Important Battles in the History of India

 

There have been several “Important battles in Indian History” fought on Indian soil, ranging from ancient times to modern times. Over the years, India has undergone numerous changes as a result of these battles and wars. 

Important Indian Battles in the Early, Post-Vedic and Mauryan Periods
Name of Battle	Between	Location	Year	Result
Battle of the Ten Kings (Dasarajna)	King of the Bharatas (tribe) and a confederation of ten tribes	Near the Ravi River (ancient Parushni River), in Punjab.	14th century BCE	Trtsu-Bharata victory (Source: 7th Mandala of the Rigveda)
Battle of the Hydaspes	Alexander the Great and king Porus	Near the river Jhelum (Hydaspes in Greek), Eastern Punjab, now Pakistan.	326 BCE	Greek Army of Alexander won the battle.
Seleucid–Mauryan war	Chandragupta Maurya and Seleucus I Nicator	Northwestern India, Indus River Valley.	305 – 303 BCE	All of the Macedonian Satrapies in the Indus River Valley was annexed by the Chandragupta.
Kalinga War	Ashoka and Raja Anantha Padmanabha	Odisha & Andhra Pradesh	261 BCE	Kalinga was annexed by Ashoka. Ashoka’s major rock edict XIII describes the Kalinga war.

Important Battles of Indian History in Common Era: From 7th to 15th Centuries
Name of Battle	Between	Location	Year	Result
Battle at Narmada River	Chalukyas of Vatapi and Vardhana dynasty.	Narmada River	618 CE	Chalukyan victory. Harshavardhana’s South Indian expansion came to a halt.
Battle of Pullalur	Chalukya king Pulakesin II and the Pallava king Mahendravarman I	Pullalur, Tamil Nadu	618 – 619 CE	Chalukyan victory.
Battle of Vatapi	Chalukyas of Vatapi and Pallava dynasty	Vatapi, (present-day Badami), Karnataka.	642 CE	Pallavas defeated Pulakeshin II decisively.
Battle of Peshawar	Mahmud of Ghazni and Jayapala	Peshawar, (present-day Pakistan)	1001 CE	Mahmud of Ghazni victory
First Battle of Tarain	Prithviraj Chauhan and Mohammed Ghori	Taraori, Haryana	1191 CE	Prithviraj Chauhan victory
Second Battle of Tarain	Prithviraj Chauhan and Mohammed Ghori	Taraori, Haryana	1192 CE	Mohmmed Ghori victory
Battle of Chandawar	Muhammad Ghori and Jaichandra	Chandawar (present-day Chandawal near Firozabad), Agra, UP.	1194 CE	Mohmmed Ghori victory
Battle of Kili	Mongols of the Chagatai Khanate and Delhi Sultanate	Delhi	1299 CE	Delhi Sultanate victory
Battle of Delhi	Timurids and the Tughlaq dynasty	Delhi	1398 CE	Mongol-Turkish warrior Timur victory
Battle of Sarangpur	Rana Kumbha and Sultan Mahmud Khilji	Sarangpur, Madhya Pradesh	1437 CE	Rajput Victory Mahmud Khilji was imprisoned
Battle of Nagaur	Rajputs of Mewar and the Nagaur Sultanate	Nagpur, Maharashtra	1455 CE	Rajput victory

