Today In Indian History (6th January)

1842- Retreat of the British and East India Company forces from Kabul during the First Anglo-Afghan War begins from 6th January 1842.

The First Anglo-Afghan War (1838-42) was fought between the British East India Company (EIC) and, the Emirate of Afghanistan. The war caused the greatest misfortune that ever befell the British army and dealt a severe blow to their prestige in India.

The conflict came to such a pass that British were left with no choice but to evacuate Afghanistan. On 6 January 1842, the retreat of the British troops and camp-followers, 16,500 men in all, began from Kabul.

Of them only one, the British doctor Dr. Brydon, reached Jalalabad to tell the painful story of the destruction of the rest due to the attacks by the rebellious Afghans. Consequently the invincibility of the British Empire was shattered.

1885- Death of Hindi poet, writer, and playwright Bharatendu Harishchandra (9 September 1850 – 6 January 1885) on 6th January, 1885. He was editor of Kavi Vachan Sudha and Bal Vodhini.

Comments

Muhammad Shah Rangila

Aurangzeb, the last great Mughal emperor, died in 1707. Muhammad Shah became Mughal emperor in 1719. During the interregnum, Bahadur Shah I , Jahandar Shah, Farrukhsiyar, Rafi-ud-Darajat and Rafi-ud-Daula ascended the Mughal throne. Jahandar Shah was murdered on the orders of Farrukhsiyar who had the support of the two powerful Mughal nobles Sayyid Abdullah and his brother Sayyid Husain Ali at that time. They are famous in history as Sayyid brothers, the King-makers. In 1719, Farrukhsiyar were murdered in utter disregard of a Mughal emperor by Sayyid brothers. Rafi-ud-Darajat died of consumption in a few months. Rafi-ud-Daula was addicted to opium and died in 4 months. Sayyid brothers now chose Raushan Akhtar, a son of Jahan Shah (the fourth son of Bahadur Shah I), to be the emperor. Raushan Akhtar ascended the throne under the title of Muhamamd Shah in September 1719. In the beginning Muhammad Shah was a puppet in the hands of Sayyid brothers who soon began to lose their gri...

Turkan-i-Chahalgani, the Group of Forty

Amir-i-Chahalgani, known variously as Turkan-i-Chahalgani and Chalisa (The Forty), was a group of 40 faithful slaves which came into existence with the task of protecting Shamsuddin Iltutmish , the third Slave Sultan of Delhi Sultanate. The idea to form the group was taken by him when he came to realize that Turkish nobles cannot be trusted and could be a threat to his rule. With the passage of time the group went on to become very influential and powerful. Though Iltutmish succeeded in keeping the group under control, after his rule they became notorious and intrigued against nearly all his successors. The Forty acquired domination on the affairs of the state so much so that no ruler could defy them. Without their support it was utterly out of questions for the rulers to win the battle for succession. The members of this Turkish nobility used to appropriate all the offices of the state to themselves. Some of the rulers of the Slave dynasty after Iltutmish were murdered by these s...

Sanskrit Books and Authors in Ancient India

Books Authors Abhigyan Shakuntalam (Recognition of Shakuntala) Kalidasa Aihole Prasasti Ravikirti Amarakosha Amarasimha Arthashastra Kautilya Ashtadhyayi Panini Bhattikavya Bhatti Brihat Samhita Varahamihira Buddhacharita Asvaghosa Charaka Samhita ( Compendium of Charaka ) Charaka Devichandraguptam Vishakhadatta Gita Govinda ( Song of the Cowherd) Jayadeva Gatha Saptashati Hala Lilavati Bhaskara II Hammira Mahakavya Nayachandra Suri Janakiharana ( Janaki's abduction) Kumaradasa Kama Sutra Vatsyayana ...

Indian History

Search This Blog