This day in Hindu History : Thread
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
चापेकराभ्यां रण्ड-वधः #१२५Up↑
Event occured on 1897-06-22 (gregorian).
Chāpekar brothers killed W. C. Rand.
On 22 June 1897, the Diamond Jubilee of the coronation of Queen Victoria was celebrated in Pune. In his autobiography Damodar Hari writes that he believed the jubilee celebrations would cause Europeans of all ranks to go to the Government House, and give them the opportunity to kill Rand. The brothers Damodar Hari and Balkrishna Hari selected a spot of Ganeshkhind road, by side of a yellow bungalow to shoot at Rand. Each armed with a sword and a pistol. Balkrishna in addition carried a hatchet. They reached Ganeshkhind, they saw what looked like Rand’s carriage pass by, but they let it go, not being sure, deciding to attack him on his way back. They reached Government House at 7.00 – 7.30 in the evening, the sun had set and darkness began to set in. A large number of people had gathered to witness the spectacle at the Government House. There were bonfires on the hills. The swords and the hatchets they carried made movement without raising suspicion difficult, so they cached them under a stone culvert near the bungalow. As planned, Damodar Hari waited at the gate of the Government House, and as Rand’s carriage emerged, ran 10 – 15 paces behind it. As the carriage reached the yellow bungalow, Damodar made up the distance, and called out “Gondya ala re”, a predetermined signal for Balkrishna to take action. Damodar Hari undid the flap of the carriage, raised it and fired from a distance of about a span. It was originally planned that both would shoot at Rand, so as to ensure that Rand would not live, however Balkrishna Hari lagged behind and Rand’s carriage rolled on, Balkrishna Hari meanwhile on the suspicion that the occupants of the following carriage were whispering to each other, fired at the head of one of them from behind. Lieutenant Ayerst, Rand’s military escort who was riding in the following carriage died on the spot, Rand was taken to Sassoon Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries 3 July 1897.
Khando Vishnu Sathe on a cycle on his way back to Pune city shouted at a home “गणेश खिंडीत गणपती पावला हो !” (Ganpati of Ganesh Valley has favoured us!) From the window, Lokmanya Tilak appeared, smiled and closed the window.
Context:Up↑
That year, in spite of the plague, British were adamant to conduct Matric exams of the students (10/11th equivalent.) Angered by the rude and adamant behavior of the officers, the Chapekar brothers burned the exam canopy down to ashes. The British officers used to examine the ppl, especially women, publicly by removing their cloths and molesting them. Many women were raped and molested by these officers who were appointed “Just to examine”.
राजपुत्रेभ्यो मालव-गुजरात-समर्पणम् #३१२Up↑
Event occured on 1710-06-22 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
On this day, Jai Singh 2 of amber and ajit singh of mArvAr were invited to mogol court, honered and presented governership of mAlvA and gujarat by mogol emperor bahAdur shAh, ending their 2 year rebellion.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
मणि-राम-मारणम् #२८४
Event occured on 1738-06-25 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
maNi-rAm, aka bhAi maNi singh, a fine scholar and warrior, shiShya of the last 4 sikh gurus + bandA vairAgI, aged 94, was dismembered limb by limb.
Reason: Governor of Lahore, Zakaria Khan, expected Rs 5k in return for permission to celebrate divAlI at harmandir. But, knowing that he intended a slaughter (in collusion with divAn lakhpat rAi), the sikhs did not turn up - so maNi could not pay the money.
कर्णपुर-जयः #१६५
Event occured on 1857-06-25 (gregorian).
As the British forces at kAnpur surrendered on 25 June 1857, Nana was declared Peshwa in late June.
On June 27, the british making their way on gangA at Satichaura Ghat were killed or captured (it’s unclear who fired teh first shot). Around 120 women and children were taken prisoner and eventually moved to Bibighar; later more were added.
Using them for bargaining failed - and eventually, they were massacred on July 15 despite protestations (including hunger strike) of nAnA-saheb’s family, and hesitency / refusal of the soldiers - partly in anger at reports of violence by British against villagers. Finally, owner of the place, begum hussaini khAnum, a harlot, hired butchers to finish them off with cleavers. The British extracted their terrible vengence later.
Vishvas /विश्वासः
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
जेढे-कान्होजी-प्रलोभनम् #२६३
Event occured on 1759-06-27 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
On this day (AShADha shukla 6), Shia King “Imam” Ali Adil Shah unsuccessfully tried to threaten and pursuade kAnhojI jedhe to side with Afzal Khan against shivAjI, accusing him of “troubling Muslims”. In response, Kanhoji Jedhe went to Chhatrapati Shivaji and relinquished his Watan, thus signifying that he was not joining Afzal Khan. afzal destroyed temples and was himself killed and routed by shivAjI.
Translated firman (from Farsi)
I BEGIN IN THE NAME OF MERCIFUL AND KIND GOD.
THE WHOLE WORLD BELONGS TO GOD.
IMMAM ALI ALI ADILSHA
son of MAHOMED ADILSHAH.
This gracious Royal Firman is issued to KANHOJI JEDHE, TO WIT :-
Since the beginning of the year 1059, Shivaji out of narrow-mindedness
and evil propensities has started troubling the Mahomedans residing in
the Province of Konkan belonging to the Nizamshahi. He has also
plundered them.
He has captured many forts in the Padshahi (our) Province; therefore in order to drive him out and conquer him, we have appointed Afzulkhan possessed of valour and prestige, the most capable and efficient of our noblemen, the most vadiant, resourceful and successful Ruler, (the noblest of our chiefs who is always victorious) the Chief Commander, as the Governor of that Province, and we have sent him there with his most valiant army. He has been sent by us.
You must carry out his commands and fulfil his requirements to his complete satisfaction. You must loyally obey all his commands and help him, so that Shivaji may be driven out and uprooted root and branch. You must not give his men and volunteers, wherever they may be or from wheresoever they may come, any quarter or opportunity - but must kill them. You must give a good account of yourself to this Court and then whatever Afzulkhan may write to us and recommend about rewarding your services and honouring you, will be done by us. Whatever Afzulkhan may say or write regarding our services and whatever he may direct you to do, you will obey implicitly. You should carry out his wishes and this will bring you a good result. You must act according to the orders contained in this Royal
Firman written on the 5th day of Shavval in the year 1069. (16-6-1659 Julian).
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विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
हल्दीघाटी-युद्धम् #४४६
Event occured on 1576-06-28 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
On this day, pratApasiMha and his subjects (from all varNa-s including v1 and v3 to bhils) fought mogols at haldIghATI.
The mogol side was led by the traitorous Kacchavaha general of Akbar, Man Singh. They outnumbered pratAp’s side 5:1; and were filled with professional soldiers. (Prof K S Gupta: Most Rajput treaties [eg. 1569 Bundi-Mughal treaty] with Akbar had a clause that they would not be asked to join arms against Mewar. Kachhwahas were the only exception.)
From Vanguard to rear:
- 85 Arab commandos under the vicious Arab general Sayyid Hashim al Barhai.
- Then, Kacchavaha Hindu horsemen led by Rao Jagannath + horsemen of Mohammedan Mongols under Baqshi Ali Asaf Khan, the Khwaja of Kazvin in Persia.
- Then the Iltmish brigade under the cousin of Man Singh, Madhav Singh with the second Kacchavaha corps. The center was under Man Singh with the third Kacchavaha force.
- 3 brigades of the left wing:
- Tajiks under Mullah Ghazi Khan, the veteran Jihadist from Tajikistan.
- The traitor Rao Lonakarna leading a force of Kacchavahas from the Sambhar lake.
- The Shaikhzada division formed by the prolific clansmen of Sufi Shaikh Salim Chishti.
- The right-wing was formed by the vicious Arab clansmen of Sayyid Hashim al Barhai.
- The rear-guard was formed by the brigade of Mihtar Khan and his Central Asian Kazakh warriors.
pratApasiMha’s side:
- frontline charging force under Ramdas Rathod, the valiant son of Jaimal who died defending Chittor. Supported by Bhim Singh, the Rao Chundavat, and Hakim Khan Sur with his fellow Pathans who stayed true to his pledge despite being enticed for jihAd (Afghans having been deposed by bAbur’s invasion).
- Pratap in the center with his elite rAjaputras.
- 2 brigades of the right wing
- Ram Singh Tanwar the king of Gwalior
- vaishya division under the valiant 3 sons and the brother Tarachand of the rich businessman Bahman (aka bhAmA) Shah
- Left wing - Jhala clan of the Rajputs under Mana
- Reserve
- brahmin brigade led by Pratap’s purohita Jagannatha
- brigade formed by the Mehta businessmen and the Charanas
- Bhil archers under the Bhil chieftain Panja
Thus, all sections of the Hindu society were represented in the struggle to defend against Islamist gAzi-s.
Outcome: Fierce battle. mahArANA pratAp wounded, as was his horse chetak. He escaped to fight on from the forests. By 1579, pratApasiMha would recover much of the western part of his kingdom. Chittor and the rest of eastern Mewar continued to remain under Mughal control.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
### चेतको दिवं गतः #४४६Event occured on 1576-07-01 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning. After the fierce battle at haldIghATI, mahArANA pratAp wounded, as was his heroic horse chetak. Chetak succumbed on this day.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
मनोज-पाण्डेय-वीरगतिः #२३
Event occured on 1999-07-03 (gregorian).
Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey, a young officer of the 1/11 Gorkha Rifles, died conquering Jubar Top from pAkistAni jihAdists on this day.
On the night of 2/3 July 1999, ‘B’ Company of 1/11 Gorkha Rifles approached Jubar top along a narrow ridge. He surged ahead of his troops and charged at the enemy with a full-throated battle cry (जय महाकाली! आयो गारखाली!) through a hail of bullets. Fearlessly assaulting the first enemy position, he killed two enemy personnel and destroyed the second position by killing two more. Although wounded in the shoulder and leg, he pressed on his solitary charge with grim determination, until he closed in on the first bunker. He continued to lead the assault on the fourth position urging his men and destroyed the same with a grenade, even as he got a fatal Medium Machine Gun burst on his forehead.
Entries in Pandey’s personal diary:
- ‘If death strikes before I prove my blood, I promise (swear), I will kill death!’
- ‘Some goals are so worthy, it’s glorious even to fail!’
व्याघ्रपर्वताक्रमणारम्भः #२३
Event occured on 1999-07-03 (gregorian).
The final assault on Tiger Hill began on 3 July at 17:15 during Kargil war/ operation vijay.
After artillery pounding for 13 hours, 2 Naga advanced on the right and 8 Sikh advanced on the left. They used unexpected, and therefore difficult, avenues of approach. ghAtak commandoes of 18 Grenadiers advanced up the rear. Just as they reached the top, they were spotted and fired upon. In the early morning hours of 4th July, Yogendra yAdav despite being hit by multiple bullets, climbed up, crawled to the first bunker, downed 4 pAki solidiers with a grenade, charged a second bunker with two others. Hit by 21 bullets, he was to receive PVC later. Maj. Ravinder Singh of 8 Sikh with 200 soldiers launched a daring attack to relieve them.
Aftermath- Most of the Sikh soldiers attacked without cold weather gear, and many of the wounded died from exposure. 18 Grenadiers seized the 16,700-foot (5,062 m) Tiger Hill Top on the morning of 8 July.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
तारु-सिंह-हत्या #२७७
Event occured on 1745-07-12 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
On this day died bhAi tAru, arrested and scalped by Mughal governor of Punjab, Zakaria Khan.
Context: They were supplying some food to the sikhs. Though his sister’s freedom was bribed for by the villagers, Singh refused to seek a pardon. Bhai Taru was brought before the Khan and asked him where he got his powers from to undergo all of the agony. His reply was through his keshas (‘unshorn hair’) blessed by Guru Gobind Singh. Zakaria Khan then gave him the choice of either execution or conversion to Islam and having his hair cut off as an offering. Upon his refusal to forsake his religion, in a public display, Bhai Taru Singh’s scalp was cut away from his skull with a sharp knife to prevent his hair from ever growing back. The latter outlived the governor.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
हरिसिंहेनाटक-ग्रहणम् #२०९
Event occured on 1813-07-13 (gregorian).
On this day, Hari Singh Nalwa and Dewan Mokham Chand at the head of about 21k khAlsa troops routed Fateh khAn of the afghAn durrAni empire, successfully defending aTTock fort which had been obtained by raNajIt singh’s tact.
Amritsar, Lahore, and other large cities across the Sikh Empire were illuminated for two months afterwards in rejoicing over the victory. Fateh Khan ran back to kAbul.
Details
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
हम्मीरदेवो मृतः #७२१
Event occured on 1301-07-18 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
The accomplished hammIra deva chAhamAna of raNastambhapura (ranthambore) died at the young age of 28, after a long seige at raNastambhapura (ranthambore).
