Ghasera Fort: Difference between revisions

The ruined Ghasera Fort lies at [[Ghasera]] village {{convert|14|km}} from [[Nuh (city)|Nuh city]] on Nun-[[Sohna]] highway. In 18th century, Ghasera was ruled by [[Raghav]] [[Rajput]]s {Bargujars} { whose territory included the [[pargana]]s of Ghasera, [[Indor, Bhiwadi|Indor]], [[Kotla, Nuh|Kotla]], and [[Sohna]]. To their north was the [[Farrukhnagar#History|Princely State of Nawabs of Farrukhnagar]] which was founded in 1732. To their west was the [[jagir]] of [[Ahir]] [[Rewari#Medieval|Rao's of Rewari]] (ancestors of [[Rao Tula Ram]]) with forts at [[Rewari|Gokulgarh]] and [[Gurawra|Guraora]]. In the south were the ruler of [[Jat]]s of [[Bharatpur State]], and [[Kachwaha]] Rajput rulers of [[Alwar State]]. [[Mughal tribe|Mughal]], who were protected by Marathas, had their territory shrunk to a nominal area from Delhi to [[Palam]].  

In 1750 after [[Jat]] king [[Surajmal]] defeated Moghuls. he forced them to sign a treaty according to which Moghuls agreed to pay a large fee as war compensation and promised not to desecrate Hindu temples in Jat territory.<ref name=Jat1/> In 1753, Surajmal killed ''"Rajput raja Bahadur Singh [[Bargujar]]"'' and his son ''"Ajit Singh"'' of ''"Koil"'' (''"Chakala Koil"'' or present day ''"Aligarh"'' on outskirts of [[Palwal]]) in the ''"Battle of Ghasera"'' and captured the Ghasera fort.<ref name=Jat1/><ref name=yadav1/>

During the '''"1753 Battle of Ghasera"''', the Jats laid siege to Ghasera, which lasted for 3 months.<ref name=yadav1/> The Raos of Rewari, led by Bhawani Singh, who were traditional enemies of Bargurjar of Ghasera fought on the side of Jats.<ref name=yadav1/> During the siege, 1500 Jats and their allies were killed by the gun fire from ramparts of Ghasera fort and Rao Bahadur Singh had an army of 8000 after 3 months they had just 25 soldiers left. On 23 April 1753, a desperate Bahadur Singh Bargurjar slayed all his women, opened the gates of the fort for the final battle to death during which he and his companions were killed.<ref name=yadav1>Major General S. D. S. Yadava, 2006 [https://books.google.com.sg/books?id=p69GMA226bgC&pg=PA51&dq=Ghasera+fort&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj365HYqY3mAhXGfH0KHdMCD_kQ6AEIQzAE#v=onepage&q=Ghasera%20fort&f=false Followers of Krishna: Yadavas of India], Lancer Publishers, page 51-52.</ref>

 

After Ghasera, Jats once again turned to attack Delhi and they sacked Mughal capital in 1754, which resulted in Mughals pleading help from [[Maratha Empire|maratha]]s.<ref name=Jat1/> Marathas and Mughals laid siege of the Jat fort of [[Kumher]].<ref name=Jat1/> During the Maratha siege of Jats, the Mughal [[Imad-ul-Mulk]] assisted Bahadur Singh Bargujar's surviving son Fateh Singh Bargujar to recover Ghasera from Jats in January 1754, but a contingent of Suraj Mal's son [[Jawahar Singh]] ousted Fateh Singh Bargujar from Ghasera.<ref name=rajpal1>Raj Pal Singh, 1988, Rise of the Jat power, Page 245.</ref><ref name=yadav1/> Maratha siege of Jats ended in peace treaty in 1754 between Jats and Maratha [[Peshwa]] [[Malharrao Holkar]], facilitated by the Maratha ruler of [[Gwalior State]] [[Mahadaji Shinde|Mahadaji Scindia]] with the help of Martaha Peshwa [[Malharrao Holkar]]'s brother [[Raghunathrao]].<ref name=Jat1>[http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsFarEast/IndiaJats.htm Jat Kingdom of Bharatpur]</ref><ref name=gandhiht1>[https://www.hindustantimes.com/photos/india-news/photos-71-years-after-independence-gandhi-gram-ghasera-battles-neglect/photo-QgSXBqopID9AGYuHNvYznM.html Photos: 71 years after independence, Gandhi Gram Ghasera battles neglect], [[Hindustan Times]], 1 October 2018, page 2,7.</ref>