Invaders and Infedils: From Sindh to Delhi: The 500-Year Journey of Islamic Invasions

Invaders and Infidels #1

by Sandeep Balakrishna

The Islamic conquest of India is probably the bloodiest story in history. It is a discouraging tale, for its evident moral is that civilisation is a precious good, whose delicate complex of order and freedom, culture and peace can at any moment be overthrown by barbarians invading from without or multiplying within.
~Will Durant, American historian

Invaders and Infidels: From Sindh to Delhi: The 500-Year Journey of Islamic Invasions is a work of gripping history, which tells the story of the origins and trajectory of Islamic invasions into India. It begins with the first Muslim conquest and ends with Babur's invasion of Hindustan, spanning the period of the Delhi Sultanate which was in power for almost 320 years. This epochal story encompasses a vast sweep of events, which changed the history of India forever, and introduced it to an alien faith and a religious despotism such as the country had never experienced before. It comprises major and minor sagas of great heroism, untold savagery, stout resistance, brutal intrigues and epic tragedies.

Embedded in this narrative are two major themes, largely overlooked in the inherited Indian historical and cultural memory. For more than three hundred years, alien Muslim invasions into India were largely fleeting, transitory and unstable. However, the lasting legacy of these Muslim invasions is the permanent destruction and disappearance of Classical India. Invaders and Infidels will fascinate anyone interested in the story of pre-Medieval India, a gateway era in the history of this ancient culture and civilisation.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, India, Politics, Religion

189 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 18, 2020

About the author

Sandeep 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.

Reviews

[Ashish Iyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book by Sandeep Balakrishna is a must read.

The information which has reached us systematically about the history of the attack is mostly distorted. To know the reason for this, books by Sitaram Goel should be read. Bringing a ray of truth out of this repository of distorted information and findings is also an amazing task in itself. Then too, to create those facts in such a way that the purpose of revealing the truth is not too burdensome for the reader and also to remain interesting, much creativity is required. Sandeep Balakrishna has written it very well. History is not interesting to everyone in the same way, readers find it boring but the effort of Sandeep is an attempt to tell the public their history in a very interesting way.

The demise of civilization is marked by the destruction of its rich and vibrant history. Indian history textbooks have been used as "tools for propaganda" to sanitize tyrants and whitewash "invaders" as "tolerant rulers." The glorification of a few personalities and undermining of the contributions of many "unsung heroes" have left the young Indians, oblivious to their history. It is high time that critical history-lovers come forward and enlighten the masses about the "true yet untold; vibrant yet lost history" of India.

This book is a must read especially for those who want to know but are not used to reading. At the same time, I am confident that even those frequent readers like me will find this book appealing.

We cannot truly comprehend our own selves or the history of our nation or, indeed, the history of the entire world, unless we unshackle ourselves from the bonds of false knowledge, desire and action, and elevate the intellect to a state of detached observation.

[Lsharathkumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Around 6th century AD, after the advent of Islam, there were tectonic shifts in the geopolitical landscape of the world. Within a 100 years, invading Arab armies had marched all the way to North Africa, conquering most of Iran,Iraq,Syria,Damascus,Yamen. They were staring hungrily at Bharatavarsha. For one, they had heard of the immense riches of India. And secondly, it was the "den of infidelity and idolators". The two factors equally spurred the ambition of the blood thirsty Arab invaders. Multiple attempts at trying to make inroads into India was met with stiff resistance and the Arabs realized they were no match for the fabled warriors of Bharatavarsha.

However around 7th century AD, a man who was blessed with an equal measure of cruelty and determination by the name of Hajjaj, rose to the position of the Governor of Iraq under the Caliphate. He was brow beaten twice by the hill folk (Meds) and Jats who lived in the border areas of Sindh. Twice humiliated, the crafty Hajjaj made extensive preparation and made a well planned forray into Sindh with his son in law Muhammed Bin Quasim at the helm. What followed was savagery and butchery that would continue to this day. The crimes inflicted on the Sindhis and the Baluchis is probably in 7th century AD was probably not as clandestine as what the Pakistani army and the ISI are inflicting on the innocent people in Sindh and Baloch.

