Banda Bahadur
Encyclopedia
Banda Singh Bahadur (Punjabi
: ਬੰਦਾ ਸਿੰਘ ਬਹਾਦਰ)(1670–1716) was a Sikh
warrior and martyr. He became part of struggle against the Mughal Empire
in the early 18th century, after meeting Guru Gobind Singh
. Guru Gobind Singh gave him the new name of Banda Singh Bahadur. He is best known for the sack of the Mughal provincial capital, Sirhind, and is revered as one of the most hallowed martyrs of the Khalsa
.
His brief agrarian uprising against the Mughal administration in the Punjab region
of northern India was a critical event in the development of the Dal Khalsa
and the Sikh
Misl
s, which eventually led to Ranjit Singh
capturing Lahore
in 1799 and establishing the Sikh Kingdom of the Punjab.
After establishing his authority in Punjab, Banda Singh Bahadur abolished the zamindari system, and granted property rights to the actual tillers of the land.
and his two younger children, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh
and Sahibzada Fateh Singh
, for their continued refusal to convert to Islam. The promise was made by Bahadur Shah to the Guru earlier, when Shah asked the Guru to help him consolidate his rule over India, following the death of his father, Emperor Aurangzeb. Guru Gobind Singh had rendered help to Bahadur Shah in the war of succession after the death of Aurangzeb, in which Bahadur Shah emerged as a victor. Bahadur Shah never carried out his promise. He may have been reluctant to do so or unable to do so during his delicate rule. The Guru was disappointed with duplicity of new Muslim ruler even though he and his Sikhs had been traveling with the Emperor to the Deccan, the Guru decided to part ways with the Muslim ruler for once again betraying Sikhs. Earlier 9th Sikh Guru had been brutally murdered by Bahadur Shah's tyrant and fanatically orthodox Islamist father Aurangzeb.
In a few days, the Guru held a darbar and administered Pahul (ceremonial initiation into Khalsa) to Madho Das and naming him Gurbaksh Singh (beloved by the Guru). He appointed him as his jathedar (military commander) and invested him with full political and military authority as his deputy to lead the campaign in the Punjab against the Muslim and Mughal administration, to avenge the murders of Sikh gurus and their families and innocent civilian followers by Muslims, and to punish Nawab Wazir Khan and his supporters for these inhumane crimes.
The Guru gave Banda five arrows from his quiver by as a symbol of temporal authority. He was given an advisory council of the following five devoted Sikhs (Hazuri Singhs), who on their arrival in the Punjab were to assure the Sikhs that Banda was the Guru's nominee and deputy and to organize them in order to lead an expedition against Muslims and Sirhind to avenge the atrocities against Sikhs:
(These names appear in 'Guru Kian Sakhin' written in 1790 by Swarup Singh kaushish).
Twenty five soldiers were to accompany Banda from Nanded
to Punjab. A Hukumnamah (edict) by the Guru, instructing Sikhs to join Banda Bahadur in his struggle against Muslim tyrant Wazir Khan (Mughal Goverener of Punjab) was provided. As an insignia of the temporal authority vested in him, the Guru also gave Banda Bahadur his own sword, green bow, nagara (War drum) and a Nishan Sahib
(religious sign). Three hundred Sikh Risaldari ( cavaliers) in battle array accompanied Banda up to a distance of eight kilometres to give him a final send off.
5. Instinctively, Banda Bahadur adopted the vital principles of war - Surprise Flexibility, Offensive action and Concentration of Force at a point to gain local superiority. He overcame garrison after garrison by brilliantly applying these to perfection. Even Muslim authors of the time such as Qazi Noor Mohammad, Ghulam Hussain Mohammad, Qasim Kamwar Khan and Khafi Khan grudgingly praised the Tiger-like fighting quality of the Sikh Soldier. In an article of a magazine it is not possible to trace Banda Bahadur's entire campaign, so as to highlight his brilliant strategy and tactics. Yet it would be worthwhile amplifying this by select examples.
Banda Singh Bahadur made proper arrangements to escort Mata Sahib Kaur
to Delhi
. From Kharkhauda about fifty kilometres north-west of Delhi, Mata Sahib Kaur was sent to Delhi under armed escort, to join Mata Sundari, who was acting as the head of the Khalsa
after the death of her husband, Guru Gobind Singh.
, fifty kilometres north of Delhi, early in November 1709 Banda Singh Bahadur commanded about five hundred followers. He attacked the government treasury, plundered it and distributed it among his retinue. This was his second success against the government and it considerably raised his prestige. Marching slowly, he advanced towards Sirhind.
, about a hundred kilometres further north, Banda Singh Bahadur seized a government treasury, which was being sent from the northern districts to Delhi. He kept nothing out of it for himself and gave it away to his rank and file.
AKHIL BHARTYA BABA BANDA SINGH BAHADUR SIKH SAMPRADA' is working under the leadership of S. Balwant Singh, S. Gurdeep Singh, S. Gurcharan Singh TVS. Organisation is going to organise A Mahan Kirtan Darbar on Jan 29, 2012 in Kaithal, Haryana State, India with the efforts of the youth team of Guru Teg Bahadur Sewa dal, kaithal and sangat of Kaithal...
was strongly fortified. It had a wall all around, every Haveli was a fortress and the Mughal force was well armed and had deployed guns for the towns defence. Banda Bahadur's plan on 26 Nov 1709 was to lie up at a distance the previous day thus lulling the defenders into a feigned lack of will and intent to attack. That night the Sikh force did a brilliant rapid approach from some miles, entered the town from all directions before the gates could be closed and after negligible opposition totally captured and sacked SAMANA by the next day’s nightfall. Thus the three main principles of war of Surprise, Mobility and Economy of Force (he took least casualties) were applied with brilliance.
Samana is fifty kilometres farther north, was the native place of Jalal-ud-din Jallad - the professional executioner who had beheaded Guru Teg Bahadur
. While Jalal-ud-din Jallad son had beheaded the two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh. Ali Hussain, who betrayed Guru Gobind Singh by making false promises to lured Guru Gobind Singh to evacuate the fort of Anandpur
also belonged to Samana. Samana was an accursed place of betraying Muslims in the eyes of the accepting and trusting Sikhs.
The entire Sikh peasantry of the neighbourhood was now up in arms and sided with Banda Singh, such was the centuries old accumulated anger of native Sikhs against Muslims that peasant army following Banda Singh had risen to several thousands. Banda Singh Bahadur fell upon the Samana town (present day Jind
District in Haryana
state of India
) on November 26, 1709.
