Ajay Kumar at 13:02, 31 August 2023

2023-08-31T13:02:18Z

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{{Short description|Muslim conquest in Southeast Asia}}
{{About|the medieval conquest of Sylhet|modern battle of Sylhet|Battle of Sylhet}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Conquest of Sylhet
| image =
| caption =
| partof = [[Islam in Bangladesh]]
| campaign = Conquest of Sylhet
| date = 1303 CE
| place = Govinda's Fort and the banks of the [[Barak River]]
| result = Muslim victory
* Effective end of the [[Gour Kingdom]]
| territory = Many parts of [[Greater Sylhet]] annexed to Muslim Bengal
| combatant1 = [[Lakhnauti|Lakhnauti Sultanate]]
| combatant2 = [[Gour Kingdom]] (inc. [[Taraf Kingdom|Tungachal]])
| commander1 = '''[[Shamsuddin Firoz Shah|Shams-ud-Din Firuz Shah]]''' [[Syed Nasiruddin|Sayyid Nasir-ud-Din]] [[Sikandar Khan Ghazi]] [[Ghazi Burhanuddin|Ghazi Burhan-ud-Din]] '''[[Shah Jalal]]''' [[Haydar Ghazi]] [[Shah Farhan]]
| commander2 = '''[[Gour Govinda]]''' C-in-C Chakrapani Dutta<ref name=back/> PM [[Mona Rai]]{{KIA}} Achak Narayan Prince Nirvana [[Garuda of Gour|Prince Garuda]]{{KIA}}
| strength1 = <10,000
| strength2 = 100,000+ infantry, thousands of cavalry<ref>{{cite book|title=Social History Of The Muslims In Bengal (Down to A.D. 1538)|publisher=The Asiatic Society of Pakistan|location=[[Dacca]]|author=[[Abdul Karim (historian)|Abdul Karim]]|year=1959|page=100}}</ref>
| casualties1 = Heavy
| casualties2 = Heavy|
}}

The '''Conquest of Sylhet''' ({{lang-bn|শ্রীহট্টের বিজয়|Srīhôtter Bijôy|Conquest of Srihatta}}) predominantly refers to an [[Early Muslim conquests|Islamic conquest]] of [[Srihatta]] (present-day [[Sylhet]], [[Bangladesh]]) led by [[Sikandar Khan Ghazi]], the military general of Sultan [[Shamsuddin Firoz Shah]] of the [[Lakhnauti Sultanate]], against the Hindu king [[Gour Govinda]]. The conquest was aided by a [[Muslim]] saint known as [[Shah Jalal]], who later ordered his disciples to scatter throughout eastern [[Bengal]] and propagate the religion of Islam. The Conquest of Sylhet may also include other minor incidents taking place after Govinda's defeat, such as the capture of nearby [[Taraf (Bengal)|Taraf]].

==Background==
{{Quote box|quote=<poem>চৌকি নামে ছিল যেই পরগণা দিনারপুর
Chouki name chhilô jei Pôrgôṇa Dinarpur
ছিলটের হদ্দ ছিল সাবেক মসুর
Silôṭer hôddô chhilô śabeq môśur
সেখানে আসিয়া তিনি পৌছিলা যখন
śekhane aśiẏa tini pouchhila jôkhôn
খবর পাইলা রাজা গোবিন্দ তখন ।
khôbôr paila Raja Gobindô tôkhôn
এপারে হজরত তার লস্কর সহিতে
epare Hôzrôt tar lôśkôr śôhite
আসিয়া পৌছিলা এক নদীর পারেতে
aśiẏa pouchhila ek nôdīr parete
বরাক নামে নদী ছিল যে মসুর
Bôrak name nôdī chhilo je môśur
যাহার নিকট গ্রাম নাম বাহাদুরপুর।
jahar nikoṭ gram nam Bahadurpur
যখন পৌছিলা তিনি নদীর কেনার
jôkhôn pouchhila tini nôdīr kenar
নৌকা বিনা সে নদীও হইলেন পার।
nouka bina she nôdīo hôilen par</poem>|source=''Tārīkh-e-Jalālī''}}
The [[Greater Sylhet]] region historically consisted of many Hindu [[petty kingdom]]s such as [[Gour Kingdom|Srihatta (Gour)]], [[Laur Kingdom|Laur]] and [[Jaintia Kingdom|Jaintia]]. Govinda was a conservative [[Bengali Hindus|Hindu]] ruler of the [[Gour Kingdom]], intolerant and harsh towards other faiths such as Islam, Buddhism and even certain denominations of Hinduism.<ref name=allen>{{cite book|title=Assam District Gazetteers|volume=1|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.463827|page=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.463827/page/n63 58]|year=1905|location=[[Shillong]]|author=B C Allen|publisher=[[Government of Assam]]}}</ref> It was known by his people that Govinda practiced magic which he had learnt in the [[Kamrup district|mountains of ''Kamaru'']] and was religiously and militarily educated for twelve years in the [[Kamakhya Temple]], and Kulsia [[Ashram]] (on the banks of the [[Kulsi River]] in modern-day [[Sualkuchi]] or Kulsi Reserve Forest) respectively.<ref name=heads>{{cite book|title=Principal Heads of the History and Statistics of the Dacca Division|chapter=Sylhet District|pages=290|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/principalheadsh00unkngoog/page/n303|year=1868|location=[[Calcutta]]|author=E M Lewis|publisher=Calcutta Central Press Company}}</ref> During his reign, he built forts all over his kingdom and established many military training camps. He is famously known to have built a seven-storey brick tower.<ref name=back>{{cite book|first=Rajmohan|last=Nath|title=The back-ground of Assamese culture|page=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.126984/page/n162 116]|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.126984|year=1948|publisher=A. K. Nath}}</ref>

