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The various history books and textbooks that we read in schools and colleges in India give us valuable information and insights about brave and fearless women warriors born in India. We have all read about Rani Laxmibai, the Queen of Jhansi, Begum Hazrat Mahal, Rani Abbakka Chowta, Madam Bhikaji Cama, Sarojini Naidu, and many others. Do you know there is another unsung woman warrior whose name has not been mentioned in the history books that we read? She is none other than Rampyari Gurjar, the unsung woman warrior of India, who bravely fought Amir Timur and his forces just at the age of 22.
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Let us read the story of Rampyari Gurjar Chauhan, a courageous woman warrior in India.
Who was Rampyari Gurjar?
Rampyari Gurjar was born in Sharanpur, Uttar Pradesh in the Chauhan Gurjar family.
She was a fearless and brave girl right from childhood.
She wanted to be a wrestler and used to ask her mother about the requirements for becoming a wrestler.
She used to train in isolated places in the morning and at night as well.
Due to the training and disciplined lifestyle, she transformed into a brave and fierce woman warrior.
Rampyari Gurjar used to dress just like men and went with her father and brother to the wrestling area to see the martial skills displayed by wrestlers.
The rule of Tughlaqs in India
In 1398, Indian (Hindustan) was under the rule of the Tughlaqs.
However, no Indian king accepted their rule.
At this time, Timur Lang, also known as Timur and Timur Lang, who ruled from the city of Samarkhand (located in present day Uzbekistan) entered India.
Nasiruddhin Tughlaq who ruled India at that time was weak and could not match up to the strength and might of Timur Lang.
Timur Lang defeated Nasiruddhin Tughlaq and conquered Delhi.
The brutality of Timur Lang
Timur wanted to convert every Hindu into Islam.
In order to spread Islam by force in Delhi, he killed, murdered, and massacred thousands of helpless and common people who did not cause any harm to him or his army.
There was slaughtering, mass killings of lakhs of people and rape of women being done in Delhi.
Timur Lang was so inhumane that he even placed the decomposed heads of killed people for the vultures to feast on.
Such was the cruel nature of Timur Lang.
After complete devastation in Delhi, he casted his evil eye on the Hindus and their pilgrimage sites.
His only aim and purpose was to destroy the Sanathan Dharma in India and establish complete supremacy of Islam.
He specifically targeted those areas that had more people belonging to the Sanathan Dharma and mercilessly killed them.
The news of the barbaric act committed by Timur Lang reached the Jat region
The news of Timur Lang and his atrocities committed on the people in Delhi reached the Jat region.
In present India, the Jan region comprises Haryana and some part of western Uttar Pradesh.
After hearing the news, Devapala, the chief of Jat region immediately organization a Mahapanchayat (meeting).
This Mahapanchayat included people from various communities like Gurjar, Jat, Rajput, Brahmin, Valmiki, and Ahir.
After discussions, all communities came to a common consensus of using the Guerrilla warfare strategy against Timur Lang and his army.
Formation of an army against Timur Lang
Under the guidance of the Mahapanchayat, a private army of 1,20,000 people was formed.
Out of these warriors, a regiment of 40,000 women warriors under the leadership of lady warrior Rampyari Gurjar was formed.
The regiment of male warriors was under the leadership of Mahabali Jograj Singh Gurjar and Harveer Singh Gulia.
Four other women warriors assisted the woman warrior Rampyari Gurjar – Devi Kaur Rajput, Hardai Jaat, Ramdai Tyagi, and Chandro Brahman.
Witful tactics used by the Mahapanchayat
A collective decision was made by the Mahapanchayat to evacuate all the elderly and small children to a safe place along with all the valuables.
Around 500 young horse riders were asked to spy on Timur Lang and his men.
After Timur Lang and his army were moving towards Meerut, they found all the villages empty and got nothing to loot at all.
The guerrilla warfare strategy
According to the principles of guerrilla warfare, the armies of Mahabali Jograj Singh Gurjar, Harveer Singh Gulia, and woman warrior Rampyari Gurjar launched an attack on Timur Lang at night when they had just started from Delhi on the way to Meerut.
Both the men and women forces killed thousands of men in Timur’s army.
Lady warrior Rampyari Gurjar, Mahabali Jograj Singh Gurjar, and Harveer Singh Gulia vanished in thin air by morning after killing many from Timur’s army.
An angered Amir Timur reached Meerut along with his army only to be greeted with disappointment.
The forces of woman warrior Rampyari Gurjar and Mahabali Jograj Singh Gurjar caused severe damage and wounded the army of Timur.
Lack of sleep and food at night due to guerrilla warfare dampened the spirits of Timur’s army and demoralized them completely.
The battle of Haridwar with Timur Lang
In the battle of Haridwar, the brave woman warrior Rampyari Gurjar along with Mahabali Jograj Singh Gurjar completely wiped out Timur’s army.
In this battle, the sharp shooter Harveer Singh Gulia shot an arrow directed at the chest of Timur Lang.
This arrow wounded him severely, and eventually resulted in his death.
The fearlessness and bravery displayed by woman warrior Rampyari Gurjar has been described in the book ‘The Oxford History of India, From the Earliest Times to the End of 1911’ written by Vincent Smith, the British Historian. The armies of Rampyari Gurjar and Mahabali Jograj Singh Gurjar lost 35,000+ brave men and women in order to eliminate Amir Timur and his army from Indian soil.
Isn’t it time for the history books to cognize the contributions made by the lady warrior Rampyari Gurjar?
The atrocities of Timur Lang committed on the people and his conquering of Delhi has been glorified in the history books. However, Rampyari Gurjar, the woman warrior who displayed immense courage, strength, valour, determination, and aggressiveness to beat Timur and his army still remains an unsung woman warrior till today. However, she continues to be an inspiration for several women in India and around the world.