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| Battle of Thanesar | |||||||
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 Akbar viewing theMughal Army killingSannyasis,Akbarnama (1590–1596) | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Mughal Empire | Two rival groups ofSanyasis | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Akbar Mehtar Khan Ghazi Khan Badakshani | Unknown | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 300 men 2cannons 400matchlocks 75war elephants | 7,000–9,000 Sanyasis | ||||||
Battle of Thanesar (also known as theBattle of the Ascetics)[1] was fought on the eve of Solar eclipse holy bath fair on 9 April 1567, nearThanesar on the banks of the SaraswatiGhaggar River in the state ofHaryana. While theMughal EmperorAkbar was on his campaign to subdue the rebelliousRajputs ofMewar, he set up camp at aspring and established camp around that freshwater reservoir in order to properly manage his forces in the nearby regions.[2]
After staying at a spring for weeks during the scorching summer heat,Akbar and theMughal army encountered a very large group ofSanyasis, who gathered to take holy dip on the banks of the spring. The ascetics approached and entered the Mughal Camp disregarding the rules of the Mughal Encampment, which was built next to their holy river. Akbar was generally displeased at their arrival because he was gathering his armies, building morale, and preparing for his next campaign against RanaUdai Singh ofMewar. However, the main intention of the Sanyasi group was to drink and bathe in the spring, which they considered sacred.[3]
As the summer afternoon began to scorch another group ofsanyasis arrived and they began to gather in their hundreds and thousands around the spring. Outraged by their presence and intrusion, a general advised Akbar to take action. The Mughals were waiting for an opportunity to drive the ascetics out of their encampment, butAkbar believed that they would leave by sunset.
TheMughal EmperorAkbar, continued to concede the spring to theSanyasis and carefully observed their actions. As the "first" large group of monks bathed and drank from the holy spring, a "second" group of monks also began to arrive in their hundreds. It was due to the arrival of the second group that tensions ignited among the two large groups, which eventually culminated in a brawl inside the spring and almost immediately the two rival groups ofSanyasis began to battle each other usingkatars.[4]
Concerned that the violence might spread into theMughal encampment, theMughal EmperorAkbar ordered almost 250 of his men to immediately retake the Sarovar from the schismatic monks. TheMughals armed withtalwars, piked-shields,matchlocks, andcomposite bows and arrows, ferociously overwhelmed the ranks of monks ultimately driving them away from the spring according to their jurisdiction, which justified the usage of force.[5]
TheMughal EmperorAkbar continued to command his campaign fromThanesar, and within the coming months theMughals organized the well-documentedSiege of Chittorgarh against the forces of the RanaUdai Singh II atChittor Fort.
Akbar had learned a valuable lesson from this event and passed aFirman banning any commoner from entering anyMughal encampments without a credible reason.
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