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There are other versions of the Prithviraj episode.
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From the records of the Sarv Khap Panchayat, book " Sarv Khap ka
Ithihaas' by Nihal Singh Arya
Shahbudin Ghauri (Ghori) and the Jats
1191 CE or Samvat 1248
In the aftermath of the loot of Mahmud of Ghazni, the people had lost
their faith in temples, mutts and the Panda priests. The Gurus and
sadhus were still revered. The petty kingdoms were fighting among
themselves.
The petty rajas would spend their time in fighting over women and
marriages. Eight months of the year would be spent like this. They
were indolent and their time was spent in lustful activities. The
Charan Bhats would spend their time making up false stories to please
their masters, and cause their masters to quarrel and fight with each
other. The country was divided into petty kingdoms. Only around Delhi
the Republic of the Sarv Khap of Haryana was stable, and free from
these lowly conditions.
Afghanistan was the seat of the Gaur /Ghaur Clan. They were quite
powerful. With the advance of the Arab Jihad, they lost and converted
to Islam. Mahmud Ghazni had seized their kingdom by treachery.
Allaudin mounted an attack on Ghazni, seized it and destroyed it.
Ghazni at time was one of the more beautiful cities in the world.
Allaudin spared the tomb of Ghazni and put the rest of the city to
fire, the inhabitants of the city were enslaved. In 1213 Vikram Samvat
Allaudin died.
Gyasuddin became King after Safudin and Vahiudin. His younger brother
Shahbudin followed him.
Chitrarekha Nag, was a beautiful Indian dancing girl, who had been
brought from India by Husain the son of Shahbudin's paternal Uncle.
(Chacha). Shahbudin also passionately desired this dancer. Mir Hussein
took this dancer and ran way to Ajmer, where he took shelter with
Prithviraj Chauhan. Prithviraj Chauhan also became infatuated with
this dancing girl.
At that time the Chauhans were to be found in Ajmer. Vigraraj was the
earlier the ruler. In Delhi, Prithviraj Chauhan was ruling. He was son
of the daughter of the Tanwar (Tomar) Anandpal. In Kannauj Jaichand
Gahadwala, was in power. In Bengal Luxman Sen. in Bundelkhand Parmal
Chandela had his capital at Mahobeh. In Malwa, Bhoj of the Parmar clan
was ruling. In Gujarat in Anhilwara Bhimdev Solanki was in power.
Anhilwara was a famous city in India and the Chauhans were afraid of
the Anhilwara might.
Shahbudin took the excuse of Chitrarekha and mounted a siege on Ajmer,
in 1191 CE but lost.
The Sarv Khap Panchayat supported Prithviraj Chauhan with 22,000 Mulls
or warriors. The leader was a Rajput ,Udaybhan and the deputy
commander were Hriday, of the Brahmin caste. The left wing of Ghauri's
army was annihilated by the Sarv Khap army.
In the next battle between Shahbudin Ghauri at Khanderao, the Sarv
Khap sent 18,000 Mulls. They pushed Ghauri troops back 25 miles.
The Head of the Sarv Khap Panchayat, at the time was Dunghar Jat. The
Deputy head was Harish Chandra Taga (Tyagi). Sheoram Das, Kayasth and
Shyam Prasad Bania were the Treasurers. Ram Dayal Bhat was the
incharge of diplomatic communications. He was a learned man. He would
always give sound advice. He would teach the Mulls (warriors) well, ad
keep a sharp eye on them. The Panchayati heroes never let bad or
depraved habits enter their company. Where the rajas were sunk in
depravation, the Panchayati republic was the abode of the Gods themselves.
A Bhat ( Bard) Hariprakash painted an accurate picture of the depraved
conditions of the monarchial courts. The rajas had become
characterless. They would fight over women. Only the Sardars (leaders)
of Mohabah were immune. They did not succumb to the high low casteism.
Prithviraj lost many of his leaders in these blood sport fights over
women. Prithviraj had become a fallen person, and was found drunk day
and night in his harem of prostitutes. The court was full of women
talk. Heroism had rusted. Prostitutes would dance daily in the courts.
The eyes were closed to the Islamic Jihad.
The Chauhan, Rahtors, and Chandelas were being destroyed by in
fighting. Prithviraj went to war with Jaichand over a woman. He
brought many women to his harem in this manner. On his taking and then
leaving a woman of a Rawa clan, the Sarv Khap broke off relations with
him.
