Maharana Pratap ruled over Mewar only for 25 years. However, he accomplished so much grandeur during his reign that his glory surpassed the boundaries of countries and time turning him into an immortal personality. He along with his kingdom became a synonym for valour, sacrifice and patriotism. Mewar had been a leading Rajput kingdom even before Maharana Pratap occupied the throne. Kings of Mewar, with the cooperation of their nobles and subjects, had established such traditions in the kingdom, as augmented their magnificence despite the hurdles of having a smaller area under their command and less population. There did come a few thorny occasions when the flag of the kingdom seemed to be sliding down. Their flag once again heaved high in the sky thanks to the gallantry and brilliance of the people of Mewar.
The destiny of Mewar was good in the sense that barring a few kings, most of the rulers were competent and patriotic. This glorious tradition of the kingdom almost continued for 1,500 years since its establishment, right from the reign of Bappa Rawal. In fact only 60 years before Maharana Pratap, Rana Sanga drove the kingdom to the pinnacle of fame. His reputation went beyond Rajasthan and reached Delhi. Two generations before him, Rana Kumbha had given a new stature to the kingdom through victories and developmental work. During his reign, literature and art also progressed extraordinarily. Rana himself was inclined towards writing and his works are read with reverence even today. The ambience of his kingdom was conducive to the creation of high quality work of art and literature. These accomplishments were the outcome of a long standing tradition sustained by several generations.
During thorny occasions
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → the flag of Mewar seemed to slide down
The passage says: "There did come a few thorny occasions when the flag of the kingdom seemed to be sliding down." Thorny occasions are difficult times, and a sliding flag stands for the kingdom losing power or honour.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: the flag of Mewar was hoisted high — Incorrect. Wrong time: the flag rose high again afterwards, thanks to the people; during the thorny occasions it was sliding down.
Option 3: the people of Mewar showed cowardice — Incorrect. Contradicted: cowardice is lack of courage. The passage says the opposite: the people's gallantry raised the flag again.
Option 4: most of the rulers heaved a sigh of relief — Incorrect. Not mentioned: to heave a sigh of relief is to breathe out because a worry is over. Hard times bring worry, not relief, and the passage says nothing of this.
Example: We heaved a sigh of relief when the results came out.