409. Kochi: With Marò History Repeats Itself
So as to remind those not familiar
with the modern day events involving Kochi and the Italian Marines known as Marò,
here is a summary given according to witnesses and documented chronology.
In February of 2012, the Italian
Ship Enrica Lexie was transporting a cargo which was protected by six Marò
(Marines) which belong to the Nato forces in international waters near Somalia
which is infested by pirates who use normal fishing boats as ploy to capture
ships. A fishing boat was sighted, with aboard Indian men
with rifles who did not, in spite of various warnings, would not, identify
themselves. The Marò fired into the waters
and the boat with the men still standing on it and holding their riffles, still
not responding, left the area. In the area there were movements of another ship,
(Greek) and other Indian boats with about ten to eleven men on each, also armed
with rifles.
The nearest port was Kochi who asked
if Enrica Lexie had been attacked by pirates and to come into port to identify
some presumed pirates which had been captured. There were no pirates to be identified but some hours later a fishing
boat, The Saint Antony, was brought in with aboard
two fishermen dead. Kochi arrested the Marò and kept the Enrica Lexia under seizure.
Having captured the Marò seemed for
Kochi like winning the lottery, the method they used to do that reminded me of
the loutish methods used in the middle ages and certainly showing no respect to
a Nato country like Italy- instead it resembled more a declaration of war- as
it was in the days when the Muslim aggressor, who can hardly be compared to an inoffensive
and friendly country like Italy, tried to conquer Mewar’s Hindu, Maharana Ratan
Singh I...
By the way, India tried to win the
lottery again with the US Marines. Same tactics were used, Indian fishing boats
which would not identify themselves forced the US Marines to fire causing the
death of one fisherman and the serious injury of three. But having learned of
how Italy was trapped, the US ship did not go into port, no sir, you can bet
your bottom dollar she didn’t. However, claims for damages have been made and
paid, but of course, there is no end to the claims...
As far as the investigations went,
the bodies were buried two days later and the Saint Anthony was destroyed completely
without Italian authorities allowed to take part in the autopsy, ballistic
investigations or inspection of the Saint Anthony. Such methods are not similar
but worse to those practised by the Muslim Aggressor Ala-ud-din Khil Ji.
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| The ORIGINAL findings of the autopsy revealed this |
Here is the story of how the Muslim Aggressor tried to outdo the Hindu Ruler in the 13th Century and you will note from where Kochi learnt their lesson. From my book “Rajput” WestBow Press USA.
“In the meantime the Slave Dynasty
had run dry of successors and were replaced by the Khil Ji Dynasty, so as to be
distinguished from their predecessors the Sultans, they called themselves
“Shah”. The first Shah, Firoz, came to
the throne in 1290 and only stayed six years, the second, Ibrahim I did not
complete the year in which Firoz was taken to the next world, presumably, and
he in turn was quickly replaced by one called Ala-ud-din who for those not of
the area is better expressed as Aladdin, having nothing to do of course with
the gene of the lamp that is so well known by all in the, by comparison more
sombre, Western world.
Shah Ala-ud-din Khil Ji, to give
his full name, although to add ‘Sultan’ is also in keeping; is worth a special
mention, if only for the damage he had caused.
The first to fall under his steel is Mewar’s greatest alley and the
original homeland of Mewar’s Guhilot Dynasty, Gujarat. Even though Gujarat had put up an immense
defence, nevertheless, after a year of continuous slaughter, by 1298, the deed
was done. The Shah’s roving eye next
fell on Padmini a native of Ceylon, although this name is totally invented by
the writer who told the story two hundred years later, nevertheless, Padamini, was
one of the Ranis[1] of the 42nd Ruler of Mewar, Ratan Singh, consequently, the Princess
from Ceylon was Ratan’s wife. However,
The Sultan may have had a roving eye, but see Padmini, he could not, as the
only males that were allowed to gaze on wives were close relatives or the
husband himself. Nevertheless,
Ala-ud-din was determined to see her.