Seeing these conditions, Shahbudin Ghauri once more attacked Delhi in
1193 CE. Prithviraj had lost many of his commanders in these petty
bloodsport fights. Chandra Bhan Bhat somehow got Prithviraj out of his
Harem. A 50,000 strong army was collected. The son in law of
Prithviraj, Samar Singh, brought 12,000 troops from the Raja of
Chittor. The Sarv Khap contributed 18,000 troops, and in this manner
the army's strength was raised to 80,000. The army was very strong,
but a traitor rajput, Vijay Singh joined the army of Ghauri.
This battle was fought near Thaneswar (modern Haryana near Karnal).
Rana Samar Singh and the Sarv Khap army fought for three days. The
enemy could not advance one inch. A great warrior Sagar Singh Rohrd
led the Panchayat army. The assistant commanders were three Jats, 5
Gujars, four Ahirs, three rajputs, two Sainis, four Brahmins.
Hardhan, Mardhan, Jungam, Bugli were four warriors of the Jat Dahiya
clan. When these 30,000 warriors had been sacrificed, then the 50,000
strong army of Prithviraj Chauhan advanced.
The seasoned warriors of this army had already been lost, sacrificed
to the blood sports of Prithviraj. The army was consisting of new
green recruits. They were brought up in a life of ease, women and
drink. In an hour they ran away, and the battle was over. Prithviraj
was captured, and Shahbudin hoisted his flag of victory over Delhi.
In 1194(1251 Vikram S), Jaichand was defeated.
When Shahbudin Ghauri was going back to Afghanistan, the Khokkar Jats
attacked him on the banks of the Sindhu River. The General of the
Khokkars, Anirudh, cut off Ghauri's head in Vikram Samvat 1262 ( 1205 CE).
His slave commander Kutubudin Aibak succeeded Ghauri, and the
Panchayat fought many battles with him
Prithviraj Chauhan was taken to Afghanistan where he was blinded and
tortured to death,
The Jat reaction:
1. THE HISSAR PANCHAYAT ( 1251 Vikram Samvat, 1194 AD)
The SarvKhap called a Panchayat at Hissar (now in modern Haryana) in
VS 1251 (1194 AD). It was a very large and well-attended panchayat.
While the Panchayat was in progress, Kutub U Din 's army attacked
them. The SarvKhap army fought hard with the enemy. A fierce battle
took place. Many soldiers were killed on both sides. The enemy Muslim
soldiers could not stand up to the brave SarvKhap soldiers, and were
defeated and ran away. They were killed in great numbers. The
SarvKhap army was victorious in this battle. (The history of the
Panchayat of the 18 Khaps- Author Ramsingh Sahityaratan).
2. THE PANCHAYAT OF BHAJU AND BHANERA, (1251 VS (1194 AD),
Jyesta, Sudhi Teej.
(Held under the stewardship the Khap Baliyan, (who were the ministers
of the Sarv Khap at Shoron, district Muzzafarnagar.)?
In the jungles of Bhanu Banera a great panchayat was held. People
from all jatis (castes) participated. There were 30,000 attendees of
whom there were 15, 000 Mulls (Warriors). Most the participants were
Jats
The chairman of the panchayat was chosen to be Chaudhry Vijay Rao,
who was of the Baliyan Khap, and a resident of Sisauli.
The Jat Gogarmull was chosen as the chief general of the
Mulls (Warriors).
This panchayat was called to discuss and deliberate upon the defeat
of the Chauhans and the Rathores (Prithviraj Chauhan and Jai Chand
Rathor) by Mohamad Ghauri.
The chairman of the Panchayat gave a resounding speech, some extracts
of which are as below:
Explaining the reasons of the defeat of the Chauhans the Chairman
said:
" His (Prithviraj's) character had fallen. He was drunk day and
night, and spent his time in the harems. His focus had strayed from
looking after the well being of the population, maintenance of
military skills, teaching his soldiers military skills, and
protection of the nation. His Senapati (general) and his soldiers
also became drunks and developed bad habits and behavior. Jaichand
Rathore betrayed the nation by going against him. At the end he
(Jaichand) too received the reward of death."
[ source; Sarv Khap Panchayat, Shoron, records]
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