Chanderi Jauhar Day
28–29 January 1528
Babur's demolition of Chanderi
Jewel of 1500 Kshatriyas
Some pages of Indian history are stained with blood. The description of events is such that it gives goosebumps. The arrogance of the invaders piled up the dead bodies and did Attas. One such description is found in the pages of history of Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh. This is the same Chanderi which is today famous all over the world for the craftsmanship of its sarees. In those days it was a big center of textile art manufacturing and business. This destruction of Chanderi was done by Mughal invader Babur. Babar had not only caused destruction in Chanderi, but had made a high mountain by chopping the heads of all the soldiers and civilians who surrendered after giving assurance of their lives and hoisted the flag of his victory on that mountain. Innocent men and women were captured and made slaves, tortured and sent some to be sold in the slave market in Khorasan and in the midst of this devastation, 1500 Kshatriyas including Queen Manimala committed Jauhar in Chanderi. The memories of this jewel of Kshatriyas are still present in the form of a memorial. Heads up as soon as you reach this monument
This war took place in the last week of January 1528. The date of opening the Chanderi Darbaza by the traitor is the night of 28 and 29 January. The blood of heroes was shed throughout the night, pyres of women were burnt, that's why some historians accepted the date of demolition as 28 January and some as 29 January 1528.
Chanderi is a historical town under Gwalior division and Ashoknagar district of Madhya Pradesh. In those days Chanderi was ruled by the Pratihara dynasty ruler Mednirai. Then Chanderi was a big center of international silk trade. Medini Rai not only took his army under the command of Rana Sanga, the ruler of Chittor, to the Khanwa field to fight with Babur, but Rana Sanga also considered him as his son. Unfortunately, Ranaji was defeated in the battle of Khanwa. There were two reasons for Rana ji's defeat in this war, one was treachery and the other was that Babar tied cows and made them stand in front of his artillery. Seeing the cows in front, Rana's artillery stopped. Babur's artillery was activated and the map of the war changed. Babar celebrated his victory after Rana ji was injured and started the process of suppressing all those Rajput kings who had reached Khanwa to fight with Babar under the command of Rana Sanga. Among them the name of Medinirai was prominent. After the Khanwa war, Medini Rai returned to Chanderi and waited for Rana ji to recover.
Babur left Sikri on 9 December 1527 for the Chanderi campaign. Medini Rai got the news of this, he sent messages to other kings of Malwa for help and secured himself in the fort by collecting necessary material. This fort of Chanderi is built on a hill. It is considered one of the most secure forts in the country. Babur and his army reached Chanderi on January 20, 1528, looting, killing and raping all the way. Babur set up his camp near the Ramnagar tank and sent two messengers, Sheikh Guren and Aryas Pathan, to Raja Medini Rai. The messengers gave three messages: one, accept the suzerainty of the Mughals and become the subedar of the Mughals, second, vacate the Chanderi fort, take another fort instead and thirdly marry your two daughters to the Mughal princes.
At last the self-respecting Medni Rai rejected the conditions. Medini Rai felt that Babur's army would not be able to climb the hill. But Babur had sufficient stock of artillery and gunpowder. He made a way by cutting the hill in one night and reached the gate of the fort. On the other hand, the Rajputs had neither gunpowder nor artillery. They had nothing but arrows, bows, swords, spears or balls of fire. It was the date of 26 January 1528 when King Medinirai received Babur's last message for surrender. After getting the message, the king ordered to play Ranbheri. On January 27, the fort's gate was opened and the battle took place, but the Rajput army could not stand in front of the artillery. The war could not go on even for a moment. Since there was a strong siege outside. The king was injured, he was brought inside the fort in an unconscious state and the gate was closed. On January 28, Babur's artillery thundered on the Chanderi fort wall throughout the day. The wall was badly damaged. Queen Manimala got an idea of the future and she went to the temple of Mahashiv sitting inside the fort. He was accompanied by the royal family and other Kshatriyas, whose number has been written as more than 1500. All the sati women first worshiped Shiva and then surrendered themselves to the fire.
At the time when these ladies were doing Jauhar, then some treacherous person opened the door of the fort. The army of Mughals came inside. Even inside the fort there was an atmosphere like mourning. He started fighting with whoever came in his hands. But this war was only in name. There was a fight throughout the night. This fight was one sided. The attackers did not leave any man alive inside the fort.
The women were taken prisoner. All the dead bodies were collected in the morning. Their severed heads were piled up and the Mughal flag was hoisted on it. Babar stayed in Chanderi for fifteen days. Treasure was discovered in the fort. Looting was done as far as possible. Heaps of corpses were found not only in the fort and the city but also in the villages. The houses were demolished.
The hidden money was recovered by torture. Babur returned after making Ayub Khan the subedar of Chanderi.
(The description of this war and Jauhar is in detail in the book "Pratihar Rajput ka History" author Devi Singh. While the war description is also in Gwalior and Guna district's gazette. Jauhar place is also made in Chanderi where women also go to worship)
