Battles of Tarain
The Battles of Tarain, also known as the Battles of Taraori, were fought in 1191 and 1192 near the town of Tarain (Taraori), near Thanesar in present-day Haryana, approximately 150 kilometres north of Delhi, India, between the Muslim Ghurid army led by Sultan Shahabuddin Muhammad Ghauri and the Hindu Rajput army led by Prithviraj Chauhan.[1]
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[edit] Sources
The Sanskrit manuscript Prithviraja Vijaya gives a contemporary account of the 12th century Kingdom of Ajmer ruled by the Chauhan clan. The poem Prithviraj Raso provides a more romantic version of the events. Later works like Viruddhavidhi-vidhvamsa and Hammir-Mahakavya add some details. Also, there are various Muslim sources narrating the events.
[edit] Background
Ghauri decided to extend the boundary of his kingdom. To realize his ambition, he made his first incursion into India in 1175 CE. After subduing the Isma'īlī Muslims of Multan, he made an unsuccessful advance into Gujarat in 1178 CE. Nevertheless, he was successful in seizing Peshawar and building a fort at Sialkot in 1181 CE. With the help of the ruler of Jammu, Jāydēv, he put an end to the rule of the Ghaznavids in Panjab and captured Lahore in 1186 CE. With this the way was opened for him to push his conquests further into India.
Ghaurī’s conquests had brought his kingdom right to Prithvīrāj's border, and in 1191 Ghaurī captured a fortress, either Sirhind or Bathinda in the present-day Indian State of Panjab, on Prithvīrāj's northwestern frontier. Prithvirāj's army, led by his vassal Govinda-Rāj of Delhi, rushed to the defense of the frontier, and the two armies met at Tarain.
[edit] The First Battle
[edit] Size of the armies and generals
The total Rajput army is estimated at 50,000 with cavalry at 20,000. The Muslim army can be estimated at 35,000 cavalry (additionally with camels, infantry and elephants, of which the numbers unknown) with 10,000 in either wing and a few thousand rearguard. The Turk army, coming from horse breeding regions, was probably dominated by cavalry. A previous Turk invader, Mahmud Ghaznavi, captured elephants in India and they formed part of Muslim armies since then.
According to Firishta, the Rajput army consisted of 3,000 elephants, 300,000 horsemen and infantry.[2] Most historians, however, believe these figures are exaggerated.
[edit] Battle
In 1191, Muhammad Ghauri threw the gauntlet by laying siege to the fortress of Bhatinda in East Punjab which was on the frontier of Prithiviraj's domains. Prithviraj's appeal for help from his father-in-law was scornfully rejected by the haughty Jaichandra. But undaunted Prithviraj marched on to Bhatinda and met his enemy at a place called Tarain (also called Taraori) near the ancient town of Thanesar. In face of the persistent Rajput attacks, the battle was won as the Muslim army broke ranks and fled leaving their general Muhammad Ghauri as a prisoner in Pritiviraj's hands. Muhammad Ghauri was brought in chains to Pithoragarh - Prithviraj's capital and he begged his victor for mercy and release. Prithviraj's ministers advised against pardoning the aggressor. But the chivalrous and valiant Prithviraj thought otherwise and respectfully released the vanquished Ghori.This decision was based on the ancient hindu belief of treating the surrendered enemy with respect and compassion.
[edit] Aftermath
Ghauri's defeated army retreated to Lahore and, thereafter, returned to Ghazni. Prithvi Raj ignored the advice of his advisers and did not pursue the retreating army, which was a decision he later regretted.
[edit] The Second Battle
On his return to Ghazni, Ghori made hectic preparations to avenge the defeat. When he reached Lahore, he sent his envoy to Prithviraj to demand his submission, but the Chauhan ruler refused to comply. Prithviraj saw through Ghori's stratagem. So he issued a fervent appeal to his fellow Rajput chiefs to come to his aid against the Muslim invader. About 150 Rajput chiefs responded favourably.