Initially it was Ulugh Khan from Bayana, and his general il-Ghazi Nusrat Khan from Qara - each with regiments of 40,000 Turkish cavalrymen and over 10,000 Kullar (slave/ convert/ castrato) infantrymen with Arraadaas (trebuchets), gargachs (seige engines) and Manjiqs (mangonels) vs elite Rajput cavalry of 12,000 and 40,000 infantrymen with cross-bows, devices that spray fine red hot sand and burning oil. They wiped out the city of Jhain. hammIra beat them back.
Then Alla came forth with 90k cavalry and beseiged raNastambhapura. The nephews of the Rana, Kahnaiya and Bala Simha from Chittor cut through the cordon and brought some supplies and horses. Alla’s efforts were initially futile. Alla then got a Buddhist traitor Sarjan Sah, who for a price, pointed out the location of the granary. Alla with giant trebuchets hurled rotting corpses and refuse into the granary to pollute it. Rajputs were left without viable food. The Rana’s queen Rangaa-Devi immolated herself with the other women. Wearing orange robes, the Rana, his younger brother Viram Deva, his teenaged nephews, his three commanders, Rai Ranadhira, Rai Gangadhara and Kshetra Singh Parmar and the four Mongol brothers with Kehbru at their head advanced to take on the Sultan. The battle is said to have raged so fierce that the Moslems lost 4000 men while the Rana’s troops were whittled down to just 200. The Rana’s horse was shot down and he continued fighting on foot. He placed his arrows in front of him on the ground and started shooting down the Moslem army.
Context: HammIra was a fine ruler, fighter as well as a medical scholar (authoring sadyogamuktAvalI)! khalji ruler Alla-ud-dIn, having murdered jalAl-ud-dIn, decided to exterminate chauhans. Hammira Deva had given refuge to mongol rivals of the khalji turks as well. Ulugh Khan sent a message to the Rana to humbly accept Islam and hand over the Mongol chiefs whom he had sheltered.
Aftermath:
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Hammira is celebrated as a hero in several texts composed after his death including Nayachandra Suri’s Hammira Mahakavya, Jodharaja’s Hammira-Raso, and Chandrashekhara’s Hammira-Hatha.
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The Turks captured the Mongol Alaghu and Alla offered him the post of a general. Alaghu said he was not willing to serve a lowly Khalji, whose tribesmen were once Naukers of Chingiz Kha’Khan. Alla had Alaghu crushed under an elephant and his head was exhibited in Delhi as a trophy.
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The Buddhist traitor Sarjan Sah, hoped a lavish reward from the Sultan, but he was instead clubbed to death.
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The City of Ranthambhor was blotted out and the Sultan devastated all the temples in the region. Thus ended the power of the Chahamanas in Hindustan. The library of saMskRta works at Ranthambhor was burnt down by the jihAdists; whatever material could be salvaged was collated several years later as a collection of maxims and poetic sketches by Sharngadhara the grandson of Raghavadeva the Brahmin prime minister of Hammira Deva.
आष्टाविंशे तारुणे वर्षभोगे
प्राणान् दत्त्वोन्मत्तशूरान् प्रणाश्य।
क्षात्रे धर्म्मे वैद्यकीयेऽपि सिद्धं
हम्मीरन् तं चाहमानं नमामः॥
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
माधवरावो भवति प्रधानमन्त्री #२६१
Event occured on 1761-07-20 (gregorian).
On this day, shortly after the disaster at pAnIpat, the great mAdhavarAv became peshvA, with Raghunathrao (paternal uncle) as co-regent with Gopikabai, Madhavrao’s mother.
Madhavrao’s Peshwaship lasted eleven years and four months, from 20 July 1761 to 18 November 1772, the first two years of which were a period of tutelage. During his last year he was entirely bed-ridden, so that it was only for about eight years that he actively controlled the management of affairs and marked his personal stamp on the administration. His activities may be arranged under four main heads, viz. :
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- His Karnatak expeditions for putting down Haidarali;
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- His relations with Nizam Ali ;
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- His struggle first against his own uncle and then against the Bhosles of Nagpur ; and lastly
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- The revival of Maratha power in the north.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
बाजी-प्रभु-वीरगतिः #३६२
Event occured on 1660-07-23 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
It was AshADha k1 (as per jedhe shAkhAvali). bAji prabhu deshpANDe (a kAyastha) leading ~300 men died holding back Adil-shAhi african general siddi masud’s 10k soldiers in a narrow pass while shivAji leading his 300 escaped from panhaLa fort to the beseiged vishAlgad fort (some say he sent out a decoy - Shiva Kashid- as well).
bAjI prabhu bought him time to escape, holding back the pursuing enemy (under Jauhar’s son Siddi Aziz and Afzal Khan’s son Fazl Khan) at the gajapur pass (aka ghoD-khiND, later renamed pAvana-khiND to recall bAhI-prabhu’s sacrifice). shivAjI, after fighting fiercely (supposedly holding daNDapaTTa swords in both hands) at vishAlgaD surroundings for 5 hours, announced his safe entry into vishAlgaD with cannon-fire. It is said that bAjI only then died with relief.
PS: vishAlgad was already under siege by Bijapuri sardars under siddi jauhar - Suryarao Surve and Jaswantrao Dalvi. But shivAjI’s posse, assisted by that of the brAhmaNa chief rango nArAyaN (attacking from Gonimooth hill), relieved the defenders and routed the attackers upon arrival. It’s a thrilling tale, akin to tale of the spartans holding back the persians at the narrow pass at Thermopylae.
Aftermath:
- bAjI prabhu and most of his men died. Other casualities included his brother Fulaji Prabhu and Shambusing Jadhav. On the sultan’s side - 1k to 5k died in both actions.
- Shivaji then safely crossed the western ghats and reached his capital Rajgad via Konkan region.
- Shivaji later personally visited the house of the slain Baji Prabhu and honored and helped his family. It is said that Shivaji’s mother, Jijabai, wept at the news of Baji Prabhu’s death.
लोकमान्य-तिलक-जन्म #१६६
Event occured on 1856-07-23 (gregorian).
On this day was born the great genius, teacher, nationalist, journalist and activist - Bal Gangadhar Tilak. He was homeschooled for many years. He popularized the svadeshI movement and gaNeshotsava-s. He went on to author excellent Indological research articles (eg. The Orion) in the midst of financial and political stress.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
गादासेन मार्वार-राज-रक्षा #३४३
Event occured on 1679-07-25 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
Durgadas rescues the Marwar royals and escapes from Delhi towards Jodhpur & conducted Ajit Singh safely to Marwar. He defeated the pursuing Mughals.
Context: jasvant singh rAthoD of mArvAr died a few months earlier to the excitement of Awrangzeb. Aurangzeb wished to annex Marwar on this opportunity; however Durgadas Rathore wanted the infant son of Jaswant Singh, Ajit Singh to be the successor. Aurangzeb agreed to make him successor only if he was raised in Mughal harem, & converts to Islam. Durgadas asked Aurangzeb to let Ajit Singh be presented to Mughal court only after he comes of age. Not agreeing, Aurangzeb tried to imprison Durgadas Rathore alongwith infant Ajit Singh & the 2 queens of Jaswant Singh.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
२००८ वर्षे कर्णावत्यां विस्फोटाः #१४
Event occured on 2008-07-26 (gregorian).
On this day, 21 synchronised bomb blasts took place within a span of few minutes - around 56 died, and 200 injured. Diabolically, 2 blasts took place inside the premises of two hospitals, about 40 minutes after the initial series of blasts. One of the blasts in the hospitals occurred when injured victims of the initial series of blasts were being admitted there. Several bombs were defused in the succeding hours.
Context
Carried out by Indian Mujahideen, an offshoot of Students Islamic Movement of India. In their email traced to Mumbai, they said: “In the name of Allah the Indian Mujahideen strike again! Do whatever you can, within 5 minutes from now, feel the terror of Death!”.
This came after May 13 Jaipur bombings (63 killed), 25 July bengaLUru bombings and was followed by Delhi bombings.
Maulana Abdul Halim, a SIMI mastermind, was arrested a few days later. Several others were later arrested. In 2022, 38 Muslim terrorists were awarded death penalty, while 11 were given life imprisonment.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
फ़तेह्-सिंह-निष्कासनम् #१०१
Event occured on 1921-07-28 (gregorian).
On this day, British formally deposed mahArANa Fateh Singh of Mewar under some silly pretext. This was the price of sticking to the long sisodiya tradition of refusing to be subservient to Abrahamist barbarians of all sorts.
Context: The great mahArANa, a descendent of rANa kumbha and pratApa-simha of the sisodiya line, was the only Maharaja to not attend the Delhi Durbar of the British royals, both of 1903 and 1911. The darbar-s were a pitiful spectacle - with one silver lining. Out of the more than 500 kings and princes who attended the event, only one chair remained vacant that day.
Then in 1921, when Edward, Prince of Wales, son of King George V and Queen Mary, visited Udaipur, he refused to receive him, citing illness and instead sent his son. This left him at odds with the British.
He gladdened the hearts of his countrymen by keeping his honor. Mahakavi Kesari Singh Barahath wrote to the Rana appealing him to not go to Delhi:
पग पग भम्या पहाड़, धरा छाँड़ राख्यो धरम।
महाराणा मेवाड़ हिरदे बसिया हिन्द रे॥
अब लग साराँ आस राण रीत कुल राखसी।
रहैं सहाय सुखरास एकलिंग प्रभु आप रै॥
“Rana, why does Pratap lives in India’s hearts? Because he protected dharma at the cost of his kingdom. That’s why. All the hopes are now resting on you. Pray keep the honour. May Ekalinga guide and help you.”
Consequence: The rANa’s steadfastness reinforced his house’s unique honor. Theirs was the first signature sardar patel received when absorbing the princely states; theirs was the elephant on which the first Indian president rode.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
बॆङ्गळूरु-गणपति-कलहः #९४
Event occured on 1928-07-29 (gregorian).
On this day, Muslim rioters showered stones, slippers and even bullets at Hindus reinstalling a gaNapati shrine in their school, which was opposite to Municipal president Abbas Khan’s house.
Context
In June 1928, the students of Hindu Anglo-Vernacular School, Sultanpet, Bengaluru, requested the contractor who was undertaking repair work to the school building, to construct a small shrine or niche over an existing Ganesha idol in a passage of the Hindu Anglo-Vernacular School. The Director of Public Instructions had it stowed away. Students (including those of neighboring schools) demanded that it be restored. This act had the support of an editorial in a newspaper Veerakesari run by Sitarama Sastri; among others. Indian National Congress leaders Ramlal Tiwari, Jamkandi Bhima Rao and H. V. Subramanyam too supported the students. The idol dispute soon evolved into a general protest by Hindus over Muslim dominance and bias in the administration and bureaucracy.
Tiwari, Subrahmanyam and Bhima Rao were arrested on 27 July 1928. A procession of students made its way to Central Jail, Bengaluru where the arrested leaders were kept and were lathi-charged by the state police. The idol was restored to its original place on 29 July and worship at the Ganapati shrine was renewed by over 5,000 Hindus, which prompted the Muslims to attack them with shouts of “Deen, Deen”.
Events
Muslims fired from a roof of a nearby cycle shop and also reportedly from the upper floor of the house of Abbas Khan and at least one boy was hit by a bullet. 123 Hindus and 11 Muslims were injured before the government brought the situation under control.
Aftermath
The Diwan, Sir Mirza Ismail, advised the Maharaja of Mysore, who was residing at Mysuru, “not to come from Mysore to Bangalore till after (the) arrested leaders have been tried”. The Maharaja of Mysore constituted a committee headed by Sir M. Visvesvaraya to enquire into the disturbances, and the committee observed that law and order was completely broken down during the disturbances and the government favoured one side (ie the muslims) in the incident. Noted journalist and scholar DV Gundappa, who had high regard for Mirza Ismail before the incident, stopped talking to him for a long time.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
काश्मीर-पार्थक्यापाकरणम् #३
Event occured on 2019-08-05 (gregorian).
On this day, the president of India and the BJP government abrogated article 370 granting special status to Jammu and Kashmir state, in concurrance with the state government represented by its governor. The state was broken up into two separate centrally governed union territories - J&K and Ladhak.
Aftermath: In two years, J&K Govt issued 41.05 Lakh Domicile Certificates, 890 Central laws have been made applicable to J&K, 205 J&K State laws were repealed, 130 were modified.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
ककोरि-लुण्ठनम् #९७
Event occured on 1925-08-09 (gregorian).
On 9 August 1925, the Train travelling from Shahjahanpur to Luckno was approaching the town of Kakori, when one of the revolutionaries pulled the emergency chain to stop the train and looted 3 bags with 8k rupees (allegedly belonging to the Indians and was being transferred to the British government treasury). One passenger was accidentally killed.
Their leaders Ram Prasad Bismil and Ashfaqullah Khan were arrested later and killed. While in jail, the prisoners went on hunger strikes refusing to be treated like other criminals. There were widespread protests and failed clemency petitions.
नोयाखाली-हत्या #७६
Event occured on 1946-08-10 (gregorian).
