Bharat Ek Khoj 24: Delhi Sultanate & The Arrival of Turk-Afghans & Prithviraj Raso I (1988)
Director: Shyam Benegal; Writer: Vasant Dev, Ashok Mishra, Sandeep Pendse, Sunil Shanbag, Shama Zaidi, Jawaharlal Nehru; Producer: Prasar Bharti; Cinematographer: V.K. Murthy; Editor: Sutanu Gupta, Deepak Segal; Cast: Roshan Seth, K.K. Raina, Vijay Kashyap, Achyut Potdar, Ravi Jhankal, Ahmed Khan, S.K. Makhija, Suman Dubey, Nisha Singh, Irrfan Khan, Salim Arif
Duration: 00:48:00; Aspect Ratio: 1.250:1; Hue: 14.531; Saturation: 0.033; Lightness: 0.329; Volume: 0.202; Cuts per Minute: 5.873
Summary: Based on Jawaharlal Nehru's Discovery of India
Episode 24 (Delhi Sultanate Part I, The Arrival of Turk-Afghans & Prithviraj Raso (I))
With K.K. Raina as Shahabuddin Ghori, Vijay Kashyap as Chand Bardai, Achyut Potdar as Makwana, Ravi Jhankal as Prithviraj, Ahmed Khan as Mahmud Gazni, S.K. Makhija as Jaichand, Suman Dubey as Vasir, Nisha Singh as Sanyukta, Irfan Khan as Al-Beruni, and Salim Arif as Firdausi.
Nehru records that while Harsha’s death in 648 AD ended his powerful reign, Islam was taking shape in Arabia. Its revered Prophet Mohammad, who had vitalised his people with faith and enthusiasm, died in 632 AD. Soon after, Arabs carried the banner of Islam right across Iraq, Iran and Central Asia in the east by the 8th century, but their conquests in 712 AD did not go beyond Sind in India. Though there was no more invasion for nearly 300 years contacts grew between I India and the Arab world with Indians getting to know the new religion, Islam, before it came as a political force. Missionaries came to spread the new faith and they were welcomed in the old tradition of India to be tolerant to all faiths and forms of worship.
Nehru notes that the new Arab Empire under the Khalifas took the capital to Baghdad. Even after the Turks came from Central Asia and Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni, a Turk, arose in Afghanistan as a warrior, ignoring Khalifas, Baghdad still continued as the cultural centre of the Islamic world. By 1000 AD, Sultan Mahmud began his raids into India. These raids were bloody and ruthless, and on every occasion Mahmud carried away with him avast quantity of treasure.
As we see, the conflict mounts between Mahmud of Ghazni and Khalifas of Baghdad with the dwindling power of the latter. Al-Beruni, the famous scholar and traveller, and the noted Persian poet Firdausi, author of Shahnama, are both contemporaries of Sultan Mahmud and sing paeans of his praise in court. Al-Beruni seeks permission to come to India and record glimpses of Indian life. Firdausi remains a universally applauded poet.
As Nehru notes, Mahmud died in 1030 AD and another 160 years elapsed without further invasions of India or extension of Turkish rule beyond the Punjab. Then an Afghan, Shahab-ud-Din Ghori, captured Ghazni before marching to Lahore and then to Delhi. But, as we witness here, he is cautioned to compromise by an Indian messenger before launching his vaunted journey against the Rajput king of Delhi, Prithviraj Chauhan. The vainglorious Ghori retaliates by killing the messenger!
Preparation, progress and outcome of the battle are narrated by the court-singer. After an utter defeat of Ghori, we see how Prithviraj most magnanimously extends his hand of friendship to Ghori, spurned aughtily by the latter. Still, he is allowed to go scot-free in lieu of 700 Iraqi horses, 30 elephants and 30 shields, apart from Prithviraj presenting him with bejewelled necklaces.
In a charming legend, Prithviraj is eulogised as a popular hero for his love of Sanjukta, the beauteous daughter of King Jaichandra of Kanauj. Sanjukta returns the love in ample measure and puts her nuptial garland round the neck of Prithviraj’s statue as doorkeeper, which his father erected contemptuously. In a reckless venture, Prithviraj comes on horseback to claim his bride and return to Delhi.
(Prasar Bharti Archives)
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