🚩THE MARATHA BRAVEHEART PART II — Harapāladeva Chalukya ⚔️
Forgotten by Indian History, the final stand of Marathas under Mahratta lion of Chalukya Kula against Khalji Sultanate.
A battle theatre LARGER than that of William Wallace from Scottish War of Independence!
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Forgotten by Indian History, the final stand of Marathas under Mahratta lion of Chalukya Kula against Khalji Sultanate.
A battle theatre LARGER than that of William Wallace from Scottish War of Independence!
READ NOW!
There are two main bodies of any Imperial army bent on conquest as well as punishment.
The Occupational Forces (the main body for garrisoning and administering new conquered lands).
And Roving Forces (troops whose sole task is to swarm a region for plunder and destruction).
The Occupational Forces (the main body for garrisoning and administering new conquered lands).
And Roving Forces (troops whose sole task is to swarm a region for plunder and destruction).
Sultan Mubarak Khalji brought both.
Not only because of some unruly Mahratta horsemen but because the entire Deccan, even those Non-Mahratta chieftains who were previously direct or indirect vassals of Dwaravati Yadavrayas had risen up.
No mercy for those who do not submit.
Not only because of some unruly Mahratta horsemen but because the entire Deccan, even those Non-Mahratta chieftains who were previously direct or indirect vassals of Dwaravati Yadavrayas had risen up.
No mercy for those who do not submit.
What an era had befallen on the Hindus...
On one side stood the highborn Kshatriya Mahratta forces under Maharaja Harapaladeva Chalukya.
On other, Turushka hordes under Mubarak Khalji the Clown Emperor, and his catamite Khusrau Khan, and his mulatto array of Maliks and Amirs.
On one side stood the highborn Kshatriya Mahratta forces under Maharaja Harapaladeva Chalukya.
On other, Turushka hordes under Mubarak Khalji the Clown Emperor, and his catamite Khusrau Khan, and his mulatto array of Maliks and Amirs.
Khusrau Khan's reputation was as wide spread as his well-oiled jiggly buttocks. He was the favourite Ghulāmān-E-KarkadāH (Catamite) of Mubarak Khalji.
Personal merit coupled with jiggly buttocks had given Khusrau Khan and his brother a formidable reputation in Delhi Sultanate.
Personal merit coupled with jiggly buttocks had given Khusrau Khan and his brother a formidable reputation in Delhi Sultanate.
Sultan Mubarak Khalji deployed Khusrau Khan and Malik Qutlugh (Amir-E-Shikār, Lord of the Hunt) to literally hunt for Rana Harapaladeva's roving Mahratta contingent under his deputy & minister Raghavadeva.
Raghavadeva retired to his position near a hill-fort by side of a river.
Raghavadeva retired to his position near a hill-fort by side of a river.
Khusrau Khan's light cavalry wandered around the base of the mountains trying to pick up hints.
They accidentally came across a bunch of Raghavadeva's foragers and captured them. These followers were forced to reveal that Raghuji's Mahratta army numbered merely a *10,000* men!
They accidentally came across a bunch of Raghavadeva's foragers and captured them. These followers were forced to reveal that Raghuji's Mahratta army numbered merely a *10,000* men!
Aside from this, they learnt that Raghavdeva had NOT garrisoned the Hill-Fort yet and the Mahratta forces were still on the ground!
Khusrau Khan could not believe his own luck and ordered his entire army to boldly swarm into the plains to confront Raghavdeva's force head on!
Khusrau Khan could not believe his own luck and ordered his entire army to boldly swarm into the plains to confront Raghavdeva's force head on!
Raghuji was caught totally unawares about his position being compromised.
It was too late to start garrisoning the Fort now.
Mahratta army roused into action to meet Khalji's force and marched out of the woods to meet the charge.
The situation was lost already...
It was too late to start garrisoning the Fort now.
Mahratta army roused into action to meet Khalji's force and marched out of the woods to meet the charge.
The situation was lost already...
The tumultuous charge of the myriads of Delhi Sultanate's cavalry completely overwhelmed the smaller Mahratta army.
Every single Mahratta was killed, grievously wounded and captured or routed.
If they could have fled, this would have been nothing, but tragedy became far bigger.
Every single Mahratta was killed, grievously wounded and captured or routed.
If they could have fled, this would have been nothing, but tragedy became far bigger.
This rebel army was composed of Mahratta Rais & Rajas themselves. Every Mahratta warrior who fell, was some throne in Maharashtra, Goa, or Karnataka emptied out. There's no telling how many Kshatriya dynasties lost their heirs.
So much fighting population gone.
All for Dharma.
So much fighting population gone.
All for Dharma.
Raghavdeva was unhorsed and thrown out of the frenzied fray.
Completely bloodied with wounds, he preserved the dignity of his body from abuse by dragging his body to a ravine nearby, plunging himself into a deep cavern where he shed his mortal coil as a martyr of Dharma.
Completely bloodied with wounds, he preserved the dignity of his body from abuse by dragging his body to a ravine nearby, plunging himself into a deep cavern where he shed his mortal coil as a martyr of Dharma.
"Often has History seen, (that) the Good that men have done turns to ashes with their flaming bones, but the Evil that has been done remains for long after..."
— Sant Jnānadeva, from his 'Eulogy to Samrat Ramachandradevaraya' in Jnāneshwari 📜
— Sant Jnānadeva, from his 'Eulogy to Samrat Ramachandradevaraya' in Jnāneshwari 📜
The news of the tragic annihilation of the cream of his army reached Maharaja Harapaladeva at Devagiri, assumedly through one of those few who managed to survived.
Devagiri could not be held against Mubarak with few number of warriors still left with him.
