The King who saved north east from the Islamic Invasion.
Prithu was the king of Kamrupa kingdom (Assam). In 1203-1204 AD, Bakhtiyar Khilji attacked and conquered most of the Bengal and moved to invade Kamrupa and Tibet in 1206.
With 12000 Turkish cavalry, Khilji advanced to attack Assam and Tibet from West Bengal. After 10 days, Khilji’s army reached at bridge in the outskirt of Kamrupa.
King Prithu was aware of the threat and decided to use Scorched Earth Policy against the invading forces.
Scorched Earth Policy is a military strategy that aims to destroy all the possible resources that might be useful for enemy which involves food resources, agricultural lands, water resources etc. To Starve and dehydrate the enemy soldiers is the main aim of this policy.
When Khilji attacked, Prithu with his army along with tribal community of Bodo, Koch Rajbongshi, and Keot lauched a lethal charge towards khilji’s army.
The combined forces of tribal community and king Prithu’s army not only stopped Khilji’s armies, but wreaked havoc on them.
As the supply line was disconnected, Khilji’s troops were exhausted and thirsty. The very next day, king Prithu’s bigger armies scared Khilji so much that his wounded men decided to retreat.
However, Prithu relentlessly attacked Khilji’s retreating army, and killed most of them.
Those who were able to reach the bridge on the river to protect themselves found it to be destroyed. Finding no option, fleeing soldiers jumped to river. Some of them drowned, but somehow Khilji survived with few men to reach Bengal.
After humiliating defeat Khilji slipped into depression. Thereafter, he never led any battle or campaign. At last he was assassinated by his own general.
How unfortunate that we Indians don’t know about King Prithu, who saved North East form barbarian Islamic Invasion.
We have a town and railway station called Bakhtiyarpur in Bihar but have you heard any town or road named after the great warrior king Prithu?
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Information Source: Sunil Rawat's article-Dharmayudh, Trunicle[dot]com
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