| Panipat is a sleepy town a hundred miles from Delhi. | | | | history. |
| But its historical importance cannot be under rated. It | | | | Hemu had advanced with a vast elephant corps and |
| is the gate way to Delhi, the Imperial capital and | | | | he directed the battle skillfully. The Mughal army was |
| most battles were fought on the plains here by the | | | | getting a bloody nose as the elephants of Hemu |
| invadors and the defenders. | | | | repeatedly charged the Mughal forces. Then |
| Hemu was a general under Sher Shah Suri.After the | | | | providence or fate took a hand. In the heat of battle |
| exit of Humayun Sher Shah had been crowned as | | | | an arrow pierced the eye of Hemu and he was |
| emperor at Delhi. His general Hemu did yeoman | | | | rendered unconcious. The Hindu army having no |
| service and defeated the Afghans and other | | | | second line of command disintegrated and the |
| opponents of Sher Shah.Aftyer the demise of Sher | | | | Mughals carried the day. |
| Shah, the 13 year old son of Humayun Akbar along | | | | Hemu was captured and brought before Akbar |
| with his regent Bairam Khan had proceeded to quell | | | | where his regent and general Bairam Khan beheaded |
| the rebels in Kabul and khandhar. In the mean time | | | | him.This contrasts sharply with the conduct of |
| Hemu consolidated his rule in a spate of 3 years and | | | | Alexender the Great who after the battle of |
| won 22 battles. He also attacked Agra and the | | | | Hydespades asked the defeated Hindu king Porus |
| Moghul commander with his troops ran away. He had | | | | how he would like to be treated.Porus answered ' like |
| in an earlier battle annihilated the Moghuls who lost | | | | a king'. Alexender spared the life of Porus and set |
| over 3000 dead. | | | | him free. Perhaps such chivalry was unknown to the |
| Hemu wished to rule from Delhi.He made his | | | | Moslems. |
| intentions clear and occupied Delhi and was crowned | | | | Lastly the battle marked the consolidation of moslem |
| king.It was a poignant moment as Hindu rule had | | | | rule in India. I wonder whether it was ordained to so |
| been restored in Delhi after 350 years of Moslem rule. | | | | happen, for in case the Arrow had not incapaciatated |
| He was given the title of Vikramaditya. This unnerved | | | | Hemu he would have won. But that is another story. |
| Akbar and his general Bairam Khan. As a last resort | | | | But the bravery of Hemu and his earlier victories |
| the Mughal forces moved towards Delhi. The battle in | | | | over the Moslems showed that they were not |
| 1556 thirty years after his grandfather Babur had | | | | invincible and for that he will be remembered for a |
| defeated Ibtahim Lodhi is a water shed in Indian | | | | long time to come. |