It was time to march.
Devagiri could not be held against Mubarak with few number of warriors still left with him.
It was time to march.
Back there, Khusrau Khan was satiated with this godsent victory. He began the march to return to Mubarak Khalji's royal camp.
On the route he received intelligence that Devagiri was evacuated by Rana Harpaladeva who was marching with a powerful Mahratta army to the mountains.
On the route he received intelligence that Devagiri was evacuated by Rana Harpaladeva who was marching with a powerful Mahratta army to the mountains.
Khusrau Khan was surely euphoric. Not just one but TWO Mahratta armies could now be swarmed and destroyed, exposed on the open fields!
Khusrau Khan and Malik Iqtiyāruddin Talbagha (Amir-E-Koh, Lord of the Mountains) raced to catch the Mahratta army in a final showdown!
Khusrau Khan and Malik Iqtiyāruddin Talbagha (Amir-E-Koh, Lord of the Mountains) raced to catch the Mahratta army in a final showdown!
Almost 5 years ago, Maharaja Harapaladeva Chalke had begun this rebellion.
It was not merely for a Hindu Raja to restore his own sovereignty. He was not even the Yadavraya heir.
It was for all Hindus of the Deccan that he gave the call for rebellion against Mleccha tyranny.
It was not merely for a Hindu Raja to restore his own sovereignty. He was not even the Yadavraya heir.
It was for all Hindus of the Deccan that he gave the call for rebellion against Mleccha tyranny.
He had taken up burden of his wife's family and pushed out all Mlecchas from Maharashtra.
He had raised and mentored his nephew, the true heir of Yadavrays Govindadevaraya Jadhavrao, throughout the years into a strapping Mahratta warrior-prince.
All he built would now burn...
He had raised and mentored his nephew, the true heir of Yadavrays Govindadevaraya Jadhavrao, throughout the years into a strapping Mahratta warrior-prince.
All he built would now burn...
...But not without a fight!
The Khan's hordes reached Maharaja Harapaladeva.
He was expecting them.
With a blood-boiling warcry the entire Mahratta army charged Khaljis like a single bolt of lightning.
The Turkic Cornfield was scorched by the Mahratta Conflagration!
The Khan's hordes reached Maharaja Harapaladeva.
He was expecting them.
With a blood-boiling warcry the entire Mahratta army charged Khaljis like a single bolt of lightning.
The Turkic Cornfield was scorched by the Mahratta Conflagration!
The entire Khalji army fled after the carnage of the first charge.
But this unrealistic victory was not to be.
The Khaljis returned, and after another severe onset of the Mahratta cavaliers, fled again.
It appears Rana Harapaladeva led the charges, because in the third round...
But this unrealistic victory was not to be.
The Khaljis returned, and after another severe onset of the Mahratta cavaliers, fled again.
It appears Rana Harapaladeva led the charges, because in the third round...
The Khalji army withdrew from the Mahratta charge to form flank formation, and surrounded Rana Harapaladeva who was severely wounded, capturing him.
The Mahratta army laid down it's arms.
It was finally over.
The final, intense and glorious rebellion for Mahratta sovereignty.
The Mahratta army laid down it's arms.
It was finally over.
The final, intense and glorious rebellion for Mahratta sovereignty.
Maharaja Harapaladeva and the Mahratta Prisoners of War were bound in the neck with rope and dispatched to Mubarak. Mubarak simply gave orders for Harapaladeva's execution.
Harapaladeva was flayed alive and beheaded. His skin and head were hung on a pike over gates of Devagiri.
Harapaladeva was flayed alive and beheaded. His skin and head were hung on a pike over gates of Devagiri.
Chalukya-Kulālankāra.
Harapaladeva.
His flayed body was handed over to Mahratta PoWs for cremation.
As Agni consumed this holy warrior's cadaver, Mahratta PoWs refused to let their leader pass away alone.
To join him they ALL marched rank and file into his cremating fire!
Harapaladeva.
His flayed body was handed over to Mahratta PoWs for cremation.
As Agni consumed this holy warrior's cadaver, Mahratta PoWs refused to let their leader pass away alone.
To join him they ALL marched rank and file into his cremating fire!
Thus ended the saga of final sovereign Mahratta rebellion.
Unprecedented bloodshed of Mahratta Kshatriyas reduced their fighting population crushing all hopes of rebelling again for generations.
But hope of dignity was still alive.
Yuvaraja Govindadevaraya was still alive...
Unprecedented bloodshed of Mahratta Kshatriyas reduced their fighting population crushing all hopes of rebelling again for generations.
But hope of dignity was still alive.
Yuvaraja Govindadevaraya was still alive...
The rebellion may have been a failure in terms of consummation.
But Govindadevaraya had learned more than enough from his uncle's spirit; about his own homeland and ways of war of his people.
He was soon to emerge as a meteor over the Deccani political landscape...
The End.
But Govindadevaraya had learned more than enough from his uncle's spirit; about his own homeland and ways of war of his people.
He was soon to emerge as a meteor over the Deccani political landscape...
The End.
Sources —
•The Early Muslim Expansion In South India, N. Venkataramanyya.
•The Founding of Maratha Freedom, SR Sharma.
• Fateh-Us-Salatin of Isami
• A Comprehensive History of India, Vol. 5, Delhi Sultanate.
•Tarikh-I-Farishta
•History of the Khalji, KS Lal
•The Early Muslim Expansion In South India, N. Venkataramanyya.
•The Founding of Maratha Freedom, SR Sharma.
• Fateh-Us-Salatin of Isami
• A Comprehensive History of India, Vol. 5, Delhi Sultanate.
•Tarikh-I-Farishta
•History of the Khalji, KS Lal
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