International Gatka Organisation

 

• Date 1397 ; Timur crossed the Indus

• Prepared to battle against the Mougal fortress of Bhatnir 

• Rao Dul Chain was assisted with the Rajputs in an attempt to over throw the Mougals.

• The Mougals over powered them and drove them into the cities where they soon made them selves masters

•  Here he drove the Hindus into desperation for there lives

• Sultan Mahmud prepared his forces in defense of Delhi by Timur

The epic begins 

"Mahmud's army was composed of 40,000 foot and 10,000 horses and 125 elephants covered with armour, carrying howdas, in which were throwers of grenades (r'ad-andaz) , fireworks (atash baz)  and rockets (takhsh-andaz)*

*Elliot, History,Vol III., p439

 

The right wing of Timur's army fell upon the enemy and poured down on it a shower of arrows, while the left by an ambuscade of part of their forces fell sword in hand on the rear of the Sultan's right wing. After a short struggle the Tartar force drove back the main body of the Hindus, and out them to flight, and having taken the city, gave it up to pillage and indiscriminate slaughter (1398)

 

Timur, after a brief raid into the country near the upper part of the Ganges, did not pursue his conquests further, and during the century which followed his departure from India, a succession of weak rulers enabled the Hindus to some extant to regain their independence under the nominal rule of the Emperors of Delhi."

 ( ref pg 17 Illustrated Handbook of Indian Arms paragraph 1)

 

From the accounts of the early Arabic and other travelers to India little change is seen in the arms and art of warfare during this early Mahomedan Period from that of previous periods.

Detailed accounts of various wars and battles that took place are described by

•  Marco Polo , the earliest European traveller to India

• The Institutes of Timur 

• The travellers Nicolo Conti and Nikitin in the 15th century

( on pg 18 Illustrated Handbook of Indian Arms )