Neglected Hindu Martyrs

Neglected Hindu Martyrs

There is no greater sin than to disregard the sacrifice of those who lay down their life defending Dharma and motherland. Out of thousands of instances lying scattered in our history to testify the barbarian, sadist and inhuman tortures inflicted by Islamic invaders on Hindus, only three samples have been picked up to stir the conscience of readers.

Samrat Hem Chandra Vikrmaditya

Early Life – Hem Chandra was born in 1501 to a Brahmin family. His father Rai Puran Das, performed Hindu rituals as a profession, but could not make his living adequately. He broke caste barrier and moved to Qutabpur in Rewari to start trading. Young ‘Hemu’, (as he was disrespectfully named by Historians) was brought up and educated in Sanskrit, Hindi, Persian, Arabic and Arithmetic besides horse-riding. Subsequently, Hemu stepped into father’s trade and started supplying cereals to the army of Sher Shah Suri, who had unseated Mughal Emperor Humayun from Delhi and had driven him out of India.

After Sher Shah Suri’s death in 1545, his son Islam Shah succeeded. He appointed Hem Chandra as his personal adviser and Daroga-i-Chowki (Superintendent of Post). Islam Shah was succeeded by Adil Shah Suri, who was indolent and pleasure-loving. As such he faced revolts all around.

Adil Shah also continued with Hem Chandra as his Chief Adviser and entrusted all his work to him. With his brilliance and sincerity Hem Chandra rose to be the prime minister, and also the chief of Afghan army. Many Afghan governors rebelled against Adil Shah, and Hem Chandra was sent to various states in North India to crush rebellions. He was popular among Hindus as well as Afghans.

Ended Islamic Rule – In July 1555 with the help from King of Iran, fugitive Humayun recaptured Punjab, Delhi and Agra after a gap of 15 years, but he died suddenly on January 26, 1556. At that time Hem Chandra was in Bengal. Humayun’s death gave Hem Chandra an ideal opportunity to evict Mughals from India, since Afghans considered themselves as the natives and the Mughals were viewed invaders. Hem Chandra started a winning march from Bengal to Delhi. The Mughal fauzdars evacuated their positions and fled in panic. One after another Hem Chandra won 22 battles in succession and entire area of Northern India was brought under his control.

Hem Chandra won Delhi after a day’s battle on October 6, 1556. Mughal forces lead by Tardi Beg Khan fled and Hem Chandra declared himself the Emperor of India under the title of Vikramaditya. On 7 October 1556 he held his coronation according to Hindu rites in Purana Qila Delhi in the presence of all Afghans and Hindu military commanders. Thus he re-established Hindi Empire once again having liberated the country from Muslim Rule after four centuries.

Administrative Reforms – Emperor Hem Chandra revitalized the administrative set-up, and spared none for corrupt deeds. His system of administration was later adopted by Akbar as history often associated the same with Sher Shah Suri.

Hindus remained short-sighted – When Humayun died in Delhi, his 16 -year-old son Akbar was at Kalanour in Punjab under the care of his mentor Bairam Khan, who hurriedly arranged the coronation of Akbar, appointed himself as his guardian and marched towards Delhi. He was confronted by Emperor Hem Chandra Vikrmaditya. Hem Chandra had sought assistance from other Rajput Kings but unfortunately, Rajputs declined.

Tragic end – Second battle of Panipat was fought between Mughal invader Akbar and Hindu Samrat Hem Chandra Vikrmaditya. When the victory was in sight, a chance arrow pierced his eye and Hem Chandra became unconscious on the battle field. Hindu army fled and Akbar won.

Emperor Hem Chandra was beheaded in the presence of Akbar by Bairam Khan helped by Ali Quli Khan to whom subsequently Noor Jahan was married on orders from Akbar. Hem Chandra’s head was sent to Kabul as souvenir. His body was paraded in Delhi. Bairam Khan dispatched a contingent of soldiers to Hem Chandra’s 80 years old father with option to accept Islam if he wanted his life to be spared. The grand old man replied that he would not part company with his deities after worshiping them for 80 years in exchange of few more years of life. He was also beheaded.

After Hem Chandra s death, genocide was ordered. Thousands of persons were killed to create terror among Hindus and minarets were built of the skulls of the dead. At least one painting of such minarets is still displayed in War Museum at Panipat in Haryana. But even today it is shame to Hindus that there is no memorial for Samrat Hem Chandra Vikrmaditya or his father at Panipat or at Rewari.

