Raja Dahir was born in 663 into the Brahman dynasty of Sindh, which ruled over parts of modern-day Pakistan. He succeeded his father, Chach of Alor, to the throne, ruling a wealthy region that served as the western gateway to India and a key node for Silk Road trade.
In 711, Al-Hajjaj, the governor of Iraq, dispatched a large Arab army under the command of Muhammad ibn Qasim to invade Sindh. As the Umayyad forces captured the crucial port of Debal and advanced inland, Dahir prepared for a final stand. He chose to gather his army at the fortress of Aror on the eastern bank of the Indus River, commanding his forces from atop a majestic war elephant.
According to local accounts, during the fierce battle, an enemy fire-arrow struck the canopy of Dahir's war elephant, causing it to catch fire. The panicked elephant rushed toward the river, throwing Dahir's army into confusion. Though he emerged from the water and fought valiantly on foot, Dahir was eventually killed in action. His death marked the collapse of the Brahman dynasty, but he remains remembered in Sindhi tradition as a heroic king who died defending his homeland against foreign invasion.