History of Panipat

The legendary city of Panduprastha has in later times come to be known as Panipat. Legend has it that at the time of the battle of Mahabharata, five villages were demanded by the Pandavas from Duryodhana of which one was “Panpat”. This developed into one of the five cities-“prasthas”- founded by the Pandava brothers. Panipat in modern times was designated a District. It is located 90 km from Delhi on the National Highway-1 on the Sher Shah Suri Marg. This city could very well have become the capital of India, had the Great Moghul Babur decided to do so. The name of this city occupies primacy in Indian history at a later period because three famous pivotal battles of Panipat which were fought here over the two centuries between 1526 to 1756.

It was in the First Battle of Panipat, fought in AD 1526 in which invader Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodhi, of the Delhi Sultanate. In the Second Battle of Panipat fought in 1556, Akbar’s guardian Bairam Khan defeated the Hindu ruler Hemu. In the Third Battle of Panipat fought in 1761, Ahmad Shah Abdali, the Afghan ruler defeated the Peshwa Marathas.

Today Panipat is an industrial town and is known for its handloom products. The district headquarter is situated in Panipat town. Other smaller towns are Samalkha, Israna and Naultha which have developed in its neighborhood. The total area of Panipat district is 1,754 sq km and its population is 8,33,000.
Among historical sites in Panipat, there is the Tomb of Ibrahim Lodi: This king was defeated by Babur in 1526. His grave is a simple affair; just a rectangular block on a high platform approached by a flight of steps made of lakhori bricks. The tomb was renovated by the British in 1866.

The Kabuli Shah mosque was built by Babur after his victory over Ibrahim Lodhi. He named the mosque after his wife Kabuli Begum. Six years later when Humayun defeated Salim Shah, he got a platform called Chabutara Fateh Mubarak made around the mosque. The mosque has chambers on two sides and an inscription in Persian runs along the parapet.
The secular nature of the city is exemplified in its temples and mosques. There are Jain temples in Holi mohalla and a shrine to the Muslim saint Abu Ali Kalandar. A fort rises up away from Panipat to its highest point, still guarding the city from invaders. A large park commemorates the famous Urdu poet & critic Altaaf Hussein Haali who was born in this city in 1837.