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Invaders and Infidels #2
Invaders and Infidels
When Qutub-ud-din Aibak died in a polo game 1210, he had left behind a rickety, fledgling Muslim kingdom in Delhi. For the next eighty-odd years, its fortunes swayed wildly, witnessing a record twelve kings. It was a period of incessant palace coups and serial political murders. The death of Balban extinguishes the so-called Muslim Slave dynasty and with it ends the shortlived Turkic Muslim imperialism. It also heralds the ascent of the Afghanistan-based Khaljis, classed as “low-born.” A straight line connects the origin of the Khaljis with the military airport built by the US in Zabul in 2006. By this time, Hindu political power in northern India is in total disarray with no unifying leader who has the vision to combat and expel the alien oppressor lodged in Delhi. No Hindu ruler exploits the repeated openings and vulnerabilities provided by internecine Sultanate warfare. Book 2 of Invaders and Infidels traces the unlikely rise of Jalal-ud-din Khalji as an illsuited monarch and ends with the maiden Islamic raid of Devagiri, the gateway to southern India. The incident will have far-reaching consequences for the history of India for the next six hundred years. It is a heady tale of a period rife with bloody intrigues, aggressive campaigns of Islamic expansionism, heroic wars of Hindu resistance and squandered chances for civilizational reclamation. The narrative in this book is marked by a flair of vivid historical storytelling, juxtaposing the oscillating fortunes of both Islamic conquests and the ensuing Hindu responses. It unearths a slew of eye-opening and forgotten details about the socio-political and economic life of the era whose impact is visible even today. Written in a fast-paced and engaging style, Book 2 of Invaders and Infidels is a riveting read of a critical juncture in the history of early Muslim rule of India.
- GenresHistory
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 15, 2023
2 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
About the author
Sandeep Balakrishna
20 books81 followersSandeep Balakrishna is a veteran writer, author, editor, speaker and independent researcher with about 20 years of writing on Indian history, culture, literature and temples. During this period, he has authored over 900 articles, essays, critiques, academic papers and delivered lectures on numerous topics related to these themes at institutions like the Indian Council of Philosophical Research, IIM Bangalore, Sri Aurobindo Society, Shree Somanath Sanskrit University, Bangalore University and Amrita University, to name a few. He writes in both English and Kannada. His articles, columns and research papers have appeared in prestigious journals, newspapers and magazines in both print and digital format. Sandeep is the author of the bestselling books Tipu Sultan: The Tyrant of Mysore, which has been widely referenced and quoted in mainstream publications and television programmes, and Madurai Sultanate: A Concise History. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed work, 70 Years of Secularism: Unpopular Essays on the Unofficial Political Religion of India. He has also translated the legendary Kannada novelist Dr S.L. Bhyrappa’s critically acclaimed work Aavarana into English, as Aavarana: The Veil, which is now in its twelfth reprint. Sandeep is the founder and editor of The Dharma Dispatch, an online journal dedicated to Indian civilisation, culture and history, and a contributing editor at Prekshaa Journal.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 16, 2023
Human doesn’t know what she doesn’t know. The veil of ignorance that clouds the mind limits its ability to comprehend the depths of the historical atrocities that were unleashed on this blessed land. The streak of light that breaks through this darkness is rare to find. A gem of this calibre is available in the form of this magnificent book. When a book unravels the mysteries of a bygone era and goes on to become cult classic, there is an exception and equal apprehension about a sequel. This book is a fitting and roaring sequel by Sandeep Balakrishna, who is a renowned expert in unravelling the truths of a bygone history.
This book picks up from where the last book finished and details the exploits, the rise, internal battles, downfall and subsequent rises of the Khalji dynasty. The most standout feature of the book is its Preface of 47 pages length. Highly detailed, excruciatingly detailed, this preface transports the readers to one of the darkest chapters of our history, the burning of Nalanda library and subsequent destruction of Viharas. The narrative spanning a wide geography from modern Afghanistan to Gaur desha (Modern day Bengal) paints a detailed picture of the various political, social, religious changes that were effected on the land.
My favourite part of the book was the destruction of Dakshinapatha. The happiness is short-lived as we are transported to the early days of the barriers being broken. Typical internal squabbling between Hindu rulers and not having a broader objective leading to their downfall is an all too familiar recurring pattern across the book. The book culminates in a fitting crescendo with Ala-ud-din Khalji’s coronation in Delhi, leaving the reader eager for the next in the series.
The research of the author is OUTSTANDING !!! References in every chapter are so detailed, this is a rich mine of information for the interested. The effort that would have gone into the book are truly mind-boggling. The author needs to be appreciated very highly for bringing out this masterpiece !!!!
