Historical Reflections: Debunking Myths About Bakhtiyar Khilji and the Legacy of Nalanda
I had read in the Charyapada that "Apona mângse horina boiri" – the translation being "One becomes the enemy of the deer because of their own flesh." The meaning of this is metaphorical. If taken literally, it means that wealth, knowledge, and beauty make one create enemies.
In newspapers, one can often find stories of businessmen being murdered, intellectuals and politicians being abducted, and women becoming victims of rape.
Though the Charyapada is the first and oldest literary work in the Bengali language, it was discovered in Nepal. The question arises: why was a Bengali literary work found in Nepal? How did Charyapada end up there?
It is important to know that Charyapada was a type of song or poem written by Buddhist Sahajiyas. In ancient times, the most powerful rulers in Bengal were from the Pala Dynasty. The Palas were followers of Buddhism, and during their reign, the Charyapada was written.
The Pala Dynasty was eventually overthrown, and the Sen Dynasty, which followed, was Hindu. The Hindus inflicted severe oppression on Buddhists, and many Buddhists fled Bengal. Some of them, along with their manuscripts of Charyapada, traveled to Nepal.
The Sen kings were known to create caste distinctions among Hindus, and they did not consider the Shudras and Vaishyas as humans. This historical context is not a reflection of religion itself, but rather the actions of the kings. They used religion for their own selfish purposes. However, there were also righteous kings who used religion in the right way, bringing about the welfare of the nation and its people.
The Sen Dynasty came to power around 1095 AD (or 1097, according to some sources), marking the departure of Buddhist kings from Bengal and the arrival of Hindu rulers. Historical accounts show that the defeated were often oppressed, especially in terms of religion.
Though Muslims arrived in Bengal as conquerors, they embraced the land with love and established it as their permanent home. They lived harmoniously with the significant non-Muslim population. The Muslim rulers, in general, never inflicted injustice or oppression on their subjects. It was this kindness and fairness that led many non-Muslims to embrace Islam.
A prime example is Ikhtiyar-ud-Din Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khilji, who could have followed the path of Raja Laxman Sen and defeated or killed him but chose to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. According to historian Yadunath Sarkar, Bakhtiyar Khilji was not bloodthirsty and did not indulge in mass killings or oppression.
One common accusation made by certain Indian writers is that Bakhtiyar Khilji destroyed Nalanda and burned all its books. But is this true? Let's look at the facts.
During ancient times, the Huns were a major source of terror in Europe and Asia. Wherever they went, they destroyed everything in their path. They were the first to attack Nalanda. After the Huns, King Harshavardhana's reign also witnessed the destruction of Nalanda, following political conflicts between him and King Shashanka. The Brahmins' political struggle with Buddhists led to widespread violence, and in this period, Buddhist centers like Nalanda were attacked.
The final destruction of Nalanda took place after the death of King Harshavardhana. After his death, a Brahmin assassin killed him, and it was during the reign of King Arjuna, who was a Hindu, that Nalanda was attacked by a group of Brahmins. This attack led to the burning of Nalanda University.
According to Professor D.N. Jha, in his work on the history of India, he refers to several Tibetan sources that confirm the destruction of Nalanda was due to the ongoing conflict between Brahmanism and Buddhism. The destruction of Nalanda was already 80% complete before Bakhtiyar Khilji's arrival in Bengal. Yet, some writers unfairly place the blame for Nalanda's destruction solely on Bakhtiyar Khilji.
Many historians, such as Sukhamoy Mukhopadhyay and Dr. Abdul Karim, have pointed out that there is no historical evidence to support the claim that Bakhtiyar Khilji destroyed Nalanda.
Some Indian authors, without authentic sources, have blamed the Muslim rulers for this destruction. However, not all Muslim rulers were cruel. In fact, many Muslim rulers were kind and compassionate toward non-Muslims. If it were not for this, the small Muslim population in India would not have survived, and the Mughals would not have been able to establish their vast empire.
The Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, despite his criticism, funded the construction of temples and appointed the highest number of Hindus in the administration compared to his predecessors.
As for Nalanda, historical evidence shows that it was already largely destroyed before Bakhtiyar Khilji's time. By the time Muslim rule was firmly established in Bengal, Nalanda was no longer functional as a center of education due to its previous destruction and the decreasing Buddhist population.
The decline of Buddhism in Bengal can be attributed to two main factors. First, the persecution of Buddhists during the Sen Dynasty led many of them to flee Bengal. Second, after the arrival of Muslims, a significant portion of Hindus and Buddhists gradually converted to Islam, leading to a reduction in the Buddhist population.
The written history of India before the arrival of Muslims is not extensively available. However, after the arrival of Muslims, written history began to flourish, and Muslim rulers supported literature and education. The Muslims introduced modern educational systems in Europe and Asia, and this is why Cordova in Spain was known as "The lighthouse of Europe."
Muslim rulers in India also patronized many Hindu writers and poets. The works of Hindu epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana were translated into Bengali and Persian during the Muslim rule.
Islamic teachings emphasize the importance of acquiring knowledge. As stated in the Hadith, "Whoever follows a path to seek knowledge, Allah will make his path to paradise easy."
Finally, let me conclude with a verse from the Quran: "Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" [Surah Al-Jumu’ah, 62:09]
Source:
- "History of Bengal" by Siraj-ud-Din Ali Khan.T
- "The History of India" by D.N. Jha.
- "The Culture and Civilization of Ancient India" by R.C. Majumdar.
- "Nalanda and its Impact" by A.C. Banerjee.
- "History of Bengal" by R.C. Majumdar.
- "Ancient India: Culture and Civilization" by D. D. Kosambi
- "History of Bangladesh" by Dr. Abdul Karim
- "History of Bengal" by Sukhamoy Mukhopadhyay
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