Bhamashah (28 June 1547 – 1600) was a Jain merchant who became a general, minister and close aide of Maharana Pratap Singh I. His financial contributions enabled the restoration of the Mewar army after the Battle of Haldighati.
Early life
Bhamashah was born on 28 June 1547 into a Śvetāmbara Murtipujaka Jain Oswal family. His father, Bharmal Kavadiya, served as Gadhpati of Ranthambore Fort under Rana Sangram Singh and later as prime minister under Rana Udai Singh II.
He held the position of Nagar Seth of Chittor before becoming involved in the affairs of the Mewar court.
Life and work
After the costly Battle of Haldighati left Maharana Pratap in a dire financial situation, Bhamashah and his brother Tarachand contributed 2,000,000 gold coins and 25,000,000 silver rupees to the Maharana. The wealth enabled the re‑organisation of the Mewar army and further campaigns against the Mughals.
In recognition of his support, Maharana Pratap appointed Bhamashah as prime minister, while Tarachand became governor of the Godwad region. Bhamashah later served as Mewar's treasurer under Amar Singh I.
Legacy and memory
Bhamashah's birth anniversary, known as Bhamashah Jayanti, is observed each year. A memorial in Udaipur commemorates him, and the Government of India issued a postage stamp in his honor in 2000.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation established the "Bhama Shah Award" for outstanding Rajasthani students, and the Rajasthan government launched the Bhamashah Yojana in his name. His life has been depicted in films, including the 1926 silent film *Diwan Bhamansha* and a 2017 feature titled *Bhamashah*.
Based on: the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0) — facts from that source; edited and translated by Times of Rajasthan.