I would consider this book a landmark historical text that needs to be read by one and all! There are important lessons to be learnt here. For those of us, who grew up on a regular dose of boring Marxist history, with it's liberal mix of fake narratives, concoctions and soul crushing ideas. We are taught that the invaders who came to India literally walked over us with comfortable ease. They claim that our nation deserved such cataclysmic events as the native culture and traditions were rooted in "superstition". The Marxist narrative, like their very foundations is based on untruth and sin.

This book removes all the cobwebs of sickening Marxist narratives, and presents the facts in an easily readable way. The most important myths it shatters is

1. The invaders forayed into Bharatavarsha with relative ease :- While the armies of Islam had conquered most of Asia, North Africa and were marching into Europe by inflicting a crushing defeat on the Visgoths, the Arabs who tried to enter India faced multiple humiliating defeats

2. The invaders conquered much of North India easily :- After 7th Century AD, for nearly 300 years, the Arabs had only 2 small Kingdoms around Sindh. They were decimated by the Jats,Meds and Rajputs.

3. The Arabs were benevolent not iconoclasts. They allowed worship at some temples:- The Arabs maintained control over Multan, by blackmailing the armies of Bharatavarsha that they would destroy the Idol of Aditya at the famous Sun temple. This was the reason why the Sun temple survived their ravages. They frequently insulted the local populace by hanging beef on top of the idol. Most other temples were destroyed to make way for Mosques. This was a recurring theme, and still is recurring in areas with Muslim majority.

4. Sindh and Afganistan were easily won over :- Jaisimha, the son of Raja Dahir, and the noble Kabul Shahis kept the fire of resistance and fought with everything they had.

5. The invaders were only after the Gold and wealth. They had nothing against the native religion :- When the priests of Somnath temple tried to stop Mohammed of Ghazni, the bloodthirsty son of Sabuktagin from destroying the idol of Somnath by offering immense wealth and riches, the barbarian is said to have replied "Will I be known till eternity as Mahmud the seller of Idols? I will be known till eternity as the iconoclast in the service of the one true faith".

6. Muhammed Ghazni easily decimated Somnath and returned home with the wealth :- The Hindu Khings united and decided to finish of Muhammed of Ghazni. The barbarian ran for his dear life, by taking refuge through the treacherous Makran desert. He eventually made it alive to Ghazni with a fraction of the wealth he plundered and a very small fraction of his army. Most of his army was ravaged by the Hindu kings seeking vengeance. He never dared enter India again and died soon a broken man, never to recover from the ferocity of the Hindu resistance.

This book will show you how the invaders never had it easy. It shows you what immense sacrifices they made to protect the culture, spirituality and traditions. The same culture and tradition of which you are an offspring. Most importantly it also points to the repeated mistakes that were made. Mistakes, that we cannot afford to make. Mistakes which proved too costly. Mistakes that cannot be made anymore. We are surrounded by enemies within and without. We must learn lessons from the true history of India and ensure that our future generations enjoy the same safety, security, comfort and love of Ma Bharati and her rich cultural heritage.

Jai Ma Bharati! Vande Mataram!

[Ajay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for all Hindus. The history that was kept hidden from us.

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book: Invaders and Infidels (Book 1): From Sindh to Delhi: The 500-Year Journey of Islamic Invasions
Author: Sandeep Balakrishna
Publisher: Bloomsbury India (28 November 2020)
Language: English
Hardcover: 224 pages
Item Weight: 410 g
Dimensions: 20.3 x 25.4 x 4.7 cm
Country of Origin: India
Price: 453/-

The Mohammedan Conquest of India is in all probability the bloodiest narrative in history. It is a daunting tale, for its apparent moral is that civilization is an unsteady thing, whose delicate complex of order and liberty, culture and peace may at any time be overthrown by barbarians invading from without or multiplying within.

The Hindus had allowed their strength to be wasted in internal division and war, they had failed to organize their forces for the protection of their frontiers and their capitals, their wealth and their freedom, from the hordes of Scythians, Huns, Afghans and Turks hovering about India’s boundaries and waiting for national weakness to let them in.

