Prithviraj Chauhan

Prthviiraaj Chouhaan is known as great martyr in India. He ruled from Ajmer and Delhi from an early age. His elopment with Samyukta, the princess of Kannauj is known as one of the greatest romantic saga and is well illustrated in "Prithviraj Raso" written by his court poet Chand Bardai. Samyukta happened to be the daughter of his enemy.

Prithviraj heard of Samyukta from the court poets and went to see her. Samyukta too had listened his courage and valour and was attracted towards him when she saw a painting of his. Her father Jaichand, organized a Swayambar for her, but didnt invite Prithviraj. Instead he erected his statue and placed as Dwarpaal (Gatekeeper). But Samyukta passed through all the eligible princes and put garlended Prithviraj's statue. Prithviraj emerged from no where and after a short resistance, he succesfully took away Samyukta.

He did his schooling at the gurukul (school) of Ram Purohit, where he mastered in the tricks of "Shabd bedhi Baan" (where in somebody hits a target using an arrow nto by seeing it but by listening the sounds coming from that target) which has been mastered by only a handful of people in the history of India.

He faught many wars but always forgive his prisnor king. Mahmud Ghauri too faught many wars with him but was always defeated and pardoned by Prithviraj. But once Prithviraj lost to Ghauri and Ghauri ordered that his eyes be burnt with red hot iron rods, so that he becomes blind and be no more harmful to him. Prithviraj's court poet came to Ghauri and informed him that Prithviraj can shoot without seeing the target but he need to listen only sound. Ghauri didnt beleive and wanted to see it himself. So he ordered some iron plates to be hunged near his seat, and asked Prithviraj to hit it, which he did succesfully.

Chandbardai immidiately composed a couplet to indicate the relative location of sultan, so that Prithviraaj could hit him with remaining arrows. It went thus:

चार बांस, चौबीस गज, अंगुल अष्ट प्रमाण,

ता ऊपर सुल्तान है, मत चूके चौहान।

(Four measures ahead of you and twenty four yards away as measured with eight fingersmeasuremtn, is seated the Sultan, Do not miss him now, Chauhan.)

When Prithviraj Chauhan hit the iron plate successfully, Ghauri said in excitement "Shabaash" (Bravo), using this sound and the information provided by Chandbardai, he hit the Sultan in his throat, causing his immidate death. immidiately Prithviraj and Chandbardai stabbed each other in order to not to die in hands of courtiers of Ghauri.