Important Battles of Indian History in Modern Times : From the 16th to 20th Centuries:
Name of Battle	Between	Location	Year	Result
Battle of Diu	Portuguese and joint fleet of the Zamorin of Calicut, Sultan of Gujarat, and the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt with support from the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Venice.	Arabian Sea,	3 February 1509 CE	Portuguese victory
First Battle of Panipat	Babur and Ibrahim Lodi	Panipat, Haryana	21 April 1526 CE	Babur victory Mughal Empire Establishment
Battle of Khanwa	Babur and Rana Sanga	Khanwa, Rajasthan	16 March 1527	Babur victory
Battle of Chanderi	Rajputs and Mughals	–	20 January 1528	Babur victory
Battle of Ghaghra	Babur and joint forces of Mahmud Lodi (Delhi Sultanate), Nusrat Shah (Bengal Sultanate).	Ghaghara River, Bihar	6 May. 1529	Babur victory
Battle of Chausa	Sher Shah and Humayun	Chausa, Buxar, Bihar	26 June 1539	Sher Shah victory
Battle of Kannauj	Sher Shah Suri and Humayun	Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh	17 May 1540	Sher Shah victory
Battle of Sirhind	Mughal Emperor Humayun and Sikandar Shah Suri	Fatehgarh, Punjab	22 June 1555	Humayun victory Restoration of the Mughal Empire
Second Battle of Panipat	Akbar and Hemu	Panipat, Haryana	5 November 1556	Akbar victory
Battle of Talikota	Vijaynagar Empire and Deccan Sultanates	Talikot, Karnataka	23 January 1565	Deccan Sultanates victory
Battle of Haldighati	Maharana Pratap of Mewar and Akbar’s forces led by Man Singh I	Haldighati, Rajsamand District, Rajasthan	18 June 1576	Mughal victory
Battle of Kartarpur	Sikh and Mughal Empire	Kartarpur, Punjab	25 April 1635	Sikh victory
Mughal–Safavid War	Mughal and Safavid Empires	Afghanistan	1649–1653	Safavid victory
Deccan Wars	Maratha and Mughal Empires	Deccan	1681–1707	Maratha victory
Battle of Vasai	Maratha Empire and Portuguese	Vasai, Mumbai	17 Feb 1739 – 16 May 1739	Maratha victory
Battle of Karnal	Nadir Shah and Muhammad Shah	Karnal, Haryana	24 February 1739	Nadir Shah victory
Battle of Colachel	Kingdom of Travancore and the Dutch East India Company (VOC)	Colachel, Tamil Nadu	10 August 1741	Travancore victory
First Carnatic War	East India Company and French forces	Carnatic region	1740 – 1748	Inconclusive
Second Carnatic War	Nizam of Hyderabad and Nawab of the Carnatic, each supported by the East India Company or the French.	Carnatic region	1749 – 1754	Muzaffar Jung was appointed Nizam of Hyderabad. Muhammad Ali was appointed Nawab of Carnatic.
Battle of Plassey	East India Company and Nawab of Bengal (Siraj-ud-Daulah)	Palashi, near Calcutta	23 June 1757	East India Company victory British Rule started in India
Third Carnatic War	East India Company and French	Carnatic region	1758 – 1763	EIC victory
Battle of Wandiwash (3rd Carnatic war)	English and French forces	Vandavasi, Tamil Nadu	22 January 1760	EIC victory
Third Battle of Panipat	Maratha Empire and Ahmad Shah Durrani   Durrani (Afghanistan)	Panipat, Haryana	14 January 1761	Afghan victory
Battle of Buxar	East India Company and the Joint forces of Mir Qasim (administrator of Bengal), Shuja-ud-Daulah (Nawab of Oudh) and Shah Alam II (Mughal emperor).	Buxar, Bihar	22 – 23 Oct 1764	EIC victory Treaty of Allahabad 1765
First Anglo-Mysore War	East India Company and Kingdom of Mysore (Hyder Ali)	South India	1767-1769	Mysore victory Treaty of Madras
First Anglo-Maratha War	East India Company and Maratha	Pune, Maharashtra	1775 -1782	Maratha victory Treaty of Salbai
Second Anglo-Mysore War	East India Company and Kingdom of Mysore (Hyder Ali)	South India	1780 – 1784	Status quo ante bellum Treaty of Mangalore
Maratha-Mysore War	Maratha Empire and Mysore	South India	1785 – 1787	Maratha victory Treaty of Gajendragad
Third Anglo-Mysore War	East India Company and Kingdom of Mysore (Tipu Sultan)	South India	1790 – 1792	East India Company victory Treaty of Seringapatam
Fourth Anglo-Mysore War	East India Company and Kingdom of Mysore (Tipu Sultan)	South India	1798 – 1799	East India Company victory Mysore entered into subsidiary alliance
Second Anglo-Maratha War	East India Company and Maratha	India	1803 – 1805	East India Company victory Treaty of Surji-Anjangaon
Anglo-Nepalese War	East India Company and Gorkha Kingdom	Northern India	1814 – 1816	East India Company victory Treaty of Sugauli
Third Anglo-Maratha War	East India Company and Maratha	Maharashtra	1817 – 1818	East India Company victory The formal end of Maratha Empire
First Anglo-Burmese War	East India Company and Burmese Empire	Burma	1824 – 1826	East India Company victory Treaty of Yandabo British rule started in Burma (present-day Myanmar)
First Anglo-Afghan War	East India Company and Emirate of Kabul	Afghanistan	1839 – 1842	Afghan Victory British EIC withdrawal from Afghanistan
First Anglo-Sikh War	East India Company and the SikhEmpire	Punjab	1845 – 1846	British victory
Second Anglo-Sikh War	East India Company and the Sikh Empire	Punjab	1848 – 1849	East India Company victory The formal end of Sikh Empire
Second Anglo-Burmese War	East India Company and Burmese Empire	Burma	1852 – 1853	East India Company victory
Second Anglo-Afghan War	British India and Emirate of Afghanistan	Afghanistan	1878 – 1880	British India victory Treaty of Gandamak Afghanistan was designated as a British protectorate.
Third Anglo-Burmese War	British India and Burma	Burma	7 – 29 November 1885	British India victory The province of Burma became part of British India.
Third Anglo-Afghan War	British India and Emirate of Afghanistan	Afghanistan	1919	Armistice Treaty of Rawalpindi The Durand Line was reaffirmed.
Battle of Imphal	British India and Imperial Japan (During World War II)	Imphal, Manipur	1944	British India victory

Jarasandha's Most Significant Battles in the Mahabharata: A Detailed Analysis

Introduction

Jarasandha, the powerful ruler of Magadha, was one of the most formidable antagonists in the Mahabharata. He was the son of King Brihadratha and was born under miraculous circumstances, having been joined together by a rakshasi named Jara. Jarasandha’s prowess as a warrior and his vast empire made him one of the most influential kings of his time. His military campaigns and conflicts with the Yadavas, Pandavas, and other rulers were pivotal in shaping the course of history in the Mahabharata.