For four hundred years India invited conquest; and at last it came.

At the very outset of the book ‘Invaders and Infidels’ the author admits that this “is not meant to be an academic work but it draws from and is indebted to a wealth of academic works apart, of course, from various primary and other sources”

The scope of this book is limited to delineating a wide sweep of principally the political and military dimensions of the history of the Delhi Sultanate. It was an age marked by unusual turbulence beginning with Muhammad bin Qasim’s invasion of Sindh, whose impact, although devastating in the short run, proved to be enduring in that it opened up possibilities for repeated Islamic invasions of India, first by the Arabs and later, more savagely, by the Turkic Muslims.

However, the fact that it took a full five hundred years before a Muslim Sultanate could establish a firm foothold in Delhi is a story that is narrated more fully in the following pages.

This was also a period of extraordinary restlessness, a pivot in the history of the Middle Ages. By 1000, the barbarian Mahmud of Ghazni had savagely proven that Hind was no longer immune from the brutal politics of Central Asia. Iltutmish’s efforts at consolidating the fledgling Delhi Sultanate in the early 13th century included a narrow brush with Genghis Khan who had wiped out the Khwarezmian Empire in Persia.

And by the middle of the 15th century, even as the other barbarian Timur had ravaged Delhi, Constantinople had fallen to the Ottoman Turks in 1453.

The Arab invasion of Sind by Muhammad Bin Qasim which took place in 711 AD was a part of the expansionist policy pursued by the followers of Muhammad, the prophet of Islam. The Hindu ruler of Sind and Multan, Dahir fought boldly but was defeated and killed. The Arab forces later captured Multan.

Both the provinces were placed under a governor who subsequently declared his independence from the Khalipha of Baghdad.

Thus the Muslim conquest of Sind and Multan remained only an isolated affair and did not produce any far reaching political effect. It was later after three hundred years or so that the Turks under their ferocious leader, Mahmud of Ghazni, renewed their attacks on Indian territory, towards the close of the 10th century A.D. He carried seventeen raids on the soil of India.

Mahmud’s objective was to seize wealth, so he came, plundered and went back. There was again a lull of 150 years (from the death of Mahmud in 1030 AD to the first Indian expedition of Muhammad Ghori in 1175 AD. Muhammad Ghori was no plunderer and aimed at the permanent conquest of the Indian ciominions. His task was not easy as Muhammad Ghori was neither an able general nor a dashing soldier. He easily captured Multan and won the fortress of Uch in Sind by a stratagem.

When he attacked Gujarat in 1178 AD, he was repulsed with heavy losses. Thus after many initial failures but through incessant efforts, he ultimately succeeded in defeating Prithvi Raj, the mighty Rajput ruler of Delhi and Ajmer in the second battle of Tarain in 1192 AD and laid the foundations of Muslim Kingdom in India.

The history of Muslim rule in India, which lasted till its overthrow by the Marathas in the 18th century is divisible into two distinct periods— (I) Sultanate of Delhi 1206-1526 AD, (ii) the Mughals 1526-1 707 AD.

This work deals primarily with some major themes in the political and military history of the period that begins when the conquest by Bin Kasim and ends with Babur’s invasion of Hindustan, covering the period of the Delhi Sultanate that was in power for three hundred and twenty years.

The Delhi Sultanate period was a time of extraordinary churning that had a far-reaching impact on the history of India that followed it. At many points, it involved critically decisive junctures which had the potential to extinguish—or at any rate, reduce—the severity, dominance and influence of Muslim rule in India.

The Delhi Sultanate was endowed with a sort of inbuilt character of ephemerality unlike other Hindu empires that preceded it. In reality, it was strictly not a ‘sultanate’ in the sense of being an empire ruled continuously by a single dynasty. For instance, for almost a full century after it was established, the Sultanate made no new additions to its territory in mainland India.

From 1206 to 1526, it comprised a total of five dynasties, with only one powerful sultan emerging from each dynasty. Sequentially, these were the Mamluk, Khalji, Tughlaq, Sayyid and Lodi dynasties. Each such ‘dynasty’ inevitably became extinct within a few years of the death of its most powerful sultan. However, the Delhi Sultanate also heralded several firsts.