The massacre of the Hindu population in Noakhali started on 10 October, on the day of Kojagari Lakshmi Puja. It is estimated that 5,000 were killed, hundreds of Hindu women were raped and thousands of Hindu men and women were forcibly converted to Islam. Around 50,000 to 75,000 survivors were sheltered in temporary relief camps in Comilla, Chandpur, Agartala and other places. Around 50,000 Hindus remained marooned in the affected areas under the strict surveillance of the Muslims, where the administration had no say. According to Dinesh Chandra, Hindus were forced to pay subscriptions to the Muslim League and jiziyah.
राक्षसभुवन-युद्धम् #२५९
Event occured on 1763-08-10 (gregorian).
On this day, mAdhavarAv decimated the nizam’s army on godAvarI banks.
Aftermath: Madhavrao proved his military acumen & courage through timely troop movements before, & during the battle. In stark contrast, Raghunathrao was seen as indecisive, & Madhavrao was made Peshwa again! Nana Fadnavis was restored to office, with his brother Moropant Phadnis too. Peshwa Madhavrao met Mahadji Shinde to confirm services.
Context: While the peshvA was in a southern campaign, the Nizam (allied with Janoji Bhosale of nAgpur and Chatrapati rAmarAja of kolhApur) decided to attack, as planned by his divAn viTThala-sundara. For a change, raghunAtharAv joined mAdhavarAv. With a carrot and stick policy, jAnojI secretly returned to the peshva camp. Marathas started deserting the Nizam. mAdhavarAv had sped north and decimated the nizAm’s army on godAvarI banks.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
बासु-खुदीराम-हत्या #११४
Event occured on 1908-08-11 (gregorian).
On this day at 6 AM, 18.5 year old freedom fighter khudIrAm bose, walked firmly and cheerfully to the gallows.
Aftermath
After the hanging, the funeral procession went through the city, with police guards holding back the crowd all along the central artery street. The people kept throwing their flowers on the body as the carriage passed by.
The actions of khudIrAm and Prafulla were defended by many nationalists (including BG Tilak, who was promptly arrested on sedition charges).
After martyrdom, Khudiram became so popular that weavers of Bengal started weaving a special type of dhoti, with ‘Khudiram’ written on its side. Boys studying in school colleges wore these dhotis and stitched and walked on the path of independence.
Context
khudIrAm and Prafulla Chaki had tried to assassinate the notorious British judge Douglas Kingsford - but their bomb ended up killing two British women instead.
He had been arrested by constables Fateh Singh, and Shiv prasAd Singh near the Waini railway station (now named after him). On 1 May, he was brought to Muzaffarpur by train - a crowd awaited to see him - he cheerfully cried ‘vandE mAtaram’. Narendrakumar Basu had came to Khudiram’s defence and mounted a very strong case in his defence (redirecting the main blame to the older prafulla and invalidating khudIrAm’s initial statement), but failed.
When he was sentenced to death, his spontaneous reaction was to smile. The judge, surprised, asked Khudiram whether he had understood the meaning of the pronounced sentence. Khudiram replied that he surely had. When the judge asked him again whether he had anything to say, in front of a packed audience, Khudiram replied with the same smile that if he could be given some time, he could teach the judge the skill of bomb-making. Khudiram refused to appeal - but was persuaded to go along by the defence team.
Influences and early activities
In 1902 and 1903, Sri Aurobindo and Sister Nivedita visited Midnapore. They held a series of public lectures and private session with the existing revolutionary groups for freedom. Khudiram, a teenager, was an active participant in the discussions about the revolution. He joined Anushilan Samiti, and came into contact with the network of Barindra Kumar Ghosh of Calcutta. He became a volunteer at the age of 15, and was arrested for distributing pamphlets against the British rule in India.
Details
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
मणिपुरे राजनिर्वासनम् #१३१
Event occured on 1891-08-13 (gregorian).
13 August is celebrated as Patriots Day in Manipur. At 5PM on this day in 1891, at the end of Anglo-maNipur war crown Prince Tikendrajit, Gen Thangal along with 3 others were hanged by the British at Kangjeibung, the oldest pologround in the world, just outside the palace. King Kulachandra was exiled to Kala Pani.
Context
After Maharaja Chandrakriti’s death in 1886, his son Surachandra Singh succeeded him. As in previous occasions, several claimants to the throne tried to unsettle the new king. Tikendrajit and Kulachandra Singh (two of the king’s brothers) succeeded. Kulachandra Singh became king, while Tikendrajit Singh the senApati holding real power. Surachandra Singh, once safely away, asked for British help. British decided to recognize Kulachandra Singh as Raja, and punish Tikendrajit for the coup. on 22 March 1891 with a troop of 400 soldiers under Colonel Skene and asked Raja Kulachandra Singh to hand over Tikendrajit. maNipuri forces fought - five British officers were killed. On 31 March 1891 the British Government sent a military force against Manipur formed by three army columns. British won and took the palace on 27th April. Churachand Singh, a minor was placed on the throne of Manipur. Tikendrajit and other leaders of Manipur subsequently went underground. Tikendrajit was arrested in the evening of 23 May and sentened to death.
Details
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
स्कर्दु-द्रोहः #७४
Event occured on 1948-08-14 (gregorian).
On this day, Skardu was lost to betrayal by muslim-dominated Gilgit Scouts.
Context
With the betrayal at Gilgit, the command of 6 J&K Infantry now devolved on Major Sher Jung Thapa. Skardu was east of Gilgit and an important town. 6 J&K infantry, was spread out thinly in penny packets from Leh to Bunji. Capt Ganga Singh commanded two platoons at Kargil, which entirely comprised of Sikhs. Skardu itself was held by two platoons under Capt Nek Alam with entirely Muslim soldiers.
Thapa was at Leh when Gilgit fell and he was ordered to March to Skardu with whatever troops available. He arrived there on 3rd December and immediately noticed the hostile environment. He sought permission to withdraw the garrison and the civil administration to Kargil and also requested reinforcements. The request for withdrawal was turned down and he was asked “to hold to last man and last round”. Gilgit Scouts and raiders were moving towards Skardu. By mid-February, Skardu received some small reinforcements from Srinagar.
Thapa had 130 non-Muslim and 31 Muslim troops in Skardu now. He had deployed Nek Alam and his Muslim platoon 32 km towards west, on the road from Gilgit, which followed the river. Another platoon of Sikhs was positioned on the other bank of the river. This was at a place called Tsari. By the start of February, tribesmen and the traitors from 6 J&K Infantry had completed all the plans to capture Skardu.
On the 9th of February, the enemies attacked. Nek Alam and his soldiers immediately changed sides. Krishna Singh and his small platoon were routed and the survivors murdered in cold blood.
They then moved towards Skardu, while Thapa was unaware of the disaster and treachery at Tsari. The first attack by raiders on 11th February was beaten back while some Muslims of Thapa’s garrison deserted. Skardu also received some more reinforcements and now had 285 soldiers. Thapa also provided shelter to all the non-Muslims of the town, which numbered around 229. Indian Army, assembled 3 successive Skardu relief columns, but they were not successful in reaching Skardu. Air-dropping of ammunition was also not effective.
Skardu was besieged by well-armed raiders and Muslim troops, while Thapa defended it gallantly till August 14. They had fought without adequate ammunition, food, or even water. Finally, Skardu capitulated, outnumbered five to one, and with the last box of the reserve ammunition used.
Aftermath
All the surviving non-Muslims were murdered, but their women abducted, raped, and sold into brothels. Major Thapa and his orderly were the only ones kept alive. He was returned to Bharat some days after the war and was awarded Mahavir Chakra.
Details
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
अलबोय-युद्धम् #३५३
Event occured on 1669-08-15 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
Mogol forces under rAma siMha (son of jayasiMha) of Amber defeat Ahom forces under Lachit Borphukan in a forced challenge. 10k Ahom soldiers were killed. This would be reversed a few years later in the Battle of Saraighat, two years later, in 1671 CE.
Background: A few years after shivAjI’s escape, rAmasiMha was sent by Awrangzeb to capture assam. His efforts at psychological warfare and dissent bore fruit when King Chakradhwaja Singha gave Lachit Borphukan and his commanders an ultimatum to attack mogols the very next day. Lachit was bewildered - charging the superior Rajput cavalry would be suicidal and that a naval engagement with the Mughals would be more feasible.
Lachit Borphukan had accepted rAmasiMha’s challenge and prepared a force of 40,000 men under four commanders. However, he led Ram Singh to believe that the Ahom army was only 20,000-strong. So the Rajput king sent only 10,000 soldiers under the command of Mir Nawab and madanavatI. Madanavati’s carnage on horseback only ended after she was shot dead by a stray bullet. Lachit’s hidden reserves then turned the tide. rAmasiMha became angry and then sent in the entire Rajput cavalry along with Mughal veterans who had been standing by.
Details
सदाशिव-रावो जातः #२९२
Event occured on 1730-08-15 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
sadAshivrAv bhAu, who died fighting at 30 in pAnipaT, was born.
महाबलिकर-सन्धिः #२६९
Event occured on 1753-08-15 (gregorian).
On this day, Duch East India Company submitted to a peace treaty with mArtANDa varma of tirvanantapuram - abandoning all hopes of political and commercial dominance in keraLa, agreeing not to obstruct the Raja’s expansion, and in turn, to sell to him arms and ammunition.
Context
In 1730s, mArtANDa varma started annexing and consolidating keraLa kingdoms. Dutch tried to stop him, but lost crucial battles. Some prominent dutch prisoners had switched to serving and upgrading mArtANDa varma’s army.
Details
भारते स्वातन्त्र्य-दिनोत्सवः #७५
Event occured on 1947-08-15 (gregorian).
On this day, British finally quit India after splitting it into two (owing to bloody Muslim League strikes, and it’s own geopolitical interests) inimical parts - resulting in many decades of Anglicized Indian rule (which was nonetheless better than British times), rapid fall in infant mortality and sharp rise in life expectancy.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
direct-action-day-हत्याः #७६
Event occured on 1946-08-16 (gregorian).
Direct Action Day, a Ramzaan Friday, was a day of nationwide protest by the Indian Muslim community announced by Jinnah. The day also marked the start of what is known as The Week of the Long Knives aka 1946 Calcutta Killings. More than 4k people lost their lives, 11k were seriously injured and 100k residents were left homeless in Calcutta within 72 hours.
Context
The Muslim League were demanding a separate independent states since their 1940 Lahore resolution. In 1946, they’d agreed to a three-tier structure: a centre, groups of provinces, and provinces. In July 1946, it withdrew its agreement to the plan and announced a general strike (hartal) on 16 August.
By 1940, Muslim League “volunteer corps” / private army had 4154 members according to a British report. Since the 11–14 February 1946 riots in Calcutta, communal tension had been high. Following Jinnah’s declaration the Muslim League government announced a general holiday - despite Congress protests. On 14 August, Kiron Shankar Roy called on Hindu shopkeepers to keep their businesses open. Muslim newspapers (eg Star of India) published the programme for the day detailing procession routes. Muslim League branches were advised to depute three workers in every mosque in every ward to explain the League’s action plan before Juma prayers - with clear comparisons to Prophet Muhammad’s conquest of Mecca and establishment of the kingdom of Heaven in Arabia.
On the day, Muslim crowds (30-50k by 4PM) gathered at a maidAn. During Suhrawardy’s speech, he said that the military and police were restrained (though police did not receive any such order). Prominent Muslim League leaders (including Suhrawardy) later spent a great deal of time in police control rooms directing operations and obstructing police duties - but the British Governor did not stop them.
Attacks on Hindus started right after the meeting, and by 5:30PM, men could be seen carrying loot. Trucks came in carrying Muslim gangsters with brickbats and bottles. A 6 pm curfew was imposed in the parts of the city. Besides significant participation from butchers, dock-workers, masons and mill-workers, mob frenzy was directed by criminals such as ‘Bombaiya’ of New Market and Munna Choudhuri in the Harrison Road. Ambulences were mobilized and petrol couplons issued in the names of minsters were used.
Noted Hindu toughmen, Gopal Patha (a goat butcher) and Jugal Chandra Ghosh (who ran an akhAra) soon raised teams of vigilantes, plus reward money and carried out defence and retaliatory attacks (Beliaghata area and the Miabagan basti).
Worst of the killings happened on 17th August. Especially, Syed Abdullah Farooqui - workers union leader and Elian Mistry led a huge armed mob to Kesoram Cotton Mills and slaughtered workers. By late afternoon, soldiers were called in. On 21 August, Bengal was put under Viceroy’s rule.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
मस्स-रङ्घर-वधः #२८२
Event occured on 1740-08-22 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
To prevent the Sikhs accessing the holy shrine [Darbar Sahib], or the “Golden Temple”, at Amritsar a strong Mughal military officer, Massa Ranghar, was stationed. He started carousing with dancing girls and consuming meat and alcohol there. Mehtab Singh and Sukkha Singh set off from rAjasthAn, disguised themselves as revenue officials, entered Harmandir Sahib, cut off Ranghar’s head and escaped before the Mughal soldiers could realise what had happened.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
नारायणरावो हतः #२४९
Event occured on 1773-08-30 (gregorian).
