This is how Muslim rulers entered our ancient India.... In 1191, Shahabuddin Muhammad Ghori, leading an army of 120,000 men, invaded India through the Khyber Pass and was successful in reaching Punjab. Ghori captured a fortress, either at Sirhind or Bathinda, in present-day Punjab state on the northwestern frontier of Chauhans kingdom. Chauhans 100,000 strong army led by his vassal prince Govinda-Raja of Delhi rushed to the defence of the frontier, and the two armies met at the town of Tarain, near Thanesar, in present-day Haryana, 150 kilometres (93 mi) north of Delhi. Ghoris army was divided into three flanks, with Ghori himself leading the centre flank on horseback. In addition to being almost twice in number, Chauhans army had elephant cavalry comprising 300 elephants, whereas Ghoris army had none. Many Turkish soldiers in Ghoris army had not even seen elephants before. The armies clashed first with the charge of the Chauhan cavalry. Ghoris horse cavalry was unable to hold its own against the elephants, which resulted in the defeat of Ghoris left and right flanks. Ghori led two regiments in an attack on the centre, where Ghori met Govinda Raja in personal combat. Govinda Raja, mounted on an elephant, lost his front teeth to Ghoris lance. As the battle continued, Ghoris army, exhausted in face of the persistent Rajput attacks and out of water, fled leaving their general Ghori as a prisoner in Chauhans hands. Ghori was brought in chains to Pithoragarh, Prithvirajs capital, where he begged his victor for mercy and release. Prithvirajs ministers advised him against pardoning the aggressor but the chivalrous and valiant Prithviraj thought otherwise and respectfully released the vanquished Ghori. This which was a decision he would later come to regret. Muhammad Ghori started to regroup his forces again to defeat Chauhan the next year. In 1192, Ghori reassembled an army of 120,000 men and returned to challenge Chauhan at the Second Battle of Tarain. When he reached Lahore, he sent his envoy to demand surrender but Chauhan refused to comply. Chauhan then appealed to his fellow Rajput rulers and the aristocracy to come to his aid against Ghori. Chauhan assembled a very large army with the aid of approximately 150 Rajput rulers and aristocrats. According to the Persian historian Firishta, it consisted of 3,000 elephants, 300,000 horsemen, and considerable infantry. The army was larger than that of Ghori. The armies met in Tarain, where Ghori delivered an ultimatum to Chauhan that he convert to Islam or be defeated. Chauhan countered with an offer that Ghori should consider a truce and be allowed to retreat with his army. Ghori decided to attack. Ghori divided his troops into five parts and attacked in the early morning hours, sending waves of mounted archers. They retreated as the Chauhan elephant phalanx advanced. Ghori deployed four parts to attack the Rajputs on four sides, keeping a fifth part of his army in reserve. General Khande Rao of the Chauhan forces was killed. At dusk, Ghori himself led a force of 12,000 heavily armored horsemen to the centre of the Rajput line, which collapsed into confusion. Chauhan attempted to escape but was captured. The Rajput army broke ranks and fled, thereby conceding victory to Ghori. Chauhan was put to death. Even today Afghans vent their anger by stabbing on the grave of Chauhan because according to them Prithviraj had killed Ghori. Sher Singh Rana, a member of Rajput community, visited Afghanistan to trace grave of Prithviraj Chauhan, he dug Chauhans grave and collected sand from it. This incident created sensation in Indian news and public media – as he said he did it to get back Indias pride & respect.
Posted on: Tue, 04 Mar 2014 10:53:48 +0000
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