Whatever army could be mustered, Prithviraj proceeded with it to meet Muhammad Ghori in Tarain where a year before he had inflicted a crushing defeats on his adversary.
[edit] Role of Jaichand
It is alleged that the Rajput ruler Jaichand of Kannauj met Ghori and divulged the secrets of Chauhan's planning of war. This was because Raja Jaichand had a grudge against Prithviraj Chauhan.[3]
[edit] Size of the forces and generals
It has been said Ghori then proceeded towards India with a large force numbering 120,000 mounted men. But, that number is exaggerated because Muslim sources only state cavalry forces and barely mention the others, and in the Second Battle of Tarain they state that Ghori divided his army into four units of 10,000 horse keeping the fifth of 12,000 under his own command, giving a total of 52,000 cavalry with the camels, infantry, and elephant numbers unknown for Muhammad Ghori's army. Also, the Turk army was dominated by its cavalry.
It is estimated that the Chauhan army numbered 30,000 at the most, with the all-important cavalry at only 10,000. The only general named in Prithviraja Vijaya is Govindraj of Delhi and Prithviraj himself, and both Hindu and Muslim accounts state that Prithviraj tried to buy time by negotiating so that at least Udayaraj would come up in time to bolster his army.
[edit] Battle
Prithiviraj's gesture was repaid by Ghori who re-attacked Prithiviraj with a stronger army and guilefully defeated him by attacking the Rajput army before daybreak. (The Hindus incidentally followed a hoary practice of battling only from sunrise up to sunset. Before Sunrise and after Sunset there was to be no fighting- as per a time honoured battle code). The defeated Prithiviraj was pursued up to his capital and in chains he was taken as a captive to Ghor in Afghanistan.
[edit] Death of Prithviraj & Ghori
As a prisoner in Ghor Prithiviraj was presented before Mahmud, where he looked Ghori straight into the eye. Ghori ordered him to lower his eyes, whereupon a defiant Prithiviraj scornfully told him how he had treated Ghori as a prisoner and said that the eyelids of a Rajputs eyes are lowered only in death. On hearing this, Ghori flew into a rage and ordered that Prithviraj's eyes be burnt with red hot iron rods.[4] This heinous deed being done, Prithiviraj was regularly brought to the court to be taunted by Ghori and his courtiers. In those days Prithiviraj was joined by his former biographer Chand Bardai, who had composed a ballad-biography on Pritiviraj in the name of Prithviraj Raso (Songs of Prithviraj). Chand Bardai told Prithiviraj, that he should avenge Ghori's betrayal and daily insults. Prithviraj is considered to be the greatest warrior of India, and also one of the greatest in the world. He was tortured by Ghori but he died a undefeated warrior, taking Ghori down before he could die.[4]
The blind Prithviraj avenges the injustice done to him. The two got an opportunity when Ghori announced a game of archery. On the advice of Chand Bardai, Prithviraj, who was then at court said he would also like to participate. On hearing his suggestion, the courtiers guffawed at him and he was taunted by Ghori as to how he could participate when he could not see. Whereupon, Prithiviraj told Mahmud Ghori to order him to shoot, and he would reach his target. Ghori became suspicious and asked Prithviraj why he wanted Ghori himself to order and not anyone else. On behalf of Prithiviraj, Chand Bardai told Ghori that he as a king would not accept orders from anyone other than a king. His ego satisfied, Mahmud Ghori agreed.
On the said day, Ghori sitting in his royal enclosure had Prithiviraj brought to the ground and had him unchained for the event. On Ghori's ordering Prithviraj to shoot, we are told Prithiviraj turned in the direction from where he heard Ghori speak and struck Ghori dead with his arrow.[4] This event is described by Chand Bardai in the couplet, "Char bans, chaubis gaj, angul ashta praman, Ete pai Sultan hai (Taa Upar hai Sultan). Ab mat chuko Chauhan."(Ten measures ahead of you and twenty four feet away, is seated the Sultan, do not miss him now, Chouhan). Just after the death of Ghori, Prithviraj was killed by Ghori's bodyguards.
