Thread by @ShefVaidya

#ChanderiChronicles #thread The beautiful town of Chanderi, surrounded by the Vindhyachala ranges is one of the best kept secrets of @MPTourism. The town sits low below a ridge that is crowned by the magnificent #Chanderi fort.

When we say #Chanderi, most of us textile enthusiasts think of the diaphanous, light-as-air Chanderi sarees, a fabric known for its subtle jari motifs and gossamer thin translucence that made Chanderi the favourite of erstwhile royal families of Rajasthan, MP and Maharashtra

But there is so much more to #Chanderi. Once known as Chandrapuri and Chedi Nagri, the town of Chanderi and the countryside around it formed a part of the Chedi kingdom. Chandrapuri is believed to be the capital of Vakradanta, the father of Shishupal mentioned in the Mahabharat.

Today, #Chanderi holds on to its glorious past in the form of several historical monuments like ancient cave paintings, Jain and Hindu temples and monasteries and high forts and palaces. @MPTourism

Credit to developing modern Chanderi goes to Gurjara Pratihara king Kirtipal. He built the massive fort that looms over the town of Chanderi. He was a great devotee of Mata Jageshwari, who resides in a cave halfway up the hill on which the Chanderi fort is situated. @MPTourism

Sadly, between 13th century CE to 18th century, Chanderi bore the brunt of repeated attacks from Islamic invaders. The town was successively captured by the Khiljis, Tughlaqs, Malwa sultans and Mughals, resulting in massive destruction of its temples and monasteries. @MPTourism

Today, every ancient Hindu and Jain temple in the vicinity of Chanderi lies in ruins, with the Murtis defaced, garbhagriha desecrated and temple shikhara destroyed! But even what remains after the destruction has the power to wow you with its sublime beauty. @MPTourism

Everyone knows about the famous Jauhars of Chittaudgarh, but how many Indians know that Chanderi fort endured one of the largest mass self-immolations by Hindu women who preferred death over sexual slavery of the marauding Muzlim armies? @MPTourism

Smarting from the heavy losses his forces incurred at the hands of Rana Sangha in the battle of Khanwa, Babar laid siege to chanderi fort in 1528. He first offered Raja Medini Rai, the then king of Malwa the city of Shamshabad as a gift, to entice him to support him @MPTourism

Medini Rai treated Rana Sangha as his Dharm Pita and refused Babar’s offer. Enraged, Babar laid seige to the Chanderi fort that lasted for days. When the valiant troops of Raja Medina Rai realised that they were trapped they did #Kesariya, the final fight to death @MPTourism

Hindu women committed #Jauhar in the Chanderi fort. The Jauhar is said to have been led by Queen Manimala, the wife of Medini Rai. It is estimated that more than 1500 women jumped into the pyre to escape sexual slavery of the Islamists, a fate worse than death. Pic -krantidoot.in

It is recorded that so high were the flames of the pyre into which the brave Hindu women of Chanderi fort had thrown themselves that the fire could be seen from a distance of 5 miles.

Babar’s own chronicler records that the Hindu men when they finally faced him were without clothes as they had used up even their clothes to feed the fire of Jauhar! Babar felt no remorse seeing this dance of death. Rather, he ordered a tower of skulls to be built as a memorial!

Today, a Jauhar memorial stands inside the Chanderi fort, a mute reminder of the sacrifice of the Rajput women. Sati’s hand with bangles stands flanked between the sun and and the moon, signifying that this act of valour shall be remembered till eternity. @MPTourism