At that time, Samana was the district town and had nine Pargana
s attached to it. It was placed under the charge of brave Sikh warrior Fateh Singh. Samana was the first territorial conquest and was established as the first administrative unit of Banda Singh Bahadur.
district of Haryana
, India), Ghuram, and Thaska inhabited by Muslim
Ranghars were destroyed. Ranghars are current age Muslims who were once original honorable Rajputs but forced to convert by Muslims.
A contemporary Muslim historian, Khafi Khan, wrote: "In two or three months time, four to five thousands horse-riders, and seven to eight thousand warlike footmen joined him. Day by day their number increased, and abundant money and material by pillage of muslims fell into the hands hands of Hindu and Sikh warriors. Numerous muslim villages were laid waste and Banda Singh bahadur appointed his own Sikh native police officers (thanedars) and established his sovereignty by setting up of the collectors of revenue (Tahsil-dar-e-mal)".
south of Nahan
, about twenty kilometres from Sadhaura. His fort stood atop a hill top. Two kuhls or water channels flowed at its base and supplied water to it. This fort was repaired and put in a state of defence. All the money, gold and costly material acquired in the expeditions were deposited here. He minted coins and issued orders under his seal. The name of Mukhlisgarh was changed to Lohgarh (Fort of Steel), and it became the capital of the first Sikh state.
Sirhind, the Principal Town of SE Punjab was Banda Bahadur's goal. To all Sikhs it represented the cruelty of its Governor, Wazir Khan had to render an account for this bestial act. James Brown, the British Historian described it as most barbarous and outrageous. No wonder then that the Sikhs were thirsting for his blood. Wazir Khan sent a strong force under Sher Mohammed Khan of Malerkotla towards ROPAR to prevent a large force of Sikhs from Doaba and Majha joining Banda’s main force moving from BANUR. After a very fierce battle the valiant Sikhs prevailed. It was the bloody hand to hand battle on the battlefield, in which Sikhs dominated, which won the day. Thus Banda succeeded in concentrating his force for the final battle.
, Kaithal and Karnal
. He abolished the Zamindari System of land prevailing under the Mughals and declared the actual cultivators as the owners of land. Thus he established peasant proprietorship, and won the approbation and support of the overwhelming majority of the population. Khafi Khan says that Banda "issued orders to imperial officers and agents and big jagirdars to submit and give up their business."
Wazir Khan of Sirhind was making his own preparations independently to meet the danger from Banda Singh Bahadur.
Banda's troops were mostly untrained Sikh peasants, raw levies and not fully armed. Banda possessed no elephants, no good horses and few guns. His followers had immense Sikh pride coupled with burning desire to avenge against Muslims, armed only with matchlocks, agricultural spears, swords, bows and arrows. According to Khafi Khan, the number of Banda's troops rose from thirty to forty thousand. Muslims mohgul completely lost the control of areas in current day Harayana and Panjab. Assisted by his Sikh peasant army, Banda Singh Bahadur established complete and popular sovereignty, implementing agricultural land ownership reforms and accumulating volunteer Sarv-khap based Sikh forces to fight to over throw Muslims controls. Jats, Gujars and Rajputs supported by all other castes belonging to Hindu and Sikh played a vital part, even to the extent of eliminating converted Ranghars who mainly cow-towed and submitted to their conquering Muslim rulers.
or a holy war against Banda. He was joined by the Nawab of Malerkotla
, other Muslim chiefs and jagirdars as well as Ranghars in large numbers. The majority of his soldiers were trained men. Wazir Khan's own forces were six thousand horsemen, eight to nine thousand musketeers (burqandaz) and archers, and with these about ten guns of artillery and many elephants. In addition, there were about ten thousand Ghazis. The total number of Wazir Khan's troops was about thirty thousand.
Banda advanced from Lohgarh and halted at Banur, near Ambala
, fourteen kilometres from Rajpura. Banda sacked the town, and then went towards Sirhind.
The battle was fought on May 12, 1710 at Chhappar Chiri, twenty kilometres from Sirhind. On the Mughal side, Sher Muhammad Khan, the Nawab of Malerkotla was the leader of the right flank. Wazir Khan was in command of the centre. Suchanand, Diwan of the Nawab was put on the left. Suchanand instigated the death of Guru Gobind Singh's youngest two children. On the Sikhs' side, Baj Singh and Binod Singh (two of the five Sikhs sent by Guru Gobind along with Banda to the Punjab) headed the right and left flanks respectively while Banda commanded the centre facing Wazir Khan's army.
Suchanand could not withstand Baj Singh's attack and fled. Sher Mohammed Khan was about to overpower Binod Singh's wing when he was suddenly struck by a bullet and was instantly killed. His men immediately dispersed. Wazir Khan was rushing upon Banda who stuck fast to his ground and discharged arrows relentlessly. Baj Singh and Binod Singh now joined Banda. During their combined assault, Wazir Khan was killed.
Wazir Khan's death is variously described. According to the most accepted view Baj Singh rushed upon Wazir Khan, who threw a spear at the Sikh. Baj Singh caught hold of it and flung the same spear upon Wazir Khan. It struck the forehead of his horse. Wazir Khan discharged an arrow which hit Baj Singh's arm, before rushing upon him with his sword. At this juncture, Fateh Singh came to Baj Singh's rescue. It is related that he swung his sword with such force that Wazir Khan was sliced from shoulder to waist.
Banda Bahadur did not attack Wazir Khan's Army until he was able to join up with the Khalsa re-inforcements from Majha and Doaba. This he did, in spite of knowing that the enemy was digging in and preparing formidable defences at Chapper Chiri. He hid his forces from effective artillery fire in the thick grove of trees behind small hillocks.
This time Banda knew that surprise had been lost and, this was now a battle between a large well equipped Mughal Army with Guns, which would decimate his force in a frontal attack. He now changed his tactics and ordered commando raids at night to first silence the Artillery which were causing heavy casualties even under cover. Once this was done, his archers and musketeers, who were under cover, caused heavy casualties to the Enemy Cavalry and the elephants ran riot. In this confusion his own cavalry must have attacked the flanks and rear, while his valiant marching troops launched early morning frontal attacks. They still took casualties as the Mughal fire power was still effective until hand to hand fighting was joined. Here Banda timed his master stroke to perfection. Observing the whole scene from a high Tibba, he launched himself and his reserves - a brilliant strike into the Mughal vitals. Sikhs were masters of hand to hand fighting. Once the Mughal lines broke, there was no stopping the offensive force. It was indeed brilliant victory for a brilliant Commander. He had not violated a single principal of war.
