Panipat – Ankahi. Unsaid.

These weathered metal sculptures of medieval warriors and a large artillery carriage, supposedly celebrate Mughal victory over Sultan Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat, 1526.

In tatters, rusted and ill-maintained, today these sculptures are in a pathetic condition. The hands of two warriors are broken, while the turret of the artillery gun lies damaged on the ground; they look morose and tired. Maintained by the Municipal Corporation of Panipat (MCP, is their acronym), the park itself is unclean and in a sad condition. Considering the fact that this is the tomb of Ibrahim Lodi the last Sultan of Delhi, couldn’t it have been maintained better.

Ibrahim Lodi, the last ruler of his dynasty – a draconian king, rests here in the soil of Panipat. His open to sky tomb is on a double platform at a park in Tehsil Camp. The tomb, marked by a rectangular grave on a raised platform, was built using Lakhauri bricks. An inscription on a niche near the grave declares that it was repaired and restored by the British in 1867 AD.

There must be something special about the plains of Panipat that it saw three major battles – the First Battle of Panipat was fought on April 21, 1526, between last ruler of Delhi Sultanate Ibrahim Khan Lodi and the Mughal Zahir-ud-din Babur. Ibrahim Lodi, the was killed in this battle. Babur used his artillery to emerge as the victor.

The Second Battle of Panipat was fought on November 5, 1556, between Akbar (under Bairam Khan) and Hemu Vikramditya, the last Hindu emperor of Delhi during which an arrow struck Hemchander in the eye causing his army to retreat, following which Akbar won the battle.

The Third Battle of Panipat was fought on January 14, 1761, between the Marathas led by Sadashivrao Bhau and Ahmad Shah Abdali. The Marathas suffered a devastating defeat in this battle.

Though the sign outside the park says it is Protected Monument of National Importance, the fact remains that there was not one attendant in or around the Tomb. The main gate was locked and parked inside the gate was a garbage collecting cart beyond which was a big waste dump of leaves and other junk material. I wondered what is the purpose of the double level circular platform from which one couldn’t see more than 200 meters ahead. Groups of people were seen smoking and playing cards inside. Someone had left washed clothes to dry on the grass; food and leftovers were scattered in another corner while the entire grass patch was littered with cigarette butts, bidi stubs and empty matchboxes. A matchbox named after a leader lay there in dirt under an Ashoka plant.

From a distance it looked like any other children’s playground with plastic-ki slides and swings though partially broken and dirty. As usual it was ill-maintained, unkempt, with garbage and waste dumped around. But for the blue ASI sign you would miss the tomb easily. The main gate to the so called ‘monument’ is permanently locked which faces an open sewage drain that spreads the stink for meters ahead. In the narrow side lane cars and scooters are parked of the residential habitat touching it. The side gate to the tomb/park is designed for hurdle race practice that can only be cleared by athletic bodies – possibly keeping in mind the Lodis or the Mughals.

Sculptures of medieval warriors at Ibrahim Lodi’s tomb, Panipat

Gharaunda sounds like a dainty toyhouse or a dollhouse-like nest, offering the safety of a mother’s hug. I wonder who named this small town in Karnal district as Gharaunda—a town desperately trying to unhinge itself from its past and join the mainstream madness of our stunted cities. Located on NH44, the town is choking not only with dense habitation and heavy traffic but also with the petroleum fumes that permeate its air.

Nearly 400 years ago, the Tughlaqs, the Lodis, and then the Mughals cleared part of the dense jungle to create a road connecting Bengal to Afghanistan and from there to Uzbekistan, Iran and beyond. Along the road they built Kos Minars, piaos, and Sarais. While some of the Kos Minars still survive, most of the sarais have scummbed to time or illegal occupation.

One dazzling Sarai defied all and has stood tall through the centuries – in fact it looks as fresh as the day its three stories were constructed. It is one of the finest examples of decorative brick structures that have survived the test of time and the onsualght of expanding urban areas.

The ‘Mughal Sarai,’ as it is called, is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India, though it is ill-maintained. A narrow lane leads to the vibrantly amazing structure; however, the front facade of which can’t be seen or photographed in totality because there is very little depth available. Crane your neck hard to see the tall circular turrets on each end of the gateway. The western portion of the Southern gateway, part of which has fallen apart, appears to be an Ebrahim Alkazi theatre set where a Mughal dastan is set to be played.

Built in 1637 AD by Feroz Khan during the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, this quadrangular Sarai (rest house) naturally came to be named after the Mughals. The historic site of Gharaunda, where the Sarai stands, also served as a campsite for Babur prior to the First Battle of Panipat.

Today, two of these three-story gateways still stand within the area, positioned roughly 100 metres apart along the remains of the Northern and Southern walls. Constructed from traditional Lakhauri bricks, these structures feature an enclosed design with cells lining all four sides of the quadrangle. The surviving gateways are highly ornate, decorated with intricate panels, balconies, rounded towers, and angular flutes.

A must visit site if you are passing by Karnal or surrounding areas.