The Gakhar (or Khokkhar) Rajputs are known for their valor and valor in the history of India. He sacrificed everything, especially in the fight against foreign Muslim invaders. They eliminated the invader Mohammad Ghori, defeated the demons like Qutubuddin, Iltutmish, Balban and Mohammad bin Tughlaq. But while fighting, they gradually became less and weaker and one day it even came that the drums of Islam had to be tied around the neck to protect the life and property of their subjects from foreign Muslim invaders.
One of these people was Sheikh Khokkhar (or Gakhar) who became a Muslim by name but put everything at stake for his country, religion and his Hindu subjects and for their protection from foreign invaders.
His son was Jasratha Khokkhar (or Dasaratha Gakkhar) who was the king of Khokkhar from 1420-1442 AD. He ruled over Punjab, Jammu, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Khyber Pakhtunkwan. He was also successful in conquering Delhi in 1431 AD.
Jashrath Khokhar was once taken prisoner in Samarkand during the war with foreign Muslim invaders on behalf of King Sheikh Khokhar. But soon they were free. He married the daughter of Emperor Shahrukh, a descendant of Timur. (Role of Khokhars in Duggar history). Later he returned to Punjab.
King Jashrath Khokhar
After the death of King Sheikh Khokkhar, Jashrath Khokkhar became the king and he also threw off the remaining gamble of Islam from his shoulder. Asked for his help by the king of Kashmir, Zain-ul-Abidin, he assisted him against Ali Shah and defeated Ali Shah. Sultan Ali was captured. Hindus destroyed his gang.
Veer Jashrath crossed the river Vyas and Sutlej after hearing the news of the death of Delhi's Shaitan Khizr Khan and he lashed out at the converted Hindus who had learned all the cruel Muslim arts by becoming Muslim gangster henchmen. Seeing the shining sword of Rai Jasaratha, these newly converted Hindu Talwanji's Rai Kumaluddin and Rai Firoz became nine two eleven. Rai Jashrath took the area of Ludhiana, Ropar and Jalandhar under his control. Being compelled, Zirak Khan also handed over the Jalandhar fort.
In order to save his nose, helpless from the habit of Muslim hypocrisy, Zirak Khan planned to fly a son of Jasrath Rai's assistant Tushn Rai to Delhi. Jasratha had a halt on the banks of the Beni river, 3 miles away from the fort of Jalandhar. He came to know about this plan. He himself caught, imprisoned Zirak Khan and reached Ludhiana.
War against Delhi Sultanate
The Sultan of Delhi, Mubarik Shah, was now threatened by the heroic Hindu leader Jasrath Gakhar. Jasrath was a brave Hindu king and the lion of Punjab and Sindh. That morning is memorable for every Hindu. The fear of the victorious sword of the Muslim robber Malik Sultan Shah Lodi Jasrath was trembling in the Ludhiana fort. He pleaded for help from Mubarik Shah, the Sultan of Delhi. Mubarik was considering this power uplift of Jasaratha as dangerous for his throne. In 1421 he left Delhi for Punjab. In the midst of torrential rains, armies on both sides stood near Ludhiana across the river. All the boats of that place were in the possession of Jasaratha. Despite a lot of effort, the looted Muslim army did not even get a boat.
The Hindu ruler of Jammu, Rai Bhima, frightened by Muslim cruelty and barbarism, became a guide of the Muslim army. Jasratha's stronghold Tekhar could not be won. The Muslim army returned to Lahore after looting the surrounding rural areas. Yahiya bin Ahmed Sirhindi writes, “In December 1421 AD the Sultan entered the Berber city of Lahore. No one was alive in it except the owls. The Sultan stayed here for a month, repairing the fort and the gates.
The ancient Hindu name of Lahore is Lavpur. Jashrath was also behind Sultan Mubarik. He besieged the Lahore Fort. Jasrath was annihilating his army by attacking the Muslims surrounded by the Lahore Fort for 35 days. Showing Muslim devotion, Bhima was attacking Jasaratha's army in Kalanaur, making a ruff of Muslims on his back. In the middle of the two stood Jashrath unmoved, invincible. Bhima was defeated. The Sultan secretly moved to Delhi. Probably at this time Jashrath took control of Jammu. The Hindu army of Bhima breathed a sigh of relief from the death of their anti-Hindu king. He accepted the brave Hindu Jasaratha as his king.
