# Battle of Hidan

The Battle of Hidan that took place on December 25, 1763, was a famous battle between the forces of Suraj Mal of Bharatpur and the Mughal-Rohilla coalition under Najib ad-Dawlah. It was fought on the banks of the Hindan River near Shahdara, in present-day Uttar Pradesh, India. The battle resulted in the death of Suraj Mal, and his son Jawahar Singh, enraged by his father's death, undertook a campaign of vengeance.

## Background

The Third Battle of Panipat of 1761 debilitated the Marathas and modified the political setup of northern India. Capitalizing on this scenario, Surajmal of Bharatpur sought to create a Jat confederacy, get rid of Najib-ud-Daula from Delhi, reinstate Ghazi-ud-Din as wazir, and exert influence over Mughal policies. To this effect, he directed his sons, Jawahar Singh and Nahar Singh, along with Rao Gujarmal of Rewari (his sworn brother), towards the defense of Delhi and to expand the territories in Haryana to reaffirm the Jat authority in the Doab and observe the eastern Rohilla chiefs.

## Battle

On December 24, 1763, Najib crossed the Jamuna River to face Suraj Mal, who was in South Delhi after leaving Jawahar Singh at Farrukhnagar. The two armies faced each other along the Hindan River. The Jats, under the command of Suraj Mal, had the initial advantage because he had a highly mobile force on his command, with veterans like Mohan Ram, Balram, Mansa Ram, and others forming his main strike units. Elephants were seldom used in his battles. Around 3:00 p.m. on December 25, Suraj Mal crossed the Hindan near Shahdara with 6,000 cavalry and attacked Najib's rear. In the course of a heated confrontation, however, both sides suffered heavy loss. According to Waqa, Suraj Mal, with only thirty horsemen, charged into the Mughal and Baloch center and was slain.

## Historical accounts
### Historian Kanungo's account

At this point, however, historical narratives diverge greatly on the actual details about the death of Suraj Mal. Kanungo suggests, quoting the Waqa, that Suraj Mal, attending only by thirty horsemen, made a gallant charge in the very midst of the forces of the Mughal and the Baloch, where he fell heroically.

### Siyar-ul-Mutakh-khirin

Sayyid Ghulam Husain Tabatabai, in Siyar-ul-Mutakh-khirin, praised the Jat army for its superlative discipline. Some news of the death of Suraj Mal permeated the line, but the soldiers remained unshaken in their positions, as if completely unaffected, while the opposing Muslim army loosed formation and retreated to their camp. The Jat army withdrew from the field, after having gained a position which was, actually, that of victors.

### Bayan-i-Waqai Khawja

In Bayan-i-Waqai, Khawja Abdul Karim Kashmiri recounted the strange events surrounding Suraj Mal's death when his corpse was never recovered. It is assumed that Najib Khan stayed with his army all night to protect it. The Jats withdrew across the Hindan River at midnight, leaving no trace of their army, by which time Suraj Mal's death was generally accepted. Najib Khan is reported to have made his famous observation at this time: "Do not believe a Jat has been killed till his shraddha (the thirteenth-day ceremonial ritu) is said."

### Sir J.D Sarkar's account

According to Sir J.D Sarkar, Suraj Mal was assassinated in a surprise attack perpetrated by the Rohilla turbaned. During a passage through a nala left behind by a river, the Afghans, hidden among jhau bushes, suddenly attacked. The Rohilla musketeers fired upon Suraj Mal, killing him and most of his companions while the rest of the Jat forces fled into the jungle.
Sayyid Muhammad Khan, otherwise known as Sayyidu, encountered Suraj Mal and, taking his vengeance, dismounted and struck him with a dagger multiple times. His body was also struck by other Rohilla soldiers, and a hard effort was made to sever his head. Still battling, the Jat army created some initial doubts within their ranks as to the father's passing, however.
The next day, as far as Najib-ud-Daula was concerned, the report came confirming that the Jat forces had departed, and he demanded confirmation. Sayyidu presented Suraj Mal's severed hand, which the envoys recognized by recalling the distinctive clothing and the amulet, confirming that he was no more.

### W'aqa-i-Shah Alam Sani

According to it, Suraj Mal, the Jat ruler of Bharatpur, fell in battle while surveying the battlefield; despite the dire warnings of his advisors, he continued to remain near enemy lines, observing the movements of the others. It was during this interval that Sayyid Muhammad Khan Baloch, famed as Saydo, and his troops recognized Suraj Mal and, accordingly, attacked him. A slashing blow from one of Saydo's men caused further damage to Suraj Mal's already maimed arm, and he was soon surrounded and killed along with some of his companions, including Mirza Saifullah and Raja Amar Singh. The soldiers of Saydo carried Suraj Mal's disfigured arm to the Nawab Najib-ud-Daula, who took two days to believe it. However, Yakub Khan confirmed after two days that the arm belonged to Suraj Mal; based on the fabric of the sleeve, he believed that this was the material he had viewed the Jat ruler in. The news of Suraj Mal's death spread quickly, and though his army retreated, it stood on guard against the oncoming enemy.

### Historian Wendel's account

Wendel claims that Suraj Mal learnt that a large enemy force was approaching to attack his son and chosen successor, Nahar Singh, who was on an expedition. So he rode off with a few thousand cavalry to try and give him support. But as he passed through a ditch made by the Hindan River, he was ambushed by Rohilla infantry on both sides. The Rohillas opened a furious volley of musket fire, and it brought down Suraj Mal and his retinue, many of whom met their death or were wounded on the battlefield.

## Aftermath

Jawahar Singh now began to make preparations to take revenge for his father's death, aided by Malhar Rao Holkar, the Maratha ruler of Indore, and an army of about 12,000 to 15,000 Sikh warriors.