Maharaja Chhatar Singh Rana was the ruler of GohadJat state in Madhya Pradesh, India. He became the ruler of Gohad after the fall of Bhim Singh Rana. Rana Bhim Singh had no son. Afterwards, for a short period, Girdhar Pratap Singh became his successor in 1755. Girdhar Pratap Singh could not rule Gohad for long as he died in 1757. His successor was Rana Chhatr Singh a brave Jat from Bamraulia dynasty a Suryavanshi lineage. He ruled Gohad state till 1804. He is considered to be the greatest ruler of Gohad. During his rule he occupied many neighbouring forts. His rule is considered to be the golden period of Rana rulers by historians. He was brave, tactful, visionary and strong administrator. The Marathas were strong enemies of Gohad rulers but Mahadji Sindhia always desired to have friendship with Chhatar Singh.
Chhatar Singh planned to recapture the Gwalior fort. He sent his trusted satrap Brajraj Singh to attack Gwalior fort. There was a war between Brajraj Singh and Maratha army under the leadership of Raghunath Rao on the banks of the Swarn Rekha River. Brajraj Singh was killed in the war but Chhatar Singh succeeded in recapturing the Gwalior fort on 4 August 1780 after defeating Marathas. After winning over the Gwalior fort he performed Yajna and gifted 4000 cows. He took number of steps of welfare of people. He constructed Chhatri of Bhim Singh in his memory near Bhim-tal on the Gwalior fort. He handed over the administration of Gwalior fort to his younger queen and came back to Gohad.Alijah Srinath Mahadji Shinde attacked the Gohad fort in the end of 1784. After a war of 2 months Alijah Srinath Mahadji occupied the Gohad fort on 27 February 1785. Rana chhatar Singh escaped to Karauli where his friend Nihal Singh Rana was a ruler. The elder brother of Nihal Singh Manikpal’s conspiracy lead to the arrest of Chhatar Singh. He was brought to Gwalior and was kept in Jail in 1785. near Bhimtal in memory of Rana of Gohad on the Gwalior Fort.
Assessment by Maratha historian
The Maratha Historian Balwantrao Bhaiya Saheb Sindhia has written about Chhatar Singh in his book "History of Gwalior fort" as under:
His successor
Successor of Chhatar Singh was Kirat Singh. After the death of Chhatar Singh in 1788 the entire Gohad area became a symbol of anarchy, plundering and killing for 18 years. The revolutionary Jats unanimously declared Kirat Singh son of samant Tarachand of village Neerpur in 1803. Samant Tarachand was cousin brother of Rana Chhatar Singh. The coronation ceremony of Kirat Singh took place at ‘Bagathara fortress’, situated at a distance of 12 miles from Gohad, as Gohad and Gwalior were in possession of Sindhias.