There was a small minority of [[Muslims|Muslim families]] living in the country, following the short-lived [[Ajmiriganj Upazila|Azmardan Invasion]] in 1254 led by the Governor of Bengal, [[Malik Ikhtiyaruddin Iuzbak]].<ref name=stewart>{{cite book|title=The History of Bengal|url=https://archive.org/details/TheHistoryOfBengal|first=Charles|last=Stewart|year=1813|location=[[London]]}}</ref> The Gour Kingdom bordered the independent [[Bengal]]i principality of [[Lakhnauti]] ruled by the Muslim Sultan [[Shamsuddin Firoz Shah]] of the Balban dynasty. The war began when [[Ghazi Burhanuddin|Burhanuddin]], a Muslim living in the village of Tultikar, sacrificed a cow for his newborn son's ''[[aqiqah]]'' or celebration of birth.<ref name="burhan">{{cite book|last=Hussain|first= M Sahul|year=2014|chapter=Burhanuddin (R)|chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Burhanuddin_(R) |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh|edition=Second|publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref> Govinda, in a fury for what he saw as sacrilege due to his [[Cows in Hinduism|Hindu beliefs]], had the newborn killed as well as having Burhanuddin's right hand cut off.<ref name="Mujjarad 2002 459">{{cite encyclopedia |last=EB |editor-last=Hanif |editor-first=N. |encyclopedia=Biographical Encyclopaedia of Sufis: Central Asia and Middle East |title=Suharwardy Yemani Sylheti, Shaikhul Mashaikh Hazrat Makhdum Ghazi Shaikh Jalaluddin Mujjarad (1271–?) |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_Y7JInpQL0x8C |year=2002 |publisher=Sarup & Sons |volume=2 |location=New Delhi |isbn=81-7625-266-2 |page=459 }}</ref> Shortly after this incident, Qadi Nuruddin of [[Taraf Kingdom|Taraf]] celebrated his son's marriage ceremony by slaughtering a cow for them to eat. The [[Qadi]] was executed by the feudal ruler Achack Narayan. After both men being punished, Burhanuddin and Nooruddin's brother, Helimuddin, travelled to lower Bengal where they addressed their issued with Sultan Shamsuddin Firoz Shah.

At the same time, a [[Sufi]] missionary by the name of [[Shah Jalal]] was due to arrive in the region of Bengal. After being commanded by his uncle, Sheikh Kabir before his journey to reside and [[Dawah|propagate Islam]] in a region in which the soil matches the one that was given to him in his home country, Shah Jalal knew that it is in Srihatta where he shall reside in for the rest of his life.<ref name=Banglapedia>{{cite book |last=Karim |first=Abdul |year=2012 |chapter=Shah Jalal (R) |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Shah_Jalal_%28R%29 |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref> Shah Jalal journeyed eastward and reached India in c. 1300, where he met many great scholars and Sufi mystics.<ref name=Banglapedia/>

