Kamil ut Tawarik or “The Complete History“, is a classic history book written by Ibn al-Athir. As per this book, Jayachandra was “the greatest king of India and possessed the largest territory”, and his army had a million soldiers and 700 elephants.
Ain-i-Akbari is the third in the three-volume set Akbarnama written by Abul Fazl. It discusses Akbar’s administration. It is divided into 5 books (daftars): Book number Book Name Deals with 1 Manzil-Abadi Imperial household and its maintenance. 2 Sipah-Abadi Servants of the throne, the military and civil services 3 Mulk-Abadi Fiscal side of the empire…
Muhammad Ghori History Muhammad Ghori, also known as Sultan Shahab-ud-Din-Muhammad Ghori, was a prominent figure in the history of the Indian Subcontinent. Born in the Ghor region of present-day Afghanistan, he was member of the Ghurid Dynasty. Ghori is well-known for his crucial role in laying the foundation for Muslim rule in India. His invasions…
Khadag Rai’s Gwalior manuscript names 18 Tomara kings. It says Delhi was initially ruled by the legendary king Vikramaditya. However, Delhi was deserted after his death for 792 years. Bilan Deva of the Tomara dynasty re-established the city of Delhi in 736 CE. The manuscript also mentions Prithvi-III of the Chahamanas.
Rani-ki-vav, or ‘Queen’s stepwell’, is located in the Patan district in Gujarat. Udyamati, the wife of Bhima I, the Chaulukyan king, constructed it. This account has been mentioned in work Prabandha-Chintamani of the Jain monk Merutunga in 1304 CE. It was accorded the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014. It is located on…
Fort Lal Kot was constructed by the Anangpal (r. 1051 – 1081 CE), the Tomar Rajputs who ruled from Delhi. The fort was constructed around numerous palaces and temples built by Anganpal. Therefore, the fort complex is called the “first city of Delhi”. Location: It is in the Qutub Minar complex in south Delhi’s Mehrauli…
It is dated to the early 18th century, built by Raja Bhimdev I of the Solanki Dynasty in 1026 CE. The Solankis were a branch of the later Chalukyas. Features: Suryakund: There is a massive rectangular stepped tank called the Surya kund in front of it. This hundred-square-metre rectangular pond is perhaps the grandest temple…
Vagehlas were a dynasty that ruled from Dholka in Gujarat during the 13th century CE. They descended from a family that had served under the Chaulukya kings. Later they became the vassals of the Chaulukyas. Finally, during the reign of Bhima II, the Vaghelas became the de facto rulers of the Chaulukya kingdom. They were…
Somnath Temple is located in Parabhas Patan in Veraval, Gujarat. It is considered the first among the 12 jyotirlingas shrined of Shiva. The temple is known for being an essential point of interest for the Muslim invader and rulers due to its riches. Its wealth was looted multiple times, starting with Mahmud of Ghazni. Moreover,…
Saraswati valley Saraswati is an ancient river mentioned in the IVth book of the Rigveda. The text describes Saraswati as a sacred and mighty river. Its had confluence with Ganga and Yamuna at the Triveni Sangam. It is said to be located between the Satluj in the west and Yamuna in the East. It emptied…