[nukkad] Fw: Insight India : 8

[zaverirm <>]

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Tip of the day:  "If thine enemy wrong thee, buy each of his children a drum."
                -- Chinese proverb
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Dear brothers and sisters,
The new millenium has just begun. While the last millenium ended with
hijacking  of Indian Airline plane to Afghanistan by muslim fanatics its
beginning was a   million times more terrible. Here is the first episode of
what trauma must      have been suffered by our ancestors precisely a
thousand years ago at the hands  of one of history`s most barbaric invaders,
Mehmud of Gazni.
Mehmud defeated his brother Ismail who was nominated by his father as his
successor in a war and executed him. He subsequently conquered eastern Iran
and  Transoxiana. His bloody Indian expeditions began in September 1000 when
he captured forts near Lamghan. In 1001 he fought a fierce battle against
king     Jayapal near Peshawar and defeated him. While returning to Punjab
to regroup and fight back Jaypal died and was succeeded by his son Anandpal.
Towards the end of 1005 Mehmud seized Bhatinda defeating its Raja but in the
bargain    suffered heavy losses. The next year he marched to Multan via
Peshawar where Anandpal offered resistance  but was wiped out. The head of
the Ismaili community, Dawud fled Multan while all Ismailis were butchered
and their  mosques were demolished. Only Sunnis and their mosques were
spared. Mehmud  returned to Gazni installing Sukhpal, son of Anandpal on the
Multan throne.  Soon after Mehmud`s departure from Multan, Sukhpal rebelled.
Mehmud rushed to   Multan, captured Sukhpal and beheaded him in January
1008. Meanwhile Anandpal   who was on the run, had managed to pool a vast
army of neighbouring rajas.  At this point of time Mehmud crossed the Indus
river and defeated Anandpal  in the plains opposite Waihind in January 1009.
Anandpal managed to escape  while smaller rajas fled to Nagarkot temple near
Kangra, with Mehmud at their  heels. Nagarkot surrendered and the vast booty
from the vaults of its temple fell into Mehmud`s hands. Anandpal
re-established his kingdom on the northern   spur of the Salt range,
commanding the main route into the Gangetic plain, with Nandana as his
capital. He died shortly afterwareds and was succeeded by   his son
Trilochanapal.
More about Mehmud`s savage incursions into Punjab, Kashmir and Rajasthan in
the next episode.
Rohit Zaveri, Dubai.





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