Probably everyone in this country knows who Prithviraj Chauhan was. One might not recognize him if one met him at the airport, but almost everyone around the nation does know his name. Blame it on historybooks or on the television serials, Chauhan has become a household name. However, what actually immortalized him were his deeds and Chand Bardai’s epic poem, Prithviraj Raso.
Prithviraj Chauhan (also known as Prithviraj Chauhan III), was the last independent Hindu king to sit on the throne of Delhi. He came into power at the age of 20 in 1169.. His succession wasn’t peaceful but he managed to re-consolidate the Chauhan kingdom and conquered several neighboring kingdoms by the end of his rule. Chauhan ruled from the twin capitals of Ajmer and Delhi and controlled much of the present-day Rajasthan and Haryana and parts of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. He spent his 20′s unifying the Rajputs against the Muslim invaders.
Prithviraj married his cousin’s daughter, Samyukta. The love between Prithviraj and Samyukta is one ofIndia‘s most popular medieval romances. It also happens to be one of the most prominent subjects ofPrithviraj Raso. Probably this is what instigated Star Plus to make a television show on the life of Prithviraj Chauhan and his personal life.
Samyukta was dazzled by Prithviraj’s reputation and fell in love with him. She herself was a beauty and Prithviraj also admired her greatly. Everything seemed smooth until Samyukta’s father came into picture. He belonged to the rival clan and hence, disapproved of their potential marriage. He even tried to insult Prithviraj by arranging a swayamwara for Samyukta but, Prithviraj outsmarted him and eloped with her. Raja Jaichand, Samyukta’s father, was obviously enraged and he severed all bonds with his daughter and the Chauhan kingdom. The rival clans always battled to settle the score but all it did was to weaken both the sides. Still for a while, it all seemed good but Prithviraj and Samyukta hardly knew that it just marked the beginning of their miseries.
The main villain of Prithviraj and Samyukta’s love-story was not Jaichand but Muhammad Ghori. He was a Muslim ruler from Afghanistan who had set his eyes on Delhi for a long time. He first attacked in 1178 entering through present-day Gujarat but was defeated. He had always been waiting to strike and he finally did in 1191. By this time, he had gotten stronger and invaded through the present-day Punjab. Prithviraj appealed to Jaichand for assistance, which he scornfully rejected. The undaunted Prithviraj still managed to defeat Ghori and even captured him. What he did next happens only in movies.
Muhammad Ghori, once captured, begged Prithviraj Chauhan for mercy and release. Now, had there been any other person apart from him, he/she would have mercilessly executed the guy or at least would have imprisoned him for life. But, Prithviraj wasn’t a mere mortal, he was something far more greater. He respectfully released Ghori against the advice of his ministers. This could have been an end to the story. Unfortunately, it wasn’t.
Ghori reassembled a vast army and returned to challenge Prithviraj once more an year later. Jaichand again did not come to Prithviraj’s aid. However, Prithviraj managed to assemble a large army himself with the aid of approximately 150 Rajput rulers and aristocrats. The battle seemed even until Ghori attacked the Rajputs at day-break. The Rajput army collapsed into confusion & Prithviraj was captured.
Ghori took Prithviraj as a prisoner to Afganistan. He was also accompanied by Chand Bardai, his courtier. Contrasting to how Ghori was treated as a prisoner, Prithviraj was insulted and humiliated by Ghori and his courtiers. Upon refusing to lower his eyes in front of Ghori, he was blinded mercilessly with red hot iron rods. Just when all hopes were lost and a legend was about to meet his painful end, Chand Bardai encouraged Prithviraj to get his revenge. What happened next, one only hears in stories.
Bardai and Chauhan were seeking an opportunity to avenge the injustice done to him. They got it when Ghori announced a game of archery. Prithviraj insisted on participating upon which the courtiers guffawed at him. He told Ghori to order him to shoot, and he’ll reach his target. Ghori, now suspicious, asked Prithviraj why he wanted Ghori himself to order and nobody else to which Chand Bardai promptly replied on behalf of Prithviraj that he as king would not accept orders from anyone other than a king. Ghori agreed and on the said day, Prithviraj was brought to the ground and unchained for the event. When Ghori ordered to shoot, Prithviraj turned in the direction from where he heard Ghori speak and struck him dead with his arrow. Prithviraj was eventually killed by Ghori’s bodyguards. He was tortured by Ghori but, he died an undefeated warrior, taking Ghori down with him.
This is how the epic tale of Prithviraj Chauhan supposedly ended, or so we thought. Prithviraj Chauhan was buried in Afghanistan itself and every now and then there’s an online petition to bring his remains back. This is mostly fueled by the fact that it is a tradition in Afghanistan that whoever visits Ghori’s tomb ‘insults’ Chauhan’s grave first which lies nearby. The form of ‘insult’ is described differently by different people but, one thing’s certain, that of course no one is paying respect to that grave.
Sometime back, one of Phoolan Devi’s assailants, Sher Singh Rana, who had escaped Tihar jail, claimed to have brought back the remains of Prithviraj Chauhan from Afghanistan. Even though this features on Wikipedia as well, the authenticity of this is still unknown. It is unfortunate that our Government doesn’t intervene in the matter. One might think that it has a lot of other current concerns, which absolutely makes sense. However, we fail to see it in action anywhere else as well.
A common person today is concerned more about the Budget 2012-2013 presented last month. He should be as the change-log is truly hopeless but, midst everything are we forgetting and ignoring our ancestral heritage? Not knowing is different, but knowing and not doing anything is a matter of concern.
The purpose of this article is not to instigate any anti-governmental feelings but, to encourage everyone to respect their ancestry and to try to preserve it. Prithiviraj was a great ruler, warrior, son, brother and lover who is yet to be paid his homage. The best way, by an ordinary citizen, to do so is probably to never let his or her nation down and respect it ’cause this is exactly what Prithviraj Chauhan and a million others sacrificed their lives for. Jai Hind!
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