[jyotirmoy]

Qila Rai Pithora in Delhi is named after the last Hindu king to sit upon the throne of Delhi, Prithviraj Chauhan. Prithviraj was one of the most interesting and powerful characters of Indian history. Even today his name is associated with the virtues of Rajput valour, chivalry and patriotism. His bravery on the battlefield was unmatched and he was known to be virtuous and principled until his death.
After becoming the king of Ajmer, Prithviraj heard the court poet describe the unmatched beauty of a lady. Immensely impressed, he soon found out that the beauty described was Sanyogita, the daughter of the Jai Chandra, King of Kannauj, his arch rival. Jaichand despised Prithviraj as the latter had been chosen by Anangpal to be the heir to the throne of Delhi. He disguised himself and went to see her.
In those days there was a custom called “Swayamvara”. For the marriage of princesses kings organized a gathering of eligible kings or princes from other states. The bride walked in with a garland and offered the same to the person she chose to be her would be husband. Suspecting the relationship between the two of them, Jaichand decided to organize a Swayamvara in all pomp and splendour for his daughter. He called many princes worthy of his daughter, from all across the country. However Prithviraj wasn't invited. And to humiliate Prithviraj, Jaichand erected his statue, dressed and bent as a doorman at the gateway to the Swayamvar. However, at the time of the Swayamvar, Sanyogita passed by all the eligible princes and finally garlanded Prithviraj's statue. At that moment, Prithviraj stepped out and whisked his beloved away!
While this drama was being enacted, an obscure warlord named Muhammad, hailing from Ghor in present-day Afghanistan was raising a big army. He captured Ghazni and subsequently defeated the Ghaznavid governor of Punjab. Muhammad Ghori's domain now touched upon that of Prithviraj Chauhan. A clash was inevitable.
As soon as Prithviraj settled down with his bride war clouds began to gather. These clouds would bring in rain of destruction & bloodshed. It would also change Delhi, Delhi would come under the control of the Muslim rulers. The feuds & divide between the son-in-law & father-in-law, both powerful kings would usher in the fall of Hindu rule in India.
Muhammad Ghori invaded Prithviraj's domains and laid siege to the fortress of Bhatinda in Punjab, which was at the frontier between the two kingdoms. Prithviraj's appeal for help from his father-in-law was scornfully rejected by the haughty Jaichandra. Undaunted, Prithviraj marched on Bhatinda and faought the invaders. In face of the Rajput onslaught, the invading Muslim army broke ranks and fled, leaving their leader, Muhammad Ghori, a prisoner in Prithviraj's hands. Muhammad Ghori was brought in chains to Pithoragarh, Prithviraj's capital. He begged his captor for mercy and release. Prithviraj's ministers advised against pardoning the aggressor. However, the chivalrous and valiant Prithviraj thought otherwise and respectfully released the vanquished Ghori.
The very next year, Ghori repaid Prithviraj's gesture by again invading Prithviraj's kingdom with a stronger army. The Hindus followed a traditional practice of battling only between sunrise and sunset. Ghori attacked the surprised Rajput army before daybreak and thus emerged victorious. The defeated Prithviraj was pursued up to his capital. At the point when annihilation became certain, Sanyogita committed Jauhar {suicide} by self-immolation rather than face the prospect of personal dishonour at the hands of the invader. Prithviraj was taken in chains to Ghor in present-day Afghanistan. As a prisoner in Ghor, Prithviraj was brought in chains before Muhammad Ghori. He haughtily looked Ghori straight into the eye. Ghori ordered him to lower his eyes, whereupon Prithviraj scornfully reminded him of how he had treated Ghori when the latter was a prisoner. He declared that the eye of a Rajput are lowered only in death. On hearing this,Ghori ordered that his eyes to be burnt with red hot iron rods. The heinous deed was committed.
Prithviraj's former courtier Chand Bardai came to Ghori to be near Prithviraj in his misery. Chand Bardai came in disguise. On one hand, he earned Mahmud's regard; on the other, he took every opportunity to meet with Prithviraj and urge him to avenge Ghori's betrayal. During his captivity blind Prthiviraj practiced shooting arrows guided by sound.
Soon Ghori announced an archery competition. Chand Bardai told Ghori that Prithviraj was so skilled an archer, that he could take aim based only on sound, and did not even need to look at his target. They brought the blind and hapless Prithviraj out to the field. Pressing a bow and arrows into his hand, they taunted him to take aim. Some iron plates were hung and Prithiviraj was asked to aim at them. A man was to strike the plate with a hammer and Prithviraj was supposed to hit that plate.
Chand Bardai provided Prithviraj with an aural indication of where Ghori was seated through a couplet:
"Char bans, chaubis gaj, angul ashta praman,
Ta upar sultan hai, Chuke mat Chauhan."

(Four measures ahead of you and twenty four yards away as measured with eight finger measurement, is seated the Sultan. Do not miss him now, Chauhan).

Ghori then ordered Prithviraj to shoot. Prithviraj thus came to know the location of Ghori and started shooting at the plates. When he hit the target Ghori said "Shabash", recognising Ghori's voice and turning in the direction from where he heard Ghori speak, Prithviraj took aim based only on the voice and on Chand Bardai's couplet, he sent an arrow racing to Ghori's throat. Ghori was thus stuck dead by Prithviraj.
Prithviraj and Chandar did not want to die from the hands of Ghori's courtiers so they stabbed each other.
One of the slaves of Muhammad Ghori, Qutubuddin Aibak then found a new dynasty known as slave dynasty in 1206…. That is another story.

[Phantom]

Is it all true ?? I thought the movie was twisting the facts.. I mean it all sounds so surreal ? Is there any historical book to back this one ??

[noflylist]

Phantom, on Apr 24 2007, 08:52 AM, said:

Is it all true ?? I thought the movie was twisting the facts.. I mean it all sounds so surreal ? Is there any historical book to back this one ??

That is the story we all read in school history books, though sounds little farfetched now. But the story of Prithviraj pardoning Ghori and later treachery by Ghori is true. Now another similar story about Somnath temple...

...to be continued


ps 1. Chand Bardai was a Barot. Barots were court poets, who would keep kings on their toes in peace or in war.
     2. At present a popular teleserial based on Prithviraj's life is being aired in India