In an event that shook the marATha empire, the peshva nArayaNa rAv, brother of the great mAdhavarAv and vishvAs-rAv, was killed on the last day of gaNapati festival (Ananta Chaturdashi) in puNe.
According to popular legend, Raghunathrao had sent a message to Sumer Singh Gardi to fetch Narayanrao using the Marathi word dharaa (धरा) or ‘hold’ (actual phrase in Marathi - " नारायणरावांना धरा"/“Narayanrao-ana dhara”). This message was intercepted by his wife Anandibai who changed a single letter to make it read as maaraa (मारा) or ‘kill’ . The miscommunication led the Gardis to chase Narayanrao, who, upon hearing them coming, started running towards his uncles' residence screaming, “Kaka! Mala Vachva!!” (“Uncle! Save me!"). The Gardis followed Narayanrao to his uncle’s chamber and the menial Tulaji Pawar pulled him while Sumer Singh Gardi cut him down. At the scene, a total of 11 persons were killed. Historian Sardesai writes that these 11 victims included seven brahmins (including Narayanrao), two Maratha servants and two maids.
Aftermath
The Chief Justice, Ram Shastri Prabhune was asked to conduct an investigation into the incident, and Raghunathrao, Anandibai and Sumer Singh Gardi were all prosecuted in absentia. Although Raghunathrao was acquitted, Anandibai was declared an offender and Sumer Singh Gardi the culprit. Sumer Singh Gardi died mysteriously in Patna, Bihar in 1775, and Anandibai performed Hindu rituals to absolve her sins. Kharag Singh and Tulaji Pawar were handed over by Hyder Ali back to the government and they were tortured to death.
As the result of the murder, senior ministers and generals of the Maratha confederacy formed a regency council , known as the “Baarbhai Council”, to conduct of the affairs of the state in the name of his soon to be born son, mAdhavarAv 2.
Details
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
घाशीरामो हतः #२३१
Event occured on 1791-08-31 (gregorian).
On this day, the kotwal of puNe, ghAshIrAm Savaldas, a kAnyakubja brAhmaNa, was stoned to death by other brAhmaNa-s in vengence for the death of 21 tailanga brAhmaNas because of being locked up in a suffocating tunnel for an entire day and night.
Context
Many brAhmaNas were in town for daxiNA. A curfew was in place, which some violated and allegedly indulged in rioting and unruly behavior. 35 were locked up. The prisoners remained in the cell for an entire day and a night and on the third morning, (an eminent chief named) Manaji Phakde (a cousin of Mahadji Sindia) was passing that way, when he heard noises. He then informed nAna of the tragedy.
Peshwa mAdhava rAv, who was just coming of age, summoned Nana and asked how ghAshIrAm should be punished. As news spread, over a thousand Brahmins gathered outside Nana’s house. Nana sent (the chief judge) Ayya Shastri to meet them, but he was assaulted and his clothes torn off. Nana ordered the arrest of the kotwal (who had by now earned a reputation for tyranny). Peshwa ordered him dead. He was taken out of town, let loose and left to the mercy of the Brahmins following the procession.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
चिङ्ग्गीज़ो मृतः #७९५
Event occured on 1227-09-01 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
On this, 12th day of the 7th Mongol lunar month, died the greatest of the military leaders of all times Chingiz Kha’Khan. Born Temujin, he literally rose from rags after his fatehr was killed by Tatars, and was elected Kha’Khan in 1206 after being tied down in Mongolian tribal wars till age 40. He destroyed in a span of 21 years the hegemony of China and Islam, two of the most dangerous powers in human history. He proclaimed the sacred law (yasag) like father Manu. Most importantly, he became the most prolific progenitor of Central Asia. He transcends cultural boundaries and had great impact on the world (including Hindus). He is considered to be of divine nature by Mongols.
Events
At the brink of bringing about the collapse of the Tangut and Chin empires, while hunting an ibex the Khan fell from his horse, got likely got septicemia and died. His final words:
“A jade stone is truly without crust,
polished dagger has no dirt on it,
a man born to life is not deathless,
he must go without home, without a resting placing.The glory of a deed is in its completion.
Firm and unbending is he who keeps a plighted word faithfully.
Follow not the will of another and good will of many will be yours.
A funerary chant composed by Kiluken read:
O Lion of the great god Tengri, Boddhisatva on Earth, numerous clans of your Mongol nation are wailing for you.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
गुज्जर-बिल्लू-वधः #१६
Event occured on 2006-09-05 (gregorian).
billU gujjar (Wasim Khan), Islamist jihAdI belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen (‘Party of Holy Fighters’), big-time murderer of hindus, was killed.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
राधाविनोदपालेन +उषापुत्ररक्षा #७४
Event occured on 1948-09-12 (gregorian).
On this day, Radha Binod Pal, a judge from India at the Tokyo war crime trials, declared the defendants not guilty - dissenting from other judges from around the world. Thus, he earned heartfelt gratitude of Japanese people, expressed in various honors (roads named after him, statues at the shrine and court, the highest civilian honor of the country, ‘Kokko Kunsao’ from the Emperor Hirohito).
With his 1232 page note to the rest of the jurists he convincingly argued that the Allies, (winners of WWII) also violated the principles of restraint and neutrality. In addition to ignoring Japan’s surrender hints, they killed two hundred thousand innocent people using nuclear bombardment. The judges were forced to drop many of the accused from Class-A to B.
विश्वनाथ-मन्दिर-नाश-वार्ता #३५३
Event occured on 1669-09-12 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
News came to Court that according to the Emperor (Awrangzeb)’s command, his officers had demolished the temple of Vishwanath at Benares.
Details
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
वन-रक्षक-वैष्णव-हत्या #२९२
Event occured on 1730-09-22 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
On roughly this day, several biShnoi-s died protecting khejri trees from the king’s men. The king came, apologized and turned the village into a sanctuary.
A royal party led by giridhar bhaNDArI, a minister of the maharajah of Marwar, arrived at Jalnadi village (later known as khejralI) with the intention of felling some Khejri trees that were sacred to the villagers. The trees were to be burned to produce lime for fort (some say palace) construction. A local woman called Amrita Devi protested against the tree-felling because such acts were prohibited by the vishnoi’s religion. The royal party said that they would only cease if she paid them a bribe, which she refused. She said that she would rather give away her life to save the trees. She and her three daughters (Asu, Ratni and Bhagu) were then killed by the party.
News of the deaths spread and summons to a meeting were sent to 84 Bishnoi villages. The meeting determined that one Bishnoi volunteer would sacrifice their life for every tree that was cut down. Older people began hugging the trees that were intended to be cut and many were killed. They said: ‘A chopped head is cheaper than a felled tree’ (“सिर साटै रूँख रहे - तो भी सस्तो जाँण”). Bhandari claimed that the Bishnois were sacrificing ageing people whom they no longer saw as useful to society. In response to this, young men, women and children began to follow the example of the old. 363 Bishnois (294 men & 69 women) died in the incident.
Aftermath
The shocked tree-felling party left for Jodhpur with their mission unfulfilled. When the Maharaja Abhai Singh of Marwar heard about this, he was filled with remorse and came to the village to personally apologize to the people. He promised them that they would never again be asked to provide timber to the ruler, no khejri tree would ever be cut, and hunting would be banned near the Bishnoi villages. The proclamation, in a tAmra-patra, is displayed in a memorial.
Later, memorials were erected in memory of the martyrs - including a cenotaph, Khejarli Shahid Sthal, Jambheshwar sathari, aka amrita Devi vishnoismariti vatika. Every year fair is take place on bhAdrapada-shukla-dashamI. To remember their sacrifice, the government declared September 11 as National Forest Martyrs’ Day.
The Khejarli story inspired another environmental movement—the Chipko Andolan (1973) in the Tehri-Garhwal Himalaya. This, in turn, spawned the Jungle Bachao Andolan (1982) in Bihar and Jharkhand, the Appiko Chaluvali (1983) in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, and other similar protests. The ‘tree-hugging’ tactic of the Chipko Andolan and its messages gained popularity in many countries beyond India’s borders, leading to protests in Switzerland, Japan, Malaysia, The Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
अक्षरधाम-हत्या #२०
Event occured on 2002-09-24 (gregorian).
On 24 September 2002 (4:45 pm), Murtaza Hafiz Yasin and Ashraf Ali Mohammad Farooq attacked the Swaminarayan Akshardham complex at Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India. They killed 30 people and injured more than 80. This was shortly after the Godhra burning of Hindu pilgrims and the subsequent riots. A priest recalled “a mother begging for the lives of her children-later identified as Priya and Bhailu Chauhan, aged three and four. The woman, Sumitra, had been running with her little boy and girl when she was felled by a bullet in the leg. The killer nodded to her pleas, then turned his gun towards the children and, to the horror of the mother, mowed them down.”
At 4:48 pm, three minutes after the attack began, Vishwavihari Swami, at the Akshardham Temple Complex, made an SOS call to Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s office and informed them about the attack. By 5:15 pm, Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi called the Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani in Delhi and asked for the National Security Guards (NSG). At 10:10 pm, two buses of NSG commandos and one bus filled with NSG equipment arrived at Akshardham. By approximately 11:30 pm, after reviewing multiple strategies, 35 Black Cat commandos positioned themselves throughout the Akshardham Temple Complex in an effort to find the terrorists. At approximately 6:45 am, the 14-hour-long ordeal ended with the Black Cat Commandos shooting the two terrorists hiding in the bushes. During this overnight search for the attackers, one state police officer and one commando lost their lives. Another commando, Surjan Singh Bhandari, was seriously injured and died in May 2004, after being in coma for two years.
Aftermath
The head of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha which manages the temple, Pramukh Swami Maharaj, successfully appealed to maintain peace. Gujarat police later arrested several people, who were sentenced in 2006, but were acquitted in the Supreme Court in 2014.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
८७-तमे वर्षे फ़िजि-द्वीपोपप्लवः #३५
Event occured on 1987-09-25 (gregorian).
On this day, Indigenous Christian Fijians led by Sitiveni Rabuka effected a military coup (their second that year), tore up the constitution, discarded multi-ethnic governments and compromises, triggering exodus of Indian origin Fijians from the Island.
Context
- Tensions between indigenous (mostly Methodist Christian) Fijian and (majority Hindu) Indo-Fijian ethnic groups (comprising an estimated 46% and 49% of the 1987 population, respectively) were high. The former were additionally supported by the Church and the native Chiefs.
- The Indians had come to neglect participation in the Army for many decades (Their demanding equal pay as Euroeans during WW2 caused the British to disband the Indian platoon).
- Also, Indian Total Fertility Rate (which was initially higher than the natives) had fallen.
Aftermath
- A new constitution was ratified in 1990, in which the offices of President and Prime Minister, along with two-thirds of the Senate and a substantial majority of the House of Representatives, were reserved for indigenous Fijians. These racially discriminatory provisions were eventually overturned by a constitutional revision in 1997.
- The coups triggered much emigration by Indo-Fijians (particularly skilled workers), making them a minority by 1994.
- Fiji’s economy contracted by as much as 7.8% between 1987 and 1988, due to a major downturn in tourism and sugar production.
- Further coups happened in 2000-s.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
माधव-रावान्तिमादेशः #२५०
Event occured on 1772-09-30 (gregorian).
On this day, shortly before his untimely death, one of the finest peshva-s, mAdhava rAv issued his final will with the following points.
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- All my debts should be paid even by using, if necessary, my private purse in the possession of Guruji (Mahadaji Ballal) :
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- The system of farming the revenues is found oppressive to the ryots: it should be modified after a careful enquiry.
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- The two holy places Prayag and Benares should be released from Muslim control. This was the ardent desire of my sires and now is the time to carry it out.
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- My mother’s desire to perform the pilgrimage of Benares should be fulfilled as soon as convenient.
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- The obsequies of Bhau Saheb should be performed next February, whether aunt Parwatibai becomes sati or not.
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- The annuities assigned to the worthy Brahmans of Benares should be regularly paid and continued in heredity.
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- Dinners in connection with my funeral rites should be served to two lacs of Brahmans each with half an anna for dakshana.
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- Dadasaheb should have five lacs of jagir assigned for his maintenance in order to keep him contented.
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- The charities of the Shravan month should be continued as long as the administration brings in at least 5 lacs of revenue yearly.
The responsible officers swore in the presence of Ganapati that they would execute all these wishes.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
अवरङ्गज़ेब-मार्गे मन्दिरनाशाज्ञा #३४१
Event occured on 1681-10-01 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
On this day, Jawahar Chand, the Darogha of Beldars (stone cutters), was ordered that all temples coming in the way (of the Awrangzeb) should be demolished. Date of the Akhbar :- Julus 25, 18 Ramzan.
Original: ब जवाहरचंद दारुगा बिलदारान फर्मुदंद के औंजा बुत-खाना हा दर राहे आयंद शुमार (मिस्मार) मी नमुदा बाशद.
