Battle of Rajasthan – Rajputs vs Muslim Invaders.

Battle of Rajasthan was not a battle fought once or at a single place. It is a series of battles fought for years. together by the kings of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Malwa against Arab-Muslim attackers. on Sindh-Rajasthan borders of India to prevent their interventions in India. Because of the major contributions by Rajputs like the Pratiharas, the Chowhans and the Gohilauts of Rajasthan. these wars are known as Battle of Rajasthan.

Pratihara Rajput Nagabhatt who played a vital role in the battle of Rajasthan

On reading Indian history, (esp. school textbooks) reader’s mind gets an impression that Indian and its people were so dud. And as if Indian frontiers were publicly open for all, foreign mankaris. such as the Greeks, the Huns, the Turks, the Afghanis and the Mughals. at their convenience and without any fear of counter-attacks. easily attack India and plundered India and established their powers. These are totally fake and illogical facts and their main proofs are these Battles of Rajasthan. Let’s have a look at its brief history.

In 550 A.D., after the end of Gupta Empire which was stretched across the whole of North India. there did not exist any such great empire which can fill its void. Due to lack of presence of specific central power. North India was divided into smaller states namely Malwa, Vallabhi, Thaneshar, Rajasthan, Gujarat etc. During the same period, the Arabs were moving ahead with a cyclonic speed to spread Islam. Including Arbastan, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan regions were under their control by then. After possessing Kabul, Zabul and Sindh in Afghanistan, their next target was India.

For this, in 8th century, army General of Arab, Mohammed Bin-Kasim attacked. neighbouring Indian state of Punjab from Sindh but he was defeated. and sent back by Lalita Dey of Kashmir and Yasho Verma of Kanauj. After failure of this attack, Mohammed Bin-Kasim decided to enter India through Rajasthan. For this he attacled Chittod, where he faced Rajasthan’s popular king Bappa Rawal (Kumar Kaalbhoj). Bappa Rawal also defeated Bin-kasim and forced him to back off to Sindh.

After few years of this defeat Bin Kasim’s successor Junaid looked towards India’s smaller states having Rajasthan, Gujarat, Malwa to attack. Junaid attacked with a large army but could not succeed much except one or two places. And Rajputs like Solankis, Rashtrakoots, Pratiharas also defeated him. and sent him back. During this battle, wounded Junaid died. and his successor Tamin took some time and created a new army.

When Tamin attacked India wit this army, he faced Nagabhatt of Avanti. Nagabhatt was a Rajput. With the help of Chowhans and Gohilaut Rajputs, he stopped Tamin before he could move towards India. and caught him on the borders of Sindh. (Who says that Rajputs when united can’t fight) Because of this counter attack, Tamin had to back off and had to run away leaving the region he had won. To get rid of Rajputs, Arabs crossed Sindh river and settled on the opposite bank. so that the chances of attacks from Rajputs remains less.

Because of these battles, capable and powerful authorities like Gohilauts in Chittod. Chowhans in North Rajasthan arose and due to their fear. for coming hundreds of years Muslim attackers did not have the courage to attack India. And to establish their rule in India, they had to wait for a prolonged period of 400 years.

The information that the Indian kings could not get united and fight against foreign attackers and were always easily defeated, because of their internal dis-integrity is so baseless whose strong proof means wars fought under Battle of Rajasthan. Such battles that added a glorious chapter in the history of India. But mis-fortune of Indian history that historians who write text books do not feel glory/pride in adding this chapter to it.