CASUALITIES IN THE
MAHABHARATA BATTLE
The Imperial Gazetteer defines the circuit of Kurukshetra as 80
miles i.e.1300 sq. km in area, which is
the extent of the battle field.( The main field probably lay between the
present Thanesar-Pehowa plain alongside the Bibipur lake, a big water body) The Mahābhārata says, that kingdoms
from all over ancient India supplied troops or provided logistic support to
either the Pandavas or the Kauravas depending upon their alliances. Even Lord Krishna
provided his military support to them. The Battle was fought around 1500 BC, as
per archaeologists and the population of India in about 2000 BC is
estimated to be just ten million, by the experts. There is thus no
conclusive evidence to suggest that any foreign tribes or kingdoms participated
in the war. The battle commenced just after a week of the final call and no one
from distant lands could participate in
the war that too with his troops.There were no high speed carriers at that
time.
In
reply to a query about the casualities in the war by Dhritrashtra, Yudhishtra makes it known, ‘One billion 660 million and
20,000 men have fallen in this battle. Of the heroes that have escaped, the
number is 240,165’ (MBh., XI.26).
Well, these are mind boggling figures, considering the population
of India at that period of time, and the extent of Kurukshetra region i.e.1300 sq. km in area , the site of the
war; as per our estimates, no more than 40,000 soldiers from both the sides could
have possibly been killed or injured. Even in the battle of Lanka,as
mentioned in the Ramayana, or the Battle
of Ten Kings, the casualities were much less .
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