NEELMANI PATHAK
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
Namaste All,I Neelmani Pathak 50yrs from Varanasi.I question all typing in english not in hindi. when topic is related INDIA.PLEASE WRITE IN HINDI. I request all.
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विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
शिवराजस्य तान्त्रिकाभिषेकः #३४८
Event occured on 1674-10-04 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
On lalitapanchamI (ashvin shuddha 5), nishchalapurI, as requested by shivAjI, conducted a tAntrik coronation. This was preceeded by ill omens such as a lightening strike, deaths of jIjAbai, kAshIbAi and pratAprAv.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
शिवराज-मुगल-सन्धि-नवीकरणम् #३५२
Event occured on 1670-10-13 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
After the escape from Agra, shivAjI’s envoys were released on April 3rd and sent back to shivAjI. shivAjI also wrote to awrangzeb and asked for “pardon”, restitution of deshmukhI rights to land surrendered in the purandara treaty, and restoration of sambhAjI’s jAgir and mansabdArI. All this was granted on this day, plus shivAjI was given the title “rAjA” in March 1668 (something awrangzeb had refused when recommended by jayasiMha 2 years earlier). War on Adil shAh continued till he too ceded solapur fort in July 68.
चेन्नै-नगरे शिवराजः कालिकाम् अपूजयत् #३४५
Event occured on 1677-10-13 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
He had arrived near Fort St George in May on his karNATaka campaign. shivAjI worships kAlikAmbA in modern Chennai on this day. https://twitter.com/iParamanand/status/915268209510563840
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
माधव-रावस्यात्मसमर्पणम् #२६०
Event occured on 1762-11-12 (gregorian).
On this day, to keep marATha unity and strength in the face of an ambitious nizAm, mAdhav rAv surrendered to his stupidly greedy uncle raghunAth rAv. The contrast between the two - whether in terms of ethics, capability or longevity is huge.
Context: He decided to wage a war against his uncle Raghunathrao on November 7, 1762. However, Madhavrao didn’t wish to battle against his own uncle and thus, proposed for a treaty. Raghunathrao agreed to sign the treaty with Madhavrao and asked him to move back to a non-attacking position. Madhavrao did so. However, Raghunathrao deceived Madhavrao. When the Maratha camp under Madhavrao was relaxed and unsuspecting of a battle, they were caught unawared as Raghunathrao attacked treacherously. Thus, Madhavrao was defeated in the Battle of Alegaon and on November 12, 1762 surrendered himself to Raghunathrao near Alegaon. After the surrender, Raghunathrao decided to control all the major decisions under the assistance of Sakharam Bapu. He also decided to befriend Nizam, but this proved to be a wrong masterplan as the Nizam slowly started infiltrating the zones of Maratha Empire. As time slipped by, Madhavrao pointed out the gravity of the situation to his uncle. Eventually on March 7, 1763 the Peshwas, once again under Madhavrao’s leadership, decided to attack Aurangabad to crush Nizam.
शुक्रेश्वर-पर्वत-जयः #३५५
Event occured on 1667-11-12 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
Ahom ruler Chakradhvaja Singha (Supangmung, 1663-1670) recaptures Itakhuli (shukreshvara hill) and some other guvahATi garrissons from Mogol governor Sayed Firoj Khan. The enemy was chased down to the mouth of the Manaha river, the old boundary between Assam and Mughal India (prior to Mir Jumla’s campaign). On receiving the news of victory the king cried out-“It is now that I can eat my morsel of food with ease and pleasure”.
Background: Aurangzeb, after ascending on the throne of Delhi, ordered Mir Jumla to invade Cooch Behar and Assam and re-establish Mughal prestige in eastern India. The western Ahom kingdom was then rife with envy and resentment. So, in 1662 he had succeeded. King Jayadhvaja retreated to the hills, abandoning much treasure, later sent his daughter and niece to mogol harem. Chakradhwaj Singha, who succeeded him, was against any payment at all on principle. He shouted out from his throne: – “Death is preferable to a life of subordination to foreigners”. In 1665 the king summoned an assembly of his ministers and nobles and ordered them to adopt measures for expelling the Mughals from western Assam, adding—“My ancestors were never subordinate to any other people; and I for myself cannot remain under the vassalage of any foreign power. I am a descendant of the Heavenly King and how can I pay tribute to the wretched foreigners.”
तिरुवनन्तपुर-देवायतन-प्रवेश-घोषणा #८७
Event occured on 1935-11-12 (gregorian).
On this day, Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma of Travancore issued the Temple Entry Proclamation.
Context
Kerala is a rare state where caste discrimination actually led to conversion to abrahamist faiths because converts got more rights than low jAti-s. In other states, the primary factor in conversion was and remains selectively targetted allurements, supposed miracles and threats.
Vaikom Satyagraha protests sought equal rights of access in areas previously restricted to members of upper castes. The protests expanded to become a movement seeking rights of access to the interior of the temples themselves. Regent Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi yielded partly - deferring to her minor nephew (who supposedly assured gAndhI on his own will).
Implementation
Chithira Thirunal signed the Proclamation on the eve of his 24th birthday in 1936. He was ably supported by his divAn Sachivottama Sir Chetput Pattabhiraman Ramaswami Iyer, who clarified that the decision was a result of his own free will and not the result of protests or advice; and carefully managed its acceptance and implementation.
Aftermath
The Travancore Temple Entry Proclamation did not have a serious influence in Cochin or British Malabar as the Maharajah of Cochin and the Zamorin were staunch opponents of temple entry for dalits. Even when universal temple entry was granted in 1947 the Cochin maharajah made an exemption in the bill so as to keep his family temple, “Sree Poornathrayeesha”, out of the purview of temple entry.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
डॆक्कन-हॆराल्ड्-पत्रिका-कार्यालयो दग्धः #३६
Event occured on 1986-12-07 (gregorian).
About 5,000 Moslems tried to burn office of the paper, The Deccan Herald, after the paper had printed a short story in its Sunday magazine titled ‘‘Mohammad the Idiot.’’ The story (translated from maLayALam, depicting rural life in Kerala) concerned a handicapped youth named Mohammad, but the Moslems, who make up 10 percent of the city’s population, asserted that a reference to him as ‘‘a deaf and dumb prophet’’ was an insult to their religion. - NYT summary
“Four people were killed and nearly 50 were injured in riots here today.” - NYT on Dec 8th
“The larger part of the blame for the violence must devolve on Muslim leaders, among whom former Congress(I) minister C.M. Ibrahim was allegedly in the forefront, who whipped up passions in the community by deliberately distorting what the story had said.” - India Today.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
ज़ोरावरसिंह-मृत्युः #१८१
Event occured on 1841-12-12 (gregorian).
On this day died the Kahluria Rajput general Zorawar Singh (under Gulab Singh) on his remarkable Tibetan expedition, after his pilgrimage to mAnasasarovara and kailAsa. Snow had caused supplies to the Dogra army to fail despite Zorawar’s preparations. In the early exchange of fire the Rajput general was wounded in his right shoulder but he grabbed a sword in his left hand. The Tibetan horsemen then charged the Dogra position and one of them thrust his lance in Zorawar Singh’s chest.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
नॆडुंकोट-युद्धम् #२३३
Event occured on 1789-12-29 (gregorian).
On this day, in the first battle on the neDuMkoTa coast-to-mountain fortification, Tipu Sultan and troops were routed. Tipu was wounded (physically and mentally), and lost 1k troops. padmanAbhapura lost 300. Several of Tipu’s officers (including Europeans) were captured.
Two horses were shot from under Tipu, and he even got an arrow in the back. During the hasty retreat, Tipu fell back into the ditch twice before being helped out and the occasional lameness which he suffered until his death was reputedly the consequence. Tipu’s sword, the palanquin, the dagger, the ring and many other personal effects fell into the ditch, and then into the hands of the minister keshava-dAsa.
Aftermath
Humiliated Tipu vowed to take down “the contemptible wall”. The fine wall held up till 15th April. Then he managed a 1km wide breach after 1 month of sustained artillery fire and poured in - only to be foiled again at Alwaye river bank. He retreated by 24 May 1790 to defend his kingdom from British threat.
Context
The Dutch captive-turned general of padmanAbhapura’s mArtANDa varma, De Lannoy, had built an excellent fortification from coast to mountain - neDuMkoTa. It had a 16 feet wide and 20 deep ditch. dharmarAja rAma varma had tried to get British help when Tipu’s attack was imminent, but only got words. The Dutch, who’d sold forts to rAma varma helped a bit - by sending an engineer von Krause, who was dispatched to the wall. He wrote an account of the battle.
When Tipu attacked, he tried filling a small portion of the ditch with cotton sacks and moving in a small column via a narrow passage. At first the Mysoreans overpowered three batteries of the Lines but subsequently their flanks were subjected to fire from the woods. They were so surprised by the first round of fire that they fell into disorder. Then the well drilled nair army advanced and the confusion increased. Those Mysoreans who had not yet been trampled down by their horses while retreating found that the sacks with cotton, used for filling up the ditch when they set out, as well as some powder-barrels, had caught fire. This forced them to jump from the ramparts.
सिन्ध्-खेड्-युद्धम् #२६५
Event occured on 1757-12-29 (gregorian).
On this day (Margashirsha Chaturthi), vishvAs rAv, the teenage son of peshvA nAnAsAheb bAlAjI rAv, assisted ably by dattAjI shiNDe, defeated nizAm’s forces in the battle of Sindkhed and forced him to cede territory with a revenue of 25 lakhs, including the naldurg fort. “Negotiations continued for 2 weeks…. This was Vishwasrao’s first battle. He did well, may he gain more victories.” says a Maratha letter.
Events
Ibrahim Khan Gardi was still under Nizam’s employ. There was a big artillery attack by the marAThas, followed by an infantry square advance by Nizam’s side and cavalry attacks by Marathas. “They had taken about 300-500 men and 200 horses dead. Our losses were fewer. Their infantry retired from the field, we held our positions. An envoy from the Nizam arrived in our camp.” says a marATha letter.
कच-विहार-मन्दिर-नाशः #३६१
Event occured on 1661-12-29 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
On Dec 19, 1661, Mir Jumla (general of Awrangzeb) entered the city of Cooch-Bihar, which had been evacuated by its king and people, and appointed Sayyid Mohammed, Sadiq to be chief judge, with directions to destroy all the Hindu temples and to erect mosques in their stead. Mir Jumla himself with a battle-axe broke the image of Narayan.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
काश्मीर-पण्डित-निष्कासनम् #३३
Event occured on 1990-01-19 (gregorian).
This day marks paNDit exodus day. Merits reflection by people of all religions.
Ethnic cleansing of Kashmir’s Hindus began. Didn’t stop until 300k–600k were chased, killed and their properties looted or destroyed by their “peaceful” neighbours & even friends. Many Kashmiri Hindu women were kidnapped, gang-raped and murdered (eg. by beating, cutting with a saw), throughout the time of exodus.
Context
It was preceded by slaughter of 300 Hindu men and women, nearly all of them Kashmiri Pandits since the brutal murder of Pandit Tika Lal Taploo, newspaper messages (eg Aftab Jan 4) threatening all Hindus to leave, posters threatening kAshmIris to follow Islamic rules, coloring shops green.
Events
At midnight (beginning of 19th), a blackout took place in the Kashmir Valley where electricity was cut except in mosques. Throughout the day, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front and Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists used public address systems at mosques to exhort people to defy curfew and take to the streets. Masked men, firing guns, marched about, terrorizing cowering Pandits who, by then, had locked themselves in their homes. Three taped slogans are repeatedly played the whole night from mosques: ‘Kashmir mei agar rehna hai, Allah-O-Akbar kehna hai’ (If you want to stay in Kashmir, you have to say Allah-O-Akbar); ‘Yahan kya chalega, Nizam-e-Mustafa’ (What do we want here? Rule of Shariah); ‘Asi gachchi Pakistan, baTao roas te baTanev san’ (We want Pakistan along with Hindu women but without their men).
Aftermath
1990 killings
- 19 Jan. Chuni Lal Shala, inspector, had grown a beard and was visiting Sopore with a Muslim Constable. The constable identified him, called two terrorists seeking him back - and then according to one account - joined them beating him to death.
- On 25 January 1990, Rawalpora shooting incident took place, wherein four Indian Air Force personnel were killed and 10 others were injured.
- On 2 February 1990, Satish Tikoo murdered near his own house in Habba Kadal, Srinagar.
- On 12 February 1990, Tej Krishen Razdan was killed by a muslim colleague (shot, kicked, displayed in a mosque).
- On 13 February 1990, Lassa Kaul, Station Director of Srinagar Doordarshan, was shot dead.
- 24 Feb - Ashok Kumar Qazi - shot in knuckles; murderers danced around him, pulled his hair out, slapped, spat, urinated, finally finished him and ran away.
- 27 Feb - Navin saproo. Killers followed with glee the police van with which relatives picked up his body right to the cremation ground.
- 22 March - PN Kaul - skinned alive.
