History of Garhwal including Haridwar (1223- 1804 AD) –part -41
History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -287
By: Bhishma Kukreti (A History Research Student)
No Historical Records for History of Garhwal from 1300-1450
No historical record is available to know exact history of Garhwal including Haridwar and part of Saharanpur and Bijnor. Historians depend on interpretations of Muslim history writers those were court writers or friends of Muslim Delhi Kings.
Balban entering into Garhwal Territory
Delhi Sultanate had rule over Delhi, Ambala, and Saharanpur. Therefore, now it was easy for Muslim Kings to attack on plains of Garhwal including Haridwar.
Balban was first Muslim attacker to enter into Garhwal territory of Yamuna Plato in 1257. It was only in 1337 that Muslim army could enter far inside Garhwal.
Muslim Kings were eager to capture Bhabhar (north of Bijnor) as parts of Bijnor were under Muslim rulers. However, the geographical, seasonal difficulties and hard resistance from local chieftains did not allow Muslim attackers to capture east Garhwal. When Nasri ud-Din army crossed Haridwar in 1254 and tried to reach to Ramganga (Rahab) local chieftains and people resisted and there was fierce battle in Tanklabali or Mithaiwala or Kalaghati (Bhabhar)
Attack on Karachal
In 1325, Muhammad Tughlaq planned forceful attack on Khurasan and prepared huge cavalry and artillery. However he had to cancel attack on Khurasan. Therefore, he ordered his army to attack on the territory between India and China that is hills of Uttarakhand (Tarikh i- Firozshahi). The region is cited as Karachal and different copies of Tarikh i- Firozshahi name the territory with different names as Karaachal, Karachal, Karajil, Karachil, Farajil, Himajal, or Himachal.
Identity of Karachal
Different historians identify Karachal by three major places of Uttarakhand.
Kalsi? – A few historians identify Kalsi hills of Dehradun for Karachal referred by Muslim historian.
Kuberachal or Gandhmadhan Hills – A few historians identify karachal as Gandhmadhan hills of upper Garhwal.
Kurmachal – A few historians state that it might be Kurmachal. However, the Muslim writer of that time used to refer Kumaon for east of Uttarakhand.
It might be that whole of Uttarakhand was attacked by Muhammad Tughlaq
Geographical Situation of Karachal
An African tourist –historian Ibna Batuta wrote about Karachal campaign by Muhammad Tughlaq. According to the description it seems that the territory was a part of Himalaya. He described that the hill territory was ten days away from Delhi (150-200 Miles). There were sharp valleys and River was flowing in between steep hills. The south territory had plains and people used to farm on that land. The people had ample numbers of herds of goats and sheep. Crop in that territory was good.
A City-Jidya or Chandiya
Iban Batuta described that there was a city Jadiya in foot hills of Karachal. Historians assume that Jadiya name must be Chandi Ghat or Chandiya of Haridwar.
City Warangal or Devalgarh?
Batuta described another city in high hills where river was flowing in between huge steep hills. The River side road was so lean that only one horse could walk on the road. Historians identify this place Warangal as Devalgarh or Garhwal Nagar. Batuta stated that there was a Buddhist worshipping place at the border of Karachal where Chinese devotees used to come for rituals.
Season of Karachal
There used to be heavy rains in hills of Warangal or Devalgarh /Garhwal Nagar. There was less rain in foot hills.
Batuta depicted that on lean rods had huge and tell trees (forests).
*** Read about bloodsheds in East Garhwal in next chapter
** Main references for this chapter – Elliot and Dowson
Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com 12/3//2014
1-Dr. Shiv Prasad Dabral, 1971, Uttarakhand ka Itihas Bhag-4, Veer Gatha Press, Dogadda, Pauri Garhwal, India
2-Harikrishna Raturi, Garhwal ka Itihas
3-Dr. Patiram, Garhwal Ancient and Modern
4-Rahul Sankrityayan, Garhwal
5- Oakley and Gairola, Himalayan Folklore
6- Bhakt Darshan, Garhwal ki Divangit Vibhutiyan
7-Foster, Early Travels in India William Finch
8-Upadhyaya, Shri Shankaracharya
9-Shering, Western Tibet and British
10-H.G. Walton, Gazetteer of British Garhwal
11-B.P.Kamboj, Early Wall Paintings of Garhwal
12-H.g Walton, Gazetteer of Dehradun
13- Vimal Chandra, Prachin Bharat ka Itihas
14-Meera Seth, Wall Paintings of Western Himalayas
15-Furar, Monumental Antiquities
16-Haudiwala, Studies in Indo-Muslim History
17- Rahul Khari 2007, Jats and Gujjar Origin, History and Culture
18- Upendra Singh, 2006, Delhi: Ancient History, Barghahan Books
19- B.S. Dahiya, 1980, Jats the Ancient Rulers (A Clan Study) , Sterling Publications
20- Maithani, Bharat –Gotrapravardeepika
21 Prem Hari Har Lal, 1993, The Doon Valley Down the Ages
22-Dashrath Sharma, Early Chauhan Dynasties
23- Shailndra Nath Sen, Ancient History and Civilization
24-H.M Elliot, 1867, The History of India as told by its Own Historians
25- Jaswant Lal Mehta, 1979, Advance Study in Medieval India
(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)
History of Garhwal from 1223-1804 to be continued in next chapter
History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -288
Notes on Early Medieval History of Garhwal; Early Medieval History of Pauri Garhwal; Early Medieval History of Chamoli Garhwal; Early Medieval History of Rudraprayag Garhwal; Early Medieval History of Tehri Garhwal; Early Medieval History of Uttarkashi Garhwal; Early Medieval History of Dehradun, Garhwal; Early Medieval History of Haridwar ; Early Medieval History of Manglaur, Haridwar; Early Medieval History of Rurkee Haridwar ; Early Medieval History of Bahadarpur Haridwar ; History of Haridwar district to be continued…
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