I did have a few observations about the content that perhaps could have been better. In the starting paragraph of chapter 2, the word “Asuric” is employed to describe the despicable ruler. Asura needn’t be Adharmic. There are many references in our puranas where dharmic personalities were born in Asura lineage ex: Prahalada, Bali, Vibhishana etc. Perhaps this could have been avoided. The picture of Jalal-ud-din Khalji’s assassination is dark to comprehend. The route of Ala-ud-din-Khalji’s final march to Delhi is monochrome while the description has references to red and blue coloured paths.
These minor aspects side, the book is just a rich repository of historic information about one of the most trying times of our history. The research, references & mastery of the author on the subject is quite evident in every single page of the book.
I would highly recommend everyone to buy and read the book. Book for keeps, Book for reference !!!
One of the best historical books & a fitting sequel to the masterful first book !!!!
This book picks up from where the last book finished and details the exploits, the rise, internal battles, downfall and subsequent rises of the Khalji dynasty. The most standout feature of the book is its Preface of 47 pages length. Highly detailed, excruciatingly detailed, this preface transports the readers to one of the darkest chapters of our history, the burning of Nalanda library and subsequent destruction of Viharas. The narrative spanning a wide geography from modern Afghanistan to Gaur desha (Modern day Bengal) paints a detailed picture of the various political, social, religious changes that were effected on the land.
My favourite part of the book was the destruction of Dakshinapatha. The happiness is short-lived as we are transported to the early days of the barriers being broken. Typical internal squabbling between Hindu rulers and not having a broader objective leading to their downfall is an all too familiar recurring pattern across the book. The book culminates in a fitting crescendo with Ala-ud-din Khalji’s coronation in Delhi, leaving the reader eager for the next in the series.
The research of the author is OUTSTANDING !!! References in every chapter are so detailed, this is a rich mine of information for the interested. The effort that would have gone into the book are truly mind-boggling. The author needs to be appreciated very highly for bringing out this masterpiece !!!!
I did have a few observations about the content that perhaps could have been better. In the starting paragraph of chapter 2, the word “Asuric” is employed to describe the despicable ruler. Asura needn’t be Adharmic. There are many references in our puranas where dharmic personalities were born in Asura lineage ex: Prahalada, Bali, Vibhishana etc. Perhaps this could have been avoided. The picture of Jalal-ud-din Khalji’s assassination is dark to comprehend. The route of Ala-ud-din-Khalji’s final march to Delhi is monochrome while the description has references to red and blue coloured paths.
These minor aspects side, the book is just a rich repository of historic information about one of the most trying times of our history. The research, references & mastery of the author on the subject is quite evident in every single page of the book.
I would highly recommend everyone to buy and read the book. Book for keeps, Book for reference !!!
One of the best historical books & a fitting sequel to the masterful first book !!!!
October 3, 2023
f you allow me, I’d say that the major strength of a book like Invaders and Infidels is that they force us to face the truths that our “historians” over the last so many decades have endeavoured to brush under the carpet.
That, at the beginning of the last millenium, Turkish barbarians descended on this beautiful land. Armed with superior weapons – and more importantly with an unshakable zeal to convert the land of the kafirs to One True Faith – they vanquished the valorous but disunited Hindus and ensured that a glorious culture and civilization was brought down to its knees.
The era that has been called the Medieval period of Bharatiya history has truly changed the course of this civilization.
And how!
The devastation was so thorough that not many Bharatiya chroniclers were left to tell the tale. Much of whatever we learn we learn from the Muslim chroniclers. There were sychophants, hungry for royal favours. They had witten to please the Sultans. But even discounting the exaggarations, the picures these chroniclers have portrayed is sufficient to guess the scale of destruction.
Here is Abdul Isami writing about Bharatiya women after a particular conquest: “When Kataka … was conquered and … fell into the hands of the Turks, many girls – angel-enticing beauty, all tumid and smart, full of grace and exceedingly charming, each with a well-shaped body and tight loins and bendable silvery legs which eclipsed silver itself, adorned with jewels from head to foot and hunting with enchanting eyes hearts of men, as deer-like womenfolk – made the lion-like Turks captive; … All these charming idols [women and girls] clothed in bejewelled clothes studded with precious pearls, fell booty to the Turks.”
No code of honour like the Bharatiyas. No honourable war ethics that forbids harming of non-combatants, nothing to protect the honour and dignity of the womenfolk of the vanquished. Only, total war. And winning, by any means possible.
Here is Amir Khusrau describing the loot and plunder of Devagiri by Ala-ud-din Khalji: “Were I to attempt to recount the plunder of jewels and gold no measure or balance would suffice, for the treasure has been accumulatedc by the Raid [Rajas] from old. Camels and mules were laden with rubies and diamonds, and every kind of precious stone, and the most experienced jewellers were unable even to guess their value, and who can tell of the heaps of amber and the costly silks? He [Ala-ud-din Khalji] returned victorious with this booty in order to accomplish new conquests.”