- 22 March - BK Ganjoo was hiding in a rice bin. Muslim neighbors called the jihAdis back and ratted him out. While leaving, they shouted, “Let your blood be soaked in the rice and let your children eat it. Ah, what a tasty meal it would be”.
- 28 April - Bhushan Lal Raina killed. Ignoring his mother’s pleas, with a sharp pointed iron rod, they pierced his skull. They dragged him out and nailed him to a tree after stripping off his clothes. They killed him by inches while he begged to be shot.
- On 29/30 April 1990, Sarwanand Kaul Premi, an old Kashmiri poet (who kept a rare Quran manuscript in his home shrine as well) made to carry loot from his home. His son accaompanied him. The place in between the eyebrows, where Premi used to apply “Tilak”, was found pierced by an iron and skin peeled off. The entire body bore the marks of cigarette burns. The limbs were found broken and eyes of both father and the son gouged out. They were later hanged and to be doubly sure shot too.
- May 7, Prof and Ms K. L. Ganjoo - terrorists shot him and threw him into the Jhelum to die. Nephew was given a choice-either to jump into the river to which his uncle had been consigned or watch what they were going to do with his aunt. The boy jumped into the river - and survived (despite not being a swimmer).
- May 20, Chaman Lal Pandita kidnapped and strangled. Neighbours had promised protection and stopped him from leaving.
- June 24, Ashwani Kumar Garyali shot, knees broken, left to die. Police refused to send a vehicle to send him to a hospital.
- On June 25(?), 1990, Girija Tickoo (who’d been persuaded to return to collect her salary). Her neice recounted in 2022: “on her way back, the bus she was traveling from was stopped…. My bua was then thrown into a taxi, with 5 men (one of them being her colleague), who tortured her, raped her, and then brutally murdered her by cutting her alive with a carpenter saw.” (Note: Manual saw, not mechanical saw.)
- June 26, B. L. Raina and son killed.
- 31 June - Ramesh Kumar Raina strangled.
- 6/7 July - Dina Nath Mujoo (Age: 75 years) killed (they’d forced their children to go away).
Later
- In December 1992, Hriday Nath Wanchoo, a trade union leader and human rights activist, was murdered.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
र्तद्बङ-सङ्ग्रहः #७२
Event occured on 1951-02-07 (gregorian).
On this day, Tawang was securely integrated into India by the efforts of Major Khathing, deputed by governor of Assam, Jairamdas Daulatram.
Context
In Jan 1951, then-the governor of Assam, Jairamdas Daulatram summoned Major Khathing and entrusted him with a top-secret mission: ‘To go and integrate Tawang into India’. Major Khathing afterwards transferred on deputation as an assistant political officer, to the Indian Frontier Administrative Service. (to maintain the secrecy of the mission).
Major Khathing put together a team of two companies. After several days of travel, Major Khathing and his team moved to Tawang via the Jang and Sela mountain pass. The forces reached Tawang on the 7th of February, 1951. Major Khathing summoned Tibetan officials for the meeting. They were then given notice that any representatives of the Tibetan government will no longer have jurisdiction over people living south of the Bumla range. In the following days after that, all the officials of the 11 Tibetan Administrative Units were directed not to take any further orders from Tibetan officials. (Tibet was under China’s control by then)
Tibetan officials asked for time to get permission from Lhasa. However, Major Khathing realized the crucial importance of time and rejected the request citing the Simla Treaty of 1914, according to which the area belonged to the GOI. From that day after, 11th of Feb 1951, Tawang became a part of India. Some historians believe that the incident was the initiative of the Assam Governor and PM Nehru was in a blackout for the whole time. Others are of opinion that PM was aware of the incident.
Details
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
वेङ्कट-रामार्यस्याविश्कारः #९५
Event occured on 1928-02-28 (gregorian).
CV Raman discovered the Raman Effect on this day in 1928
कर्णावत्यां होलिकोत्सव-कलहः #२९५
Event occured on 1728-02-29 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
One of the earliest well-recorded hindu-muslim riots started on this Holi-day in Ahmedabad.
Trigger
- The Ahmedabad account attributes the trigger to Holi colors falling on an indignant muslim passerby.
- The Delhi account (seemingly more concise and confused) attributes it to burning of Holika over the objections of a muslim neighbor.
Riots
Riots proceeded for two days. Hindu (+Jain) side was led by Kapur Chand, a well connected jeweller. Muslim side was led by Abdul Aziz, a cap merchant from the Sunni Bohra community. Professional rivalry existed between them.
The muslim mob was actively roused, and involved a charismatic Sufi preacher Muhammad Ali as per the Ahmedabad account. They tried and failed to get the Qazi to join them - and burned his house out of spite. They then attacked Kapur Chand and co; who defended themselves well - employing well paid Muslim musketeers according to Ahmedabad account.
Climax
The Governor of the subah, Daud Khan (a rather unorthodox person who’s reputed to have had an idol in his house) sided with the influential Hindu Kapur Chand. The Qazi, Khairullah Khan, follwed suit. According to them, the Muslim case had no legal merit. But a rival Delhi muslim faction seems to have supported the Muslim rioters and forced the Hindu side to become conciliate.
Aftermath
Next year, according to Ali Muhammad Khan, Mirat-i Ahmadi - on the eve of Id al azha, a Bohra attempt to sacrifice a cow was thwarted by a Hindu havaldAr under the governorship of mahArAja Ajit singh. But, a Bohra Muslim mob formed and succeeded in retrieving the cow and slaughtering it after the Id prayer.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
Event occured on 1630-03-01 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
On this day was born the great rAjan shivAjI (It was phAlguna k3), about whom bhUShaNa wrote
"चारौ वर्ण धर्म छोडि
कलमा नेवाज पढि
सिवाजी न होतो तौ
सुनति होत सबकी" 🙏🙏
Source of the date are two close contemporary sources: jedhe shekavali and shivabharat.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
नोयाखलि-शान्तौ गान्धि-प्रयत्न-वैफल्यम् #७६
Event occured on 1947-03-02 (gregorian).
On this day, ‘mahAtmA’ MK Gandhi gave up and ended his Noakhali peace mission halfway and left for Bihar.
Context
On 18 October, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy personally communicated with Gandhi, appraising him of the massacre of Hindus in Noakhali and the plight of the Hindu women. At the evening prayer event, he mentioned this, and decided to visit Noakhali. Gandhi started for Noakhali on 6 November and reached Chaumuhani the next day. In the next seven weeks, he covered 116 miles and visited 47 villages. He organized prayer meetings, met local Muslim leaders, and tried to win their confidence. Still, stray incidents of violence and murder continued.
Gandhi’s stay in Noakhali was resented by the Muslim leadership. On 12 February 1947, while addressing a rally at Comilla, A. K. Fazlul Huq said that Gandhi’s presence in Noakhali had harmed Islam enormously. Towards the end of February 1947, it became vulgar. Gandhi’s route was deliberately dirtied every day and Muslims began to boycott his meetings. Gandhi discontinued his mission halfway and started for Bihar on 2 March 1947 at the request of the Muslim League leaders of Bengal. On 7 April, more than a month after leaving Noakhali, Gandhi received telegrams from Congress Party workers in Noakhali, describing attempts to burn Hindus alive. He responded that the situation in Noakhali required that the Hindus should either leave or perish.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
Event occured on 1680-03-03 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
On 22 February, the Emperor Aurangzeb, waging a war against udayapura, went to look at Chitor, and by his order the 63 temples of the place were destroyed.
#### Context
After the death of Maharaja Jaswant Singh of Jodhpur in the Kabul Subah, he tried to eliminate the Rathors of Marwar as a political power in Rajputana. But Maharana Raj Singh of Mewar, in line with the great traditions of his House, came out in open support of the Rathors.. This led to war with both Mewar and Marwar during which the temples built on the bank of Rana’s lake were destroyed by his orders.
Raj Singh opposed Aurangzeb multiple times, once to save the Kishangarh princess Charumati from the Mughals and once by denouncing the Jizya tax levied by Aurangzeb. Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had once taunted Aurangzeb by telling him to ask the Rana of Mewar who is the head of the Hindus for Jizya if he had the guts instead of terrorising unarmed citizens.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
Event occured on 1823-03-14 (gregorian).
On this day, raNajIt singh and his generals (including hari singh) defeated afghAn jihAdi-s and captured peshAvar valley. Azem Khan, after initial attacks, retreated and stayed on the other side of kAbul river - abandoning his ghAzi-s.
#### Context
Angered by his defeats, Azem Khan recaptured Peshawar in 1822, he made a call for jihad against the Sikhs; destroyed the Attck bridge and trapped Sikh garrisons west of the sindhu. Ranjit Singh had already reinforced his forces in Nowshera. Ranjit Singh personally came down and crossed the sindhu under fierce attacks.
#### Aftermath
The tribesman of Khattaks and Yousafzais suffered enormous casualties due to the Sikh artillery. Swiftly securing Nowshera, Ranjit Singh's forces captured Peshawar and reached Jamrud itself.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
गजपतिन-लख्नौति-दुर्ग-ग्रहणम् #७७८
Event occured on 1245-03-21 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
The army of Gajapati Narasimhadeva-I, having slaughtered Karimuddin Laghri’s unit at Lakhnor, beseiged and won Lakhanuti.
Context: This was the second seige by the gajapati in 14 months. Narasinhadeva had attacked Lakhnauti for 1st time in around November 1243 and had to tactically retreat till Katashin/Contai in South Bengal in April 1244 before drawing out, ambushing and routing Mamluk forces under Tughan. Hindu chiefs of South Bengal were vassalized by Narasimhadeva and had helped him in his campaign.
लखपतरायेण शिष्यहत्याः #२७७
Event occured on 1746-03-21 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
ChoTTa ghallUghAra massacre of sikhs began on 3 Jeth 1746 with the rounding up and massacre of Sikh inhabitants of Lahore. An estimated 7,000 Sikhs were massacred in total.
The operation was planned and executed by Lakhpat Rai, who was a Revenue Minister in the Court of Lahore to avenge the killing of his brother, Jaspat Rai, a military commander by the Sikhs earlier in the same year.
शम्भुराजो पीडितो हतश् च #३३४
Event occured on 1689-03-21 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
sambhAji mahArAj, aged 32, was brutally tortured and killed by awrangzeb at tulApur (where his grandfather shAhAjI had done the tulAgaja vidhi, donating an elephant’s weight in gold). While given to debauchery, sambhAjI shared his father’s vision of hindavI svarAjya (refer his letter to rAmasiMha of mevAr) and was well versed in sanskrit.
Per marATha accounts: Sambhaji was told that if he converted to Islam and spent his life as a servant of the emperor he could see life. Sambhaji made it clear that the Alamgir was the worst enemy of the country and the Padishaw was a real fool to follow a mentally ill person as his only prophet. Awrangzeb decided to execute him on hearing his reply. sambhAjI said he would sacrifice his life as an offering to the great mahAdeva. His tongue was cut out and fed to a dog. Then his eyes were gouged out and limbs cut. His heart was pulled out and finally the head was cut. Body parts which were left over from feeding dogs were then paraded through major cities in a procession.
Background: Sambhaji’s positions were spied upon by his own relations, the Shirke family, who had defected to the Mughals. Sambhaji and 25 of his advisors (including kavi kalash) were captured by the Mughal forces of Muqarrab Khan in a skirmish at Sangameshwar in February 1689. Earlier in his life he had escaped the clutches of Awrangzeb at Agra with his father shivAjI.
सिर्हिन्दे ऽफ़्घान-पराजयः #२६५
Event occured on 1758-03-21 (gregorian).
The Marathas under raghunAth rAv, Mughals under Adina Beg and the Dal Khalsa (Sikh confederation) under Jassa Singh Ahluwalia attacked and captured Sirhind from Afghans on March 21, 1758.
Context
The Marathas remembering the vision of Peshwa Baji Rao, 1720-1740, to establish Hindu Pad Padshahi (Hindu empire) and the lure of Punjab’s riches, made the first attack on Sirhind in December 1757. The Afghan governor, Abdus Samad managed to avoid battle with a tribute. Marathas returned in January 1758 with a large army under Raghunath Rao.
Aftermath
The city was thoroughly plundered which also led to bad blood between Sikhs and Marathas as the Sikhs garnered the lion’s share. The allies then marched to Lahore. The city was abandoned by the Afghans to the “Indian alliance”. The Afghan escapees were were waylaid at Wazirabad on the Chenab. While Taimur and Jahan Khan escaped across the river, the entire treasury which was still east of the river was captured by the victors. Large scale slaughter of Afghan troops took place. The prisoners were marched by the Sikhs to Amritsar to clean the Golden Temple sarovar where dead cows and excreta had been dumped earlier by Jehan Khan.
Surprisingly despite having an army of 2,00,000 and supported by Adina Beg and the Sikhs, the Marathas did not pursue the Afghans across the Indus to deal the coupe de grace. They were content to enforce “chauth” (one forth of revenue) and “sardeshmukhi” (one tenth of revenue for king/ governor). The frontiers of Punjab were left to be guarded by 15000 - 20000 troops in widely separated forts at Multan, Peshawar and Attock. There was no unified command. Bulk of the army under Raghunath Rao and his deputy Malhar Rao Holkar made its way back to Delhi and central India.