Hindu kingdoms permanently lost control over almost the entire north-western part of India. Under Qutub-ud-din Aibak and more emphatically under Shams-ud-din Iltutmish, the fulcrum of political power shifted to Delhi and has more or less remained so till date, although under vastly changed circumstances—a point that this volume discusses.

For the first time, Hindus got a full taste of an unbridled military–religious despotism. It was during the Delhi Sultanate regime that the impregnable bastion of the Vindhyas was shattered and southern India experienced the full horrors of an all-out Muslim invasion. It was also a period of all-round sweeping changes: old systems of governance and statecraft were uprooted, the administration was Islamised, an oppressive tax regime was introduced and centuries-old native traditions, worship, manners, customs, dressing, food habits, education and language underwent a brutal and, in many cases, irreversible transformation and destruction.

From an overall standpoint, it was 320 years of mayhem—at no point in the history of the Delhi Sultanate can we discern a modicum of stability and peace in the real sense.

Four broad chapters is what the author divides his text into:

1) Three Centuries of Imperial Islamic Frustration
2) 2The Turushka Barbarian Barges into the Living Room
3) The Civilisational Cost of Misplaced Magnanimity
4) A Sultanate of Turkic Slaves

Against a very gigantic backdrop, the broad historical narrative of Invaders and Infidels that tells the story of both sides, compared and contrasted.

From the last century up to our own time, in the abundantly available literature dealing with Muslim histories of India, there is substantial material regarding mostly the Mughal period. However, it appears that works concerning the era of the Delhi Sultanate are few and generally scattered.

This is rather surprising given the fact that it was the Delhi Sultanate that actually primed the field for the Mughals. There are several reasons behind this. One noteworthy reason, is the fact that the overall discipline of historical scholarship in India, especially after the 1950s, has largely been destroyed thanks to Marxist ideological manipulation.

To put this in real terms, virtually three generations of first-rate scholarship has been wiped out, as a result of which the ground-breaking work begun by Sir Jadunath Sarkar, R.C. Majumdar, S. Srikanta Sastri, D.C. Sircar, A.D. Pusalker and Radha Kumud Mookerji has continued to languish.

Apart from the primary sources—medieval Muslim chronicles, a few Hindu accounts and inscriptions—the notable works dealing with the history of the Delhi Sultanate are either out of print or are not easily available.

While there is no intention to take away from their worth, other works on the subject are written in a fashion not easily accessible to a general reader.

Against this complex canvas of time, geography and forces out of the control of history, this book endeavours to present a dynamic narrative having a central theme of events.

A general approach has been to describe the chief events and episodes of each period and to provide fuller details based on the importance of the event. Some readers might disagree on some of these points but that only opens up the field for wider and deeper enquiry.

The author informs that this work shal be spread over five volumes offering a contiguous narrative. However, each volume can also be read as a standalone work.

A must read for every student of Indian culture.

[Samikshan Sengupta · Rating 2 out of 5]

I remember there was a time in early nineties when the Indian cricket team was regularly decimated in foreign soil - in England, in South Africa, especially in Australia. Good performances & victories were few & far between.

But still the newspapers came up with this headline - "Fought well, but defeated !!!" Or in Bengali - "ভালো খেলিয়া পরাজিত"।

My similar thoughts while reading the book.

The facts maybe correct, the intention of acquainting the common people with the Hindu valour & resilience against the Muslim invaders is all good.

But the process & the language is pathetic.

True, the Muslim invaders could grab a meager amount of Indian soil in first 300 years, which the so-called communist historians conveniently don't mention. But, after that what happened??

Why were the Hindu rajas repeatedly betrayed by their own folk?

How come they are so naive as to give offerings to their favourite deities, when the cities are already occupied by invaders?

Did they have the up-to-date weaponry? Did they have catapults?

Why did the barbarians win???

No answer.

In short, every invasion was like : Barbarian X comes to attack Hindu Y's kingdom. Hindu Y is absolutely marvellous, he puts up a solid fight, kills n number of X's people, locks the gates & prepares for a seige. Great !