. Sirhind's troops on beholding the Nawab's head took alarm, and fled in dismay and despair. The Sikhs fell upon them and there was a terrible carnage. The Sikhs reached Sirhind by nightfall. The gates of the city were closed. The guns mounted on the walls of the fort commenced bombardment. The Sikhs laid siege to the place. They took rest at night. Wazir Khan's family and many Muslim nobles fled to Delhi at night.
By the next afternoon, the Sikhs forced open the gates and fell upon the city. The Government treasury and moveable property worth two crores fell into Banda's hand which was removed to Lohgarh. Banda Singh Bahadur purified several Muslims (who were earlier forcefully converted to Islam from Hinduism) by letting them to embraced Sikhism by their free will. For example, Dindar Khan son of Jalal Khan Rohilla purified himself by purging himself of Islam by embracing Sikhism by changing his name as Dindar Singh. Same way Mir Nasir-ud-din the official newswriter of Sirhind, purified himself by shunning Islam and reconverting with new name as Mir Nasir Singh.
. His main duty was to guard the road from Delhi. Banda retired to his capital at Lohgarh. His era began from May 12, 1710, the date of his victory in the battle of Sirhind. The Zamindari system was abolished in the whole province in one stroke.
and Jalandhar
. Banda crossed the Beas
into Majha
, and fell upon Batala
. After this, he went on a pilgrimage to Dera Baba Nanak. At Amritsar, Banda made large offerings. He invited young men to embrace Sikhism. Many from Majha joined the Khalsa
. Banda marched towards Lahore. Sayyid Islam Khan, the Governor, mounted guns on the walls of the city. Banda laid a siege, but was unable to scale the walls of the fort. Lahore could have fallen, but Banda was in a hurry to look after his new government.
Only the Lahore Fort, owing to its fortifications, and housing the Moghul elite, could escape Banda Bahadur. The rest of the city and suburbs were destroyed by the army of Banda Bahadur.
issued a general warrant for the faujdars to "kill the worshippers of Nanak (the Sikhs), wherever they were to be found." (Nanak Prastan ra Har ja kih bayaband baqatl rasanand)
He again started his campaigns against the Mughals, coming down from the hills to the plains, but was overwhelmed by the superior numbers of Mughal forces. Sikhs came out of their mountain haunts to recover their lost territories and once again occupied Sadhaura and Lohgarh. Farrukhsiyar
, who came to the throne of Delhi in 1713, ordered against them the sternest campaign yet launched.
They were hounded out of the plains and their main column of about 4,000 men under Banda were subjected to a terrible siege at the village of Gurdas-Nangal, about six kilometers from Gurdaspur
. For eight months the garrison resisted the siege of 100,000 Mughal troops under gruesome conditions (1 Sikh against 25 Muslims). Towards the end, an unfortunate dispute arose between Banda and one of his most trusted advisers, Binod Singh. This man along with Baj Singh and three others made up the war council that Banda was supposed to consult in any difficult situation. Binod Singh advised the evacuation of the fortress, but vailant Banda wished to fight Muslims out there. Binod Singh was senior in age, and when this difference of views flared up into an open quarrel, Banda agreed to let Binod Singh take his men out of the Fortress. Binod Singh and his supporters then charged out of the fortress and escaped.
Towards the end of November 1715, the remaining defenders were running out of ammunition and food. They were trying to exist on boiled leaves and the bark of trees, and were gradually reduced to mere skeletons. Then on December 17, 1715, Abdus Samad Khan, one of the Mughal commanders, shouted across the separating moat, that he would not allow any killing by his men, if Banda opened the gate to the fortress. When Banda ordered the gate be opened, the Mughals rushed in to spear or stab as many as three hundred of the half-dead and helpless defenders. About seven hundred were captured alive and handcuffed in twos. Banda had chains round his ankles and his wrists, and was then locked in an iron cage. The Mughals were still afraid that he might escape and so they placed a guard on each side of the cage with swords drawn and the cage was placed aloft an elephant, which led the procession, which paraded through Lahore, before proceeding towards Delhi. Zakarya Khan, the son of the Lahore Governor, then ordered his men to lop off more Sikh heads on the way. The prisoners were first taken to Lahore, and thence to Delhi. Thus Muslims made a spectacle of killing sikhs and displaying their heads in most humiliating manner.
First came two-thousand soldiers, each holding a Sikh head impaled on his upright spear. Next followed the elephant carrying Banda in his iron cage, still with two Muslim guards guarding him, with their swords unsheathed. A gold-laced red turban was placed on his head, and to add further mockery to his plight, a brightly printed scarlet robe was slipped on his body. Then came 740 prisoners (500 had been collected on the way). These men were chained in pairs and thrown across the backs of camels. Their faces were blackened, and pointed sheepskin or paper caps were clapped on their heads. Behind this line came the Mughal Commanders, Abdus Samad Khan, his son Qamar-ud-Din Khan, and his son-in-law Zakaria Khan. Their men lined both sides of the streets.
For seven days, executions were carried out, until all the ordinary captives had been disposed off. Their bodies were loaded on wagons and taken out of town to be thrown to the vultures. The heads were hung up on trees or on poles near the market-place to be a lesson to all rebels. The jailors next turned their attention to the 20 major leaders, including Baj Singh, Fateh Singh, Ali Singh and Gulab Singh. These men were tortured to the extreme and were asked to divulge the place where they had buried all the treasures that had been looted from Sirhind, Batala and other towns during their better days.
Failing to get any clues after three months, they prepared to put an end to their lives on Sunday, June 9, 1716. Banda's cage was again hoisted on top of an elephant, and he was dressed in the mock attire of an emperor, with a colourful red pointed turban on his head. His four-year old son, Ajai Singh was placed in his lap. The twenty chiefs marched behind the elephant and this procession then passed through the streets of Delhi, and headed for the mausoleum of Bahadur Shah, near the Qutub Minar
. On reaching the graveyard, the captives were again offered a choice of two alternatives: conversion to Islam
or death. All chose death. They were tortured again before being executed. Their heads were then impaled on spears and arranged in a circle around Banda who was now squatting on the ground. There were hundreds of spectators standing around watching this scene.
