ALEXANDER THE GREAT MONUMENTS IN SHAMBLES -- ACCORDING TO PAKISTANI REPORT

The historical monuments including the Fort of Mong, which relate Mandi Bahauddin region to before the Christ era, are in a shambles and urgently need to be revived to keep alive the relics of Alexander the Great in Pakistan, The Nation has learned.

Mong village has a few signs of the fort of Raja Porus that fought a formidable battle against Alexander the Great. The battle is counted as the last heroic fight of the Macedonian king. Alexander, after conquering states of Afgania and Asia of that time, encamped on the northern bank of the river Jal which has been renamed as River Jhelum near Harranpur in district Jhelum.

He came to know about King Porus and he sent a messenger to call upon him to give in to his empire and accept his lordship else be ready against all the odds. However, Raja refused to bow down before the threats and got ready to face the challenge.

The Porus army led by the son of Porus anticipated the Macedonian men in Khewa village on the southern bank of the River Jhelum which was called by the Greeks as Hydaspes. The fight is remembered as the ‘Battle of Hydaspes’ but locally as the ‘Battle of Jhelum’. It was fought in 326 BC and more than 4,000 elephants also participated.

On the first day of the heroic battle, Prince Harsy Roy, the son of Raja Porus, was killed and the beloved horse of Alexander the Great was wounded by one of the Porus arrows as the famous Hollywood film ‘Alexander” also shows the scene. Although Porus was supported by elephants, 300 chariots, 4,000 cavalry, 3,000 infantry, yet he could not compete with the force of Alexander and was defeated and arrested.

When he was presented before the Macedonian King who triumphantly asked Raja, ‘How do you expect to be treated’, Porus replied, “As a king ought to be.” The reply impressed Alexander and he forgave the Raja and returned his wealth and state to him.

This historical event is an unforgettable chapter in world history. However, the Pakistani government's apathy is destroying the historic monuments related to the fighters. Alexander set up three towns at that time in Mandi Bahauddin. Nicacaea (victory) was given to present Mong; Bucephalus and Helena were set up in the memory of his horse Phalia and Helen of Troy respectively. The Nation reports that nothing has been done to keep alive these monumental places.