LALITADITYA MUKTAPIDA - THE GREATEST EMPEROR WHO DIDN’T GOT A MENTION IN INDIAN HISTORY BOOKS

Most of you have not heard of him !

Indian History is distorted to the level that we don’t know the ruler who had a empire bigger than Mauryas

The name, Lalitaditya or Muktapida may be totally unfamiliar to a vast majority of Indians, this despite the fact that Lalitaditya might as well have been the mightiest ruler of India, reigning over the largest of the territories- stretching from Kashmir to Central Asia and from Uzbekistan to Sunderbans in Bengal.

He was perhaps the only ruler who made Akhand Bharat a reality, also extending the territory of Bharat to the neighbouring countries and beyond.

His tale would defy the belief of most of the intellectuals of our country that India as a nation or as an entity did not exist before the British colonized us.

For obvious reasons his life, times and military escapades were quietly brushed under the carpet by our Leftist Lutyens historians, who, with the vile intent of demeaning the Hindus, never wanted India to learn about the might and valour of a Hindu king, who not only stalled any invasion attempt but also had the courage to march into their territory and occupy it. These historians have all along glorified and glamourized the Islamic invaders and plunderers, making the Hindu rulers appear meek and insignificant, who gave in easily to them.

STORY OF LALITADITYA

Lalitaditya was the most powerful ruler of the Karkota dynasty of Kashmir. The 12th century chronicler, Kalhana characterizes Lalitaditya as world conqueror in his ‘Rajtarangini’. He ruled for 37 years from 724 to 761 CE.

His rule is considered a golden age in Kashmir where art, architecture and learning flourished. Due to his conquests, scholars have called him Alexander of Kashmir.

Kalhan’s ‘Rajtarangini’ states that the Karkota dynasty was founded by king Durlabhvardana in 625 CE. Lalitaditya was the 5th ruler.

According to renowned historian, R. C. Majumdar’s ‘Ancient India’, Lalitaditya first faced Yashovarman, who was the successor of the famous ruler of the Pushyabhuti dynasty, Harshavardana.

He attacked Yashovarman’s kingdom, Antarvedi, whose capital was Kanyakubja (Modern day Kanauj in UP) located between the Yamuna river and the Kalika river, and compelled him to sign a peace treaty after a long and intense war famously known as “The Treaty of Yashovarman and Lalitaditya “.

After consolidating power in Kanyakubja, Lalitaditya proceeded to the East reaching Kalinga (modern day Odisha) and Gauda (Bengal). After that he set out towards the Vindhyas where he met the Karnata queen, Ratta or Bhavangana of the Rashtrakuta dynasty. She had constructed obstacle free roads over the Vindhya mountains and was as powerful as Goddess Vindyabasini (Maa Durga). But a powerful ruler like her, too, bowed to Lalitaditya. From then on, Lalitaditya marched on triumphant from the seven Konkans to Dwarka to Avanti, all the way into Punjab and Afghanistan, establishing his rule over all of the Indian territory.

According to some folk tales, Bappa Rawal, the famous warrior from Mewar was not only a close friend of Lalitaditya but also participated in some of his famous victories against the foreign invaders and may have died during Lalitaditya’s Central Asia campaign.

Lalitaditya and his victory over the Arabs and Turks !

Soon after, Junaid, the Arab governor of Sind attacked Kashmir on the orders of caliph Hisham. There were four major Caliphates . Ummayad was the second of the caliphate with it’s capital at Damascus, Syria.

The Arabs had established their rule over Sindh with Muhammad Bin Qasim and the region was thoroughly plundered. It was plundered and looted and then eyed Kashmir which was a prosperous region. Lalitaditya defeated Junaid and the Arab army so badly that they did not attack Kashmir till he was alive. This is mentioned in ‘Fatenama Sindh’.

Lalitaditya went on to defeat the invading Tukharas (the Turks of Turkmenistan and Tochran from Badakstan), Bhutas (from Baltistan and Tibet) and Dardas (Darius). He also won over Central Asia which comprises modern day countries like Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, South Kyrgyzstan and southwest Kazakshtan. After that he invaded Turkistan through Kabul and defeated Momin of Bukhara 4 times and killing him the 5th time. According to Alberuni , a Kashmiri king, Muthai, defeated Momin, the governor of Uzbekistan. Muthai was none other than Muktapida. His presence discouraged the Muslim kingdoms from attacking Kashmir. He also scored a victory over the Hindukush-Pamir region. He expanded his territories consequently to the Caspian Sea and went on to the Karakorum mountain ranges.

He was so furious with the Arabs that he would send back prisoners of war with half their heads shaven. From Tibet in the North to Dwarka and the seas of Odisha in the south, from Bengal in the East to Central Asia in the West, Lalitaditya’s empire had been established with supreme might. His forces reached Aranyaka kingdom (Persia) , now known as Iran.

We had mighty rulers than Mughals . India is not all about Mughals.