Banda Singh Bahadur was then given a short sword and ordered to kill his own son Ajai Singh. As Banda Bahadur sat unperturbed, the Muslim executioner cut the child with his sword. Then pieces of th dead child's flesh were cut and thrown in Banda's face. His liver was removed and with force thrust into Banda Singh's mouth. Banda Singh did not show any emotions. Mohammed Amin Khan, who was standing near, spoke as follows: "From your manner so far you appear to be a man of virtue, who believes in God, and in doing good deeds. You are also very intelligent. Can you tell me why you are having to suffer all this here?" Banda is said to have replied, "When the tyrants oppress their subjects to the limit, then God sends men like me on this earth to mete out punishment to them. But being human, we sometimes overstep the laws of justice, and for that we are made to pay whilst we are still here. God is not being unjust to me in any way."
The executioner then pulled out Banda's eyeballs with his dagger. While Banda sat still, the executioner took his sword and slashed off his left foot, then both his arms. Finally, they tore off his flesh with red-hot pincers and cut his body up into pieces. These details of the torture are given in full, by the following writers: Mohammed Harisi, Khafi Khan, Thornton, Elphinstone, Daneshwar and others.
, Nawab Kapur Singh
, Chhajja Singh
, Bhuma Singh
, Hari Singh Dhillon
, Jassa Singh Ramgarhia
, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia
, Budh Singh, Naudh Singh and Charhat Singh Sukerchakia and others. The Age of the Dal Khalsa and the Sikh Misls (principalities) had dawned. Within ninety years, Ranjit Singh Sukerchakia united the Misls, captured Lahore and established the Sikh Kingdom of the Punjab.
Banda is known and much celebrated in Bengal
, thanks to a famous poem by the poet-philosopher, Rabindranath Tagore
, titled Bandi Bir (The Valiant Prisoner). The poem outlines the heroic Sikh rebellion and resistance of Mughal atrocities. Here are portions of the first and last parts of this phenomenal poem (in Bengali, written phonetically here):
Pancha nadir tirey
Beni pakaiya shirey
Dekhite dekhite Gurur mantre
Jagiya uthhechhe Sikh
Nirmam, nirbhik.
Hajar konthe Gurujir Joy
Dhoniya tulechhey dik
Nutan jagiya Sikh
Nutan ushaar Surjer paane
Chahilo nirnimikh.
.......
Sabha holo nistabdha
Banda'r deho chhinrilo ghaatak
Shanraashi koriya dagdha
Sthir hoye Bir morilo
Na kori ekti katar shabda.
Darshak-jan mudilo nayan
Sabha holo nistabdha.
Here is an approximate translation:
The Mughals and Sikhs together kicked up
the dust of Delhi thoroughfares;
Who will offer his life first?
There was a rush to settle this;
In the morning hundreds of heroes
offered heads to the executioner,
calling "Glory be to Guruji";
The Kazi put into Banda's lap one of his sons;
Said... must kill him with own hands;
Without hesitation, saying nothing,
slowly Banda pulled the child on his breast;
Then slowly drawing the knife from the belt, looking at the boy's face,whispered
"Glory be to Guruji", in the boy's ears.
The young face beamed;
The court room shook as the boy sang,
"Glory be to Guruji;"
Banda then threw the left arm around his neck
and with the right plunged the knife into the boy's breast;
The boy dropped on the ground,
smiling, saying "Glory be to Guruji".
The court was dead silent.
The executioner tore apart Banda's body
with a pair of red-hot tongs;
Standing still the hero died,
not uttering a sound of agony;
The audience closed their eyes;
The court was dead silent.
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
: ਬੰਦਾ ਸਿੰਘ ਬਹਾਦਰ)(1670–1716) was a Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
warrior and martyr. He became part of struggle against the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
in the early 18th century, after meeting Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...
. Guru Gobind Singh gave him the new name of Banda Singh Bahadur. He is best known for the sack of the Mughal provincial capital, Sirhind, and is revered as one of the most hallowed martyrs of the Khalsa
Khalsa
+YouWebImagesVideosMapsNewsMailMoreTranslateFrom: ArabicTo: EnglishEnglishHindiEnglishAllow phonetic typingHindiEnglishArabicAssumptionGoogle Translate for Business:Translator ToolkitWebsite TranslatorGlobal Market Finder...
.
His brief agrarian uprising against the Mughal administration in the Punjab region
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
of northern India was a critical event in the development of the Dal Khalsa
Dal Khalsa (Sikh Empire)
The Dal Khalsa was an army that operated in the 18th and 17th century Punjab region.-Mughal Rule of Punjab:The religion of Sikhism began at the time of the Conquest of Northern India by Babur. His grandson, Akbar supported religious freedom and after visiting the langar of Guru Amar Das had a...
and the Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
Misl
Misl
Misl generally refers to the twelve sovereign states in the Sikh Confederacy. The states formed a commonwealth that was described by Antoine Polier as an "aristocratic republic"...
s, which eventually led to Ranjit Singh
Ranjit Singh
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.-Early life:...
capturing Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
in 1799 and establishing the Sikh Kingdom of the Punjab.
After establishing his authority in Punjab, Banda Singh Bahadur abolished the zamindari system, and granted property rights to the actual tillers of the land.
Early life
There are different views regarding origin of Banda Singh Bahadur:- According to Dr. Ganda Singh and some other scholars, he was a DograDograThe Dogras are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group in South Asia. Being a diversified group, the Dogras include both Savarnas such as Brahmins, Rajputs and Non-savarnas. The Dogras also incluide merchant castes such as Mahajans...
RajputRajputA Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
. According to this version, he was born on October 16, 1670 at Rajouri in the JammuJammuJammu , also known as Duggar, is one of the three administrative divisions within Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state in India.Jammu city is the largest city in Jammu and the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir...
region of Jammu and KashmirJammu and KashmirJammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
. He was named Lachman Dev. Wrestling, horseback riding, and hunting were his major hobbies. As a young man, he once shot dead a doe and was shocked to watch the mother and her aborted fawn writhing in pain and dying. After this gloomy scene he had a change of heart. He left his home and became a disciple of a Bairagi SadhuSadhuIn Hinduism, sādhu denotes an ascetic, wandering monk. Although the vast majority of sādhus are yogīs, not all yogīs are sādhus. The sādhu is solely dedicated to achieving mokṣa , the fourth and final aśrama , through meditation and contemplation of brahman...