The Marathas gave the Adina the title of Nawab and made him the overlord of Lahore and Sirhind, virtually pacing entire Punjab under him for an annual payment of rupees seventy five lakhs. They abandoned the Sikhs to the now powerful Adina who began pursuing them with vengeance for past wrongs. The Sikhs in turn began guerrilla raids on the Marathas.
(Sources: TOI Article by an Army commander)
Details
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
मार्ताण्डवर्मणा वान्-गोलॆनॆस्सॆ-प्रत्याख्यानम् #२८०
Event occured on 1743-04-06 (gregorian).
On this day, Julius Valentyn Stein van Gollenesse, the Dutch commander at Kochi (Cochin), was told to get lost (ie there would be no treaty) by King mArtANDa varma of padmanAbhapura.
Context
mArtANDa varma’s army had been annexing and consolidating neighbouring kingdoms, while defeating the Dutch in battle after battle. There were reports that major reinforcements were due to arrive from Europe under van Imhoff - so the king started negotiating - but delaying. As soon as he learned that van Imhoff had not yet departed from Europe - that his arrival was postponed, he assumed tough bargaining positions - no special concessions for the Dutch, they were to help padmanAbhapura against French and ArkoT navAb etc.. His representatives kept backing away from terms previously agreed to.
Aftermath
In May 1743, van Gollenesse stepped down from the Dutch command in Malabar, in order to take up charge as the Governor of Dutch Ceylon. His replacement Reinicus Siersma realized that the local chiefs of Kerala no longer feared the Dutch, and a failure to reach an agreement with Travancore would severely affect the Company’s pepper trade in Malabar. On 22 May 1743, Siersma concluded a peace treaty with Travancore, accepting most of the terms proposed by Marthanda Varma. There would be further capitulation in the next treaty.
राजपाल-महाशयो हतः #९४
Event occured on 1929-04-06 (gregorian).
On this day, a 19 year old Muslim carpenter named Ilm ud din stabbed Mahashay Rajpal on his chest eight times while he was seated in the outer verandah of his shop. Mahashay Rajpal was the publisher of rangIlA rasUl.
Context
Mahashay Rajpal Malhotra was born in a Khatri family in Amritsar on the Panchmi tithi of Ashadh Samvat (AD 1885). He came to own a publishing business.
In 1923, Muslims published two particularly offensive books to Hindus. “Krishna teri geeta jalani padegi” used derogatory and vulgar language against Shri Krishna and other Hindu deities and “Uniseevi sadi ka maharshi” which contained derogatory remarks on Arya Samaj founder Swami Dayanand Saraswati (incidentally written by an Ahmadi). This was the time before Sec 295A was introduced in the IPC.
To respond to this provocation, Pandit Chamupati Lal, a close friend of Mahashay Rajpal, wrote a short biography of the Islamic Prophet, Mohammed. Titled “Rangeela Rasool” this short pamphlet was a satirical take on the domestic life of Mohammed. Because of the sensitive nature of the pamphlet, Pandit Chamupati made Mahashay Rajpal promise that he would never reveal the name of the authorOn the surface, Rangeela Rasool had a laudatory tone of Mohammed’s life but at the same time pointing out uncomfortable truths about his domestic life. Though historically accurate and written after due research of hadiths, this caused an outrage among the Muslims of Lahore.
Before the second edition could be printed, the colonial government banned the pamphlet in late June 1924. By July 1924, Muslims had filed a criminal case against Mahashay Rajpal under Sec 153A (promoting enmity between groups). During the trial, he was offered to give up the name of the real author of Rangeela Rasool and go scot-free, but he declined it and upheld his promise. In legal proceedings that lasted close to three years, in May 1927 Mahashay Rajpal was acquitted of all charges. The judge contended that Sec. 153A does not prohibit historical analysis of ‘prophets’ of different religions and if it were to be so applied, works of serious historians could also be subject to it.
Muslims all over the country went off into a frenzy. The primary organized opposition to the judgement was driven by the Khilafatists and the Ahmadis. The British introduced 295A, criminalizing future speech deemed insulting to religious groups, passed easily in parliament with widespread support.
In 1927, the same year he was acquitted, there were two unsuccessful attempts on his life — a wrestler named Khuda Baksh attacked him in September 1927 when he was sitting in his shop but Khatri Rajpal ji caught him and handed him over to the authorities. Khuda Baksh was convicted and sentenced to ten years in prison. The next month, a Muslim man named Aziz Ahmed attacked Swami Satyanand ji mistaking him to Khatri Rajpal. Luckily, the attack was not fatal and Swami ji recovered after a couple of months. A further attempt succeeded.
Aftermath
As word spread among the Hindus of Lahore, a crowd of thousands gathered. Hesitant Brits gave permission for a funeral procession the next day.
Mahashay Rajpal’s killer was represented in court by Mohammad Ali Jinnah. At his funeral the poet Mohammad Iqbal, a favourite of Indian liberals today, eulogized the killer. Today his grave is a religious site in Pakistan and Pakistani textbooks eulogize him with the title of “Ghazi”.
After partition, Mahashay Rajpal’s family moved to Delhi from where “Rajpal and Sons” continues to operate today. Almost 70 years after his death, he was awarded the first “International Freedom to Publish Award” by then deputy PM LK Advani.
(source - OpIndia)
थाने-ग्रहणम् #२८६
Event occured on 1737-04-06 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
Thane captured from Portuguese. Peshwa Bajirao’s aim was to capture Sashthi Island by attacking the various forts guarding it. The first aim was to capture Thane. Having left Pune, one contingent of the Marathas reached Thane by the end of that month. chimAjI appa, on hearing this, directed his troops west to shaShThI island.
चापेकराभ्यां रण्ड-वधः #१२५
Up↑Event occured on 1897-06-22 (gregorian).
Chāpekar brothers killed W. C. Rand.
On 22 June 1897, the Diamond Jubilee of the coronation of Queen Victoria was celebrated in Pune. In his autobiography Damodar Hari writes that he believed the jubilee celebrations would cause Europeans of all ranks to go to the Government House, and give them the opportunity to kill Rand. The brothers Damodar Hari and Balkrishna Hari selected a spot of Ganeshkhind road, by side of a yellow bungalow to shoot at Rand. Each armed with a sword and a pistol. Balkrishna in addition carried a hatchet. They reached Ganeshkhind, they saw what looked like Rand’s carriage pass by, but they let it go, not being sure, deciding to attack him on his way back. They reached Government House at 7.00 – 7.30 in the evening, the sun had set and darkness began to set in. A large number of people had gathered to witness the spectacle at the Government House. There were bonfires on the hills. The swords and the hatchets they carried made movement without raising suspicion difficult, so they cached them under a stone culvert near the bungalow. As planned, Damodar Hari waited at the gate of the Government House, and as Rand’s carriage emerged, ran 10 – 15 paces behind it. As the carriage reached the yellow bungalow, Damodar made up the distance, and called out “Gondya ala re”, a predetermined signal for Balkrishna to take action. Damodar Hari undid the flap of the carriage, raised it and fired from a distance of about a span. It was originally planned that both would shoot at Rand, so as to ensure that Rand would not live, however Balkrishna Hari lagged behind and Rand’s carriage rolled on, Balkrishna Hari meanwhile on the suspicion that the occupants of the following carriage were whispering to each other, fired at the head of one of them from behind. Lieutenant Ayerst, Rand’s military escort who was riding in the following carriage died on the spot, Rand was taken to Sassoon Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries 3 July 1897.
Khando Vishnu Sathe on a cycle on his way back to Pune city shouted at a home “गणेश खिंडीत गणपती पावला हो !” (Ganpati of Ganesh Valley has favoured us!) From the window, Lokmanya Tilak appeared, smiled and closed the window.
Context:
Up↑That year, in spite of the plague, British were adamant to conduct Matric exams of the students (10/11th equivalent.) Angered by the rude and adamant behavior of the officers, the Chapekar brothers burned the exam canopy down to ashes. The British officers used to examine the ppl, especially women, publicly by removing their cloths and molesting them. Many women were raped and molested by these officers who were appointed “Just to examine”.
राजपुत्रेभ्यो मालव-गुजरात-समर्पणम् #३१२
Up↑Event occured on 1710-06-22 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
On this day, Jai Singh 2 of amber and ajit singh of mArvAr were invited to mogol court, honered and presented governership of mAlvA and gujarat by mogol emperor bahAdur shAh, ending their 2 year rebellion.
Context: Rathors under Durgadas had been fighting the Mughals for thirty years. Bahadur Shah, upon becoming emperor, started towards them. On the way, he removed removed Jai Singh of Amber from his post and made his younger brother Bijay Singh the Raja of Amber! As the neared mArvAr, Ajit Singh started negotiations after seeing the size of the Imperial army. Bahadur forced Ajit and Jai to march with him on his march to crush his brother’s rebellion (he could not come back till June 1710.). But, they escaped - and allied with amar singh 2 of mevAr. Then they started fighting, gaining victory after victory. The Rajput Rajas had formed military ouposts at Rewari and Narnaul, 45 miles from Delhi and sent their armies towards Delhi, Rohtaka and Agra to harass the Mughals. Jai Singh also started sending letters to the Bundelas, Sikhs and the Marathas in order to spread discontent in the country against the Mughals. The rise of Banda Singh Bahadur and death of the faujdar of Sarhind further caused fear in the Mughal court.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
अवरङ्गज़ेबो जज़ियादण्डम् आदिशति #३४४
Event occured on 1679-04-12 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
On this day, Awrangzeb reimposed the discriminatory Jazia tax on Hindus.
This was just a month after the death of the powerful rAjaputra Jasvant singh rAthoD, and the fanatic had been waiting for the opportunity.
Translated order
As all the arms of the religious Emperor (Aurangzeb) were directed to the spreading of the law of Islam and the overthrow of the practices of the infidels he issued orders to the high diwani officers that from 1st Rabi ul awwal, in obedience to the Quranic injuction ‘till they pay commutation money (jazia) with the hand in humility’ and in agreement with the canonical traditions, jazia should be collected from the infidels of the capital and the provinces.
Original
व चूं हमगी हिम्मते हक़ तवियत ए खिदेव ए दीनपरवर ए शरीअत-गुस्तर मसरुफ ए तर्वीज़ ए शराई ए इस्लाम व तख़रीब ए मरासिम ए काफ़र व झिलाम अस्त ब-दिवानियान ए इजाम हुक्म ए क़ज़ाइमज़ा शरफ़ सुदूर याफ़्त अज़ घुर्रत ए माह मजकूर मुताबिक़ ए फ़रमान ए वाजिब अलाजआन ए “हत्ता युतु अल-जिज़याता अन यादिन व हम साघिरूना व मुवाफ़िक़ ए रिवायत ए शरिया अज़ ज़िम्मियान ए हुजूर व सुबाजात जिज़िया बगिरन्द”
Persian text in Maasir-i-Alamgiri, pg.174
रणजीतसिंह-सिंहासनारोहणम् #२२२
Event occured on 1801-04-12 (gregorian).
April 12, 1801 a 21 year old Ranjit Singh was crowned the Maharaja of Punjab.
Details
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
वासायि-युद्धे प्रथमो जयः #२८६
Event occured on 1737-04-16 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
On the nightfall, a Maratha contingent attacked Portuguese bastion called St Jeronimo. With the proficient use of gun fire & artillery, finally the Marathas won St Jeronimo bastion. Chimaji Appa named St Jeronimo Bastion as ‘Fatteh Buruj’ (Bastion of Victory) as it was the first Bastion won by Marathas during this whole campaign.
Impact
This was part of a war that ended the Portuguese “Generalship of the North”. The resulting treaty ensured that Gentoos (Hindus) inhabiting Goa etc. could again freely practice their religion. The English (having failed to aid Portuguese) hastily sent envoys to draw up friendship treaties with marATha-s. This victory came at a heavy cost (22k soldiers dead) and after a determined campaign of 2 years.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
अव्रङ्गज़ेबो हिन्दुकशालानाशम् आदिशत् #३५४
Event occured on 1669-04-18 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
Shortly after the death of Mirza Raja Jai Singh of Amber, on this day, Awrangzeb issued issued a general order, for the demolition of temples and established schools of the Hindus throughout the empire and banning public worship. Soon after this the great Temple of Keshava Rai was destroyed (Jan.-Feb. 1670) and in its place a lofty mosque was erected. The idols, the author of Maasir-i-Alamgiri informs, were carried to Agra and buried under the steps of the mosque built by Begum Sahiba in order to be continually trodden upon, and the name of Mathura was changed to Islamabad.
Translation of the order
The Lord Cherisher of the Faith learnt that in the provinces of Tatta, Multan and especially at Benares, the Brahman misbelievers used to teach their false books in their established schools, and that admirers and students both Hindu and Muslim used to come from great distances to these misguided men in order to acquire this vile learning. His Majesty, eager to establish Islam, issued orders to the governors of all the provinces to demolish the schools and temples of the infidels and with the utmost urgency put down the teaching and the public practice of the religion of these misbelievers.
