History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c33.s4.35

v3.c33.s4.35

In 404 H (1023 A. D.) he led this expedition and he must not have crossed the Jumna at all as he had first to chastise the king of Gwalior. This king submitted without fighting and as he was merely a feudatory of Kalanjar, Mahmud did not wait here long but proceeded against Ganda, called Nanda wrongly by Mahomedan writers. Some European writers doubt the truth of this expedition and Elliot could not explain the inclusion of Gwalior in it (Elliot II p. 467); but when we know from inscriptions that both Gwalior and Kalanjar had together attacked Rājyapāla, we may not only grant the necessity and truth of this expedition but see why Gwalior was first attacked and humbled. Nizamuddin detailing this expedition says that Mahmud again attacked Kalanjar which as we have seen is a repetition. In reality this was the first expedition against Chandrarai of Kalanjar (perhaps the second if we take into account the first invasion of Kalpi after Kanauj and Mathura were taken in 1018 A. D.). Ganda at this time retired to Kalanjar which Mahmud invested. Nizamuddin writes that "this fort was unparalleled in the whole of Hindustan for strength. Nanda presented three hundred elephants and sued for peace." "He also sent a few Hindi verses in praise of the Sultan which were shown to learned men of the country and court-poets who bestowed high praise upon them; the Sultan was pleased and sending some presents bestowed upon Nanda fifteen fortresses." It seems that Mahmud was prudent enough not to waste his power upon the reduction of such fortresses as Kalanjar and Gwalior, and contented himself with accepting their submission, and their non-interference with the king of Kanauj paying him a tribute. It is natural that Trilochanapāla who had succeeded Rājyapāla must have consented to pay a yearly tribute as covenanted by his father.