The First Battle : Situated on the ancient banks of the Yamuna on a high mound, this is where three battles were fought, although theres nothing much to see except the barren field! (See History). and, of course, the town. The first battle of Panipat, fought in AD 1526 between the invader Babur and Ibrahim Lodhi on April 26, witnessed the birth of the Mughal empire in India. Delhi was being ruled by Lodhi, the Sultan, and at the end of the battle he had lost 20,000 of his men as well as his own life.

The Second Battle : The second battle on November 5, 1556, established the Mughals as the sole rulers of the Delhi Sultanate once again. Akbar, 13 at that time, went to war with the Hindu ruler Hemchandra (or Hemu), the nephew of Sher Shah. Victory was the Mughals, and in true Turkish style, the heads of the captives were plastered in a pillar specially constructed for this purpose.

The Third Battle : The third battle took place on 13 January, 1761. This time it was Ahmad Shah Abdali, the Afghan ruler versus the combined forces of the Marathas. The Marathas were routed, but Abdali was unable to consolidate his empire which eventually disintegrated in a few years time.

Panipat Attractions

Ibrahim Lodis Tomb : This brave king, who was defeated by Babur in 1526 in the first battle, lies buried here within a tomb. His grave is a simple affair; just a rectangular block on ahigh platform approached by a flight of steps made of lakhori bricks.

The tomb was renovated by the British, and an inscription mentioning Ibrahim Lodhis defeat at the hands of Babur and the renovation was included by them in 1866.

Kabuli Shah Mosque : About 2kms away from Panipat, this mosque was built by none other than Emperor Babur himself just after his victory over Ibrahim Lodhi. Babur named the mosque after his wife Kabuli Begum. Six years later when Humayun defeated Salim Shah near Panipat, he got a platform made around the mosque and said it was Chabutara Fateh Mubarak.

Since he was the ruler nobody said otherwise and even today it is known by that name. The mosque is flanked by chambers on two sides, and an inscription in Persian runs along the parapet.

Jain Temples : In Holi mohalla (locality) and a shrine to the Muslim saint Abu Ali Kalandar. Abu Ali is said to have rid the town of flies, but when the people complained, he gave all the flies back multiplied by a thousand. A fort rises up away from Panipat at its highest point, still guarding the city from invaders.