The First Jihad against the Hindus

When cornered, a creative and determined man would skillfully convert his adversity into virtue.   Babur’s stunning victory against Rana Sanga of Mewar in the Battle of Khanua, 1527 AD, under the banner of Jihad (Holy War) was one such example.  Religion would be used as a means to advance personal ambitions, not for the last time in history.

While there were countless battles between the Hindus and the Muslims before, they were fought over India’s legendary riches.   Religion was never deemed a prime reason to wage a war in “Hindustan”, as the land was then called.

While Babur termed the very first Mughal battle against the Hindus as Holy War, such a label was more reflective of Babur's shrewd military prowess than his religious zeal.   Earlier, Babur had no qualms in accepting Rana Sangha’s help, who promised (but never delivered) diversionary attacks on Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat, 1526.

Rana Sanga, a ferocious Rajput warrior, was an worthy adversary of Babur, a battle-tested veteran and a descendant of Timur and Chingiz Khan.  Rana had lost an eye, an arm, had broken his limb and sported eighty wounds from sword or lance on his body – all the result of his previous military engagements.   

Rana dreamt of erecting a Hindu Raj, following Ibrahim Lodi’s defeat at Babur's hands, expecting Babur to quickly retreat to Kabul.   When Babur decided to stay in Hindustan, with his capital as Agra, Rana decided to take on Babur.  

Babur’s soldiers wanted to retire to Kabul with their loot after defeating Lodi.  Some of his allies in India began deserting him.  Babur estimated the strength of Rajputs at 200,000, far more than Lodi’s army that he had vanquished earlier.  Babur’s army numbered less than 12,000 men, but sported a modern army with muskets and cannons.

When confronted by a far superior enemy, Babur found a way to conveniently raise the morale of his troops, under the guise of Islam.

To win moral authority for his encounter with the Hindus, Babur turned to Islam - giving up wine and swearing not to trim his beard thereafter.  He declared the war as a Jihad, and addressed his troops that they will either become martyrs if defeated, or avengers of His sacred cause, if victorious.

Babur recounted the Battle of Khanua, 1527, in his autobiography, Baburnama.   The Mughals, with their blood ignited by Babur’s apparent religious zeal, overcame the Rajputs with their firepower.   Babur assumed the title of Ghazi, Holy Warrior, at this victory.

But Babur had no further interest in the Hindu army.  He did not pursue the Rajputs.  He even let Rana Sanga escape, who would later succumb to his wounds.  Content at securing his power, Babur returned to Agra.  Later, he would even return to drinking, breaking his vow at the Battle of Khanua.  Babur had little results by way of religion to show, having proclaimed the first Jihad against the Hindus.

Khanua was a watershed event in Indian history, with the Hindus losing forever their chance to establish a Hindu Raj all over their beloved Hindustan.   But the animosity of the Hindus towards the Mughal Empire would soon subside.

(Reference: The Mughal  Throne, Abraham Eraly, Phoenix, 2004)

Ode to parrot ("Kilikathai") - A poem in Tamil

I composed this poem in Tamil on 6th June 1992. 

Morning Star ("Vidi Velli") - A poem in Tamil

This is a poem I composed on 9th May 1992.   Morning Star is traditionally associated with hope.  I chose this title in stark contrast to the dark mood elicited by this poem.

A damsel named Tongue

(I dedicate this tale to my sweet daughter, Champi.)

This is the story of a beautiful carmine damsel named Tongue, losing her liberty and suffering untold attacks by her cruel captors.

In the beginning, when she was young, she had all the freedom she desired.  She would twirl and slide, making happy noises at whoever passed by.  She would curl, she would flip, and she would jump with unshackled joy.  Her slippery moves made many a person captive.

Unawares, as she was growing, she was making hidden enemies, who were determined to wreak havoc on her life.  Little did she imagine the visceral hatred these budding enemies held towards her.

One day, she was dragged to her growling Master at Throat.

"Tongue! You make too much noise, disturbing everybody."

Recoiling at this unexpected accusation, Tongue protested. 

"But Master! That is my destiny! I can also utter sweet songs when your mind so desires."

Unmoved by her plea, Master at Throat grabbed her with an icy grip.  

"From now on, I will never let you move free.  I will imprison you in Mouth and surround you with 32 guards.  These guards named Teeth have only one goal in their lives: to mince and mime you whenever they can with their sharp weapons." 

Tongue was crestfallen and slumped, as her 32 tormentors started surrounding her menacingly, in their shining white armor.

"But you can never subdue my spirits", Tongue replied in a rebellious voice.  "I may be a prisoner, but I'll still dance with joy.  I may get chopped, but I'll heal myself and live to dance another day."

Since that incident, I rarely got to see Tongue.  Occasionally, she would escape her brutal captors to catch some falling food for her sustenance, but never for long.  She would invariably get dragged back by her cruel Master at Throat, with her body curling up at this manifest injustice.

A gypsy is dying

This is a poem I composed on 9/27/1992.

A chap widely admired

Is caught in a quagmire.

He is sinking to its depth

Yet no one has wept.

I am in search of a place

Where all my troubles cease.

So I can live in peace

And die, when I please.   

  (A chap widely...)

Gone are the golden days

When I couched upon sandy bays.

And pondered over the wonderful ways

Of my carefree life - one devoid of affrays.  

  (A chap widely...)

My spirits used to soar

To lofty heights; Upon my notes I did pour

Vivid versions of the joyful lore

Of getting entry through heaven's door.  

  (A chap widely...)

All that is past; Happiness lost.

The jaws of misery are closing fast.

My ship has lost its lofty mast.

It is a ship no more; How long will my doldrums last?  

  (A chap widely...)

Won't someone care for this vagabond?

After all, people used to be so fond.

Should one more fish die in this human pond?

I cry for help;  Please someone respond.    

  (A chap widely...)

Morality in War

From time to time, we hear episodes of war-crimes, that move us to indignation.  Any casual reader can identify several such immoral acts during recent conflagrations.

We have an innate sense of justice and fairness that we expect from others, even during such extraordinary times as war.

But it is important to realize that such expectations are a product of our time. What counts as immoral act during war has widely varied in history.

For instance, during the initial stages of World War I, airborne pilots did not attack fellow pilots of opposing sides.   Such an etiquette in war is incomprehensible now.

Hindu works on war even had restrictions on attacks at night time and on attacks without warning.  There were even injunctions against mismatch of weapons: a cavalryman could not attack a foot soldier, an elephant-rider could not attack a cavalryman.  It even prescribed that only soldiers of the same rank could engage each other.  

Again, we do not subscribe to such moral laws of war any more.

There were even an instance in Ramayana, where the enemy was asked to exit the battlefield, as he had lost his weapons during the fight.  What was then considered a noble act will be deemed downright foolish now.

What complicates the matter further are immoral acts that are committed under the guise of religious or patriotic services.   In an infamous incident during India's freedom struggle, General Dyer massacred innocents, but he was rewarded on his return to Britain. 

Further, many acts during war may be considered admissible, unlike under normal circumstances.  

In fact, the settings for arguably the most important religious work for Hindus, Srimad Bhagavad Gita, concerned the qualms of a warrior who loathed to kill his own teachers and brethren.  Under normal circumstances, such acts would be considered immoral, but were deemed right, nay duty-bound,  during that war.

The next time you rage in anger on hearing a war news, as dramatized by news services, bear in mind that history may change its view of the act perpetrated, however heinous it may sound in contemporary times.