Untitled

View On WordPress

Devagiri, the capital of the Yadav dynasty. The Seuna Yadavas who traced their ancestory to Lord Krishna. Once, a place known for its immense riches. The Devagiri Fort built about 200 metres high was an architectural masterpiece. An impregnable fortress lying atop the hill. The glorious capital of the Yadav dynasty. How did it fall? How did the Hindu rule over the Deccan end. How did this once famous capital city of the Yadav dynasty lay in ruins? Ramdev Ray, the King of Devagiri, was enjoying the prosperity of his kingdom. The people were happy with their lives. The King and his subjects remained blissfully oblivious to the danger looming in from the north. The forces of Jalaluddin Khilji led by his son-in-law and nephew Allauddin Khilji were on a rampage looting and destroying everything in their path. One after another the Hindu kingdoms were getting destroyed. The Sultanate forces greedily swallowing everything in their path. Temples destroyed, villages and cities looted, women kidnapped and raped, all in the name of Allah. The Sultanate hordes marched on with the battle cry of Allah-ho-Akbar. The fame of Devagiri's riches and prosperity reached Allauddin's ears. With just a force of 8000 of his Afghan soldiers, he marched towards Devagiri. The news of his approach reached Raja Ramdev Ray. Hitherto oblivious to the Sultanate danger, the Raja was rudely awakened from his slumber. With the crown prince Shankar Dev away with the army, Ramdev had only an army of 4000 at his service to defend Devagiri against the onslaught of Allauddin Khilji. Utter lack of preparation in front of such grave danger. The forces of Allauddin Khilji made their way to Devagiri swiftly destroying everything in their path. Ramadev Ray marched against Allauddin's forces. But Ramdev's army was no match to the disciplined and barbarous hordes of Allauddin. Ramdev's forces made a hasty retreat to the fort of Devagiri, leaving the city of Devagiri at the mercy of Allauddin's murderous army. The city was soon painted red with the blood of its innocent citizens. The cries of women and young girls filled the air as Allaudin's men took them forcibly. Temples were razed to ground. Ramadev watched helplessly as Allaudin Khilji and his army conducted the rape of Devagiri. Khilji laid a seige to the fort of Devagiri. Surrounded by the enemy Ramdev Ray watched helplessly as resources within the fort continued to deplete. The crafty and cunning Khilji spread the rumor that this was only the advance force of the Sultan's army. Ramdev Ray shuddered at the thought of the approaching massive army of the Sultan. With food and resources within the fort on the verge of exhaustion, Ramdev Ray surrendered uncondtionally to Khilji. Khilji demanded exhoribant amount as ransom and tribute from the Raja, to which the Raja agreed. As Ramdev Ray acceded to the demands of Allauddin Khilji, the crown prince Shankar Dev, who had heard of Khilji's attack, was marching towards Devagiri with his army to rescue and free Devagiri. Khilji, with his force of just 8000 knew he was in trouble. Ramdev Ray was worried that if Shankar Dev attacked Khilji, then the approaching force of the Sultan would completely destroy Devagiri. He sent a messenger to Shankar Dev and informed him of the treaty made with Khilji. Shankar Dev was furious and did not pay heed and continued to march towards Khilji's forces. As Shankar Dev's army closed in, Khilji led his forces against him, leaving a force of 1000 behind to continue the seige of Devagiri fort. The armies met and a bloody battle ensued. The forces of Shankar Dev were gaining an upper hand. Suddenly, the 1000 soldiers that Khilji had left behind marched towards the battlefield raising a cloud of dust and storm. Thinking that the approaching army was the massive army of the Sultan, Shankar Dev's army started fleeing. Khilji's men butchered the fleeing army of Shankar Dev. Shankar Dev watched helplessly as the victory was turned into a defeat. Khilji's rumour had done the trick. Shankar Dev had to retreat. Once again Khilji laid the seige to Devagiri and demanded even more exhoribiant amount from Ramdev Ray to which he agreed. Ramdev Ray even gave away his daughter in marriage to Khilji. Khilji, victorious, made his way back to Delhi and Ramdev Ray now ruled as a vassal of the Delhi Sultanate. The year 1294 AD thus marked the subjugation of the Hindu Kingdom of Devagiri by the Delhi Sultanate. Years passed. Allauddin Khilji was now the Sultan of Delhi. Murdering his own uncle and father-in-law Jalaluddin Khilji, he had ascended the throne of Delhi. The kingdom of Devagiri continued paying the exhoribant tribute to the Sultan of Delhi. As the Sultan was enriched, the people of Devagiri were suffering from the burden of the exhoribant tribute. Shankar Dev could withstand it no more and stopped the payment of all the tribute to the Sultan. The coward and traitor King Ramdev Ray wrote to Allauddin Khilji that his son Shankar Dev and some his senior courtiers have taken the decision