Once upon a time a prince by name Ajay Pal ruled over Garhwal. At this coronation all the chiefs and nobles of his kingdom attended his darbarto pay homage to him , except Kaffu Chauhan who lived in the fort called Upgarh. The Raja Summoned him to his darbar; but he replied that he (Kaffu) was like a lion among beasts and as Garud among birds and would not pay homage to Ajai Pal. The King warned him that if he persisted in his disloyalty, his territory will be invaded.
Kaffu Chauhan Replied that far from paying homage to Ajai Pal, he (Kaffu) would invade Srinagar, the capital of Ajai Pal and destroy his palace and gardens. Ajai Pal could not bear this insult and invaded Kaffu's Territory with a large army under his personal command. He reached the banks of the Ganges opposite the strong and high fort of Upgarh. The mother of Kaffu Chauhan saw from the window of the fort the opposite bank of the river covered with a huge mass of men and asked Kaffu Chauhan what it was. Kaffu Chauhan said that it was the army of King Ajai Pal whom he had offended by refusing to pay homage.
On hearing this Kaffu's mother wept and said:
"O my dear and only son thou Can not possibly fight against such odds single-handed. Go and apologize to The King who, I am sure, will pardn thee."
Kaffu Replied:
"I cannot atoop so low, I belong to a true Kshatriya Family. My father's soul world vurrse me from heaven for my cowardice."
Kaffu Chauhan the descended from his fort and cut the ropes of his suspenaion bridge which used for crossing the river. When King Ajai Pal's general went to attack Kaffu's fort next morning they find found the bridge broken and informed King Ajai Pal about it. Ajai Pal was much enraged abd ordered his army to put up another suspension bridge and surrounded tge fort. Seeing this Kaffu'smother was much frightened and again remonstrated with her son. Kaffu said that he would not yield even if his head was seperated from his body. Kaffu put on his armour and riding his war horse rushed out of the fort and attacked the enemy with the utmost heroism. He destroyed the whole army of the enemy single-handed. Stream of blood flowed and the ground was covered with corpses. After killing the whole army of King Ajai Pal, Kaffu Chauhan went to river side to rest. One of the officers of Kaffu Chauhan's army had been fighting with with a small army elsewhere. But they were all killed by the enemy. Kaffu's mother, seeing this, though that Kaffu too had shared the same fate. She preferred sucide to falling a prey to the enemy. She, therefore, set fire to the fort and perished with the rest of Kaffu's family. When Kaffu Chauhan returned home, victorious, he was stunned by the terrible sight and stood, as though turned to stone, at the gate of the fort. In the meantime some of Ajai Pal's army arrived, and seeing Kaffu in that Plight informed King Ajai Pal,
Who was overjoyed and went himself to the place then King Ajai Pal said to his men,
"As Kaffu would not bow to me while he was alive cut off his head in such a way that it may fall at my feet."
When the soldiers were about to cut off Kaffu's head, he shook with rage, swallowed two handfuls of dust and stared at Ajai Pal with contemptuous smile. When Kaffu Chauhan head was seperated from hus body, instead of falling at King Ajai Pal's it fell toward his Head. King Ajai Pal was so struck with the heroism of Kaffu Chauhan that he performed his funeral rites with military honours on the banks of the river.
कफ्फू चौहान (जीवनकालः 16वीं सदी का प्रारम्भ): उप्पूगढ़ (पट्टी जुवा उदयपुर, टिहरी गढ़वाल) का इतिहास प्रसिद्ध गढ़पति। आन-बान का धनी, स्वाभिमानी, मातृभूमि के रक्षार्थ प्राणोत्सर्ग कर देने वाला अकेला वीर पुरुष।
राजा अजयपाल जब ई.सन 1500 से 1520 के मध्य गढवाल के लगभग सभी गढ़ों को अपने अधीन कर चुका था, तो विजय अभियान में उसकी नजर उप्पूगढ़ पर पड़ी। इसका गढ़पति उन दिनों चौहान वंशीय युवक कफ्फू चौहान था। कफ्फू चौहान अत्यन्त स्वाभिमानी था। उसे अपने गढ़ की स्वाधीनता प्राणों से भी प्यारी थी। राजा अजयपाल ने कफ्फू चाहान को बिना युद्ध किए अधीनता स्वीकार कर लेने का सन्देश भिजवाया। कफ्फू ने राजा का प्रस्ताव यह कहते हुए ठुकरा दिया कि "मैं पशुओं में सिंह और पक्षियों में गरुड़ की तरह हूँ। मुझे किसी की अधीनता स्वीकार्य नहीं है।" कफ्फू की इस गर्वोक्ति पर क्रुद्ध होकर राजा ने सेना भेजकर उप्पूगढ़ पर चढाई कर दी। कफ्फू की मुट्ठी भर सेना राजा की विशाल सेना के आगे टिक न सकी। पूरा उप्पूगढ़ ध्वस्त हो गया। हजारों ललनाओं ने जौहर कर प्राणाहुति दे दी थी। कफ्फू को जीवित बन्दी बनाकर राजा के सम्मुख पेश किया गया। उसने फिर भी अधीनता स्वीकार नहीं की। राजा ने हुक्म दिया- "कफ्फू का सिर काटकर मेरे पैरों पर गिरा दो।" इससे पहले कि कफ्फू का सिर धड़ से अलग होकर राजा के पैरों पर गिरता, उसने मातृभूमि की मिट्टी मुंह में फांक ली और गर्दन को ऐसा झटका दिया कि दूर गिरने से पहले राजा के मुख के सामने से गया। यह दृश्य देखकर राजा अजयपाल स्तब्ध रह गए। ऐसे वीर, स्वाभिमानी, स्वाधीनता प्रेमी कफ्फू चौहान के मृत शरीर के आगे राजा बरबस बोल उठे- "वीर! तुम जीते, मैं हारा।" राजा ने स्वयं कफ्फू चौहान को मुखाग्नि दी। कफ्फू चौहान के इस मतवालेपन से स्थानीय लोग आज भी उसे कफ्फू झल्ली (सनकी) कहकर याद करते हैं। कुछ वर्षों पूर्व तक कई लोग उप्पूगढ़ को सौट्यालगढ़' कहते सुने गए। गढ़ के भग्नावशेष प्रायः लुप्त हैं।
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