Years after the fog of war with Taj Moghul had lifted and normalcy had returned to some extent, Raja Torra Khan made the daring attempt of reverting to his original faith. This severely antagonized Taj Moghul, who once again prepared for another invasion of the Trakhan principality with the sole intention of embarrassing the Raja and punishing him for making a move without the permission of his overlord.
The king was much wiser now as to how to repulse the Mongols. Rather than backing down to appease the overlord, the rulers of Gilgit started preparing to clash with the Mongols. Fortifications were made, levies raised, men were armed and new tactics were adopted. As much as Raja Torra wanted it to be his sword that ran through the Mongol lines, destiny had other plans.
Just before the invasion, Raja Torra Khan died at the age of 56. The people of the Trakhan Kingdom were prepared to face the Mongols, all that was needed was a King to lead them and thus Raja Torra’s eldest son ascended to the throne at the age of just 24.
Sau Malik had almost no time to indulge in any festivities for messages were received from Yasin of the march of the Mongols getting closer. At once Sau Malik deployed his troops from the Fort of Golapur in Gilgit towards Yasin. His orders were for them to march as fast as they could. so as to not allow for the Mongols to penetrate into a position in Yasin that might put at risk the defense of Gilgit.
The forward march of both armies resulted in them meeting each other near the borderlands of Yasin where both sides camped on opposite sides of a river.
‘Mughlai Minar’ erected by Taj Mughal, 13th century Gilgit
Sau Malik adopted a crafty strategem here. He asked for the Mongols to delay the battle until the next day but also invited them to choose their strongest warrior and have him show the native army the Mongols’ might. The Mongols readily accepted and had the strongest man in their ranks pick up a calf from their side and throw it with such force that it landed in Sau Malik’s camp. Sau Malik was not only a cunning statesman and military strategist but, according to the folklore, he was also very strong. His reply was a mix of all 3 qualities. He grabbed the most colossal log in his camp, lifting it with his bare hands and throwing it with force enough to make it land right in the center of the Mongol camp. This evidently scared the Mongols who could not believe how a mere human could possess such power.
Sau Malik’s plan worked, since his show of power was enough to make the Mongols decide to retreat and return at another time. This was Sau Malik’s cue, and he made full use of it.
The fighting that took place between the Mongols and the Trakhanid army lasted for a hefty 8 days according to A.H. Dani. However, judging from the landscape of Northern Pakistan as well as the capabilities of the Trakhans, it was highly improbable that it was a battle itself that lasted 8 days. On the contrary, the nature of the Mongol – Trakhanid confrontation was of the Trakhans trying to impart severe losses on the Mongols who were trying to flee the foreign land. All accounts speak of the only direct confrontation between the two parties to have taken place in the vicinity of the Darkot pass, but the folk tales remain silent as to just how the Trakhans managed to expel the Mongols. Nevertheless, those accustomed with the history of Northern Pakistan are aware as to how the Darkot pass and its vicinty have always been a graveyard of invaders. All due to a specific tactic that I refer to as the ‘Darband Stratagem’.
