The abduction of Samyogita from swayamwara by Prithviraj Chauhan in the presence of all the royals of the land was a matter of shame for Raja Jaichanda. Extremely humiliated he felt. The very memory of it felt like a million ants stinging him allover. He always cursed the Delhi ruler and prayed for his total destruction. At every cost he wanted the ruin of Prithviraj. To achieve that end he could join hands with devil itself.
Then, he learnt that Mohammad Gauri preparing to battle with Prithviraj Chauhan to avenge an earlier defeat at the hands of the Delhi ruler. It was the most welcome news for Raja Jaichanda. He decided to take advantage of the situation. Enemy of an enemy can be a friend. He had made up his mind to help the Afghan chieftain in his revenge mission against Prithviraj.
Raja Jaichanda on his own could not dare to challenge the might of Prithviraj. His only chance lay in joining hands with Mohammad Gauri to fulfil his desire for revenge. With the help of Gauri the Delhi ruler could be defeated. In teaming up with Gauri there were chances of his gaining double benefits. The first was that his revenge will be taken on the Delhi ruler in the defeat of the latter. The second benefit was the possibility of Mohammad Gauri awarding him the kingdom of Delhi for his help against Prithviraj. Even if a small part of Delhi will be an excellent gain. These thought kept Raja Jaichanda in good spirits and high hopes.
He no more cared for the interests of his native motherland and racial pride. The aliens had little respect for native Indian. For them Indians were caste divided woman burning barbarians. To take revenge on a fellow native king the traitor Jaichanda was going to play a stooge of an alien invader who practised all the lowly acts that were against the grain of the ancient culture of the land. And in that unholy act he was betraying his own race. So, Raja Jaichanda sent a messenger to Mohammad Gauri offering help in his campaign against the old enemy Prithviraj Chauhan. He could not believe his luck. Inwardly he smiled at the quarrelsome nature and meanness of the native rulers of India. With a renewed vigour he prepared for the revenge battle against the Delhi forces.
Meanwhile, the news reached Delhi regarding the preparations being made by Mohammad Gauri for a battle Prithviraj paid little attention to it. He was too busy in honeymooning with his beauteous bride Princess Samyogita now his queen.
The court bard Chandabardai was the confidant of Raja Prithviraj and a loyal friend of the Delhi ruler. The news from Punjab greatly upset him and get him worrying. It meant a big trouble for Delhi.
So, he himself went to the palace to alert the Raja about the lurking danger of Mohammad Gauri. He had to intrude into the privacy of the Delhi ruler who now rarely emerged out from the bedroom of his bride, Samyogita.
He did not like getting disturbed by the court bard Chandabardai. In an displeased mood he came out of the bed chamber. With his eyebrows arched he asked, “What is it?” His tone was harsh.
Chandabardai did not show any resentment for being treated so brusquely. For him the cause of his visit was more importan it. He said in a grim voice, “My King! Our spies bring news that Mohammad Gauri is making frantic preparation to wage a revenge batle against us. We need to make appropriate preparations to meet his challenge.”
But it made little impression on Prithviraj. He was too lost in his amorous games with the newly wed queen. His eyes remained fixed into the bed chamber where Samyogita lay on bed.
Prithviraj said in irritation, “So what if that Afghan jackal is making preparations against us. Can a jackal with sharpened claws and molars hope to defeat a lion? Can one?”
“No my king.”
“So why are you so worried?” the Delhi ruler asked.
“Gauri is not alone, Your Majesty. Our arch enemy Raja Jaichanda had joined forces with Gauri. It is very serious.”
“Bah! Two jackals coming together can not score a win against a lion. Stop worrying, go home and take rest. When the time comes we well dismember those jackals.”
Prithviraj Chauhan went back into royal bed chamber and slammed the door as Chandabardai watched more in sadness then shock. His king had degenerated into a debauchee and was beyond reasoning. He was derelecting his duty to his subjects and the kingdom he had himself raised so painstakingly and making so many sacrifices. Now it was all going to dogs because of the carnal infatuation for a woman. Chandabardai shook his head in despair and left the palace. There was no hope.
But he did not sit idle. He discussed the matter with some concerned ministers and commanders about the trouble that was brewing up. Inspite of the disinterest of the rulers they must do something to meet the challenge when it come. In whatever small way they could they alerted the Delhi forces and asked them to ready themselves for a decisive battle that looked imminent.
Some friendly kings were also approached and their help was sought against Mohammad Gauri on behalf of Prithviraj Chauhan. But the response was luke warm as the Delhi emmissaries could not produce personal letter written under the signature and the royal seal. Politically the atmosphere had also changed. The abduction of Samyogita from swayamwara had turned several kings and princes against Prithviraj. In their eyes the Delhi ruler had become a raider and princess lifter. They were more inclined to fight against the Delhi ruler to settle old score. Several kings preferred to remain neutral as they thought that Prithviraj and Raja Jaichanda were both black as kettle and pot.