and he, Ramdev Raya, is agreeing to them only because fear and requested Khilji to send one of his senior officers to take control of the situation. Fie upon such ruler. Allauddin Khilji despatched a mighty force of 30,000 under the leadership of his General, Malik Kafur to Devagiri. The forces of Kafur and the Yadavs met. Gruesome battle ensued. The forces of Shankar Dev however were defeated by Malik Kafur. Raja Ramdev Ray was captured by Malik Kafur. The army of Kafur, wrought destruction upon the city of Devagiri, which was again looted and raped. Ramdev Ray was taken to Delhi and brought before Sultan Allauddin Khilji. Ramdev Ray once again accepted to pay an exhoribant annual tribute to the Sultan and became his vassal. For this cowardly act, Ramdev Ray was bestowed the title "Ray Rayan" i.e. King of Kings. The shameless Ramdev stayed in Delhi for 6 months before returning to Devagiri. Two years later, in 1309, Ramdev Ray died. The brave Shankar Dev ascended the throne of Devagiri. He proclaimed himself as an independent ruler. No longer was Devagiri a vassal of the Sultan. All payment of tribute to the Sultan was stopped. Devgiri was once again free. Allauddin Khilji knew that before this very Shankar Dev, he had closely escaped death. He waited for 3 years. 3 years, no tribute was sent from Devagiri to Delhi. Finally, in the year 1312, Allauddin Khilji ordered Malik Kafur, to march to Devagiri with a huge force and to destroy Devagiri, to take control and to establish Islamic rule over Devagiri. With a huge force, Malik Kafur attacked Devagiri. With the shouts of Allah-ho-Akbar, the destruction of Devagiri began. The forces of Shankar Dev fell before the onslaught of Malik Kafur's army. Shankar Dev himself fell in the battle, killed by Malik Kafur. Devagiri was now under Malik Kafur's control. Year 1316, and Allauddin Khilji fell ill in Delhi. Malik Kafur was recalled to Delhi. As Malik Kafur went back to Delhi, Harpal Dev, the son-in-law of Ramdev Ray, rebelled and defeated the forces left behind by Malik Kafur and proclaimed himself as the ruler of Devagiri and stopping the payment of all tribute to Delhi. Devagiri was free again. Allauddin Khilji died in the December of 1316 and a bloody battle for the throne of Delhi ensued. Malik Kafur was soon murdered. Out emerged the bloodiest of them all as the victor and the new Sultan of Delhi, Qutubuddin Mubarik Khan. The new Sultan's eyes were now fixed on Devagiri and Harpal to whom he wanted to teach a lesson. Qutubuddin marched with his armies to Devagiri. In the battle that ensued, the Yadav forces were defeated. Harpal Dev was captured and brought before the Sultan. The cruel Sultan ordered Harpal to be flayed alive and to leave him hanging on the gates of Devagiri. "Uski khal khichkar Devagiri ke darwaze pe latka di jaye" had thundered the Sultan. As Harpal writhed and cried in pain with his skin peeled off with a sharp knife, his body bathed in his own blood, the Sultan watched gleefully deriving immense pleasure from the pain and torture of his enemy. The Sultan's revenge was complete. His blood thirst quenched for a while. With his skin peeled off his body, Harpal's body was left hanging at the gates of Devagiri for all to see. As crows and vultures preyed upon the body of the brave King of Devagiri, the sun had set upon the Hindu rule in Devagiri & Deccan. Devagiri was in few years renamed as Daulatabad by the mad Sultan Muhammad Tughlaq, who for 2 years shifted the capital from Delhi to Devagiri along with the entire population of Delhi. The last of it's Hindu indentity was now gone. Devagiri became Daulatabad. The Sultans and their armies continued looting the people and kidnapping and raping the womenfolk. Forcible conversions became the order of day. No one was safe. Temples were razed down and Mosques built in their place. Hindus had become slaves in their own country, their own land. The Sun had set upon the Hindu rule and people waited hoping against hope for the Sun to rise again.

http://rjhearts.blogspot.com/2012/03/its-gods-gift.html Check out this wonderful poem by Rucha Joshi! Here's an excerpt from the poem: "Your life It's a God's gift Time has come for us To take a swift Now let’s take a lift From all worries, hurries, queries This will never change Your smile This mesmerisation Your stand This inspiration Your journey My following Your being in my life In itself a God's gift "

Another wonderful poem by Rucha Joshi. All poetry lovers do check it out!

Full moon in night sky Filling our hearts with great joy Tasting love ambrosia

See feel & believe The way you want it to be True sure will it be

Life is a wonder Still we search for a miracle See you not its clear ~ Dedicated to Rucha Joshi

Another beautiful poem by Rucha Joshi! All poetry lovers do check it out! Excellent poems guaranteed!

Bob Proctor

Love is sweet perfume Wafting aroma in my being My fragrance divine

The Sewri mudflats in Mumbai, home to a rich biodiversity, including flamingoes, is under threat from a development project.