However one cannot but think that the reason for this stubborn determination
was not totally due to Padamini’s renown beauty but most likely because, to see
the Mewar’s Ruler’s Rani, not only by a male who is a stranger but the enemy
too would be the ultimate violation against Rajput honour, hence, Ala-ud-in
persisted. However, in Padamini,
Ala-ud-in had met his match.
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| The window through which The Maharana conceded his Muslim Agressor to see a reflection of Queen Padamini |
So as not to be the cause of a
pretext for Ala-ud-in to invade Mewar with all the forces he was able to gather
from a large slice of India, when things started going wrong, Padamini put her
plan into action- with all due credit, she was not just a pretty face. Unfortunately, her husband, Ratan, was not as
enlightened as she was who, in order to put a stop to the Sultan’s aggression
which persisted throughout the year of 1302, he had promised the Sultan could
view Padamini’s reflection in the pool outside her quarters, and that would
have to do, in exchange of course for a cease fire. Ala-ud-din accepted, if that was all that was
on offer. At the conclusion of the view
of the reflection upon which the Sultan offered many compliments on the beauty
he had just chanced to admire, Ratan escorted his ‘guest’ to the gate but
before he could close the immense wooden portals Ala-ud-din’s soldiers grabbed
the Mewar Ruler and dragged him away as a ransom in exchange for Padamini, and
this time the Sultan demanded the real thing, no reflections or other
ephemeral, elusive nonsense either.
Thus, having to take matters into
her own hands, Padamini sent word diplomatically expressed, so as not to place
the Sultan too much on the defensive, that she would agree to exchange herself
with her husband so that Mewar would regain their rightful Ruler. But to alleviate her sudden departure, and be
of a more cheerful disposition thus enabling him to make his ravaging, when the
moment came, much more succulent, she would like him to consent to allow her to
be accompanied by her own personal maidens of which they numbered over seven
hundred in all. The Sultan did not
hesitate for an instant to fulfil any request Padamini made, his mind was
solely besotted in ravishing Padamini as soon as possible and of course there
was no intention of letting Mewar see their Ruler ever again, Ratan had his
days on this earth counted. Ala-ud-din
may have been quite right in underestimating Ratan or rather Ratan had been
foolish enough to have trusted the enemy and consequently the Sultan was lying
back waiting for the fruit to simply fall into his hands unaware of what Rajput
women could be capable of and of which Padamini was to be an example that would
shine in the whatever historical annals would be available for future
generations to peruse.
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| Padamini's Palace in Chittor whose reflection could be seen in the waters |
Overnight, the Queen arranged for a
procession of palanquins, each being carried by six slaves which were Rajput
soldiers in disguise carrying indeed, not the retinue of maidens as she had
expressed but well armed and the best of Rajput warriors of Mewar. Padamini’s uncle, Gora, travelled in her
palanquin for greater security since he was famed to have slaughtered any who
stood in his way, back in Ceylon, where the family originated. Arriving at the Muslim camp which was below
the fortress of Chittor, the procession stopped and Gora, disguised as Padamini
which was not too difficult coming from a race where even males are of a nimble
disposition and besides, his face was covered as was the custom for ladies,
requested, in as an effeminate voice as he could modulate, to have one last
interview alone with her husband Ratan before parting for ever. Ala-ud-din, of course, being so near to soon
savour his juicy prey, could not deny ‘Padamini’ anything, therefore
consented. The Queen’s palanquin was
taken to where the Mewar Ruler was kept prisoner and all soldiers were
withdrawn. As soon as Gora released
Ratan, Rajput warriors immediately sprang out from all palanquins, adding to
the other warriors disguised as slaves and for an interminable moment, all hell
seemed to have been let loose. In the
pandemonium that ensued the bewildered Ala-ud-din realized that the object
of his desire was no-where in sight and
heavily gnawed by having been pulled by the leg, struck Gora and five hundred
Rajputs to death, retreated back to Delhi with his much depleted army like a
beaten dog with his tail between his legs.”
