Karamchandra Bachawat
Karam chandra Bachawat was the last and the most influential and powerful Diwan of Bikaner State in the Bachawat dynasty. From the time of Bachraj, after whose name the dynasty was known as Bachawat and who was the Prime Minister and close associate of Rao Bika, the founder of Bikaner (1488) his ancestors were Diwans of the rulers of that State and had performed many important religious deeds.
After Bachraj his sons Karam Singh and Varsingh were the Ministers of Rao Loonkaran and Jaitsingh. There after Nagraj, son of Varsingh, was the Diwan of Jaitsingh. Sangram son of Nagraj was the trusted Diwan of Rao Kalyan singh. He had led a Sangh for the pilgrimage of Shatrunjayaji and other places to which Maharana Udai singh had accorded reception at Chittor.
After the death of Kalyan singh while Rao Raisingh became the ruler of Bikaner in 1573, he made Karamchandra Bachawat, son of Sangram, as his Diwan. Karam chandra was sharply intelligent, diplomat, far sighted and a very brave and courageous person. Rao Raisingh was an in capable and extravagant ruler. There developed a financial and administrative crisis during his rule.
Karam chandra tried his best to put him at right path by his sincere advice and efforts. Not appreciating his loyalty and sincerity Raisingh on the contrary got displeased with him and became enemy of his life. He suspected that Karam chandra was in collusion with Dalpat singh and Ram singh against him.
Helpless Karamchandra left Bikaner and took refugeunder Emperor Akbar who appreciated hisvirtues and gave him a respectable place inhis Court. Raisingh continued his enemity with him. Karam chandra Bachawat has been widely famous for his jreligious deeds. He had given a hearty reception to Acharya JinchandraSuri at Bikaner in 1575.
He had provided food to the hungry people, meeting the expenditure himself, in the severe famine in Bikaner in 1578. He had recovered many Jain images numbering about 1050 from the possession of Mohammedans and placed them in Chintamaniji Jain Temple of Bikaner.
He had introduced several reforms among the oswals. At the instance of Karam chandra Akbar had invited Acharya Jinchandra Surifrom Khambat and received him ceremoneously at Lahore in 1592.Soonafter the death of Akbar in 1605 Karamchandra fell sick.
Raisingh came to him and insisted to go back to Bikaner withhis family. Even though his sons wereprepared for returning back Karamchandrahad no trust in cunning Raisingh. Whiledying he instructed his sons not to go back to Bikaner. Even on death bed in
1611 Raisingh instructed his son Sursingh to bring back Karamchandra’s family to Bikaner anyhow and take revenge from them. In 1613 Sursingh became successful inbringing back Bhagchandra and Lakshmichandra, the simple hearted sons of Karamchandra,to Bikaner.
Later he beseiged their house. All the 500 persons including familymembers of the Bachawats and their servantsetc. fought bravely and lost their lives.The ladies had burnt themselves by observing ‘Jauhar’. As a pregnant lady of the family was away at her mother’s place in Kishangarh the Bachawats are in existence in the country.
