Anything
that moves
It could be
argued that India’s dislike of Babur is merely a reflection of Babur’s dislike
of India.
Babur
supervises a garden being laid out. | Painters of Babur [Public domain]
Nov 09, 2019
· 07:45 am
Girish
Shahane
Extending
the narrative of the Baburnama, the memoirs of the founder of the Mughal
empire, from the previous column:
Babur descends into the Indian plain at the head of 12,000 horsemen. Two decades earlier, his first foray into Hindustan had revealed “a new world – different plants, different trees, different animals and birds, different tribes and people, different manners and customs. It was astonishing, truly astonishing.” He has raided the fringes of India often since, but this time is determined to go all the way. The capital of North India is at Agra, having been shifted there from Delhi by Sikandar Lodi, whose son Ibrahim now occupies the throne. Babur’s camp proceeds steadily but without hurry, giving him time to examine India’s birds, beasts and flowers. He hunts, he has drinking parties on barges, he orders the construction of a garden at a pleasant spot.
The Battles of Panipat and Khanua
In April
1526, with the heat of the Doab grown insufferable already, his army approaches
that of Ibrahim Lodi. Babur’s forces have, by now, perfected the flank attack
in the manner of the Mongols. Two Anatolian artillery specialists have equipped
his army with mortars and matchlocks unknown in India. He settles on Panipat
near Delhi as the place that will give his outnumbered troops the greatest
chance of victory, and plans his battle formation. The guns are strung out in
the centre, with room between each shooter for cavalry to burst through. The
wings are left free to outmanoeuvre the opposition with their speed.
His
generals complain that no adversary will attack such a well-fortified position,
but he predicts Ibrahim’s vastly larger army and the crushing power of his
elephants will make the foe overconfident. His insight proves correct. The
sultan marches to Panipat, and mounts an attack at dawn on April 20, 1526. The
Lodi forces make a headlong charge, and are confronted by a volley of fire,
before being encircled by a flank assault. Hemmed in and confused, they try to
break out, but are repeatedly repulsed. By noon Babur’s army is victorious. He
now controls all the land between Kabul and the frontiers of Bengal.
A few
rebellions need crushing after the Panipat victory. Then the immense Lodi
treasury is distributed, with every citizen of Kabul receiving at least a small
share of the spoils. Humayun, who protected members of the Gwalior Raja’s
family from harm in Agra after the battle, has been presented with a 40-gram
diamond as a token of their gratitude. It is probably the gem from which the
Kohinoor will be cut. He gives it to his father, who hands it back without a
thought. This and other acts of generosity earn Babur the title Qalandar, which
pleases him immensely. There are, however, kindnesses he regrets. Ibrahim
Lodi’s mother, whom he has presented with a large estate, conspires to have his
food poisoned. He recovers after falling violently ill, not having consumed
enough of the deadly meat to die from it, but his health is never the same
after the incident.
Before
long, news arrives that the ruler of Mewar, Rana Sanga, is planning an
invasion. Sanga heads a Hindu Rajput confederacy supported by a few Hindustani
and Afghan Muslim generals. His army is well over a hundred thousand strong. He
made overtures to Babur in the past, but no deal was concluded. The Rajput has
waited on the sidelines, hoping to pick off the weakened army of the winner of
the war between Babur and Lodi.
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