Champaner -Pavagadh

Pavagadh: A mesmerising tale of mythology, indomitable courage of Rajputs and victory of Sultan Begda & the changing times

After the second Battle of Tarain  in 1192 between Muhammad Ghuri and the Rajput Confederacy of Prithviraj Chauhan, at Tarain (modern Taraori), 110 kilometres, north of Delhi and the decisive victory for the invading Ghurids the descendants of Prithviraj Chauhan arrived in Pavagadh. They became known as the Khichi Rajputs.  Khichi Hamir one of their noble and ancestors played a crucial role in shaping the legacy of the clan in leaving their mark on the sands of time.

In the later half of the 15th century Gujarat Sultan Mehmood Begada triumphed over Pavagadh ruler Pava Pati Rawal Jay Sinh Khichi and made Champaner Pavagadh the capital of his growing Empire. Begada’s full name was Abu'l Fath Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah I. He was born Fat'h Khan or Fateh Khan. He titled himself, Sultân al-Barr, Sultân al-Bahr, Sultan of the Land, Sultan of the Sea. Of the origin of Mahmúd's surname Begra or Begarha, two explanations are given in Bird’s History of Gujarát and Mirăt-i-Ahmedi: 

     1. From his mustachios being large and twisted like a bullock's horn, such a bullock being called Begado.

     2. That the word comes from the Gujaráti be, two, and gadh, a fort, the people giving him this title in honour of his capture of two famous Gujarat forts;  Girnar in Junagadh (1472) and Pavagadh in 1484. 

After his defeat Jay Sinh faced a tough choice to embrace Islam or face death. Showing incredible he chose the latter. 

Duirng the Mughal period Pavagadh, again gained prominence. In 1535-36,  after his victory over Mandu, Humayun was in possession of whole of Malwa. He however, did not waste time in Mandu. Within three days Humayun accompanied by his 10,000 elite cavalry troops, hastened from Mandu, by forced marches to Champaner, whither Sultan Bahadur had fled on his way to Cambay and Diu.  The rest of the imperial army was ordered to follow suit. 

Champaner fort had been well fortified for defence & it was also provisioned for a long siege, however, the beleaguered Sultan did not feel secure in it. Leaving the fort to his nobles, Ikhtiyar Khan and Raja Narsing Dev, the Sultan fled to Cambay on the approach of the imperial army. Humayun left Mir Hindu Beg with his army to proceed with the investment of Champaner fort and himself attended by a 1000 horse followed the Sultan in hot pursuit. However, when Humayun reached Cambay he learnt that the Sultan had left the same day for Div.  

Being dissatisfied with the climate of Cambay and the news of disturbances in Ahmedabad, Humayun postponed the attack on Div to conduct the siege of Champaner. True to its reputation it proved to be a herculean task for the imperial forces. Ikhtiyar Khan left behind, by the fleeing Sultan, to defend the fort, used the locational advantages of the fort to skillfully & bravely defend the fort for four long months! 

A fortunate incident at last put Humayun in possession of a critical information. The garrison in the fort had established a secret understanding with the woodcutters of the surrounding areas, who penetrating through the inaccessible ravines of the hill carried grain and oil to the foot of the fort, from where the garrison letting down the price (cost of the provisions) by means of ropes, drew up the provisions in exchange.  The suspicions of Humayun’s forces were raised when they saw some peasants in the thick of the forest, while making a circuit of the fortress to discover a point favorable for an escalade. On being questioned they professed to be wood cutters. But they did not have any of the implements of their calling. The woodcutters were detained & given the third-degree treatment, by the imperial forces, till they confessed everything.

They were  then used as guides through the impervious and trackless forest to the base of the fortifications. 80 iron spikes were made and driven into the face of the fort in a manner to make it an improvised ladder. This was done in a clandestine manner, the garrison inside the fort had no inkling of this.  40 of the bravest imperial soldiers led by Humayun entered the fort through this ladder. By day break 300 imperial soldiers had thus entered the fort through this improvised route. While this was happening the forces of Sultan were busy in repelling an attack by the imperial forces from the other side. There was terror in Gujarat troops when they found themselves assailed by the imperial troops in the rear, while being engaged with them in front. In the confusion the imperial troops managed to capture a gate by which, the remaining besiegers came in. Thus attacked both on the front and the rear, Ikhtiyar Khan and his troops had no option but to surrender. Rumi Khan again distinguished himself as an artillerist this time on behalf of the imperial forces. He repaired a great gun, which had been carried by the garrison only half way up the hill and left there with three holes to make it useless. The first shot which Rumi Khan discharged brought down a gate of the fort. It must however be noted, apart from being brave, Ikhtiyar was also well known for his scientific attainments in geometry and astronomy and was also a poet & a man of letters. He and his family were spared, but the rest of the garrison was barbarously put to sword by the imperial forces according to the inhuman practice of the times.

The capture of Champaner, put Humayun in possession of accumulated treasures of the Sultans of Gujarat. A trusted officer of Bahadur, revealed all the places, where the gold and other treasures were stored. Humayun also operationalized the mint and had coins struck in his name. A unique copper coin in Lahore museum is of special interest. Its obverse reads the conquest of Gujarat in the year 1535 and the reverse simply, “Struck at Shahr mukarram (the illustrious city)”. In another coin Champaner is described as “Shahar al Zaman - the city of the age”.  In the light of honorific epithets showered on it, indicative of its power & prosperity the utter desolation that overtook this flourishing capital during the next 50 years is saddening.  

Heritage Trust and Archaeological Survey of India Publications:

Champaner a medieval capital by Prof. R. N. Mehta

Impressions of a forgotten city Champaner Pavagadh By Sh Sumesh Modi