After the initial days of 640 AD, when Raja Bhoj built his great dams, Bhopal was lost to the jungles of central India. This was a small village on the banks of the river Banganga. An old fort, lying in ruins, lying quietly by the side of the important road connecting Delhi to Deccan plateau. The area was criss crossed by several rivers and was situated in the Vindhya mountains. The local populace, dominated by bhils and gonds, was dominated by a succession of warlords. These were the local chieftains (known as the Gond-raja) or Rajput chiefs or Muslim commanders who briefly governed the region, mainly on behalf of the more powerful overlords and emperors operating from Delhi, Agra, Rajputana or Bundelkhand.
An eventful journey of this ruined and decayed region began around 1707, which saw this village of about 20 families grow to become one of India's leading princely states with a 19-gun salute. After Hyderabad, it was the most important Muslim state of the British India, till the merger agreement was signed with the government of India.
To trace the fascinating story of rise of Bhopal, we will have to start from Tirah, a village in the tribal area on the border between today's Pakistan and Afganistan.
An eventful journey of this ruined and decayed region began around 1707, which saw this village of about 20 families grow to become one of India's leading princely states with a 19-gun salute. After Hyderabad, it was the most important Muslim state of the British India, till the merger agreement was signed with the government of India.
To trace the fascinating story of rise of Bhopal, we will have to start from Tirah, a village in the tribal area on the border between today's Pakistan and Afganistan.
Lived in Bhopal for more than two years. Initially took some time to get used it, but when I did I really enjoyed my existence there.
ReplyDeleteI did write about Bhopal recently, couple of times to be precise. Once on my blog and another for a magazine (sending you the magazine article as an e-mail).