Saturday 27 January 2018

Gujarat First Muslim Ruler Delhi Sultan Alauddin Khilji ( Part 3 ) - Somnath & Saurashtra invasion

                     13th century Gujarat last Hindu king Karnadev Vaghela's Chief Minister was Madhav who was Visnagara Nagar Brahmin of Kutch.He brought Alaudin Khilji.In 1298 AD Gujarat capital Patan was won by Delhi Sultan Alauddin Khilji army. It remained under Muslim rule for 460 years until Maratha won it from Mughals in 1758 AD.In 1298 AD Delhi Sultan Alauddin Khilji appointed Sarvarkhan as Gujarat Nazim-Governor at Patan temperately.After victory of capital Patan in 1298, Alauddin army divided into 2 groups One went Saurashtra & other marched to Khambhat & South Gujarat.In 1299 AD Alauddin army under command of Ulughkhan marched in Saurashtra to destroy Somnath & other temples & to capture absconder Karnadev.In 1300 AD Alauddin huge army reached Somnath via Una, Diu & Mangalpur.On way it looted,burnt & destroyed towns & temples.All Saurashtra rulers & people feared.In 1300 AD Sorath's Vala,Vaja & Jethwa Rajput rulers with their armies gathered at Somnath to protect Somnath temple from invading Muslim army of Alauddin Khilji.In 1300 AD a fierce battle was fought between Sorath rulers' armies & Alauddin army at Somnath. As Rajput army was outnumbered they lost the battle.In 1300 AD Alauddin army entered in Sutrapada town near Prabhas-Somnath & damaged famous Sun temple.It looted & burnt houses & killed people.Alauddin soldiers entered in Somnath temple playing drums & shouting slogans & began to break idols in sculptures of temple wall.Alauddin army dug out huge Shivlinga intact from ground & loaded on bullock cart and sent to Delhi as gift to Sultan Alauddin Khilji.274 years after Mahmood Gazani destroyed Somnath temple 1st in 1026 AD,Delhi Sultan Alauddin Khilji army destroyed Somnath temple 2nd time in 1300 AD.After destroying Somnath temple, Ulughkhan spread reign of terror & torcher,killed Brahmins & innocent people,looted & burnt houses.In 1300 after destroying Somnath temple Ulughkhan army marched on sea coast to famous Shiv temple Bileshwar via Chorwad,Mangrol & Madhavpur.Alaudin army led by Ulughkhan destroyed Shakti temple at Zund-Chorwad,Ranchhodrai temple of Madhavpur & famous Bileshwar Shiv temple.In 1300 after damaging Bileshwar temple Ulughkhan attacked & defeated Sorath Chudasama king Ra'Mandalik at Vanthali. Penalty was inposed on him.In 1300 AD after conquering Saurashtra,Ulughkhan appointed adminisrators at various stratigical places & towns & left Gujarat to return Delhi.
                             As per myth it is believed that when Somnath Shivling being transported by Alauddin army to Delhi it was taken back by people near Jasdan.Brave people built a Shiv temple on Shivling of Somnath around 1300 AD.This temple later became famous as Ghela Somnath.

Written by Bipin Thanky
(From our tweets of our twitter hamdle @GujaratHistory)

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