Order issued on 8th April 1669 (Date converted to CE for convenience, Hijri Date 17 zilqad 1079 Hijri)
Original
ब-अर्ज ए ख़ुदावंद ए दीन परवर रसीद कि दर सूबा ए थत्ता व मुल्तान ख़ुसूस बनारस ब्राहमनान ए बतालत निशान दर मदारिस ए मुक़र्रर ब-तदरीस ए किताब ए बताला इष्तिघाल दारंद व रघिबान व तालिबान अज़ हुनुद व मुसलमान मसाफताये बैदा तय नमुदा. जिहत ए तहसील ए उलुम ए शूम नज्द ए आन जमआते गुमराह मी आयंद. अहकामे इस्लाम निज़ाम ब-नाज़िमाने कुल सुबाजात सादर शुद कि मदारिस. व मुआबिद ए बैदीनान दस्तख्वाश ए इन्हिदाम साज़न्द व ब-ताकीद ए अकयाद तौर ए दर्स व तदरीस व रस्म ए शुयु ए मज़हब ए कुफ़र आययनान बरअन्दाज़न्द.
मासशिवरात्रिः
Observed on Kr̥ṣṇa-Caturdaśī tithi of every (lunar) month (Niśīthaḥ/paraviddha).
Monthly Shivaratri day.
Details
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मूलराज-विद्रोहः #१७५
Event occured on 1848-04-18 (gregorian).
Mulraj Chopra, the khatri divAn at multAn loyal to raNajIt singh and family, rebelled against the British on this day.
The revolt was started by a soldier from mUlarAja’s family attacking and wounding two British officers who’d come to take over.
The poet Hakim Chand recites: Then the mother of Mulraj spoke to him reminding him of the Sikh Gurus and martyrs: ‘I will kill myself leaving a curse on your head. Either lead your men to death or get out of my sight; (and) I shall undertake the Khalsa army and go to the battle …’. She tied a bracelet on his wrist and sent him to the battle. Next morning, the mob hacked the two British officers to death. Mulraj presented Vans Agnew’s head to Vitesh Sharma and told him to take it back to Currie at Lahore.
Aftermath: The British chief Currie sent a big detachment of the khalsa under Sher Singh Attariwalla to help the Bengal army in beseiging Multan. However, Sher Singh rebelled as well on Sep 14! However, Sher Singh moved away to fight separately. Mulraj was however defeated by 22nd January. This freed up more artillery for the Birish to use during the decisive Battle of Gujarat.
प्रोक्लस्-मृत्युः #१५३८
Event occured on 0485-04-18 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
The yavana polytheist sage died in Athens on this date in 485 CE. Proclus died aged 73, and was buried near Mount Lycabettus in a tomb. It is reported that he was writing 700 lines each day.
He had a great devotion to the goddess Athena, who he believed guided him at key moments in his life. Marinus reports that when Christians removed the statue of the goddess from the Parthenon, a beautiful woman appeared to Proclus in a dream and announced that the “Athenian Lady” wished to stay at his home.
शिवराजेन हम्बीररावं सेनाधिपं चकार #३४९
Event occured on 1674-04-18 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
Chhatrapati Shivaji inspected his army at Chiplun. A new commander-in-chief had been identified. His name was Hansaji Mohite. But that day Shivaji titled him Sarnobat (Chief of Army) Hambirrao & history will remember him by that name: Hambirrao father of Tara Bai
तात्या-सेनानी हतः #१६४
Event occured on 1859-04-18 (gregorian).
Ramachandra Panduranga Yawalkar, Aka Tantia Tope, general of the last peshvA nAnA saheb, victor of many battles, killed by the British after being surrendered to them by mAn singh.
Details
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
अज्मेर-स्त्री-बल-भोज-वार्ता #३१
Event occured on 1992-04-22 (gregorian).
On this day, a local new paper of Ajmer, Dainik Navajyoti, broke the news about grooming and rape of several hundred (mostly Hindu) girls orchestrated by a gang of youth (main accused belonging to the khAdim family of the Islamic Ajmer DargAh, who also happened to be local leaders of Congress (I)). These (as well as subsequent events) were reminiscent of later infamous grooming of UK Kafirs by (mainly pAkistani) Muslim men in UK.
The scandal had come to police attention a year earlier - but they took scant action, blaming reticence of victims and possibility of hindu-muslim riots. Among those who eventually faced trial were Among those who face trial are Farooq Chishtee, president of the Ajmer Youth Congress, Nafis Chishtee and Anwar Chishtee, vice-president and joint secretary respectively of the city unit.
Context and events
- Ajmer was ahead of time in modernity - and the reason was prestigious colleges like Mayo, Sophia and Savitri college.
- It started with girls (1990) being lured by expensive gifts, (initially Farooq Chisti) bringing the girl-friend to a farmhouse, another boy taking intimate pictures, subsequent blackmail and rape, followed by pressure to lure another young girl and so on (eg. Rashmi → Sunita → Madhuri). This cascaded to hundreds of girls being raped.
- There were 8-10 boys in the gang : Farooq, Nafees, Anwar, Puttan, Salim, Ishrat, Shamshusdin, Suhail etc.
- A victim, Madhuri (pseudonym), had informed a police constable and a special branch officer in the first half of 1991. But she started getting threatening phone calls. When trying to recover the photographs, an accused even sauntered up in front of the police and said “they’ve played this game before”; the photos were not returned. She eventually moved to a different city.
- Influencial lechers, including policement and businessmen got wind of it, and the grooming rape operation expanded and shifted to a famous Ajmer club.
- Eventually, 6 girl students committed suicide by hanging. Later still, one burned herself to death in a major street.
- Photo copies were sent by a shocked neighbor of the reel developer to VHP and Dainik Navjyoti.
- Finally, journalist Santosh Kumar Gupta and editor DB Choudhary of Dainik Navjyoti broke the story. 24 days later, they followed up by publishing pictures of local girls, which had been circulating. “Finally, we decided to go ahead because it was the only way to shake the administration and police out of their slumber.” said the editor. Other newspapers followed suit.
Aftermath
- Ajmer erupted into bandhs and rallies. On 27 May, police invoked the National Security Act (NSA) to arrest 8 of the accused.
- No girl came for FIR initially - but eventually a handful of the girls turned up. Ajmer Mahila Samooh, who tried to take up the victim’s cause, withdrew after receiving threats.
- 18 persons were accused by the police. Few of them were: Farooq Chisti, Salim, Mojiulla, Ishart Ali, Anwar, Shamsudin (Maradona), Nafees Chisti, Suhail, Purshottam (photo reel developer), Mahesh Ludhani (Owner of Photo color lab), Harish tulani. 15 were nabbed.
- Ajmer, and its top schools fell into disrepute. People used to
enquiry at newspaper office - humari ladki ki bhi photo hai kya? “No one
wanted to marry girls from Ajmer." said Gupta.
- Boarding facilities of Savitri School and Sophia School have remained shut down.
- Eventually, on the order of CM, police raided on all video parlors and confiscated many video cassettes and pictures.
- A journalist madan singh, running “Lehro ki barkha” tabloid, published more pics. He even allegedly tried to blackmail the girls. He fell out with powerful accomplices, named some politicians, and was assassinated with a shotgun and two pistols on 12th Sep 1992 (after attempts on his life had begun on Sep 4).
Trial
- During trial, most of the girls who had come forward backed off. 2 remained. In 1998, Sessions Judge of Ajmer found all the accused guilty and sentenced them to life imprisonment. In 2001, High court acquitted Parvez Ansari, Mahesh Ludhani, Kailash Soni and Harish Tolani of all the charges levelled against them. Also reduced the sentence of 4 out of 8 accused from life imprisonment to 10 years. HC kept life imprisonment only for 4 accused Puttan, Ishrat, Anwar and Shamshuddin (Meradona). The main accused and mastermind Farooq Chisti supposedly “lost his mental balance” and trial against him was put on hold. He was later tried in 2007, given a punishment of 10 years imprisonment, and later in 2013 acquitted since he’d spent a “long time” in jail.
- In 2003, Supreme court reduced the sentence of remaining 4 accused who got life imprisonment to 10 years. So the final judgement was 10 years imprisonment to 8 accused.
- Nafis Chishty, also wanted for drug peddling, was nabbed wearing a burqa in 2003. Iqbal Bhat, evaded arrest until 2005. Salim Chisti (rapes started in his farm house) was caught in 2012.
- Suhail Ghani Chishty was caught in 2018.
- Those who completed their 10 year term are still living a luxurious life in Ajmer. As of 2022, Nafis Chishty, Iqbal Bhat, Saleem Chishty, Sayed Jamir Hussain, Naseem aka Tarzan, and Suhail Ghani — were undergoing trial in POCSO court, but they were all out on bail. Santosh Gupta said: “Nafis and Farooq Chishty are leading a privileged life in Ajmer and are frequent visitors to Dargah Sharif, where some of the faithful still ritualistically kiss their hands”.
- The two witnesses, who have had to come to court for 30 years, suffered the most - one of them suffered a breakdown in court in late 2021. In 2005, witness “Krishnabala” disappeared. Another became pregnant, was raped again, became pregnant again (the born died), was trheatened on the streets, before withdrawing.
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
२०००-तमे वर्षे फ़िजि-द्वीपोपप्लवः #२३Up↑
Event occured on 2000-05-19 (gregorian).
On this day, Indigenous Christian Fijians led by failed businessman George Speight effected a coup, triggering the removal of the Hindu-fijian led multi-ethnic government.
ContextUp↑
- Since the 1987 coup, many Indo Fijians had fled. In 1997, racially discriminatory provisions in the constitution were removed. A Hindu-led multi-ethnic government formed.
- Many Indigenous Christian Fijians did not liek this. They were additionally supported by the Church and the native Chiefs.
- The Indians had continued to neglect participation in the Army for many decades (Their demanding equal pay as Euroeans during WW2 caused the British to disband the Indian platoon).
- Also, Indian Total Fertility Rate (which was initially higher than the natives) had fallen.
AftermathUp↑
- The ensuing chaos caused the military under Commodore Frank Bainimarama to effect coup and restore order. They scrapped the 1997 constitution. This was reversed in the courts. However, succeeding govrnments (via Reconciliation Tolerance and Unity Bill, Qoliqoli Bill and the Land Tribunal Bill) were lenient towards the initial usurpers.
- In 2006, after ultimatums which were ignored, Commodore Frank Bainimarama and aides effected a military coup, clipped the wings of the Methodist Church and Council of Chiefs, and eventually rewrote the constitution replacing the race-based electoral system with a proportional representation system.
प्रतापसिंहो जातः #४८३Up↑
Event occured on 1540-05-19 (gregorian). Julian date was converted to Gregorian in this reckoning.
jyeShTha s3 Maharana Pratap Jayanti
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
सिन्ध्-खेड्-युद्धम् #२६७
विश्वासो वासुकिजः (Vishvas Vasuki)
नॆडुंकोट-युद्धम् #२३५
Event occured on 1789-12-29 (gregorian).
On this day, in the first battle on the neDuMkoTa coast-to-mountain fortification, Tipu Sultan and troops were routed. Tipu was wounded (physically and mentally), and lost 1k troops. padmanAbhapura lost 300. Several of Tipu’s officers (including Europeans) were captured.
Two horses were shot from under Tipu, and he even got an arrow in the back. During the hasty retreat, Tipu fell back into the ditch twice before being helped out and the occasional lameness which he suffered until his death was reputedly the consequence. Tipu’s sword, the palanquin, the dagger, the ring and many other personal effects fell into the ditch, and then into the hands of the minister keshava-dAsa.
Aftermath
Humiliated Tipu vowed to take down “the contemptible wall”. The fine wall held up till 15th April. Then he managed a 1km wide breach after 1 month of sustained artillery fire and poured in - only to be foiled again at Alwaye river bank. He retreated by 24 May 1790 to defend his kingdom from British threat.
Context
The Dutch captive-turned general of padmanAbhapura’s mArtANDa varma, De Lannoy, had built an excellent fortification from coast to mountain - neDuMkoTa. It had a 16 feet wide and 20 deep ditch. dharmarAja rAma varma had tried to get British help when Tipu’s attack was imminent, but only got words. The Dutch, who’d sold forts to rAma varma helped a bit - by sending an engineer von Krause, who was dispatched to the wall. He wrote an account of the battle.
When Tipu attacked, he tried filling a small portion of the ditch with cotton sacks and moving in a small column via a narrow passage. At first the Mysoreans overpowered three batteries of the Lines but subsequently their flanks were subjected to fire from the woods. They were so surprised by the first round of fire that they fell into disorder. Then the well drilled nair army advanced and the confusion increased. Those Mysoreans who had not yet been trampled down by their horses while retreating found that the sacks with cotton, used for filling up the ditch when they set out, as well as some powder-barrels, had caught fire. This forced them to jump from the ramparts.