Mahmoud Ghazni (also known as Muhammad of Ghazni) was among the most vicious of all invaders. He had promised to invade India every year to put an end to the Vedic tradition of deity worship. Additionally, he desired to exterminate the infidels, seize slaves, and amass as much of India’s enormous wealth as he could. He had vanquished Raja Jaipal of the Shahiya dynasty in Kabul in the year 1000 CE. This served as India’s northwest region’s defense. In 1004 CE, he amassed 250,000 dinars in compensation before attacking and pillaging Bhatiya. He spent a few years there with his mullahs trying to convert the Hindus, but in 1008 he moved on to conquer Nagarkot (Kangra).

He took away tens of thousands of dollars in cash, as well as gold, silver, several precious stones, and embroidered clothing. He also whetted his hunger for slain Hindus, deserving slaves, and transportable wealth here. He then attacked the undefended city of Thanesar in 1011, destroying several temples and gods in the process. The primary deity was Chakra Swami, who was brought back to Ghazni and placed there in the public plaza for the loyal Muslims to challenge.

According to Abu Nasr Muhammad ibn Muhammad al Jabbaru’l-Utbi, Mahmoud’s secretary, who wrote the Islamic history Tarikh-i-Yamini, “The blood of the infidels flowed so copiously [at Thanesar] that the stream was tainted, despite its purity, and people were unable to drink from it. The Sultan brought back much too much loot to count. Glory to Allah for the respect he accords to Islam and Muslims.”

The Muslim past is recorded. According to Kitabu’l-Yamini, authored by Utbi, Mahmoud of Ghazni then raided the Punjabi city of Nardin, a place with a long history dating back thousands of years. It is noted that “After the

Sultan decided to invade Hind to punish people who kept idols and refused to acknowledge the unity of God after purifying Hind of paganism and building mosques there. During a pitch-black night in the year AH 404 (1013 CE), he marched with a sizable army.
The Kitabu’l-Yamini continues to describe that “a stone situated in the temple of the great Buddha was found on which an inscription was inscribed stating that the temple had been constructed 50,000 years ago.

The Sultan was shocked by the illiteracy of these people because those who adhere to the true faith [Islam] assert that the earth has only been for 700 years and that the signs of the Resurrection are now upon us. When the Sultan inquired about the interpretation of this inscription, his wise men unanimously agreed that it was untrue and that one shouldn’t place faith in a piece of stone as proof. Therefore, having been misled by their own religious predisposition, they were unable to comprehend the profound nature and age of what they were experiencing.

Mahmoud focused his attention in 1013 on Nandana, the Shahiya dynasty’s new seat of government under King Anandapal. Here, the Hindus put up a valiant fight but were defeated, which opened the way for the obliteration of more temples and the massacre of unarmed civilians. According to Utbi, the Sultan once more returned with enormous loot and a large number of slaves that were readily available for sale. Even India’s noblemen became the property of simple businessmen.

Mahmoud could now easily launch an attack into the heart of India. Mahmoud crossed the Yamuna River in December 1018 and obtained 1,000,000 dirhams from Baran (Bulandshahar), after which he marched into the District of Mathura, first entering Mahaban. According to Utbi, numerous men attempted to flee the fort and cross the raging river, but many perished in the water, were killed, or were captured. Nearly 50,000 guys lost their lives. Mathura, the town revered by Lord Krishna, was immediately attacked by Then Mahmoud. The major Keshava Rai temple, which symbolizes the location of Lord Krishna’s birth, particularly impressed him. He estimated that it must have taken 200 years to construct. He nevertheless set fire to the massive edifice.

For 20 days the city was pillaged, during which Mahmoud ordered the destruction of every temple. He left the city in ruins after taking five golden and 200 silver deities from there. From there, he continued to Kanauj, the location of various Hindu dynasties that are also mentioned in the Kitabu’l-Yamini of Utbi.
“In Kanauj there were approximately 10,000 temples, which the idolaters mistakenly and stupidly represented to have been constructed by their ancestors two or three hundred thousand years ago,” it states in the section that explains the age of the temples. Naturally, the Muslim invaders were unable to comprehend such a long period of time and continued to destroy everything not Muslim. Many inhabitants fled when they saw the devastation of so many temples and deities and those who did not were slaughtered. The soldiers were given complete freedom to rob and kidnap people whenever they pleased.

After throwing their wives and children into the fire to avoid being kidnapped as slaves, which would have been worse than death, the Brahmanas assaulted the next city, Munj, where they fought till the last man. The next town was Asi, where the monarch fled. Mahmoud then gave the order to destroy all five forts, bury the locals beneath the debris, and execute or capture every soldier. The city of Shrawa was the next to be attacked, and it took the warriors three days to finish off the infidels before they stopped to check the dead for any riches, which included enormous quantities of gold, silver, rubies, and pearls.

In total, he brought 53,000 slaves back to Ghazni from this mission, filling the nations of Mawaraun-Nahr, Iraq, and Khurasan in a form of widespread slavery that included both rich and poor, fair and dark people.

SOMNATH’S DESTRUCTION
Mahmoud Ghazni again visited Somnath in 1026, where he demolished the renowned temple and stole a large sum of money, including the renowned Shiva statue.

Some of the linga’s fragments were used to make the steps of the Jama Masjid mosque in the city, where the faithful may walk on them to defy it. For the same reason, more pieces were despatched to Baghdad, Medina, and Mecca.
The Indians made a valiant effort to protect their temple, but Mahmoud’s forces killed more than 50,000 of them. He also removed silver, gold, and diamonds worth 20,000,000 dirhams from the temple.

Then, after removing the lingam’s guided gold, he attacked it with his sword and broke it into pieces. He then sent the pieces back to Ghazni where they were placed on the steps of the new Jama Masjid mosque where they would be continuously trodden upon and defiled by the devoted Muslims who would frequently walk over them.

The effects of Mahmoud Ghazni’s conquests in India are documented by the historian Al-Biruni (973–1048). He claims that he destroyed the nation’s prosperity and turned the Hindus into dust that dispersed everywhere. His cruelty and barbarity toward Hindus and their temples were well-known.
It was a huge comfort when he passed away in 1030.

Mahmoud’s son attempted to follow in his father’s footsteps, but he only ran one victorious campaign, which was against Hansi in 1037. He stormed the fort, which the Hindus valiantly defended, but according to the Tarikh-usSubuktigin, the treasure was divided among the soldiers, the Brahmanas were all murdered, the women and children were all taken as slaves, and all of the women and children were taken as slaves.

Source: Crimes Against India by Stephen Knapp

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