The undefeated warrior Jashrath Khokhar
In that dark period when the hordes of Muslim armies were preparing to swallow Hindutva, Jasrath, full of Hindu bravery, shone like the sun. His code policy and war-chaturi have shown Hindutva the great path of victory. Grateful descendants should always keep his memory fresh.
On 30 April, 1428 AD, when Mubarak Shah returned to Delhi, he was immersed in fun and entertainment, he received the news that Veer Jashrath had taken the whole of Punjab along with Lahore, Kalanaur, Jalandhar and Kangra. Bayana has rebelled again. Frustrated and upset by this, the Sultan again set out to plunder Gwalior.
In 1431-32 AD, the indomitable, undefeated hero Jasaratha launched a second campaign against the foreign sultan sitting on the Delhi throne. Jalandhar was taken. Malik Sikandar came to protest against this and was imprisoned.
converted Hindu Sheikh Ali
While the Sultan was resting in Delhi amidst all these challenges, Sheikh Ali, a Hindu forcibly converted, attacked the Multan army. The fire of Hindu patriotism was burning in Sheikh Ali's heart. With a strong blow, this brave man took Tusumb-Durg in his possession. Historian Yahya Ahmed Sirhindi wrote with great sadness while hurling abuses that, "All the Muslims became prisoners of the nefarious bloodthirsty infidels (Hindus)."
Bayana and Gwalior were also rebels, the explosion of the second rebellion took place in the face of Punjab. The formidable Jashrath fell on the Sultan's army and scattered it. Frantically, the Sultan turned to Mewat for loot.
Under the Muslim rule of Delhi, the Hindu convert Sheikh Ali, snatching one center after another, proceeded through Punjab. It becomes clear from the date Mubarakshahi that he had set out to avenge his countrymen trembling with fear under their looted Hindu religion and bloody Sultani sword. Malik Yusuf and Malik Ismail, the Lahori commanders of Muslim soldiers, escaped from Lahore Fort overnight in fear of the Hindu sword. Sheikh Ali sent an army to chase them, many people were killed by the pursuers. The next day Sheikh Ali imprisoned all the Muslims of the city. The Muslim historian Yahya Tarite Mubarakshahi writes, "Sheikh Ali had no other job than to destroy the throne of Islam and imprison the Muslims."
Historian Purushotam Nagesh Oak writes, "After tasting the medieval Islamic life and deeds, Sheikh Ali imitated the Muslims and made them taste their exploits. Jashrath and Ali Sheikh proved that Lahore can be won hundreds of times for India."
Other backlash and rebellion
On January 19, 1434, when Sultan Mubarak Shah was preparing for Namaz, Miran Sadar removed the amirs from the guard. On the pretext of bid farewell, some Hindus came on horseback. Sudhun Kangu stayed outside with his team so that no one could go inside to help the Sultan. Sindhupal went inside quickly and hit the king on the head in such a way that his life came to an end.
After the death of Mubarak Shah, the grandson of Shaitan Khizr Khan, Muhammad Shah became Sultan. He was behind Sindhupal. Sindhupal was trying to take back some areas of Bayana, Amroha, Narnaul and Doab under Hindu possession. In this sequence, being surrounded by the Muslim army from all sides, Sindhupal locked his women and children in the house and set the house on fire and fought according to the heroic Hindu tradition and attained martyrdom. Kangu and other Kshatriyas were captured and brought to the palace where Mubarak Shah had died and was killed.
Bahlol Lodi and Jashrath Khokhar
By this time the star of the future Sultan of Delhi, Bahlol Lodi, had risen. The Sultan was pleased with him and gave it to Bahlol Lodi to plunder the jagirs of Lahore and Dipalpur, which at that time was part of Jasratha's kingdom. Do not be surprised that the Muslim Sultans of Delhi used to divide the Jagirs in the same way, which continued even in the Mughal period.
Bahlol Lodi knew the power of Jasratha, so he thought of taking the help of that brave warrior by making an agreement with Jasaratha. On getting assurance of getting Jasaratha's help, Bahlol Lodi took control of the surrounding areas and took on the Sultan. Muhammad Shah died in 1445 AD. Bahlol Lodi declared the dead Sultan's son Alauddin as Sultan himself and became the guardian and one day killed him and became the Sultan of Delhi himself.
Main Source:
- Elliott &Dawson
- Muslim Sultan in India, author Purushottam Nagesh Oak
Note:Sheikh Khokhar of Elliot and Dawson's Raja and Sheikh Ali of Purushottam Nagesh Oak could possibly be the same person.