==Conquest of Gour==
[[File:05122009 Hill of Raja Gour Govinda Sylhet photo2 Ranadipam Basu.jpg|thumb|Raja Gour Govinda's Tila (Hill) which contains his fort.]]
As Govinda's minister, [[Mona Rai]], was based near the port, Rai decided to stop river transport and ferries making it difficult for the opponents as the only other option was through the hills.<ref>{{cite book|last=Ahmed|first=Jalal|title=Śoṇita dhārā: etihāsika nāṭeka|language=bn|year=1969|publisher=Sāhitya Kuṭir}}</ref> When word of this reached Sultan [[Shamsuddin Firoz Shah]], the commanded his nephew [[Sikandar Khan Ghazi]] to lead an army against the Raja. Sikandar marched with his soldiers towards the low-lying hills of Sylhet via [[Mymensingh]]. Govinda appointed Chakrapani as his commander-in-chief. The army was confronted by Govinda's skilful archery. Govinda's army was noted as [[Bengal]]'s first army which practised the skillful art of [[archery]]. The [[Bengal]]i army, inexperienced in the foreign terrain which consisted of many low-lying hills and valleys, were brought to utter shame by Govinda's archers and had no option but to retreat back to Muslim [[Bengal]] to avoid casualties.<ref name=potro>{{cite web|url=http://www.desherpotro.com/%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A3%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF/|script-title=bn:আর হাতে রণতুর্য|language=bn|last=Mahmud|first=Hasan|publisher=Desher Potro|date=18 Feb 2019}}</ref>

The Sultan was not happy at all with the result of the first battle and decided that the army should train and prepare before readying themselves for another battle. In the second expedition, Sikandar took the same recognised route through Mymensingh. As the army marched through the hills, a storm took place. Due to heavy rainfall and flooding, nearly half of the army died by the time Sikandar reached Govinda. Govinda's massive war boats looked as if they were floating forts on the water according to the ''Gulzar-i-Abrar'', a Muslim account of the war.<ref name=pak>{{cite book|title=East Pakistan District Gazetteers: Sylhet|year=1970|publisher=East Pakistan Government Press|page=54}}</ref> They were defeated once again and Sikandar retreated back to Bengal for a second time, humiliated by what had occurred.<ref name=potro/>

Firoz Shah then turned to his [[Sipah Salar]] (commander-in-chief) [[Syed Nasiruddin]] as he realised that this undertaking was much bigger than he anticipated and he would need a larger and more skilled army. The two armies decided to attack together but it ended in failure due to Govinda's superior military strategy.<ref>Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Statistics Division, Ministry of Planning, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh,"Population Census of Bangladesh, 1974: District census report" (1979), p. 15</ref><ref name="Mujjarad 2002 459" /> Govinda's family rejoiced over the three consecutive victories and his aunt Apurna, the queen-mother and wife of the previous [[Raja Govardhan]], celebrated by building a large 20-acre water tank in Ambarkhana known as ''Rajar Mar Dighi''.<ref name=back/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/city/dead-and-dying-dighis-1493842|publisher=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)]]|title=Of dead and dying dighis|date=20 Nov 2017|last=Chowdhury|first=Dwoha}}</ref>

Nasiruddin then returned to Bengal where he heard of the arrival of the famous saint [[Shah Jalal]], as well as his companions who at this point numbered around 360.<ref name="Mujjarad 2002 460">{{harvtxt|EB|2002|p=460}}</ref> Shah Jalal was famed for his strong physique and tall stature, and the army decided to spend a night in his company. A much larger army was made, and this new and improved army travelled to [[Sylhet]] via [[Cumilla]] and [[Habiganj]]. The army was then guided through Sylhet once again by [[Ghazi Burhanuddin]], ultimately arriving at the banks of the [[Barak River]]. They set their camp on top of a small hillock, northwest of the Kangsa-Nisudhana temple. From here the third battle was fought between Gour Govinda and the combined armies of Shah Jalal and Syed Nasiruddin, with the latter forces ultimately claiming victory. Shah Jalal called out the [[adhan]] as the time for [[salah]] approached and the army were able to destroy Govinda's 7-storey Gorduar palace. After hearing that his commander [[Mona Rai]] was killed, Govinda was forced to retreat and Srihatta was brought under Muslim control. According to tradition, another disciple of Shah Jalal, Shah Chashni Pir at this point compared the soil in Srihatta with that which was previously given by Ahmad Kabir, finding them to be identical. In any case, following the battle, [[Shah Jalal]] along with his followers permanently settled in Sylhet.<ref name="burhan"/><ref name="Mujjarad 2002 460"/>

Govinda retreated with his family to [[Harong Hurong|Harong Hurong cave]] in Mulnicherra. He then went to the shrine of Grivakali, where he left his aunt, Apurna, and his cousin [[Garuda of Gour|Garuda]] and cousin-in-law Shantipriya (or Shantirani) in the care of the priest. Following this, he took his wife, Hiravati, and son, Nirvana, with him to [[Kamrup region|Kamrup]].