: Janaki Das, who gave him the name: Madho Das. In the company of the Sadhus, he travelled through Northern India and finally arrived at NandedNandedNanded is the second largest city in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra, India. It is also headquarters of Nanded district in the Marathwada Division of the state. It is an important holy place for the Sikh faith and is famous for the Hazur Sahib Gurudwara. It is the district headquarters once...
(in present-day MaharashtraMaharashtraMaharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
), situated on the bank of the river GodavariGodavari RiverThe Godavari is a river that runs from western to southern India and is considered to be one of the big river basins in India. With a length of 1465 km, it is the second longest river in India , that runs within the country and also the longest river in South India...
. - In the Mahan kosh, a Sikh encyclopedia written by Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha, (Bhasha Bibhag Punjab, Patiala), it is stated that he was MinhasMinhasMinhas or Manhas or Minhas-Dogra is a Suryavanshi Rajput clan from the Punjab region and Jammu & Kashmir in India and Pakistan. It is an off-shoot of Jamwal-Dogra Rajputs, the founders of the city and state of Jammu and its rulers from ancient times to 1948 CE...
Rajput, either from Rajouri in Jammu region or Doaba region of Punjab. - P.N. Bali calls him a Mohyal Brahmin.
- Hakim Rai calls him a Punjabi KhatriKhatriKhatri is a caste from the northern Indian subcontinent. Khatris in India are mostly from Punjab, region but later they migrated to regions like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Jammu, Uttarkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber...
/Sikh Rajput. - Giani Budh singh a noted scholar of Poonch in his famous book "chhowen Rattan" described Banda bahadur as "Brahmin".
- Also a book released by all India Brahmin sikh described him as Brahmin(http://www.scribd.com/doc/25665157/Brahmin-Sikh-History).
- J.D Cunningham labelled him a native of South India.
- Major A.E. Barstow called him a runaway PeshwaPeshwaA Peshwa is the titular equivalent of a modern Prime Minister. Emporer Shivaji created the Peshwa designation in order to more effectively delegate administrative duties during the growth of the Maratha Empire. Prior to 1749, Peshwas held office for 8-9 years and controlled the Maratha army...
MarathaMarathaThe Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
. - Major James Brown thought he was a native of Punjab.
- Some authors such as Dr. Sukhdyal Singh of Punjabi University, Patiala, have claimed that Banda Bahadur was a commander of the Sikh Regiment in the imperial army of Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah. But, this is totally unbelieable. If he was a soldier of Bahadur Shah, when did he leave him? If he was in the army, there was no question of having a 'dera' (cult centre) in Nander.
- Dr. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer in his book 'Sikh Twareekh (1469-2007)' (published by Singh Brothers Amritsar, in 5 volumes in 2008) narrates that Banda Singh was a Rajput, born in 1670. At the age of 16 he left his home and joined the party of wandering ascetics. He spent two years with two saadhus (Janki Das and then Ram Das)and then joined Baba Lunia, near Burhanpur. In 1696, he met Guru Gobind Singh at Kankhal, near Hardwar but this was a short meeting. After this, the Guru visited him in August 1708.
Banda's Mission
Guru Gobind Singh hoped that Emperor Bahadur Shah would fulfill his promise against the Governor of Sirhind, and his accomplices for persecuting the people of Punjab. It was the Governor of Sirhind who had captured and murdered the Guru's mother, Mata GujriMata Gujri
Mata Gujri was the wife of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of Sikhism, and the mother of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of Sikhism...
and his two younger children, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh
Sahibzada Zorawar Singh
Sahibzada Zorawar Singh was the third of Guru Gobind Singh's four sons. He and his younger brother, Sahibzada Fateh Singh are among the most hallowed martyrs in Sikhism....
and Sahibzada Fateh Singh
Sahibzada Fateh Singh
Sahibzada Fateh Singh was the youngest of Guru Gobind Singh's four sons. He and his older brother, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh are among the most hallowed martyrs in Sikhism. He is also known as Baba Fateh Singh...
, for their continued refusal to convert to Islam. The promise was made by Bahadur Shah to the Guru earlier, when Shah asked the Guru to help him consolidate his rule over India, following the death of his father, Emperor Aurangzeb. Guru Gobind Singh had rendered help to Bahadur Shah in the war of succession after the death of Aurangzeb, in which Bahadur Shah emerged as a victor. Bahadur Shah never carried out his promise. He may have been reluctant to do so or unable to do so during his delicate rule. The Guru was disappointed with duplicity of new Muslim ruler even though he and his Sikhs had been traveling with the Emperor to the Deccan, the Guru decided to part ways with the Muslim ruler for once again betraying Sikhs. Earlier 9th Sikh Guru had been brutally murdered by Bahadur Shah's tyrant and fanatically orthodox Islamist father Aurangzeb.
In a few days, the Guru held a darbar and administered Pahul (ceremonial initiation into Khalsa) to Madho Das and naming him Gurbaksh Singh (beloved by the Guru). He appointed him as his jathedar (military commander) and invested him with full political and military authority as his deputy to lead the campaign in the Punjab against the Muslim and Mughal administration, to avenge the murders of Sikh gurus and their families and innocent civilian followers by Muslims, and to punish Nawab Wazir Khan and his supporters for these inhumane crimes.
The Guru gave Banda five arrows from his quiver by as a symbol of temporal authority. He was given an advisory council of the following five devoted Sikhs (Hazuri Singhs), who on their arrival in the Punjab were to assure the Sikhs that Banda was the Guru's nominee and deputy and to organize them in order to lead an expedition against Muslims and Sirhind to avenge the atrocities against Sikhs:
- Bhagwant Singh Bangeshri, a cousin of Bhai Mani Singh
- Baj Singh, brother of Bhagwant Singh Singh
- Kuir Singh singh, brother of Bhagwant Singh Singh
- Dharam Singh
- Fateh Singh
(These names appear in 'Guru Kian Sakhin' written in 1790 by Swarup Singh kaushish).
Twenty five soldiers were to accompany Banda from Nanded
Nanded
Nanded is the second largest city in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra, India. It is also headquarters of Nanded district in the Marathwada Division of the state. It is an important holy place for the Sikh faith and is famous for the Hazur Sahib Gurudwara. It is the district headquarters once...
to Punjab. A Hukumnamah (edict) by the Guru, instructing Sikhs to join Banda Bahadur in his struggle against Muslim tyrant Wazir Khan (Mughal Goverener of Punjab) was provided. As an insignia of the temporal authority vested in him, the Guru also gave Banda Bahadur his own sword, green bow, nagara (War drum) and a Nishan Sahib
Nishan Sahib
The Nishan Sahib is a Sikh holy triangular flag made of cotton or silk cloth, with a tassel at its end. The word, Nishan means symbol, and the flag is hoisted on a tall flagpole, outside most Gurudwaras. The flagpole itself covered with fabric, ends with a two-edged dagger on top...
