Panipat is the first historic site of importance after leaving Delhi, and is a battlefield town near the banks of the river Yamuna. This town lies on the higher ground made up of the debris of earlier settlements. It overlooks the old river course. Three great battles were fought here, and no evidence remains here to suggest their importance for India and for the establishment of the Mughal Empire.

On 21 April 1526, the first battle was fought in Panipat between Babur and Ibrahim Lodi, the Sultan of Delhi. Babur had entered India with about 12,000 men. By the time he reached Panipat his forces had gone to 25,000 men. Ibrahim’s army had 100,000 men and 1000 elephants. Babur dug himself in using a formation, which Babur claimed to have adapted from Turkish practice. As many as 700 carts were gathered together and strung together with ropes of rawhide, thus creating a barricade similar to those used in North America. From behind this, the matchlock men would fire on the advancing enemy. It took several days before Ibrahim could be provoked into attacking but when he did his army came to a grinding halt before the fusillade of musket fire. In the meantime, Babur’s cavalry attacked on both flanks in a pincer movement, raining arrows on the Indian army caught on three sides and too cumbersome to about turn and retreat. When the battle ceased, about 20,000 of the Sultan’s army were dead, including their leader. The second battle of Panipat took place on 5 Nov, 1556 between Akbar, Biaram Khan and Hemu, the general of the Afghan Sher Shah. The battle was going badly for Akbar until Hemu was hit in the eye by an arrow, and although it did not kill him outright, it made him unconscious. The sight of the tiny Hemu slumped in the howdah of his elephant caused his troops to flee. Hemu was brought unconscious before Akbar and Bairam Khan and beheaded. The head was sent to Kabul and the body was hung on a gibbet at Delhi. There was a mass slaughter of those unfortunate enough to have been caught, and in the gruesome tradition of Genghis Khan and Timur a victory pillar was built and their heads plastered in. The third battle took place on 13 January, 1761 between the Marathas and Afghans. The remnants of the once great Mughal Empire was threatened from the west by the Rajputs and from the north-west by Afghans, who sacked Delhi in 1756-57. The distracted Mughal minister called the Marathas and according to Percival Spear, the triangular power struggle between the Mughals, Marathas and Afghans became a duel between the Marathas and the Afghan. The Maratha army includes 15000 infantry, 55,000 cavalry and 200 guns. These were supported by 200,000 Pindaris and camp followers. The Afghan army comprised of 38000 infantry, 42,000 cavalry and 70 guns, besides numerous irregulars. The Marathas lost the battle and their soldiers fled. However, the Afghan leader Ahmad Shah Durrani was unable to take advantage of his victory as his followers were mutinied for the two years arrears of pay he owed them. Thus, the former Mughal empire was denied to both the Afghans and Marathas, leaving North India in a political vacuum which adventurers tried to fill during the next 40 years.

By Air:
The nearest airport is at New Delhi.

By Rail:
The nearest railway station is located at Delhi and Faridabad.

By Road:
Panipat is connected by road from Delhi, Chandigarh, Amritsar and Kurukshetra.