==Capture of Taraf==
[[File:Mazar Sharif of Syed Nasir Uddin, Murarband Darbar Sharif.jpg|thumb|Shrine of Syed Nasiruddin in Murarband Darbar, Taraf ([[Chunarughat Upazila|Chunarughat]], Habiganj).]]
Garuda and his family, taking shelter at Grivakali shrine, then decided to head off to [[Taraf Kingdom|Tungachal]]. They set on a boat at Dhanuhatta driven by the royal servants Ghaturam and Jharuram. However, they were seen by Subid, a rebel from the time of Raja Govardhan's fall, who informed the Muslims of their actions; leading to Garuda's boat being followed by the Muslims. Out of embarrassment, Garuda appeared to committed suicide, jumping off the boat at Puni [[beel]]. The boatmen, however, continued taking Apurna and Shantipriya to Tungachal, eventually finding refuge with Raja Achak Narayan, though the boatmen themselves were killed. Apurna and Shantipriya made a vow in Tunganath Shiva temple to fast for ninety days, hoping for safety.<ref name=back/> The incident is mentioned in a ballad known as ''Shantiranir Baromashi'' (Shantirani's twelve months).<ref>{{cite book|title=Sylhet: History and Heritage|publisher=Bangladesh Itihas Samiti|date=Jan 1999}}</ref> After the successful conquest of Gour, [[Syed Nasiruddin]] set off on an expedition against the feudal Raja Achak Narayan of Tungachal, which had been a part of the [[Gour Kingdom]]. Nasiruddin arrived with 1000 [[lascar]]s and 12 Saints sent by Shahjalal (r) to help him. He camped in a place now known as Laskarpur.<ref>{{cite web|title=HISTORY|url=http://www.ssnufoundation.com/history/|website=Sipahsalar Syed Nasir Uddin Foundation}}</ref> Raja Achak Narayan was also defeated and fled with his family to [[Mathura]]. Shantipriya was said to have also committed suicide.<ref name=back/> Following a victory, Tungachal was annexed to Bengal and renamed as [[Taraf Kingdom|Taraf]]. The 12 saints who accompanied Nasiruddin are as follows:

#Shah Arifin (buried in [[Tahirpur Upazila|Tahirpur]])
#Shah Tajuddin Qureshi (buried in Chowkhi Pargana, Sylhet)
#Shah Ruknuddin Aswari (buried in [[Sarail Upazila|Sarail]])
#Shah Badr (buried in [[Badarpur, Assam|Badarpur, Karimganj]], [[India]])
#Shah Mahmud (buried in Urdu Bazar, Laskarpur)
#Shah Sultan (buried in Badarpur, [[Mymensingh District|Mymensingh]])
#Shah Ghazi (buried in Bishgram, Sylhet)
#Shah Badruddin (buried in Bakhshirghat, [[Chittagong]])
#Shah Majlis Amin (buried in [[Uchail Mosque|Shankarpasha]], [[Habiganj Sadar]])
#[[Fateh Ghazi|Shah Fateh Ghazi]] (buried in Fatehpur-Shahjibazar, [[Madhabpur Upazila|Madhabpur]])
#Syed Shah Saif Minnatuddin (buried in Laskarpur)
#Syed Ahmad Gesudaraz (buried in [[Kharampur Mazar Sharif]], Brahmanbaria)

==Aftermath==
[[File:Tea Garden in Malini chora Sylhet Bangladesh (3).JPG|thumb|Mulnicherra, now the oldest tea garden in South Asia, is home to the [[Harong Hurong]] cave which Govinda and his family supposedly retreated to.]]
[[Gour Kingdom|Gour]] and [[Taraf Kingdom|Taraf]] were then incorporated into [[Shamsuddin Firoz Shah]]'s kingdom with [[Sikandar Khan Ghazi]] being the first Wazir of Sylhet. Gour was nicknamed Jalalabad after [[Shah Jalal]] for his aid in delivering [[Islam]] to the population. To this day, the remains of Gour Govinda's fort can be found in Chowhatta, [[Sylhet]]. Many of [[Shah Jalal]]'s companions migrated to other places in Eastern India to preach the religion of Islam. The Muslims were not interested in conquering other neighbouring kingdoms such as [[Laur Kingdom|Laur]], [[Jaintia Kingdom|Jaintia]] and [[Twipra Kingdom|Twipra]], which would be conquered much later during [[Mughal Empire|Mughal rule]] and [[British India|British rule]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bhattacharjee|first=J B|year=1994|editor-last=Sangma|editor-first=Milton S|title=Essays on North-east India: Presented in Memory of Professor V. Venkata Rao|publisher=Indus Publishing Company|place=New Delhi|pages=74}}</ref>

==See also==

*[[Muharram Rebellion]]
*[[Nankar Rebellion]]
*[[Revolt of Radharam]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Conflicts in 1303|Sylhet]]
[[Category:Battles involving Bengal|Sylhet]]
[[Category:History of Sylhet]]
[[Category:Sylhet]]
[[Category:History of Islam in Bangladesh]]

Conquest of Sylhet - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 13:02, 31 August 2023