Banda Bahadur Singh

Early Life – Banda was born in 1670 as Lachhman Dev in a Rajput family and loved hunting. One day he killed a doe that immediately delivered two cubs before dying. The sight shocked him. He renounced worldly life and turned bairagi sadhu (hermit) with new name of Madhodas and started living at Nanded on the banks of River Godavari in Maharashtra.

Escapism to Activism – Guru Gobind Singh chanced to meet him and motivated him to give up escapism to pick up arms for the protection of Dharma. The Guru gave him new identity of Banda Bahadur Singh. He was supplied with a standard arrow and a drum as symbols of temporal authority along with a prescript called Hukumnamah instructing Sikhs to join Banda Bahadur in war against Mughal tyranny. Three hundred Sikh cavaliers in battle array accompanied Banda to a distance of eight kilometers to give him final send off for marching towards Northern India.

Avenged Atrocities – He was well received by Hindus and Sikhs as a leader and deputy of Guru Gobind Singh. One after another Banda Bahadur avenged the atrocities committed by Mughals, and finally established himself at Mukhlispur situated in lower Shiwalik hills in Punjab. Banda’s name struck terror into the hearts of lawless people. He defeated and killed Wazir Khan, the Subedar of Sirhand, who had been responsible for killing the young children of Guru Gobind Singh besides other brutalities against Hindus. He chastised the Brahmins and Ranghars also, who had made over Guru Gobind Singh’s mother and his two youngest sons to Wazir Khan.

Victim of Treachery – Finally Mughal Emperor dispatched more troops from Delhi to check militancy of Banda Bahadur. A siege was laid around him for eight months and his living conditions were made unbearable. Banda Bahadur and his companions had to survive on boiled leaves and the bark of trees, and were gradually reduced to mere skeletons. The bravely held, but it was through treachery that Banda Bahadur and his army of 740 was trapped by Mughals.

Inhuman Treatment – All of them were transported to Delhi in cages on 26 February 1716. Besides 740 prisoners in heavy chains, there were seven hundred cartloads of the heads of the Sikhs with another 200 stuck upon pikes. Under orders from Mughal Emperor Farukhsiyar on 29th February, the citizens of Delhi had lined the streets to mock at them.

To inflict humiliation, Banda Bahadur was dressed in a turban of a red cloth, embroidered with gold, with a heavy robe of brocade, but was sat in an iron cage, placed on the back of an elephant. An executioner holding a drawn sword followed him. Banda’s elephant was followed by other 740 prisoners who were made to wear a high foolscap of sheepskin and had one hand pinned to their neck, between two pieces of wood.

Finally all of them were executed and their bodies were loaded on wagons and taken out-of-town to be thrown to the vultures. The heads were hung up on trees. Not one from the 700 odd men had asked for pardon.

Cruel End – On 9th June 1716, Banda’s four year old son Ajai Singh was placed in his lap. He was taken in humiliating procession near Qutab Minar. Banda Bahadur was ordered to kill his son, which he refused. The executioner then cut the little child and pieces of flesh were thrown on Banda’s face. His liver was thrust into Banda Singh’s mouth. The father sat through all this without any signs of emotion. The executioner then pulled out Banda’s eyes with dagger, cut his feet, arms, and finally tore off his flesh with red-hot pincers. His body was cut into hundred pieces.

While there is Aurangzeb Raod in Delhi, Farukhabad is named after Farukhsiyar but there is no memorial in India for Banda Bahudr Singh.

Veer Haqiqat Rai

His sacrifice – Haqiqat Rai was born at Sialkot, now in Pakistan in 1724. He was the only Hindu child among Muslims at school. One day, some of his Muslim classmates ridiculed Hindu goddess Durga using abusive language. After being repeatedly provoked, Haqiqat Rai also retaliated and ridiculled Fatima, daughter of Prophet Muhammad.

The Muslim boys complained to the Maulvi who got Haqiqat Rai arrested on the charge of blasphemy. Haqiqat Rai’s parents appealed to the Governor of Lahore. Haqiqat Rai was given the option to convert to Islam to escape death but the young boy refused to budge even after persuasion of his helpless parents and ten-year old wife. He preferred to be beheaded. Finally Haqiqat Rai was executed on 20 January 1735, at the age of twelve, for Hindu religion.

Sacrificed Twice – Martyr Haqiqat Rai was sacrificed again in post Independent secular India for the sake of promoting Hindu Muslim harmony, a fad that Hindus inherited from MK Gandhi. He stands deleted from the public memory now. Our Children day celebrations do not include any reference to the martyrdom and the tragic end this brave child had met. Our Children day is celebrated only to remember anti Hindu Chacha Nehru.