Alauddin Khilji @ ✒Guru Balwant Gurunay⚔

Alauddin Khilji is all over the news, social network discussion,  mudslinging sites  and intellectual discussions, in wake of a controversy fulcrumed around  Bollywood film, 'Padmavati'. 

The film revolves around Khilji's conquest of Chittor in 1303, woven around his supposed obsession with Rani Padmini of Chittor,  based upon a poem of questionable authenticity.

Most of the people involved, in mudslinging of Khilji and politically motivated protests, have neither seen the film nor have they got any substantial knowledge of history.

What ever the truth, but Khilji is back from his grave, once again raising a storm of debates around him. A new found interest in this harshly ruthless king, but a genius of a military strategist and an extremely courageous general has once again brought him alive, and let me verily say, that just like Caeser'ghost haunted Rome, Khilji's ghost too is haunting the Indian subcontinent.

Let me bring to the notice of my friends and others who may be interested, the truth of Alauddin Khilji, one of world's sharpest and extremely courageous military geniuses.

Sultan Jalaluddin Khilji, Alaaudin's uncle, ruled over India before being killed by Alaaudin, in a coup and a sultanate takeover. The reason of Jalaluddin Khilji, being murdered by Allaudin Khilji, in the first place were the Mongols. Jalaluldin had averted war with the Mongols in a previous attack by agreeing to humiliating demands from them. This infuriated Alluding Khilji, as a result of which, he killed his uncle, the emperor of Delhi, and tookover the empire,  determined to fight the Mongols to the end. Alaaudin ruled Hindostan from from 1296  to 1316. Also it is worth pointing out here that  Khilji was not a foreign invader born in Afghanistan, as claimed by some, but an Indian  born in Delhi in 1266 AD

The most important contribution of Khilji towards India is his having defeated the mighty Mongols. Khilji fought back, not one or two, but six Mongol attacks on India, which if not  stalled, would have resulted in an absolute annihilation of Indian culture, economy and religion.

Mongols repeatedly invaded India in Khilji's time, and Khilji managed to defeat the Mongols not once, but each and every time.

What is special about Khilji having defeated Mongols?

Well, we must not forget that  Mongols were the most ruthless warriors of their times, who would totally annihilate a country they attacked, leaving not even a trace of the civilization in their targeted areas,  taking with them, any thing and everything of value, including able bodied men, beautiful young women, horses, precious stones and precious metals, weapons, utensils and even cattle, cats and dogs that they fancied. Rest every thing they killed or set ablaze, ensuring that no one could even seek revenge for a century, atleast.

That is why, the Mongols were referred to as  'Scourge of God' and feared as much as plague by people and kings alike.

Had the Mongols not been stopped by Alauddin Khilji,  all knowledge and culture, that had  accumulated here over centuries would have been destroyed.

As an example When Halaagu Khan,  conquered  Baghdad in 1258, he destroyed all libraries, schools, places of worship, agricultural lands, granaries, palaces and even home and hearth of commoners of the empire. 

The rivers Euphrates and Tigris turned black with ink and blood. Halaagu Khan Mongol single-handedly ended the Golden Age of Islam by his conquest of Abbasian Empire . The Mongol invasion of Russia  is another example, as it set Russia back by 200 years in its development.

Khilji defeated the Mongols, for the first time, his army led by  his brother Ulagh Khan and one of his best captains, General Jaffar Khan in1298,  inflicting up on Mongols a toll of 20,000 casualties.

In 1299, a Mongol invasion of India, was again defeated by Khilji's forces in Sindh, led again  by his trusted captain, General Zaffar Khan. 

In 1303, 1305 and 1306, Khilji himself  lead the army along with his trusted generals against the Mongols, and defeated them, this being an unprecedented military feat in those days,  the Mongols being an unstoppable force.

As already mentioned, no one in the rest of the world, including the Russians and mighty Persians or even Baghdad Caliphate  could stand against the dreaded Mongols.

All well read military historians know that  Khilji's armies were some of the most disciplined and well-trained armies of the then world, and Khilji him self was an unprecedented military genius.
🚩ਤੱਤ ਸੱਤ ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ🚩
✒Guru Balwant Gurunay⚔