This analysis delves into Jarasandha’s most significant battles, his strategic strengths, and the ultimate confrontation that led to his downfall.

1. Jarasandha’s Military Strength and Conquests

Jarasandha was known for his extensive military might. His army was vast, consisting of numerous chariots, cavalry, elephants, and infantry. His capital, Rajagriha, was heavily fortified, making it difficult for enemies to attack. His primary ambition was to establish himself as the undisputed emperor by subjugating rival kingdoms.

2. Conflict with the Yadavas

One of Jarasandha’s most significant rivalries was with the Yadavas, particularly Lord Krishna and his allies. His enmity with them stemmed from his son-in-law, Kansa, who was slain by Krishna.

2.1 Battle Against Krishna in Mathura

Jarasandha sought vengeance for Kansa’s death and launched a series of attacks against the city of Mathura, where Krishna and the Yadavas resided.

• First Attack: Jarasandha led a massive army against Mathura. Krishna and Balarama, though outnumbered, managed to defend the city using superior tactics. Jarasandha was forced to retreat.
• Repeated Invasions: Jarasandha attacked Mathura seventeen times, each time gathering a larger army. However, Krishna and Balarama consistently repelled his attacks through guerrilla warfare and defensive strategies.
• Final Assault and the Exodus to Dwaraka: Realizing that Mathura was becoming indefensible due to constant invasions, Krishna decided to shift the Yadava capital to Dwaraka. This strategic move deprived Jarasandha of his primary target, frustrating his attempts to annihilate the Yadavas.

3. The Battle Against Kalayavana and the Yadava Strategy

Jarasandha later allied with Kalayavana, a powerful barbarian king, to destroy Krishna. Kalayavana led an independent attack on Mathura, while Jarasandha planned another assault. Krishna, using his intelligence, lured Kalayavana into a cave where he was killed by the sage Muchukunda. This event weakened Jarasandha’s offensive strategy, forcing him to abandon his plan.

4. Conquest of Northern and Central Indian Kingdoms

Jarasandha sought to expand his empire and aimed at performing the Rajasuya Yajna by imprisoning and sacrificing 100 kings. He subjugated several kingdoms, including:

• Chedi (Shishupala’s Kingdom)
• Kashi (Varanasi)
• Kalinga (Odisha region)
• Kosala
• Panchala
• Mithila His ambition to establish absolute supremacy led to tensions with the Pandavas, particularly Yudhishthira, who also aspired to perform the Rajasuya Yajna.

5. The Final Battle: Jarasandha vs. Bhima

One of the most legendary battles in the Mahabharata was Jarasandha’s duel with Bhima, orchestrated by Krishna as part of the Pandavas’ Rajasuya Yajna preparations.

5.1 Krishna’s Strategy to Weaken Jarasandha

• Yudhishthira’s desire to perform the Rajasuya Yajna required all rival kings to either submit or be defeated.
• Krishna, knowing that a full-scale war against Magadha would be costly, devised a plan to challenge Jarasandha in a one-on-one duel.
• Krishna, Bhima, and Arjuna disguised themselves as Brahmins and entered Rajagriha, where they challenged Jarasandha to combat.

5.2 Bhima vs. Jarasandha: The Epic Duel

• Jarasandha, known for his warrior code, agreed to single combat with Bhima.
• The battle lasted for fourteen days, with both warriors showcasing immense strength and endurance.
• Despite being evenly matched, Bhima, under Krishna’s guidance, tore Jarasandha’s body apart and threw the two halves in opposite directions, preventing his body from rejoining, thereby killing him permanently.

6. Aftermath and Impact of Jarasandha’s Death

• With Jarasandha’s demise, the imprisoned kings were freed, and Yudhishthira successfully completed his Rajasuya Yajna.
• Magadha’s throne was handed over to Sahadeva, Jarasandha’s son, who allied with the Pandavas.
• The removal of Jarasandha’s threat allowed Krishna and the Pandavas to focus on other powerful adversaries like Duryodhana and Shakuni.

Conclusion

Jarasandha’s battles were among the most significant conflicts in the Mahabharata. His repeated invasions of Mathura, his expansionist campaigns, and his final confrontation with Bhima highlight his role as a formidable warrior and a key political player of the era. His death marked a turning point, paving the way for the Pandavas’ rise and the eventual Kurukshetra War. His military strategies, strengths, and weaknesses offer valuable insights into the dynamics of ancient Indian warfare and diplomacy.