The Royal Love Legend of Prithviraj And Samyukta

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Indian love legends have their own beauty and charm and have succeeded to conquer the flight of time. The classical love legends are told and retold in an admirable manner that the interest to read them is irrevocable. The story of Prithiviraj and Samyukyha is such a one known for the intensity of love.

'Chivalry' can be synonymous with the 'Rajput' clan who then ruled India. Prithviraj Chauhan was a brave, noble and a chivalrous Rajput king whose capital was Sambhar. Prithviraj further annexed Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Eastern Punjab and started ruling from his twin capitals at Delhi and Ajmer His bravery and nobility reached the nook and corners of the country and especially warmed the heart of Samyukta/ Samyogita, a Rajput princess who fell in love with him

As Prithviraj's personality spoke of nobility and chivalry, Sanyukta was spoken of for her bewitching beauty. She was the beautiful princess of Kannauj ruled by her father Jaichand. Jaichand belonged to the rival Rajput clan of the Chauhans, the Rathods and grew envious of Prithviraj's vast spreading glory.

Samyukta secretly expressed her love for her beloved and the two exchanged their amorous feelings for each other through secret correspondence. Jaichand came to know of Samyukta's feelings for Prithviraj and wanted to put an end to it. He organized a Swayamvara (a form of marriage where a princess could choose her husband from the invited kings or princes) for his daughter and had the most valiant and noble kings invited. But Jaichand deliberately placed the statue of the uninvited Prithviraj at the door of the hall indirectly implying that he was akin to a doorkeeper.

Samyukta was summoned to the court decked accordingly as a bride as if the very beauty itself was further beautified with the ornaments. Samyukta lowered her bedecked form from the aisle and walked her way through the staring audience to the statue of Prithiviraj and garlanded it much to the wrath of her father.

Samyukta had secretly notified Prithviraj about the Swayamvara and the disgrace her father was about to impose on him. Hence the brave king according to a well-devised strategy hid himself behind the statue. He acted quickly by carrying her away on his horseback much to the dismay of her father and the invitees.

The lovers then spent a lot of amorous moments with each other. Prithviraj was so enthralled by the beauty of his beloved that he almost neglected his kingly indulgence in equipping himself in the methods of warfare. This invited Mohammed Ghori an Afgan ruler to wage war against Prithviraj. Prithviraj emerged victorious in the war( Tarain war I) . The noble king however freed Ghori. Much against his noble act Prithviraj was defeated and captured in the second war against Ghori( Tarain War II).

Samyukta committed suicide for guarding herself against the personal disgrace from Ghori.

The captured Prithviraj was blinded and imprisoned. Chand Bardai who was the court poet of Prithviraj disguised himself and managed to gain acceptance in the court of Ghori. He provoked Prithviraj in secrecy to avenge the injustice done to him. When Ghori announced an archery competition Prithviraj was allowed to participate but only on the condition that he will take the order of Ghori at the time of the shooting.

Ghori's inflated ego made him accept the request and when he ordered Prithviraj to shoot, Prithviraj turned towards the direction from where Ghori's voice came forth and arrowed him to death. Chand Bardai and Prithviraj then stabbed each other and killed themselves.

Thus ended the lovely legend of Prithviraj and Samyukta.