What happened that night
Chanderi 28 January 1528
Mughal Dynasty began their rule under the great Emperor Babar. The most famous incident in the history of Chanderi took place during January of 1528 when Babar attacked and captured the fort of Chanderi. At this time Medini Rai was ruling Chanderi peacefully. Babur forces encamped on the outskirts of town and sent messengers to Medini Rai. In the message Babar issued three choice the king could make and ordered a reply within 24 hours. The first choice was that Rai and his court could leave Chanderi unmolested and concede to Babur. The second choice was that Rai and his court could surrender. Rai would remain the king but under the rule of Babur. The third choice was that he would accept the terms of war, Babur would attack. Chanderi 28 January 1528
It is said that at this time the court of Medini Rai was holding a large Vivah (marriage ceremony) in the fort palace and all of the towns aristocracy and royal families were taking celebrations. When the news of Babur's forces encamped outside the town and the delivery of Babur's message reached the court there was a huge panic. Medini Rai and his court could not decide on which direction they should take, they were in a sense trapped in the fort as they had not taken refuge there but had come for the marriage celebrations. Also all of the woman were trapped in the fort and had no means of escape to safety from the impending battle.
During the night Babur's scout reported a great deal of activity taking place in the fort.They observed that large masses of wood were being gathered and assembled and great fires blazing behind the main fort walls.
Morning came and no word was received from Medini Rai. Babur summoned his scouts to assess the situation. They peered over the outer fort walls they were amazed to see the dead bodies of 100s of Medini Rai's troops. They had all taken swords to each other in mutual suicide by thrusting their weapons into each other. There were 1000s of dead Chanderi troops everywhere.
It was during the night the court of Medini Rai had decided that they could not surrender as this would mean that all of the woman would fall into the hands of the enmy. So they made a fourth choice, they would take their fate into their own hands.
In the night giant masses of wood were made into crematory piles and by different accounts between 600 to 1500 woman of the court including the queen* committed jauhar, either throwing themselves into the fire or having themselves ritually killed and then cremated. to protect their caste and honor. This was perhaps one of the largest and most famous Jauhar rituals (along with the three Jauhars of Chittor fort) ever preformed in Indian history. Also as per Babur's account, that day 3000* of Medini Rai's troops preformed mass warrior suicide ‘Saka’.
Babar writes in his memoirs,his army virtually walked into the main fort. It was an awful scene of death and sacrifice that met him as he entered the main fort. Then he writes that at this time there appeared the last of Medini Rai's troops numbering about 300 who were wielding their swords and met Babur's troops at full charge. Babur reports that their temperament was so fierce it threw his troops back and a frightening battle ensued with his army defeating Rai's. Babur had won Chanderi fort, it was the 28th of January 1528. (Babur's own account of the battle for Chanderi can be read in his memoirs.)
*Other accounts states that up to 6000 of Rai's troops died that day.
*while some account that Babur gifted Medini Rai's captured daughters to Kamran and Humayun (NCERT)
*A.B.Pandey in'Later Medival India A History of Mughals'.states that "two daughters of Medini Rai who were given in marriage to Kamran and Humayun".
illustration: A bas-relief sculpture in the fort showing an idealized view of the Rajput practice of johar: warriors and women worship a Shiva-lingam; warriors fight to the death; women collectively leap into a huge fire.
