The birth anniversary of the 13th king of Mewar, Maharana Pratap, is being observed across India on Sunday. According to the English calendar, Maharana Pratap Jayanti falls on May 9 every year. However, the Hindu calendar shows the warrior king’s birth anniversary on the Tritiya tithi of Jyeshtha’s Shukla Paksha, and hence is being celebrated on June 13 this time.

Several states, including Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh, celebrate Maharana Pratap Jayanti in full swing and also declare the day as a public holiday.

Here are some lesser-known facts about Maharana Pratap:

1. Maharana Pratap was born in a Rajput family on May 9, 1540. His father, Udai Singh II was the 12th ruler of the Mewar dynasty and the founder of Udaipur. Pratap, the eldest child in the family, had three brothers and two stepsisters.

2. Regarded as one of the strongest warriors in Indian history, Maharana Pratap was 2.26 metres (7 feet 5 inches) tall. He would wear a body armour of 72 kilograms (kg) and carry a spear of 81kg.

3. Maharana Pratap is known for his military resistance against the expansionism of the Mughal empire and his crucial role in the Battle of Haldighati and the Battle of Dewair. He had defeated Mughal emperor Akbar thrice – in 1577, 1578 and 1579.