Some learned historians/writters claim that Hemu was born at Machheri Village of Alwar in 1501 and spent his youth in Reewari ( Haryana) . His father , a Brahmin, was a purohit. He was unable to earn sufficient income to feed his family mainly due to persecution of Hindu religious ceremonies by mugals. Therefore he started trading in food/salt and Hemu became saltpeter on street.

(These learned historians/writters fail to establish any reliable connections/ relations between Adil Shah,the ruler of Sasaram & Hemu with Alwar or Rewari . It is a matter of common sense that only closed and trusted friends since childhood would be appointed as Prime Minister cum Military chief of any Ruler especially Mugal ones. Since Adil Shah was born & bought up in Sasaram so Hemu must have belonged to Sasaram or near about area . However Hemu’s wife might have got refuge/shelter in Reewari after an escape from Delhi in 1556.As far as his caste is concerned normally it is traditionally perceived that those engaged in business/trading about six centuries ago were from Bania/Vanik or vaishya and not from Brahmin community. Thus the Rauniyar’s century old claim that Hemu was their legend, seems to be not out of contention.However a detailed investigation/research is required .

In the absence of any historical disclosure one has to go thorough the history of Sher Shah /Adil Shah (of Suri Dynasty) the Ruler of Sasaram to know who Vikramaditya Hemu was ???.

Sury Dynasty

Son of a Petty Afgan Jagirdar of Sasaram, Sher Shah was born in Punjab.He escaped from the ill treatment of his step mother. He entered the services of the Afgan Governor of Jaunpur Later on, Sher Shah took up the service under the governor of Bengal and captured whole of Bengal by 1530. Later he became the ruler of Bihar(??). He defeated Humayun in the battle of Chausa and Kanauj in AD 1540. Sher Shah also conquered Malwa in 1542 and Raisin in 1543 and died in 1545. After his death his son Jalal ruled under the title of Islam Shah till 1553. Firuz ( Son of Jalal/ Islam Shah) was put to death by Mubariz Khan who was the nephew of Sher Shah and brother of Jalal’s own mother. Mubariz Khan took up the title of Mohd. Adil Shah. He was not a capable leader. His minister Hemu rose to importance and became Army Chief-cum-Prime Minister of Adil Shah, who occupied Bengal with his base at Chunar.

Rauniyar/Rouniyar : Many Rauniyar will agree with our view that our ancestors were small traders and most of them might have expressed their solidarity as warrior and joined hands with their hero Hemu belonging to their own caste. Since Hemu lost the battle and his wife escaped from Delhi with her trusted hindu solders to a unknown destination, our ancestors started being called / termed as Raun ( battle) har ( looser). The dialect was corrupted/distorted in next few centuries to be termed as Rauniyar.

For more visit at http://www.rouniyar.com

It is an interesting information that you followed the route taken by Humanyun. would like to know more about your observations. Govts., and Universities unfortunately are not doing any thing to find the truth or carry out research on the period of Hemu, though he remains the only Hindu king to rule from Delhi after 1192, when Prithvi Raj Chohan was defeated by Gauri, till 1947.

Though Hemu was a secular king, yet Congress does not give him due importance. You rightly suggested that leaders like Advani can do some thing to get Hemu his due in future.

His secular credentials reveal that he was a person with extra ordinary qualities. Coming from a humble background, he reached the highest position of the land by sheer hardwork, valour and intelligence. I wonder if Govt.of India, Ministry of Culture knows about this warrior of medieval period. There seems to be no reason why this Hero should be ignored.

Delhi is filled with Roads named after Mughal aggressers like Babur, Humanyun, Akbar, Shahjahan and even Aurangzeb etc. etc. but there is no road or memorial for Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, who was the only Hindu king to rule from Delhi for a brief period in between 1192, when Prithvi Raj Chauhan lost to Moh. Gauri, and 1947. In brief, even in independant India, the Mughal invaders who looted natives, destroyed their Temples, Sanskriti and religion are remembered by Government of India, and those who defended their mother land are ignored. This is abominable.

Historians have called his hitting by an arrow ‘an accident’ as normally arrows loose momentum by the time it reaches the attacked. But yes! the fact remains that the arrow hit him when he was atop an elephant. Hemu had good stock of Cannons with him. In fact after Babur used Cannons in 1526 war at Panipat, Hemu, found good business opportunity in trading Guns and Gunpowder which he supplied to the army of Sher Shah Suri. He started importing Gunpowder initially from Portugeuse who were well entranched in Goa by then. Also Hemu established Cannon casting units in Rewari, in present day Haryana to supply to Suri empire.