But suddenly, X has a trick up his sleeve. He manages to bribe Y's minister/chief fighter/unnamed commoner who opens the gates.

X barges in.

END OF STORY !!!

It makes me furious to think a history book provides no scientific explanation as to why X won over Y, what strategy he took....and this repeats over & over again...

I expected much more insight.

[Düsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only is this book well written, it’s extremely well researched and the writer has gone great lengths to dig through the original writings of muslim historians that accompanied the invaders on their raids. The result is a book that will give you an in depth idea of the Muslim invasions into India, without being exhaustive or self-important.

His writing style makes reading a breeze and I was able to finish this one in a couple of days. If you want to get a clear insight into the history of Islamic invasions into India, then this is the definitive book to read. 5 stars.

[Achint Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the excellent book,if anybody want to know true Indian History from starting of Islamic Invasion to till third Sultan.This is first book of five book series.
Short (that keeps it interesting ) & crisp .
Author have tried to cover important events which will be difficult to find in many history books of celebrated historian.

[kamal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a book. These were my thoughts when I had finished the first volume of the carefully researched and written book on the Muslim conquest of Bharata. These are chapters of history no one taught us in our History classes and as a result the narrative that the all conquering Muslim invaders could drive down from the west and conquer India without resistance from the Hindus of the subcontinent is what is prevalent in many contemporary discourses of today. The fact that India is still Hindu majority proves that it is not the case but the destruction of manuscripts do not provide evidentiary support for the same. The fact that the author had to rely on written material of sycophant writers of Islamic Invaders clearly show the importance given to setting of narrative by the invading Muslim marauders. The barbarity and cruelty shown and the religious zeal for conversion clearly show the cruel and evil thinking of the invaders. The fact that the victors had also to face the same gory ends at the hands of coreligionist rivals show that whoever was in power the in-humanism was the same. This book is strongly recommended for all who wanted to know what happened because of Islamic conquests because it is repeating itself as shown in the treatment of Yezidis by the ISIS. The times have changed but not the barbarity. Looking forward to the next volume. An engrossing read.

[Ganesh V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can a book leave one with shaken mind for hours together? Can a book evoke a repulsion towards the horrors committed 1000 years ago?
Well, this one does. A thoroughly well researched, widely referenced book which traces the history of various warriors who besieged Hindustan for 500 years.

The strategies employed in destroying the ethos, culture & symbols of the civilisation in the form of temples can make even a rock cry. It shouldn’t be surprising, metaphorically at least, one sheds tears of blood.

The attack and plundering of Somanth temple is just unfathomable. Our ancestors have to be lauded for putting up with these attacks, rebuilding the temples & preserving our ancestry. What happened with the broken pieces of temple is shuddering enough that it sends shivers down the spine.

This book is a definite MUST read to understand what North / Western India endured for 500 years before the onset of Mughal empire.

I bow down to the genius of the author & eagerly look forward to the next book in this series.

[Siddhartha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A much needed work of history for the current generation.

Starts with the first brush of historical Hindu territory with savages from the central and west Asian bad lands and ends with the last of the slave dynasty also called the Delhi Sultanate.

The events depicted are the usual, some of them i had read about earlier, but engaging and infuriating all the same.
The grit, honor and courage of Hindu Kshatriyas, the betrayals, the fatal misjudgements and blunders, the religious fanaticism of muslim war lords, the savagery of muslim brigands and mercenaries from them badlands they employed and the slow but final loss of territory Hindus had to suffer over 500 years.

As the cliche goes, those who refuse to learn from history are bound to repeat it.

We have been repeating our mistakes, where would it lead to us?

If it is any consolation, most of the bad lands whence the savages came from are literal hell holes now.

P.S. Also published in my personal blog.

[Murali Sridhar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short work but very very informative for a commoner. Having read Madhan's "Vandhargal Vendrargal" already I was a little surprised that so much history lay in the pre-slave dynasty years of India. The author seems to have done a good amount of academic research before writing the book but I am unsure if the rhetoric theme lies in his narration or in the actual history. To me the broader picture appears missing with regards to the key battles between Rajput kings and invaders but the book does justice to these lesser known years of our country's history.

