In India Rajasthan is famous for the glorious history of its forts. Among the numerous structures Hanumangarh fort, historically known as Bhatner fort beacause built and ruled by Bhati Rajputs, raised over the Thed on the bank of sprawling Ghaggar river, stands very high. Prince Bhati of Jadam race from Gandhar region in his adverse days had founded the fort sometimes in the middle of fifth century.
Bhati was grandson of great king Shalivahan of Punjab and Afghanistan. Jadams, who after their crushing defeat from the hands of Huns of Khurasan, had migrated from frontier regions and settled down in the territory of Ghaggar valley or Bang. After this incident, Jadams became more popular as Bhati (s).
Famous explorers Tessitory and Aurel Stein who discovered numerous objects in the Ghaggar valley forward that during the Kushan period region had developed rich Buddhist and Hindu culture. The architecture of Bhadrakali temple bears testimony to it. Perhaps, Yaudheyas or Johiyas were the residents. Henna Rydh, Swedish archaeologist who did extensive excavation work in Rangmahal, located in the lower Ghaggar valley calculated the period of ‘Rangmahal culture’ from 5th to 7th centuries. This is the time when Jadams or Bhatis also established their principality at Bhatner. It now becomes interesting to investigate that Bhatis are real founder of ‘Rangmahal culture’!
Chinese traveller Huen Tisiang, who visited Bhatner in 631 c, capital of Satadru, found it’s a spacious town. During the late seventh century the town faced a serious water crisis and the royal family while leaving representative decided to move back to Punjab. But there, too, they could not stay long. The First Arab invasion on the frontier region in the same century expelled them permanently from there and one branch of Bhati returned back to\ Bang. But local powers resisted so they founded a new town of Marot in the present Bhawalpur district of Pakistan. After passing some time they annexed Bhatner. In 1004 c Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna attacked over the fort of Bhatner. Vijayray Bhati after putting a stiff resistance lost the fort and himself slipped to Lakhi Jungle. Sultan, too, after great hardship could return to Ghazna, however, he collected a large booty from the fort. His own share alone came amounting to 120 elephants besides gold, silver and arms. Few months later barhas of bathinda through a treacherous plot killed Vijayray. With this killing main branch of Bhatis lost the fort forever.
After that Bhatner remained under the possession of small local powers, however, because of its strategic location on Delhi-Multan route continued to attract all important powers of north India. In 1191 c when Mohammad Ghori and Prithviraj Chauhan fought, Sultan first conquered Bhatner. Muslim writers called it by the name of ‘Tabarhind’ (Phalsa) or outer gate of Hind; because after the loss of Punjab and Sind to the Turks the western frontier of India squeezed to cripple around the limits of Bhatner and Abohar. Thereafter, Bhatner remained more popular as Tabarhind. Two famous battles of Tarains, fought between Ghurids and Chauhans took place at Talwara Jheel, located between Bhatner and Sirsa. At Sirsa Prithviraj was captured.
Bhatner remained prized Iqta (Jagir) in the eyes of nobles of the court of Delhi. This fort is spread over 52 bighas of land. There are 52 huge bastions in it, the fort is built of ripe bricks and lime. Malik Altunia, husband of Razia Sultan was holder of Iqta of Tabarhind. Sher Khan, cousin of Sultan Balban, not only repaired the fort but also checked the numerous invasions of Mangols and saved Delhi. Sultan Balban rather than feeling happy became so envious over the unmatched success of his cousin that he treacherously killed him by mixing poison in his ‘Fuka’ ( Rabri). When Firuz Tughluq (1351 -1388 c) became Sultan of Delhi he in lieu of services rendered by his mother’ family, assigned Iqta of Bhatner to his maternal uncle Bhairuji Bhati. This Bhati family was from ruling class of Abohar, distant relatives of Bhatis of Jaisalmer.
Taimur, & the resistance provided by Rajputs of Bhatnir was one of the most fearsome experience of Taimur's life.
When Taimur invaded India,he very carefully selected his Route till Delhi, going through small cities and avoiding struggle with dominant powers of the region. Mongol conqueror Amir Timur, while marching towards Delhi on his way attacked Bhatner.
Rao Dulichand or Dulji, son of Bhairuji did not succumbed to his threats and shut the gates of the fort. Timur in his memoirs writes that, “the people of the country informed me that…
Bhatner was an extremely strong and well- fortified place, so much so as to be renowned throughout the whole of Hindustan.” Security arrangements at the fort were so good that people from Punjab came and took shelter there. Timur was especially furious towards the people of Ajodhan (Pak pattan) who without paying him ransom fled and hide them in the town of Bhatner.
On 7th November, 1398 c, Timur besieged the fort. Raja Dulchand the Rajput chief of Bhatnir, fought cleverly with Taimur, inflicted heavy losses on the army of Taimur.
Raja Dulchand being hevily outnumbered played a clever trick with Taimur, everytime after cutting down his 1000 soldiers, Dulchand announced ceasefire by sending his sayyid servant to broke peace, as soon as Taimur lifted cease, Rajputs used to come out of their fort & slaughter another 1000 soldiers.