(religious sign). Three hundred Sikh Risaldari ( cavaliers) in battle array accompanied Banda up to a distance of eight kilometres to give him a final send off.
Banda's strategy and tactics
4. Strategy in simple language is the high level planning prior to a campaign and tactics in its implementation. Banda’s strategy was to reach Punjab after avoiding the dangers enroute and mobilizing an army of volunteers arming and training them in an impossibly short period, and then by the tactics of, what I term as the "Crumbling Process", bite into the mighty Mughal administrative centers one by one. This process was the only way to achieve the Guru’s mission of punishing a powerful enemy who was committing crime after crime against his people. Banda must have mentally and theoretically made grandiose plans during his long journey of nearly one year from Nander to Punjab. Whatever these dreams, this born leader of men executed them to perfection with a masterly application of the crumbling process. One by one the Mughal bastions, SAMANA, GHURAM, THASKA, MUSTAFBAD and SADHAURA were captured, until he reached the outskirts of SIRHIND. His main target was to revenge the ruthless torture and killing of the brave and innocent SAHIBZADAS.5. Instinctively, Banda Bahadur adopted the vital principles of war - Surprise Flexibility, Offensive action and Concentration of Force at a point to gain local superiority. He overcame garrison after garrison by brilliantly applying these to perfection. Even Muslim authors of the time such as Qazi Noor Mohammad, Ghulam Hussain Mohammad, Qasim Kamwar Khan and Khafi Khan grudgingly praised the Tiger-like fighting quality of the Sikh Soldier. In an article of a magazine it is not possible to trace Banda Bahadur's entire campaign, so as to highlight his brilliant strategy and tactics. Yet it would be worthwhile amplifying this by select examples.
Narnaul
Here, Banda Singh Bahadur witnesses first-hand, the complete destruction of the Satnami sect which had risen in revolt against the Mughals. Men, women and children, one and all had been wiped out of existence. It was here that Banda Singh Bahadur suppressed some dacoits and robbers.Hissar
He was well received by local Hindus and Sikhs as a leader and a deputy of Guru Gobind Singh. Liberal offerings were made to him, which he distributed among the poor and the needy.Tohana
Here, Banda Singh Bahadur issued letters to the Sikhs of Malwa, to join him in his crusade against Wazir Khan of Sirhind.Banda Singh Bahadur made proper arrangements to escort Mata Sahib Kaur
Mata Sahib Kaur
Mata Sahib Kaur was the third wife of the tenth Sikh guru Gobind Singh. Born Sahib Devan, she was the daughter of Ramu of Rohtas. She did not have any child with Guru Gobind Singh, but she was declared as the mother of all the baptised Sikhs ....
to Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
. From Kharkhauda about fifty kilometres north-west of Delhi, Mata Sahib Kaur was sent to Delhi under armed escort, to join Mata Sundari, who was acting as the head of the Khalsa
Khalsa
+YouWebImagesVideosMapsNewsMailMoreTranslateFrom: ArabicTo: EnglishEnglishHindiEnglishAllow phonetic typingHindiEnglishArabicAssumptionGoogle Translate for Business:Translator ToolkitWebsite TranslatorGlobal Market Finder...
after the death of her husband, Guru Gobind Singh.
Sonepat
At SonepatSonipat
Sonipat , also spelled as Sonepat, is an ancient town and a municipal council in Sonipat district in the state of Haryana, India. It comes under National Capital Region and is 45 km north of Delhi. The Yamuna River runs along the eastern boundary of the district...
, fifty kilometres north of Delhi, early in November 1709 Banda Singh Bahadur commanded about five hundred followers. He attacked the government treasury, plundered it and distributed it among his retinue. This was his second success against the government and it considerably raised his prestige. Marching slowly, he advanced towards Sirhind.
Kaithal
Near KaithalKaithal
Kaithal is a city and a municipal council in Kaithal district in the Indian state of Haryana. Kaithal was previously a part of Karnal District and later, Kurukshetra District until 1 November 1989, when it became the headquarters of the Kaithal District of Haryana. Kaithal shares common boundary...
, about a hundred kilometres further north, Banda Singh Bahadur seized a government treasury, which was being sent from the northern districts to Delhi. He kept nothing out of it for himself and gave it away to his rank and file.
AKHIL BHARTYA BABA BANDA SINGH BAHADUR SIKH SAMPRADA' is working under the leadership of S. Balwant Singh, S. Gurdeep Singh, S. Gurcharan Singh TVS. Organisation is going to organise A Mahan Kirtan Darbar on Jan 29, 2012 in Kaithal, Haryana State, India with the efforts of the youth team of Guru Teg Bahadur Sewa dal, kaithal and sangat of Kaithal...
Samana: Mobility, surprise and economy of Banda's force
Samana, IndiaSamana, India
Samana is a city and a municipal council in Patiala district in the Indian state of Punjab.Before Independence, Samana was a part of Patiala Kingdom . Now it is a part of Patiala District of Punjab .- Geography :...
was strongly fortified. It had a wall all around, every Haveli was a fortress and the Mughal force was well armed and had deployed guns for the towns defence. Banda Bahadur's plan on 26 Nov 1709 was to lie up at a distance the previous day thus lulling the defenders into a feigned lack of will and intent to attack. That night the Sikh force did a brilliant rapid approach from some miles, entered the town from all directions before the gates could be closed and after negligible opposition totally captured and sacked SAMANA by the next day’s nightfall. Thus the three main principles of war of Surprise, Mobility and Economy of Force (he took least casualties) were applied with brilliance.
Samana is fifty kilometres farther north, was the native place of Jalal-ud-din Jallad - the professional executioner who had beheaded Guru Teg Bahadur
Guru Teg Bahadur
Guru Tegh Bahadur became the 9th Guru of Sikhi on 20 March 1665, following in the footsteps of his grand-nephew, Guru Har Krishan. Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed on the orders of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi....