[Abhimanyu Pundeer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book covers the time period from Muhammad bin Qasim's attack on Sindh till the end of the Mamluk dynasty ( Delhi Sultanate) . I was impressed by the amount of references and citations given by the author to original texts . Must read for people interested in History of India and who want to understand it's current politics . Eagerly waiting for the next part.

[Vinit · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is a great eye opener as it is an antidote to the poisonous history that we have studied in our textbooks. It starts with early Arab expeditions in Sindh against illustrious king Raja Dahir. Author seems to be writing about both the belligerents evenly which is amazing. We will be able to see how our Indian warriors fought this foreign invaders and never let them settle. Also the author takes references from the sources of those medieval chroniclers itself. True colours of these foreign invaders are actually showcased by this hapiographers itself. How much cruel, Barbaric and destructive they were. It continues till the rule of Ghiyasuddin Balban and Delhi.

A must read for the History Buffs and even the normal people. Waiting for second part. Have a great Read!!

[Himanshu Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must-read especially for those who are not used to reading but want to know about India. This book gives us a clear insight into the politics, psyche, and character of barbaric Arab and Turkic invaders; and the relentless resistance put forth by our valiant ancestors.

Since the advent of Islam in the early 7th century CE, the geopolitics of the world shifted. within hundred years Arabs had captured North Africa, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Spain, etc but the Islamic juggernaut was stopped by our ancestors for 300 years. Arabs were defeated multiple times and were decimated by our warriors and Arabs were only able to capture small regions around Sindh till 1000 CE.

It covers early Arab and Turkic invasions into India from the early 7th century to the late 13th century, starting from Mohammad bin Qasim till Ghiyas ud din Balban. We are taught by Marxist historians that the invaders literally walked over us with ease, that we didn't put any fierce resistance and peacefully converted to Islam due to many superstitions in Hinduism. This whole Marxist narrative is based on the debauchery of the so-called 'eminent historians'.

This book shatters all these Marxist narratives in a fast-paced and concise way with a lot of academic references. This book shows you how our ancestors resisted the invaders, the sacrifices they made to protect the people, culture, temples, and traditions. It also points out the repeated mistakes committed by our ancestors.

It's a gut-wrenching read knowing that thousands of Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist temples were destroyed and lakhs of people were made slaves, women and children raped, and millions were massacred.

The only complaint I have about this book is its length. It's too short to put all the minute details about the period it tries to cover. Now I am eagerly waiting for book 2.

[Adarsh ಆದರ್ಶ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Invaders and Infidels by
Sandeep Balakrishna is a riveting tale of:

Bravery: Hindu Kings as well as Hindu subjects at the time of earlier invasion of Sindhi till Indraprastha(Delhi).

Beastly: Obviously by the uncouth, Uncivilised and savages of certain cult that ravaged the land of Non Believers of Islam.

Overconfidence/ overzealous: Hindu kings like Prithivi raja Chauhan/ Chahamana not understanding the importance of Dharmic civilisational authority he was carrying and the generosity towards the rabid enemies who never followed any ethics of war. Which eventually cost Bharat that would make her fall into the cusp of Islamic slavery for at least 600 years.

And it was quite evident as KM Munshi calls “Aryavartha Consciousness” was lacking in the Hindu kings later 10th century when the devil was at the door.

For example: when a Hindu King gets killed in the middle of a war his soldiers would panic and run away leading to chaos and enemies conquering the city. This would repeat multiple times till 1800’s.

Islamic Fanaticism: The less said, the better
No not that I’m concerned about what might people say here or elsewhere but it’s too much gory and bloody. Since it’s already a recurring phenomenon to this very minute.

Coming to the writing style it’s very much profound and straight to the point as usual by SNB. I guess he needs to write briefly instead of just saying it plainly and finishing it off.

712 CE till 1300CE is considered one of the crucial as well as bloodiest times in the history of the world. Imagine it took this cult even with that savagery 300 years just to breach Sindhi though usual betrayal by the Hindu side as well the coward Buddhists who gave up Hindu kings just to spite them made them get wiped out from Sindh itself.
Book only covers as it’s already mentioned in the title till the Bastard Khilji reigns in.

