The Battle of Tarrain was fought between
Muhammad Ghori and
Prithviraj Chauhan in AD 1191 and AD 1192. It arose over the rival claims for Tabarhinda, now called
Bathinda, a place in North India.
In the first battle, fought in AD 1191, the Ghori forces were completely routed, and Bathinda was conquered by Prithviraj following a siege of one year. This battle was fought by Prithviraj Chauhan to stop Muhammad Ghori's entry into India.
The second battle, fought in AD 1192, is regarded as one of the turning points in Indian history. This battle was initiated by Muhammad Ghori to avenge his defeat in the first battle. Prithviraj fielded a large force, mostly consisting of the army contingents belonging to the Rajas of Northern India.
During the course of the battle, Prithviraj was defeated. This defeat is attributed to the superior organizational skill and speed of movements of the Turkish cavalry.
The defeat of Prithviraj led to the capture of the fortresses of Hansi, Saraswati, Samana and finally Ajmer, which had been ruled by him. Although Ajmer was captured, Prithviraj was allowed to rule over it for some time. Soon, Prithviraj was executed on a charge of conspiracy.
The victory of Muhammad Ghori was decisive, and laid the foundation of the
Sultanate of Delhi and, for Hinduism, the period was critical. This also gave rise to centuries of wars between the kings of Mewar and the Muslims.
