KABULI BAGH MOSQUE, PANIPAT

Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, popularly called Hemu became the Emperor of India, defeating Mughal Emperor Akbar in the Battle of Delhi-1556. Before capturing Delhi, Hem Chandra had won 22 battles against Mughals and Afghan rebels in between 1553-56. Belonging to Rewari in Haryana, Hem Chandra was the adviser to Suri dynasty and initially arranged vital items like Cannons and Gun powder for Sher Shah Suri in 1530s, and held many positions during Sher Shah’s son Islam Shah and Adil Shah’s regime. Hem Chandra became the Prime Minister and Chief of Army of Adil Shah Suri in 1553 and fought 22 battles in all from Bengal to Punjab winning all of them without a single defeat. He had his formal Coronation or ‘Rajyabhishake’ at Purana Quila in Delhi on 7th Oct. 1556. It was after 350 years of foreign rule that a Hindu could become a king at Delhi. Hem Chandra was the last Hindu Emperor of India. However, Hem Chandra lost his life in the Second Battle of Panipat on 5th November 1556, when an arrow hit his eye, he lost conciousness and died soon. His dead body was captured and brought to Akbar’s army camp at Saudapur village, the present site. Akbar was persuaded by Bairam Khan to behead the dead body of Hem Chandra to earn the title of Ghazi. Thereafter, Hemu’s head was sent to Kabul for display at Delhi Darwaza at Kabul Fort to show Afghans that the great warrior was dead and torso was hanged on a gibbet outside Purana Quila in Delhi where Hem Chandra was coronated as the Vikramaditya king after win at Delhi to create terror among locals. Hem Chandra’s supporters raised a ‘Chattri’, also called a shelter for travellers, at the place of beheading. Haryana Govt. plans to construct a memorial at the present site.