Let’s see might pick up the second book someday.

I recommend this book very much.

[Roshan Firozkhan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just took it seeing the title. I was not aware of the authors political bias or can simply be said islamophobia. The one thing that kept striking me was the poor language terms like barbarians, Bharatvarsha and even the term Hindu were all hinting me on what is to come. The author is simply forgetting that it was a war which was fought for power in which one side will always be the victim.

No ruler in any part of the world won a war by kissing the opponents hand, it is meant to be bloody and it was. Ashoka fought it with bloodshed, Pandya-Cholas fought it, Rajputs-Marathas fought it the same looting, plundering and killing.

[Mayur · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is written from a point of view of India and attempts to highlight the resistance put up by the ancient Bharat in fending off the Islamic invasion. The books gives the accounts of many kings who bravely stood their ground and chose death over being converted.

Read the book to understand the barbaric attacks through which Bharat has gone through and yet has held on to the indic culture and tradition of this land.

[Abhay Nanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I haven't read the sources mentioned in this book but I think it will be better to read them instead of reading this. This book takes up a few moments or instances from historical records and fills the gap as a freethinker without any reason. There is no analysis. It is a narration and should be read as one. Maybe because the book is just around 180 pages, the author had no space to express any reasoning.

[Dinesh Vijayakumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for every Indian who wants to know real history of the country, especially left out in the text books. Blood cuddling savagery has been incurred on the people of india just on the basis of religion and its hard to fathom the enormity of such depravity/bestiality. Only the dead knows the full extent of horrors endured.

[Brijesh Chandrakar · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most painful yet gripping books I have read. This is NOT a comprehensive book on history. Nor does it covers the entire geography of Bharatvarsh. Rather it deals with the mindset, ideology, motivations, barbarism, and actions of Islamic invaders from Bin Qasim till Balban. It covers specific incidents, and anecdotes and also touches upon the heroic resistance of the native Indians i.e The Infidels. The sad story of the fall of Hindu Shahi from Kabul is the reason Afghanistan went spiralling down and has never recovered since then. We didn't learn back then (Prithviraj Chauhan). We haven't learned it even now (Kargil, 1947, Noakhali, Mopallah, 1971, Kashmir, etc.). A great book on history is not just a record of what happened when and where. It has to have important lessons and learnings for the present and future. And this book although not saying explicitly, has very important lessons for the present and future. And the lesson is...(do read the book and figure it out on your own).
One negative aspect of this book: it misses a lot of stories, legends of Bharatiya resistance and occasional ruthlessness against the invaders. Example Rajputana resistance under Bappa Rawal and how Rajputs slaughtered invaders all the way back to Iran(Rawalpindi named after him).
The biggest success of this book is it exposes the Jihadi mentality of Islamic invaders bare naked for everyone to see clearly. There are very few books in the mainstream that can do that. There are of course those books that do a better job than Asian paints in whitewashing Jihad and the Islamic zeal of the invaders. I would like these authors to challenge Sandeep Balakrishnan on facts. Sandeep ji is carrying forward the legacy of Sita Ram Goel. Shat Shat Pranams.
The author's writing is lucid and gripping. We expect nothing less from the person who translated the legendary Kannada novel of S.L. Bharyappa "Avarana" to English. Waiting eagerly for the other volumes of this series.

[Aditya Saraff · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of primary sources and historical facts packed within just 180 pages. The book extensively records the battles and political intricacies that led to the establishment of the alien Mamluk dynasties in Delhi.

[Prahlad · Rating 1 out of 5]

Instead of this book, I would recommend “India in the Persianate Age” by Richard M. Eaton

[Nikhil Krishnan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prejudice against Islam aside, I felt that this book did an adequate job of exploring the backstory and how the stage was set for Islamic rule on the Indian subcontinent.

[Lakshmisha K S · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is really an important read for almost everyone. The book is a pleasant read and is enjoyable mainly due to the story telling style of narration. The book is well researched and backed by facts. While most of us are aware of the 500 period history from schools, there are so many facts that are not known that reading this book provides an altogether different perspective on what occurred during the time period.

