Date: Sometime around 1640
Place: Garhwal region in the Himalayas
Flashback
Rani Karnavati had to take reins of Garhwal Empire after the untimely death of her husband, Mahipat Shah. The prince Prithvi Shah was just seven years old.
Shah Jahan – the leader of Mughal dacoits – found a golden opportunity to fulfil the age-old dream of Islamic invaders. For centuries, invaders had been attacking India to destroy idol-worship and establish the rule of Islam. Just like ISIS and Al Qaeda of today.
The invaders had defiled and broken thousands of temples in the plains. They forced other Hindus to pay them Jaziya and send women to protect other temples. By the time of Shah Jahan, almost entire India had seen the wrath of idol-breakers. But the Himalayas were still elusive. Every invader knew what Himalayas – the source of Ganga – meant to Hindus. Ayodhya was already destroyed. Mathura and Kashi were under control. Kashmir was under their rule. Only Himalayas remained to be demolished.
Shah Jahan had also heard about the beauty of Rani Karnavati. Shah Jahan was famed for his addiction for women. After the death of ‘Mumtaz Mahal’ in 1631, he forced his own daughter ‘Jahan Ara’ to fulfil his lust. He also married Mumtaz’s sister and created a harem of more than ten thousand women. His addiction was growing by the day and he was obsessed with capturing every beautiful woman in his harem.
The opportunity in Garhwal was too good to resist. He dispatched an army of thirty thousand trained soldiers under Najabat Khan with clear commandments – capture Srinagar (Capital of Garhwal Empire in Uttarakhand), bring Rani Karnavati and all royal women and children to me, enjoy other women the way you want, kill every Rajput, and destroy every temple.
Spies informed Rani of the situation. The Mughal troop had already reached Haridwar. Lakshmanjhoola was the next destination. The Rani had a closed-door meeting with advisers and came out with a plan.
Orders were sent to not resist Mughal army at all. An emissary was sent to meet Najabat Khan at Lakshmanjhoola along with lots of food and gold.
The emissary urged Najabat Khan to spare their kingdom. He read out the Rani’s surrender, “The valley has never seen bloodshed. We are spiritual people. We are not in a position to fight. We want to surrender in return for the safety of our lives. As a token of our surrender, please accept food and gold. We will soon send you ten lakh rupees and five thousand choicest women. I will come personally within fifteen days to surrender with all this. If my life can save so many lives, I will be honoured to give it.”
Najabat was excited at sight of such an easy victory. He readily agreed. Who would stop him from ransacking the mountains once he has kidnapped the Rani! The Mughal army was also tired due to their inexperience with mountains. This would give the army a much-needed break.
He sent back a messenger to update Shah Jahan.
Fifteen days passed away. The emissary came again with more gold and food. He requested a few more days as they were in the process of selecting the most beautiful virgins for the Mughal army. Najabat showed his anger but agreed. His army was yet not ready. They had been struggling with upset stomach and chills due to the mountain weather.
A week more passed. Now there was no sign of emissary. One more day. And one more day. Still no sign. The food supply had also depleted. The health of soldiers had worsened. The camp was stenching due to recurrent loose motions and vomits of a fifty thousand strong army. Najabat was getting furious.
Situation
Najabat orders the army to get ready to march. The troop struggles to dress itself and move uphill. The path is narrow and full of obstacles. At places, there are multiple narrow paths. The army has to split. Others have to wait till the soldiers ahead of them move ahead.
Suddenly they are ambushed. There is total mayhem. Heads start rolling. The Rajputs have attacked every path. As Mughal army starts fleeing, they realise the path to be full of thorns. And heavy boulders start falling from mountains. Every Mughal soldier is killed. Only one soldier in each path is spared. His nose is cut. And all these nose-cut soldiers are sent back with the same message: “You have two choices – die or let us cut your nose.”
What happened next
Najabat realises what happened. The food was poisoned. Rajputs had bought time to prepare. He has been fooled. And the Mughal army is completely unprepared for the Himalayan terrain. But it is too late to realise now.
There is only one option now. The option that every Jihadi in history has adopted in such situations Run for life!
He orders the remaining troop to retreat. He knows Shah Jahan will not spare him. But death is certain if he tries anything extra-smart here.
The troop move back. But realise that the return path is also blocked. There are just three narrow trails. The nose-cut soldiers tell them what awaits them in these trails – thorns, boulders, beheading, and more cut-noses.
Soldiers panic. Many make a run through the trails. There is a stampede. And then boulders, arrows, beheadings begin.
And then
Najabat Khan surrenders. The Rajputs snatch all weapons of Mughal army. Beautiful Rani Karnavati appears in front of Najabat Khan. She hangs an envelope with a letter for Shah Jahan around Najabat’s neck. A soldier gives her a sword. Before Najabat could understand, his nose is on the ground. The soldier picks up the nose and puts it in the letter’s envelope.
“Jai Maa Gange.” Rani returns.
Rajputs kill all but twenty soldiers. They cut the nose of these twenty survivors. The soldiers and Najabat Khan are asked to disrobe. A map of the way out of Lakshmanjhoola is given to one soldier. The general of Rajput Army kicks Najabat on the back and says “Get Lost.”
Aftermath
Najabat never reached Agra back. Some says he committed suicide. Some say he was killed by fellow soldiers. But the heavy envelope reached Shah Jahan’s harem. There were 21 noses inside.
The letter said, “We met your army at Lakshmanjhoola. Lakshman had cut nose of Shurpankha who was Ravan’s sister. We will cut the nose of every Mughal seen in Garhwal. If you attempt any further misadventures, we know the way to your harem. We also know the size of your nose.”
Shah Jahan increased his security. The scare would still not go away. He made a few more stealth attempts to target Garhwal. But every Mughal returned back without a nose. After Arij Khan suffered the same fate as Najabat Khan, Shah Jahan shifted his capital to Delhi in a captured fort at the bank of Yamuna to save his own life.
His son Aurangzeb also tried this misadventure and got back the same gift of noses of his soldiers and general.
Rani Karnavati became famed as “Nakati Rani” (the queen who cuts nose of the enemy). No Mughal could dare attack Garhwal ever. On the contrary, she won back several territories in valley and plains from Mughals.
The Rani was famed for her innovative development work and is revered as a legendary figure in Garhwal. Mughals are extinct today.
What Now
Rani set the perfect example of dealing with terrorists. It is time for us to emulate and save the world.
