Maharaja Suheldev

December 29, 2018

A commemorative postage stamp on Suhaldev, a legendary Hindu king from Shravasti, India :

Issued by India

Issued on Dec 29, 2018

Issued for : Department of Posts is pleased to issue a Commemorative Postage Stamp on Maharaja Suheldev.

Credits :
Stamp/First Day Cover/Brochure/Cancellation Cachet : Smt. Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 0.5 million

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

Name : Suhaldev

Born on 995 AD

Died on 1050 AD

About :

Maharaja Suheldev was a legendary Indian king of Shravasti, who is said to have defeated and killed the Ghaznavid general Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud in the early 11^th century. The legend of Salar Masud and Maharaja Suheldev is found in the text Mirat-i-Masudi. It is a historical romance, and a biography of Salar Masud written by Abd-ur-Rahman Chishti during the reign of the Mughal emperor Jahangir (1605-1627).
According to the legend, Maharaja Suheldev was the eldest son of King Mordhwaj of Shravasti. Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud, a nephew of Mahmud of Ghazni, invaded India at the age of 16. He crossed the Indus river, and conquered Multan, Delhi, Meerut and finally Satrikh in Uttar Pradesh. At Satrikh, he established his headquarters, and dispatched armies to defeat the local kings. Sayyad Saif-ud-din and Mian Rajjab were dispatched to Bahraich. The local Raja of Bahraich and other neighbouring kings formed a confederation, but an army led by Masud’s father Gazi Saiyyed Salar Sahu defeated them. Nevertheless, they continued to threaten the invaders, and therefore, in 1033 CE, Masud himself arrived in Bahraich to check their advance. Masud inflicted defeat after defeat on his enemies, until the arrival of Maharaja Suheldev. Maharaja Suheldev’s army defeated Masud’s forces, and Masud was killed in a battle in 1034 CE.
Maharaja Suheldev is remembered for his kindness and compassion and as a patron of saints. On one of these versions of the battle between Maharaja Suheldev and Salar Masud, Salar Masud planned to place a herd of cattle in front of his army, so that Maharaja Suheldev could not attack him. Maharaja Suheldev came to know about this plan, and released the cattle on the night before the battle, thus defeating his enemy in the battle of wits before the actual battle begins.
Text : Based on the information available on internet.