Maharaja Danuj Ray - The Hindu Monarch of Bengal before whom the Sultan of Delhi himself was compelled to stand and had to greet with honour

Raja Danuj Ray - The Hindu Monarch before whom the Sultan of Delhi himself was compelled to stand and had to greet with honour.

Arirāja-Danuja-Mādhava Daśharatha Dēva aka Rājā Danuj Rāẏ was the 5th ruler of Deva dynasty & the Emperor of Bengal in 13th century. The Tarikh-i-Firozshahi (تاریخ فیروزشاهی), written by the Muslim historian Ziauddin Barani provides the fact that the Sultan-e-Delleh| سلطان در دهلی Ghiyasuddin Balban had a historic agreement with the Samrāṭa of Baṅghāla, Dēvānwaẏa-kūlapradīpa Maharajadhiraj Dasharatha Deva. 

Empire of Maharaj Danujmadhav Dasharath Deva & the Political Map of Bengal circa 1280 AD 

In 1260, Mughisuddin Tughral, ​​the Mamluk governor of Bihar-Lakhnauty, declared rebellion against the Delhi Sultan. Ghiyasuddin Balban needed help from the Emperor of Bengal, Maharaja Danuj Ray, to encircle Tughral from both sides. In case, Tughral had a relation of enemity with Balban and Danuj Ray both, so Balban decided to make a treaty with Raja Danuj Ray, remembering the motto 'Enemy's enemy is friend'. Having intention of the political treaty, Delhi Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban arrived in Bengal & prayed for a meeting with Banghadhipati Maharaja Dasharath Deva wishing for his friendship. 

During this interview, the Sultan had to face a dilemma - the mighty Bangharaj Danuj Ray stipulates that in order to get his interview, the Sultan of Delhi must stand before him and greet with honour, then the Emperor of Bengal will agree to participate in that agreement. In this condition Balban gets into trouble as it's not possible for the Sultan of Delhi to show such respect to the infidel (kāfir-hindu) king of Bengal, but the agreement will not be possible without showing respect to the Emperor, Dasharath Deva/ Danuj Ray.

In the end, Ikhtiyaruddin Nektaras, the commander-in-chief of Tughral campaign, managed to meet Banghadhipati in a safe way. He suggested that the Sultan should already be sitting in the court with a hawk in his hand. Then as soon as Bangharaj Danujmadhav arrive, Sultan would get up and fly the hawk. People will think that the Sultan understood and stood up as soon as the birds flew. But in this way Banghadhipati Danujmadhav will be greeted by Sultan Balban & his order will be fulfilled.  

Following the path, Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban of Delhi flied the hawk standing up & paying honour as the Banghadhipati Danujmadhav arrived. There no more obstacles remained to the agreement of alliance. The Sultan of Delhi who was compelled to stand up & pay homage to the Hindu Monarch of Bengal, the Rajah is said to be undoubtedly the most powerful ruler of 13th century India.

¶ Renowned historian Dr. R C Majumdar mentions in the Volume 6 of his book ‘The Delhi Sultanate’ -

"The Sultan sat on the throne with a falcon on his hand, and on the approach of Rai Danuj stood up and let the falcon go, so that the people would surmise that he left the throne only to set the bird in motion. The Muslim honour was saved by playing a trick upon the unsuspecting Hindu king."

The fact that such an incident was remembered and recorded. nearly two hundred years later, by an eminent Muslim historian, speaks volumes about the way in which a Muslim Sultan was apt to regard even an independent Hindu king, not to speak of lesser potentates or individuals. "