That the sophisticated Bharatiya culture will crumble before such savagery is not surprising, What is surprising is that people who weilded power in our time decided that we need not know about this barbarism.
Sandeep Balakrishna deserves unstinted praise for undertaking the task of bringing out this hidden history.
As always, the Bibliography is superb and bears testimony to Sandeep-ji's extensive research.
Invaders and Infidels has been projected as a five-volume series on the Muslim period of our history.
Like many, I, too, am eagerly looking forward to the next book of this series.
That, at the beginning of the last millenium, Turkish barbarians descended on this beautiful land. Armed with superior weapons – and more importantly with an unshakable zeal to convert the land of the kafirs to One True Faith – they vanquished the valorous but disunited Hindus and ensured that a glorious culture and civilization was brought down to its knees.
The era that has been called the Medieval period of Bharatiya history has truly changed the course of this civilization.
And how!
The devastation was so thorough that not many Bharatiya chroniclers were left to tell the tale. Much of whatever we learn we learn from the Muslim chroniclers. There were sychophants, hungry for royal favours. They had witten to please the Sultans. But even discounting the exaggarations, the picures these chroniclers have portrayed is sufficient to guess the scale of destruction.
Here is Abdul Isami writing about Bharatiya women after a particular conquest: “When Kataka … was conquered and … fell into the hands of the Turks, many girls – angel-enticing beauty, all tumid and smart, full of grace and exceedingly charming, each with a well-shaped body and tight loins and bendable silvery legs which eclipsed silver itself, adorned with jewels from head to foot and hunting with enchanting eyes hearts of men, as deer-like womenfolk – made the lion-like Turks captive; … All these charming idols [women and girls] clothed in bejewelled clothes studded with precious pearls, fell booty to the Turks.”
No code of honour like the Bharatiyas. No honourable war ethics that forbids harming of non-combatants, nothing to protect the honour and dignity of the womenfolk of the vanquished. Only, total war. And winning, by any means possible.
Here is Amir Khusrau describing the loot and plunder of Devagiri by Ala-ud-din Khalji: “Were I to attempt to recount the plunder of jewels and gold no measure or balance would suffice, for the treasure has been accumulatedc by the Raid [Rajas] from old. Camels and mules were laden with rubies and diamonds, and every kind of precious stone, and the most experienced jewellers were unable even to guess their value, and who can tell of the heaps of amber and the costly silks? He [Ala-ud-din Khalji] returned victorious with this booty in order to accomplish new conquests.”
That the sophisticated Bharatiya culture will crumble before such savagery is not surprising, What is surprising is that people who weilded power in our time decided that we need not know about this barbarism.
Sandeep Balakrishna deserves unstinted praise for undertaking the task of bringing out this hidden history.
As always, the Bibliography is superb and bears testimony to Sandeep-ji's extensive research.
Invaders and Infidels has been projected as a five-volume series on the Muslim period of our history.
Like many, I, too, am eagerly looking forward to the next book of this series.
October 25, 2023
First up. Read this after you have read Part 1.
On the one hand, we have been taught a sanitised version of history. The brutality of the invaders is simply lost on us - after all we are taught the greatness of the mugals. Alongwith that we have lost the civilizational memory of great cities, temples and teerthas lost on account of the destruction. When you read the book you learn about Devagiri and Laknavati you realise that you dont know about it all.
Also - once Khhilji destroyed Nalanda - it led to the decline of Buddhism - this is one big takeway from this book. The brutality of the Nalanda destruction and the impact it had -I have not read about it in such detail in any book.
The lack of big picture thinking from the then Hindu kings comes across very strongly in this book - far more than the first one. If the first one was of kings fighting brutality, the second one is of brutality on the Hindu population - but also a story of negligence. Kings did not form alliances, did not recognise threats, were lax on security and strategy and just sheer misfortune. Overall, a difficult read, and yet a must read because without it we are bound to repeat our mistakes. Again. And again.
On the one hand, we have been taught a sanitised version of history. The brutality of the invaders is simply lost on us - after all we are taught the greatness of the mugals. Alongwith that we have lost the civilizational memory of great cities, temples and teerthas lost on account of the destruction. When you read the book you learn about Devagiri and Laknavati you realise that you dont know about it all.
Also - once Khhilji destroyed Nalanda - it led to the decline of Buddhism - this is one big takeway from this book. The brutality of the Nalanda destruction and the impact it had -I have not read about it in such detail in any book.
The lack of big picture thinking from the then Hindu kings comes across very strongly in this book - far more than the first one. If the first one was of kings fighting brutality, the second one is of brutality on the Hindu population - but also a story of negligence. Kings did not form alliances, did not recognise threats, were lax on security and strategy and just sheer misfortune. Overall, a difficult read, and yet a must read because without it we are bound to repeat our mistakes. Again. And again.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews