Dewa.—How long it was after this act of barbarity that Dewa abdicated in favour of his son, is not mentioned, though it is far from improbable that this crime influenced his determination. This was the second time of his abdication of power: first, when he gave Bumbaoda to Harraj, and went to Sikandar Lodi; and now to Samarsi, the branches of Bundi and the Patar remaining independent of each other. The act of abdication confers the title of Jugraj;¹ or when they conjoin the authority of the son with the father, the heir is styled Jivaraj. Four instances of this are on record in the annals of Bundi; namely, by Dewa, by Narayandas, by Raj Chhattar Sal, and by Sriji Ummed Singh. It is a rule for a prince never to enter the capital after abandoning the government; the king is virtually defunct; he cannot be a subject, and he is no longer a king. To render the act more impressive, they make an effigy of the abdicated king, and on the twelfth day following the act (being the usual period of [461] mourning) they commit it to the flames.¹ In accordance with this custom, Dewa never afterwards entered the walls either of Bundi or Bumbaoda,² but resided at the village of Umarthuna, five coss from the former, till his death.