Taimur was astonished and filled with Rage at Raja Dulchand's capacity to pose a resistance rather than surrendering even though being heavily outnumbered. At one point he was brokering peace at other point he was planning for the next fight.
Sooner or Later, Raja Dulchand was confined inside Taimur's camp, while some of Rajputs of neighbouring Dipalpur came and joined the armies of Bhatnir, at the end of this, Sulaiman was fed up with the Resistance and fight given by Rajputs even though their leader was confined Inside Taimur's camp. Rajput forces even included common public as well as Muslims against Taimur.
Sulaiman Exclaimed "Why take trouble and lose more men in battle with those Rajputs who seem to fight us despite all odds".
Rao resisted his pressures and gave him a tuff time. However, Mongols proved too strong and were resourceful enough to carry the battle for a long. So Rao through the emissary of local Sayyad scholars tried to pacify the invaders but when the Timuri soldiers went to town to realize the ransom and started looting the houses the locals did not control themselves and started resisting the raiders. That provoked the wrath of invader and he ordered for general loot and murder. Hindus burnt their houses with women and children and killed them in encounters. It is estimated that ten thousand local Hindus alone had perished. Muslims of the town, too, killed their families with their own hands and engaged in fighting till they met death.
While 1000s of Rajputs & common men of Bhatnir(present Hanumangarh) & Dipalpur laid their lives for the motherland, We do not find the information about Rao but his brother and son were killed. Timur not only looted the town but reduced it to ashes. The air of the area became so polluted by the putrefying bodies of the slain that Timur was forced to leave the place as soon as possible and he encamped at Talwara Jheel. It is one of the ghastly incidents of history of Rajasthan. Perhaps, Bhatner is the only fort in Rajasthan which faced the invasions of Mahmud Ghazni, Mohammad Ghori and Amir Timur.
After the departure of Timur Bhatner became the game of politics among local powers. For some time the ruined city came under the possession of Bhatis of Marot. But the actual necessary repairing work started at the time of rule of Sayyad Sultans of Delhi. They first assigned the fort to Hanu (Hanuwant), son of Dulichand and then to Faulad Bachha. Faulad made the ramparts of the fort strong enough and with that planning he started behave independently. Therefore, Sultan Mubarak Shah, himself, came from Delhi and while making base at Sirsa besieged the fort of Bhatner. Sultan became victorious but Bhatner again slipped from the hands of Delhi. Sayyads were defeated by Lodi Afghans and latters due to their problems in the Ganga-Yamuna regions could not pay sufficient attentions towards Bhatner. In the meanwhile, Aboharia Bhatis, too, became weak and they were overthrown by their convert brothers, Bhattis. Johiyas emerged as their rivals. Bhatis or Bhattis and Yaudheyas (Johiyas) were old dwellers of the region and their rivalry is dated back from the fifth century. In the end of fifteenth century, one more local power of Chayals (Chauhans of Bagad), entered the scene.
Sixteenth century, further, invited two more new political powers. Mughals of Delhi and Rathor Rajputs of Jangaldesh, both became keen to take over the fort. First, Rathors took the initiative and Khetsi Kandhlot Rathor in 1527 c conquered Bhatner but after the stay of almost seven years he lost his life while defending it against Kamran, brother of emperor Humayun. Kamran after that proceeded towards Bikaner where in 1534 c he was badly beaten. After that a serious contest erupted between Chayals and Kandhlot Rathors but during the reign of Shershah his ally Rao Kalyanmal of Bikaner assigned Bhatner to his brother Thakursi. Raisingh, successor of Kalyanmal and strong supporter of Akbar managed Bhatner as his Jagir and grandson of Thakursi was allotted another Thikana in the state. Actually rulers of Bikaner were afraid of rise of an independent principality of Rathors at Bhatner. So whenever they received the confidence of royal court of Delhi they managed the possession of Bhatner.
During the period of eighteenth century Mughal protection extended to Rajput states was lapsed and as a result of that like other native states, Bikaner, too, entangled in a number of internal political problems. Bhattis and Johiyas got desirable opportunity and from even time to time succeeded in ruling Bhatner. Nobles of Bikaner State, particularly, Thakurs of Mahajan and Rawatsar, played a significant role in containing both tribes. Bahadur Singh of Rawatsar always remained in van guard because his Jagir was located close to Bhatner and moreover he always first bore the brunt of lawlessness whenever spread in the area. Many times he and members of his Khamp were asked to lead the campaigns. Final assault by Bikaneri forces came under the commandership of Amarchaand Surana and of course with the assistance of mercenaries misl forces on Vaisakh Badi 4, V.S. 1862 (1805 c) when Bhattis finally vacated the fort. In this assault Rawat Vijay Singh of Rawatsar showed extraordinary bravery but killed. Since the victory came on Tuesday, on the instructions from Maharaja Surat singh, the name of the fort from Bhatner was changed to Hanumangarh. Old dwellers lost their settlement and identity permanently.
No comments:
Post a Comment