. While Jalal-ud-din Jallad son had beheaded the two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh. Ali Hussain, who betrayed Guru Gobind Singh by making false promises to lured Guru Gobind Singh to evacuate the fort of Anandpur
Anandpur Sahib
Anandpur Sahib is a city in Rupnagar district in the state of Punjab, India. Known as "the holy City of Bliss," it is a holy city of the Sikhs and is one of their most important sacred places, closely linked with their religious traditions and history...
also belonged to Samana. Samana was an accursed place of betraying Muslims in the eyes of the accepting and trusting Sikhs.
The entire Sikh peasantry of the neighbourhood was now up in arms and sided with Banda Singh, such was the centuries old accumulated anger of native Sikhs against Muslims that peasant army following Banda Singh had risen to several thousands. Banda Singh Bahadur fell upon the Samana town (present day Jind
Jind
Jind is a town in Jind District, Harayana state, India.It is one of the oldest districts of Harayana. It is one of the first Sikh Kingdoms. It lies in central Haryana and is the fourth district of the Jat belt .The city is beautiful...
District in Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
state of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
) on November 26, 1709.
At that time, Samana was the district town and had nine Pargana
Pargana
A pargana is a former administrative unit of the Indian subcontinent, used primarily, but not exclusively, by the Muslim kingdoms.Parganas were introduced by the Delhi Sultanate, and the word is of Persian origin. As a revenue unit, a pargana consists of several mouzas, which are the smallest...
s attached to it. It was placed under the charge of brave Sikh warrior Fateh Singh. Samana was the first territorial conquest and was established as the first administrative unit of Banda Singh Bahadur.
Treacherous Ranghar Muslims of Samana, Ghuram and Thaksa Destroyed
Then, Kunjpura (KarnalKarnal
Karnal is an important city and the headquarters of Karnal District in the Indian state of Haryana.Karnal is said to have been founded by the Kauravas in the Mahabharata era for the king Karna, a mythological hero and a key figure in the epic tale...
district of Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
, India), Ghuram, and Thaska inhabited by Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
Ranghars were destroyed. Ranghars are current age Muslims who were once original honorable Rajputs but forced to convert by Muslims.
Sadhaura
Usman Khan, the Muslim chief of Sadhaura, about twenty-five kilometres away, had persecuted Sayyid Budhu Shah for helping Guru Gobind Singh in the Battle of Bhangani. On the approach of Banda Singh Bahadur's army, the leading Muslims of the town gathered in a big and strongly built mansion. They were all quickly put to death by Sikhs to establish native rule of kings with native religion with tolerant views. This building where Sikhs avenged by killing all occupants has come to be known as Qatal Garhi (the Fort of Murder). Banda Singh Bahadur destroyed the Muslim dominated quarters of the town.A contemporary Muslim historian, Khafi Khan, wrote: "In two or three months time, four to five thousands horse-riders, and seven to eight thousand warlike footmen joined him. Day by day their number increased, and abundant money and material by pillage of muslims fell into the hands hands of Hindu and Sikh warriors. Numerous muslim villages were laid waste and Banda Singh bahadur appointed his own Sikh native police officers (thanedars) and established his sovereignty by setting up of the collectors of revenue (Tahsil-dar-e-mal)".
Mukhlisgarh becomes Lohgarh
The ultimate aim of Banda was to punish Wazir Khan and conquer Sirhind. It required time to consolidate his material and territorial gains. He also wanted to study the military resources of Sirhind. He was anxious to see what steps the government would take against him. He therefore established his headquarters, in the beginning of February 1710, at Mukhlisgarh situated in the lower Siwalik HillsSiwalik Hills
The Sivalik hills is a mountain range of the outer Himalayas also known as Manak Parbat in ancient times. Shivalik literally means 'tresses of Shiva’. This range is about long enclosing an area that starts almost from the Indus and ends close to the Brahmaputra, with a gap of about between the...
south of Nahan
Nahan
Nahan नाहन is a town in Himachal Pradesh in India and is the headquarters of the Sirmaur District.- Geography :Nahan is located at . It has an average elevation of 920 metre- Demographics :...
, about twenty kilometres from Sadhaura. His fort stood atop a hill top. Two kuhls or water channels flowed at its base and supplied water to it. This fort was repaired and put in a state of defence. All the money, gold and costly material acquired in the expeditions were deposited here. He minted coins and issued orders under his seal. The name of Mukhlisgarh was changed to Lohgarh (Fort of Steel), and it became the capital of the first Sikh state.
Sirhind, the Principal Town of SE Punjab was Banda Bahadur's goal. To all Sikhs it represented the cruelty of its Governor, Wazir Khan had to render an account for this bestial act. James Brown, the British Historian described it as most barbarous and outrageous. No wonder then that the Sikhs were thirsting for his blood. Wazir Khan sent a strong force under Sher Mohammed Khan of Malerkotla towards ROPAR to prevent a large force of Sikhs from Doaba and Majha joining Banda’s main force moving from BANUR. After a very fierce battle the valiant Sikhs prevailed. It was the bloody hand to hand battle on the battlefield, in which Sikhs dominated, which won the day. Thus Banda succeeded in concentrating his force for the final battle.
Banda's kingdom
Banda ruled over the region bounded on the north by the Shiwalik hills, on the west by the river Tangri, on the east by the river Jamuna, and in the south by a line passing through Samana, ThanesarThanesar
Thanesar is an old and historic town on the banks of the Sarsawati Ghaggar river in the state of Haryana in northern India. It is located in Kurukshetra District, approximately 160 km northwest of Delhi...
, Kaithal and Karnal
Karnal
Karnal is an important city and the headquarters of Karnal District in the Indian state of Haryana.Karnal is said to have been founded by the Kauravas in the Mahabharata era for the king Karna, a mythological hero and a key figure in the epic tale...
. He abolished the Zamindari System of land prevailing under the Mughals and declared the actual cultivators as the owners of land. Thus he established peasant proprietorship, and won the approbation and support of the overwhelming majority of the population. Khafi Khan says that Banda "issued orders to imperial officers and agents and big jagirdars to submit and give up their business."
Banda's Troops
Banda Singh Bahadur devoted three months in organizing his civil and military administration. Bahadur Shah was still away only less than 100 km from Delhi, yet the weak and nominal Muslim rulers of Delhi of Mohgul origin had no strength to confront Banda Singh Bahadur.Wazir Khan of Sirhind was making his own preparations independently to meet the danger from Banda Singh Bahadur.