[Akshit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, first things first. I'm not a student of history nor someone who's well-versed and knowledgeable about the nitty-gritty of historical events. I purchased this book because I like reading the blogs and articles by the author, Sandeep Balakrishnaji and it doesn't disappoint. From the first page to the last, the interesting style of narration holds us on and takes us into that era. The book gives us clear glimpses into the thinking, politics, power-equations, indulgences, nature and character of the wretched and uncouth Arab-Turkic invaders; and the fortitude and relentless determination in resistance put forth by our valorous ancestors despite the horrors and brutalities.
The narration is fast paced, crisp and concise. And here lies a complaint too. The book is too short. Moreover, it would have been so helpful had the author cared to provide some images and maps as much as the bibliography.

[Pragya Agarwal · Rating 4 out of 5]

So when those believers of the 'One True Faith' who destroyed the 'Sanatana' Temples and idols because they looked down upon idol worship, built that black structure (Kaaba) at Mecca, did it house the flesh and bones of their God?
The purpose of reading this book was to understand the divide between the Hindus (followers of Sanatana) and Muslims (followers of Islam) and in the process to understand if it's because of cultural differences or pure hatred. What this book tells me is that it's pure hatred practised by the invaders on the infidels. I confess, I was not aware of the severity of the assaults carried by those who invaded 'Bharatvarsha'. Never did I think it would hit me - a non-religious person - to read about the destruction of a temple with such despondency. Probably because as a human I believe in humanity and its efforts towards order, beauty, and peace.
4.5/5

[Siddarth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read to understand the several invasions Bharat faced. Gives you a glimpse of how Islamic rule brutally massacred the cultured Indic civilization. Multiple inferences can be made from the reading, including the transformation of the Bharatiya psyche and how we got here. Parallels can be drawn in today's world as well.
The author also chronologically narrates the series of Islamic invasions and the content is backed by excerpts from ancient historians.

[Sujit Choudhury · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book covers the Islamic invasion of India from 700 AD to the end of Balban's dynasty, up to 1300 AD. As a history book, it charts the events almost in chronological order. The invasion of Sindh occurred in 711 AD. Mahmud Ghazni plundered the Somnath temple in 1026, and in 1192, Md. Ghori won the battle against Prithviraj Chauhan, which led to Islamic rule in North India and eventually throughout India. The author rightly points out the planning of the invaders and the professional attitude of their soldiers. He also highlights the divisions within the Indian camps, which meant that not all the kings or Rajas united to confront the invaders.

However, the book oversimplifies by calling the invaders "Muslims" and the Indians "Hindus". The author rightly mentions the zeal with which the invaders killed innocent civilians and took men, women, and girls as slaves. However, this was a common practice in those days. When the Romans won a battle, they captured the defeated people and sold them as slaves. Before the Romans, the Greeks did it on a large scale.

The book tends to exaggerate the number of people killed after a single battle. For example, it claims that many times, lakhs of people were killed after a battle. This large-scale killing, when the population was not so dense and without Hitler's gas chamber, seems hard to believe.

Overall, the book serves as a reminder that India should always be prepared to counter invaders and act like one. India was ill-equipped during the 1962 China-India war, and the army was not prepared. Even today, India remains divided in every sense.

[Arvind · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an amazing read, with engrossing writing. It dispels a weakened Indian identity having it's roots in an evasive , "secularised" education by laying out the events that transpired along with the proudly proclaimed intentions and world-view of bigoted imperialists, which survives to this day. If only history was taught in schools as it happened, there would be more integration and reform in society today.

[Devanshu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating account of the barbaric nature of the religious frenzied Islamic armies that desecrated some of the most holy places of Bharat. It’s a must read for all Indians. Sheds light as to how unbridled religious zeal tried to destroy an ancient way of life but failed so miserably with every attempt. After reading the book you will realise how resilient Hinduism is how deep rooted it is in the land of Bharat. The despotic rulers tried so hard to wipe it out but failed.