This ended the story of the brave Prithviraj Chauhan. Delhi remained under Muslim rule for centuries. The throne of Delhi came back to Hindus under king Hemu for a short period in 1556 & later on under marathas when peshwa bajirao I defeated mughals in First Battle of Delhi in 1737 .[5][6]
The above is a poetical and rather skeptical account of Sultan's Death. The following seems to be the true account of the Sultan's final days, as the dates of death of Prithiviraj and Sultan do not coincide.
In 1206, Shahabuddin Ghori had to travel to Lahore to crush a revolt. On his way back to Ghazni, his caravan rested at Damik near Sohawa (which is near the city of Jhelum in the Punjab province of modern-day Pakistan). He was assassinated on March 15, 1206, while offering his evening prayers. The identity of Shahabuddin Ghori's assassins is disputed, with some claiming that he was assassinated by local Hindu Gakhars and others claiming he was assassinated by Hindu Khokhars, both being different tribes. The Khokhars were killed in large numbers, and the province was pacified. After settling the affairs in the Punjab. Shahabuddin marched back to Ghazni. While camping at Dhamayak in 1206 AD in the Jehlum district, the sultan was murdered by the Khokhars[9] Hasan Nizami and Ferishta record the killing of Shahabuddin Ghori at the hands of the Gakhars. However, Ferishta may have confused the Ghakars with the Khokhars. Other historians have also blamed Shahabuddin Ghori's assassination to a band of Hindu Khokhars.[10] All the historians before the time of Ferishta agree that the Khokhars , not the Gakhars killed Shahab ud din Ghori.[11] Some also claim that Shahabuddin Ghori was assassinated by a radical Ismaili Muslim sect.[12] There is a literary story[13] about the death of Muhammad of Ghor, which has considerable appeal,[14] but which is not borne out by historical documents.[13][15][16] This is described in the article Prithviraj Raso. As per his wishes, Shahabuddin Ghori was buried where he fell, in Damik.
[edit] The aftermath
The seriousness of this defeat for India cannot be exaggerated. The victory of Mohammad of Ghur was decisive, and laid the foundation of the Sultanate of Delhi.
In spite of the establishment of Muslim rule in Delhi and UP (Uttar Pradesh) in the former kingdoms of Prithiviraj Chauhan and Jaichand Rathod, the Muslim invaders could never overrun the entire country. The Rajput dynasties like the Tomaras of Gwaliar and the Ranas of Mewad still continued to rule central India. One such Rajput ruler was Man Singh Tomar the king of Gwaliar. Man Singh put up a stout resistance to the Lodis and he succeeded in halting the Muslim ruler Sikandar Lodi's southward march at Gwaliar. While the Tomaras of Gwaliar held back the Muslims from advancing into Malwa, the Ranas of Mewad held up the banner of Indian independence from Mewad in those trying times of Muslim aggression in India. In South Rajasthan especially, the Rajputs had defiantly preserved their writ by resisting the Delhi Sultans. The center of this Rajput resistance was the kingdom at Chittor.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a790406179~db=all
- ^ Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals (1206-1526) by Satish Chandra
- ^ [1] Jaichand of Kanauj
- ^ a b c [2] Death of Ghori
- ^ File:India1760 1905.jpg India's Map: Maratha Empire (in yellow)
- ^ [3]
[edit] Bibliography
- Mahajan, V. D. (2007). History of Medieval India. New Delhi: S. Chand
- Rottermund, H. K. (1998). A History of India. London: Routledge.
There was also a Third battle of Tarrain which was fought between Iltutmish and Yalduz in which Yalduz was defeated.Though this battle is less popular and less relevant but Tarrain had witnessed not 2 but three battles.This battle took place in 1215-16 A.D. Details submitted by Mr.Ankit Abhishek.
