ranjitjat
September 4th, 2003, 03:49 AM
These doors were soaked with the blood of Marathas
Our Correspondent
Panipat, September 3
Even hundred years after Pandit Shagun Chand Rais of Uggrakheri village in Panipat presented a doorway to Queen Victoria one is reminded of the historical significance of the black mango tree, which was used to make this door.
Of the two doors made, the other was fixed in Gandhi Memorial hall, (formerly Victoria Memorial Hall) in Karnal and subsequently, shifted to the Panipat Museum. According to historical details available, the mango tree was sprinkled by the blood of innumerable Maratha warriors during the Third Battle of Panipat.
The unique Victoria Memorial Hall, now known as Gandhi Memorial Hall, was constructed in the early part of the 20th century in Karnal district.
The door was handed over to the “Battle of Panipat Memorial Society”, and is now kept in the Panipat Museum.
This tree itself is connected with an historical event. During the years 1740 to 1761, Chatrapati Sahu ruled Maharashtra and under the leadership of the third Peshwa, Balaji Bajee Rao, the Marathas wanted to extend their rule to the whole of India. In 1756 Ahmad Shah Abdali invaded India and plundered the area around Mathura. In between, the Afghan invaders had developed a powerful centre at Kunjpura (now known as Karnal). But the Marathas under the leadership of Sada Shiv Rav Sahu, attacked Kunjpura, arrested the Afghan sardars and brought the area under their rule.
On the other side, the Afghan invader Ahmad Shah Abdali reached Sonepat and was engaged in a fierce battle with the Marathas. In the battle, the elder son of Peshwa, Vishwa Rao, was killed, which disheartened the Marathas, leading to their defeat. Almost 70,000 Marathas were killed in the battle on January 14, 1761. It is stated that this mango tree on this battlefield was soaked in the blood of the Marathas. Subsequently, the colour of the mango tree turned black when it dried up and the area came to be known as “Kala Amb”.
Much later, the famous poet of the area, Pandit Shagun Chand Rais, used the wood of ‘Kala Amb’ to make two doorways. One of the doorways was presented to Queen Victoria on her arrival in India in 1903. The second door was kept in Victoria Memorial Hall, Karnal, now known as Gandhi Memorial Hall.
In 2001, this doorway was brought back to Panipat and displayed at the Panipat Museum to perpetuate the memory of the Marathas killed in the “Kala Amb” area in the Third Battle of Panipat.
Our Correspondent
Panipat, September 3
Even hundred years after Pandit Shagun Chand Rais of Uggrakheri village in Panipat presented a doorway to Queen Victoria one is reminded of the historical significance of the black mango tree, which was used to make this door.
Of the two doors made, the other was fixed in Gandhi Memorial hall, (formerly Victoria Memorial Hall) in Karnal and subsequently, shifted to the Panipat Museum. According to historical details available, the mango tree was sprinkled by the blood of innumerable Maratha warriors during the Third Battle of Panipat.
The unique Victoria Memorial Hall, now known as Gandhi Memorial Hall, was constructed in the early part of the 20th century in Karnal district.
The door was handed over to the “Battle of Panipat Memorial Society”, and is now kept in the Panipat Museum.
This tree itself is connected with an historical event. During the years 1740 to 1761, Chatrapati Sahu ruled Maharashtra and under the leadership of the third Peshwa, Balaji Bajee Rao, the Marathas wanted to extend their rule to the whole of India. In 1756 Ahmad Shah Abdali invaded India and plundered the area around Mathura. In between, the Afghan invaders had developed a powerful centre at Kunjpura (now known as Karnal). But the Marathas under the leadership of Sada Shiv Rav Sahu, attacked Kunjpura, arrested the Afghan sardars and brought the area under their rule.
On the other side, the Afghan invader Ahmad Shah Abdali reached Sonepat and was engaged in a fierce battle with the Marathas. In the battle, the elder son of Peshwa, Vishwa Rao, was killed, which disheartened the Marathas, leading to their defeat. Almost 70,000 Marathas were killed in the battle on January 14, 1761. It is stated that this mango tree on this battlefield was soaked in the blood of the Marathas. Subsequently, the colour of the mango tree turned black when it dried up and the area came to be known as “Kala Amb”.
Much later, the famous poet of the area, Pandit Shagun Chand Rais, used the wood of ‘Kala Amb’ to make two doorways. One of the doorways was presented to Queen Victoria on her arrival in India in 1903. The second door was kept in Victoria Memorial Hall, Karnal, now known as Gandhi Memorial Hall.
In 2001, this doorway was brought back to Panipat and displayed at the Panipat Museum to perpetuate the memory of the Marathas killed in the “Kala Amb” area in the Third Battle of Panipat.