Chandabardai and some other loyal ministers and commanders rallied the forces of Delhi as best as they could.
Then, clouds of war rumbles menacingly. The palace of Prithviraj too shook and the love besotten. Delhi ruler was rudely woken up from his slumber. He could no more hide his face under the pillow of Samyogita. Mohammad Gauri was baying for the blood of Prithviraj and threatening to overrun Delhi.
For Delhi forces it was inperative that the enemy was met at his home ground away from Delhi. Prithviraj Chauhan had to don his armour again and pick up arms with his softened up hands. He belatedly thanked in heart Chandabardai and his loyal commanders for preparing up the forces for the anticipated battle with Gauri.
In the year of 1192 A.D. Prithviraj Chauhan set out to meet the challenge of Mohammad Gauri with a massive force of 3 lakh soldiers. It had several elephant brigades to confront the enemy with a masisve wall of jumboes.
A few days later, two armies faced each other again to fight ‘II Battle of Tarain’. In comparison to 3 lakh soldiers of Delhi, Gauri had only one lakh and twently thousand soldiers. The two armies clashed and the battle raged on.
This time Mohammad Gauri had reworked his battle plans. He had raised a powerful cavalry unit that could move fast and launch fierce attacks. Its horses were protected by steel armours on the two sides. They could not be targeted easily with swords or arrows.
As usual Delhi forces predictable put up its elephant brigades in front to create a wall against the enemy. From atop and behind the cover of the elephants Delhi soldiers rained arrows and spears on the enemy to push them on backfoot. It worked instantly. But soon the cavalry brigades of the enemy surrounded the elephants from three sides and began to shoot arrows at them besides throwing spears from the close quarter. The injured beasts found front and the flanks blocked by horses of the cavalry of the enemy. They turned back and retreated trampling upon the Delhi soldiers.
The soldiers of Prithviraj found themselves badly trapped. They panicked. The Turkish soldiers began to massacre them mercilessly. The soldiers of Raja Jaichanda were fighting alongside the Gauri forces. Thus, Rajputs were killing Rajputs revengefully.
As resulf of this battle Prithviraj Chauhan get badly defeated outmarshalled and outwitted. Prithviraj and Chandabardai were taken prisoners. To make matter worse Mohammad Gauri ordered the eyes of the Delhi ruler gored out at once. The butchers of Gauri’s force executed the order.
The traitor Raja Jaichanda suffered even worse fate. No prizes and reward came from the alien invader Mohammad Gauri for his help in defeating Prithviraj. Gauri attacked Kannauj and Raja Jaichanda was done to death. Now Kannauj too was the property of Mohammad Gauri.
End of an era
Mohammad Gauri of Afghanistan had become the lord of Delhi, Punjab, Ajmer and many other lands of India. He appointed his able and trusted commander Kutubuddin Aibak as the governor of the conquered lands in India and returned to his homeland of Gaur. With him he carried loads of wealth pundered in India and his prize prisoners of war, Prithviraj and Chandabardai.
Gour prison became new home of the Indian prisoers of war.
One day, Mohammad Gauri learnt that his prisoner Prithviraj could shoot arrow correctly in blind folded state at the sources of a sound. He wanted to see it for himself. First Prithviraj would not agree to it but Chandabardai intervened and persuaded him to demonstrate his skill. Chandabardai had a plan.
On a hight stage sat Mohammad Gauri. At a distance a kettle drum was placed. Prithviraj stood with a bow and arrow in hand at a predetermind spot. The drum was sounded but Prithviraj stood still. He was supposed to shoot his arrow at the drum, the source of the sound.
Chandabardai explained, “Afghan lord, now we are your slaves. Our king will obey your orders only. With the sounding of the drum you must order him to shoot.”
“Oh!” Mohammad Gauri spoke with mirth and nodded his head.
The drum was beaten and Gauri ordered, “Shoot prisoner!”
Prithviraj took aim at the human voice and shot his arrow which went through the throat of Mohammad Gauri instantly killing him.
Before the Afghan soldiers could pounce on the tricky prisoner, Chandabardai snatched a sword from the hands of a guard and plunged it into the chest of Prithviraj Chauhan in a flash and then he killed himself with it. Thus ended the agony of the two prisoners of war. But there legends became immortal, a proud chapter of our history.
Note : Most historians consider the end part a fanciful tale imagined by some chauvinistic story tellers or folk tale weavers. The authentic records show Mohammad Gauri died in his homeland in a battle. The professional historians say Prithviraj Chauhan lost his life in the II Battle of Tarain. Even if he were taken prisoner and then blind he was executed soon after as was the tradition of Afghans. Most of the historians agree that Prithviraj did not survive the Tarain Battle of 1192 A.D.
