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preserving the architectural art and in helping the community at large. Similarly India has produced Jain poets like Dhanpal, Asad, Vastupal, Yashahpal, Yashashchandra, Vijaypala, Shripala, Padmananda, and Rishabhdas.
All this shows the all-round prosperity and advancement of India in those days. Indian people had shown their heroism both in 'action' (* ) and 'religion' (ET).
But bad days came to India also. Even before the time when our story begins, Pathans had started to molest India with their lust for India's wealth. They were fanatic people. Indians had only two options-either to accept Islam or to die. These Pathans molested Indians in various ways. They used to kill innocent people. They used to peel off the skin of living Indian kings. They used to torturously kill the besieged men, women and children. They also used to break the idols of Indian Gods and often used to tie their pieces together with pieces of flesh at the neck of Indians. Bankimchandra has well remarked:
"India was reduced to a cemetery-ground by the molestation of the Pathans. The garden of literature, which was always fresh with the beauty and fragrance of new flowers, was dried up. Patriotism, selfless work, knowledge and religion-all these vanished from India. The whole country was covered by the black shadow of grief and lack of enthusiasm."
To add to these terrors of Pathans, Taimur Lane of Samarkand was attracted by the wealth of India in the end of the 14th century. He invaded India and added to the woes of the Indians by loots, burning of cities, violation of women's chastity and general massacre. Only at Delhi he killed one lac of men. This molestation continued throughout the 15th century.
Even in the 16th century Muslim invaders carried on their tyrrany. But in those days inspite of foreign attacks and molestation, philosophical conception and pride for the race remained intact. Moreover India was still a very wealthy country, inspite of thoughtless loots by the foreign invaders. It is said that when in 1014 A. D. Mahmud Gazni captured the castle of Kangra, he obtained countless wealth, including a silver bungalow which was
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