We, in the run for future blinded with materialistic security are doing a great deal of injustice to the numerous tortures, pains and sufferings our ancestors have gone through at the hands of invading monsters. Blaming invaders for this whole suffrage will be an act of deliberate belittling to the cowardice shown by selfish Hindus at the time when our society was needing them most.
As it goes, “irony never dies.” And the ordeal of our forgetful history continues to punish our future generations at the hands of modern-day weapons of conquest known as secularism, narratives, liberalism and many more.
Though recently invented terms, hitherto Hindus were unaware of, are in rampant use to further elude our generations and fall in vicious trap of invading ideologies.
This is a small effort to bring out our forgotten history’s first incident that opened the doors of foreign conquest of Hindus.
Beginning of Hindu conquest after fall of Hindu Kind Dahir of Sindh
The kingdom of Sindh was ruled by its last king Raja Dahir during the 8th century when Muhammad-bin-Qasim invaded Sindh, he decimated Sindh in his savage blood lust. The chroniclas of his advent are described in the Chachnama.
The Chaschnama described in details hwo the Arabs led by butcher Qasim conquered Sindh. It tells the terrible tales of bravery, treachery, & carnage marking the entry of Islamic conquest of India’s Hindus.
When Mohammad-bin-Qasim attacked Sindh, Dahir had collected an army of 50,000 horses and marched from Brahamanabad to Rewar to face the invader. Qasim had an army that numbered in the tens of thousands of camels and horses.
Earlier Arab Alafis- Syeds form Prophet Mohammed’s own family had fled from Macca with 500 men to Singh and Raja Dahir had given them asylum. Trusting these Muslims would prove to be the most fatal mistake of the downfall of Sindh and pave the way for Islamic invasion.
ON an “auspicious day” in A.D. 711, fixed to astrologers, Mohammad-bin-Qasim started for Sindh at the head of Iraqi and Syrian, and other Arabic soldiers. His horses and camles were disguised to look like lions and elephants. Rebel Jats also joined Qasim’s army.
In the way Arabs besieged Dabal (“Devalay”-a temple) the ragged for 10 days even though it was not a major town. The temple fell when a frightened boy told the Arabs to rbing down the huge Bhagwa flag to demoralize the town. The carnage & Bloodshed followed.
Then Arabs went next to Nerunkot ( Hydrabad, Pakistan) Just when the Arabs were running out of food and fodder, Bhandakaran Shramani, the Buddhist incharge of Nerunkot, surrendered the town. The Buddhist said -they were men of peace and not interested in who ruled the country.
The same happened in the next town Sehwan where Buddhists did not allow Bachehra, the governor to defend the town after a week. At the time when the Arabs didn’t know how to cross the Sindhu, Mokah, a Buddhist, gave boats & provisions in return for money & land.
The astrologers now began to predict the “first possible victory of the Arabas and beginning of Islamic invasion to holy land India” but Dahir still continued to be over- confident. He allowed the Arabs to cross the river Sindhu to be able to fight, “lest they think we have become very weak and powerless”
The Muslim problem of India was created the very first man forced to convert renamed Maulana Islami & sent with a Syrian Noble, to deliver a message to Dahir, When two entered Dahir’s court, the Syrian bowed low to salute, but the new Muslim refused to bow or salute. The fresh Muslim convert shocked Dahir when he said that his change of religion his loyalty now was only to “the kind of Islam”. Change of religion has resulted in the change of nationality & thus the Pakistani mindset was created.
On 16th June 712 CE, the final and fierce battel was fought between Qasim & Dahir, Sadly a lieutenant of the treacherous Alafi whom Dahir had given asylum, secretly betrayed Dahir’s plan. Dahir was beheaded & his army had to flee from the battlefield.
Part of Dahir’s army fled back to Aror, the capital, and others, with Dahir’s son Jayasimha, to Brahamanabad. Dahir’s Brave widow Queen Rani bai, a trained warrior- had to flee the fort of Rawar with all the women & 1500 remaining troopes.
Right away Qasim chased after her & besieged the fort of Rawar. His soldiers began to dig & destroy the fortifications. Queen Rani bai, courageously put up a fierce resistance, and fought bravely to defend the fort for the four days.
Finally when the army was exhausted and she had been fatally injured, she along with other lady warriors of her court, bravely committed Jauhar in the fire to escape the horrors of falling into hands of “Chandals and cow eaters”
Dahir’s other wife Ladi was captured. In the Arab camp she tried to act as a shock absorber between the invaders and the local people. Qasim molested her & later Islamic historians created a disgusting myth of their love story to justify her rape.
Buddhist Sharamans who betrayed DAhir’s trust ended up bitterly regretting their treachery under Arab rule. The Arabs enslaved them, ordering them not to cover their heads, and walk barefoot in Arab presence.
The enslaved Buddhists were ordered to entertain any Arab for their homes for at least three days. The Arabs savagely molested their wives and daughters in their presence by their barbaric new masters. Then they went on a rampage destroying Buddhist temples & idols as well.
Even those who had been forced embrace Islam to save their skin found themselves called mawalis (clients) & paid Jeziya ( Head tax) for Hindus. Many of them later reconverted to their ancestral faith.
The Deval Smriti was enunciated to facilitate the purification & Shuddhikaran ( Re-conversion) of these forced converts. Sadly, Hindus could never recover after the downfall of Sindh, setting the stage for conquest of India.
Later when Dahir’s severed head was presented to the Caliph of Iraq by Qsaim, Hajjaj, a courtier sang: “We have conquered Sindh after enormous trouble. Betrayed is Dahir by Mohammad-bin Qasim’s masterly strategy.
“Rejoice, the evil doors are disgraced. Their wealth has been brought away by us, they now solitary and brittle as eggs and their women, fair and fragrant as musk-deer, are now asleep in our harems”
Dahir’s enslaved teen daughters were presented by Qasim to the Caliph’s harem. These brave girls had Sindh’s last revenge when they told the Caliph that Qasim had violated them first. As punishment, Qasim of wrapped in oxen hides till he suffocated to death.
Pakistan celebrated Qasim’s conquest of Singh calling is “Bab-e-Islam”- The Gateway of Islam”, Even today a holiday Yom-e Bab ul-Islam is observed in Pakistan in memory.
How ironic that a nation’s people celebrate the destruction of their own ancestors & heritage.
Dr. Nagpal Singh
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