Aaina-i-Askandari (Sikadar’s Mirror)

Sikandar (Alexander) and Dara (Darius) used to be at loggerheads. Sikandar was a great warrior but Dara too was no less in his expertise with respect to planning and waging wars. Dara could watch Sikandar’s movement with the help of jaam-e-jahaan numa which was a cup he had got made by his scientists. By peeping into this cup, he could see the movement of the world around and make his stategies accordingly. After being defeated every time by Dara, Sikandar too thought of a unique plan by which he could get the news of his expedition in advance. He got a huge mirror installed at the banks of the river from where Dara could attack. He could now easily watch the movement of Dara’s army and prepare to wage a war with him.

Reference: Sikandar kyun na jaawe bahr-e-hairat mein ke mushtaaqaan/tumhare mukh agge darpan koon darpan kar naheen ginte (Vali Deccani), Khaak-e-aaeena se hai naam-e-Sikandar raushan/Raushni dekhta gar dil ki safaayi karta (Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq), Dil-e-raushan hai raushangar ki manzil/Ye aaeena Sikandar ka makaan hai (Atish),Saaf hai aaena-i-Askandari/Is mere dil ki safaayi dekhiye (Wazir Ali Saba Lucknowi), Tesha bardaar ko farhaad kaha/Aaeenagar ko Sikandar jaana (Noor Bijnauri).

Sikandar (Alexander) and Dara (Darius) used to be at loggerheads. Sikandar was a great warrior but Dara too was no less in his expertise with respect to planning and waging wars. Dara could watch Sikandar’s movement with the help of jaam-e-jahaan numa which was a cup he had got made by his scientists. By peeping into this cup, he could see the movement of the world around and make his stategies accordingly. After being defeated every time by Dara, Sikandar too thought of a unique plan by which he could get the news of his expedition in advance. He got a huge mirror installed at the banks of the river from where Dara could attack. He could now easily watch the movement of Dara’s army and prepare to wage a war with him.

Reference: Sikandar kyun na jaawe bahr-e-hairat mein ke mushtaaqaan/tumhare mukh agge darpan koon darpan kar naheen ginte (Vali Deccani), Khaak-e-aaeena se hai naam-e-Sikandar raushan/Raushni dekhta gar dil ki safaayi karta (Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq), Dil-e-raushan hai raushangar ki manzil/Ye aaeena Sikandar ka makaan hai (Atish),Saaf hai aaena-i-Askandari/Is mere dil ki safaayi dekhiye (Wazir Ali Saba Lucknowi), Tesha bardaar ko farhaad kaha/Aaeenagar ko Sikandar jaana (Noor Bijnauri).