Banda's troops were mostly untrained Sikh peasants, raw levies and not fully armed. Banda possessed no elephants, no good horses and few guns. His followers had immense Sikh pride coupled with burning desire to avenge against Muslims, armed only with matchlocks, agricultural spears, swords, bows and arrows. According to Khafi Khan, the number of Banda's troops rose from thirty to forty thousand. Muslims mohgul completely lost the control of areas in current day Harayana and Panjab. Assisted by his Sikh peasant army, Banda Singh Bahadur established complete and popular sovereignty, implementing agricultural land ownership reforms and accumulating volunteer Sarv-khap based Sikh forces to fight to over throw Muslims controls. Jats, Gujars and Rajputs supported by all other castes belonging to Hindu and Sikh played a vital part, even to the extent of eliminating converted Ranghars who mainly cow-towed and submitted to their conquering Muslim rulers.
Wazir Khan's preparations
Wazir Khan had proclaimed a jihadJihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
or a holy war against Banda. He was joined by the Nawab of Malerkotla
Malerkotla
Malerkotla is a city and a municipal council in Sangrur district in the Indian state of Punjab. It was the seat of the eponymous princely state during the British Raj...
, other Muslim chiefs and jagirdars as well as Ranghars in large numbers. The majority of his soldiers were trained men. Wazir Khan's own forces were six thousand horsemen, eight to nine thousand musketeers (burqandaz) and archers, and with these about ten guns of artillery and many elephants. In addition, there were about ten thousand Ghazis. The total number of Wazir Khan's troops was about thirty thousand.
Banda advanced from Lohgarh and halted at Banur, near Ambala
Ambala
Ambala is a city and a municipal corporation in Ambala district in the state of Haryana, India, located on the border of the states of Haryana and Punjab in India. Politically; Ambala has two sub-areas: Ambala Cantt and Ambala City, approximately 3 kilometers apart from each other...
, fourteen kilometres from Rajpura. Banda sacked the town, and then went towards Sirhind.
The Battle of Chhappar Chiri
It is said that like Napolean, Banda Bahadur observed the battlefield from a high and prominent area. He kept in hand an elite reserve ready to be committed in a lightning strike in the most vulnerable area in order to achieve a breakthrough. At Chappar Chiri the Mughals were far superior in numbers, Weapons and Guns. Banda’s soldiers had long spears, arrows, swords and of course indomitable courage. He lost men in the early phase of the battle but broke through by launching himself and his lion like reserves at a vital moment in a weakened salient on the plains of Chappar Chiri's wide open battlefield. So fierce was this, that as described by Khafi Khan, horses, elephants fell in the hands of the infidels horsemen and footmen in large numbers fell under the swords of the infidels, who pursued them as far as SIRHIND. Wazir Khan fell from his horse and was captured alive. The Mughal army was completely routed but Banda Bahadur lost nearly 5000 soldiers killed and his men carried out the last rites of the fallen Sikhs at the battle site before entering SIRHIND. Wazir khan was killed and his body hung from a prominent tree upside down. This tree still stands as a symbol of the fate that is reserved for tyrants.The battle was fought on May 12, 1710 at Chhappar Chiri, twenty kilometres from Sirhind. On the Mughal side, Sher Muhammad Khan, the Nawab of Malerkotla was the leader of the right flank. Wazir Khan was in command of the centre. Suchanand, Diwan of the Nawab was put on the left. Suchanand instigated the death of Guru Gobind Singh's youngest two children. On the Sikhs' side, Baj Singh and Binod Singh (two of the five Sikhs sent by Guru Gobind along with Banda to the Punjab) headed the right and left flanks respectively while Banda commanded the centre facing Wazir Khan's army.
Suchanand could not withstand Baj Singh's attack and fled. Sher Mohammed Khan was about to overpower Binod Singh's wing when he was suddenly struck by a bullet and was instantly killed. His men immediately dispersed. Wazir Khan was rushing upon Banda who stuck fast to his ground and discharged arrows relentlessly. Baj Singh and Binod Singh now joined Banda. During their combined assault, Wazir Khan was killed.
Wazir Khan's death is variously described. According to the most accepted view Baj Singh rushed upon Wazir Khan, who threw a spear at the Sikh. Baj Singh caught hold of it and flung the same spear upon Wazir Khan. It struck the forehead of his horse. Wazir Khan discharged an arrow which hit Baj Singh's arm, before rushing upon him with his sword. At this juncture, Fateh Singh came to Baj Singh's rescue. It is related that he swung his sword with such force that Wazir Khan was sliced from shoulder to waist.
Concentration of Force
Banda Bahadur did not attack Wazir Khan's Army until he was able to join up with the Khalsa re-inforcements from Majha and Doaba. This he did, in spite of knowing that the enemy was digging in and preparing formidable defences at Chapper Chiri. He hid his forces from effective artillery fire in the thick grove of trees behind small hillocks.
Flexibility
This time Banda knew that surprise had been lost and, this was now a battle between a large well equipped Mughal Army with Guns, which would decimate his force in a frontal attack. He now changed his tactics and ordered commando raids at night to first silence the Artillery which were causing heavy casualties even under cover. Once this was done, his archers and musketeers, who were under cover, caused heavy casualties to the Enemy Cavalry and the elephants ran riot. In this confusion his own cavalry must have attacked the flanks and rear, while his valiant marching troops launched early morning frontal attacks. They still took casualties as the Mughal fire power was still effective until hand to hand fighting was joined. Here Banda timed his master stroke to perfection. Observing the whole scene from a high Tibba, he launched himself and his reserves - a brilliant strike into the Mughal vitals. Sikhs were masters of hand to hand fighting. Once the Mughal lines broke, there was no stopping the offensive force. It was indeed brilliant victory for a brilliant Commander. He had not violated a single principal of war.
Pursuit of fugitives
Wazir Khan's head was stuck up on a spear and lifted high up by a Sikh who took his seat in the deceased's howdahHowdah
A howdah, or houdah, also known as hathi howdah, is a carriage which is positioned on the back of an elephant, or occasionally some other animal, used most often in the past to carry wealthy people or for use in hunting or warfare...
. Sirhind's troops on beholding the Nawab's head took alarm, and fled in dismay and despair. The Sikhs fell upon them and there was a terrible carnage. The Sikhs reached Sirhind by nightfall. The gates of the city were closed. The guns mounted on the walls of the fort commenced bombardment. The Sikhs laid siege to the place. They took rest at night. Wazir Khan's family and many Muslim nobles fled to Delhi at night.
By the next afternoon, the Sikhs forced open the gates and fell upon the city. The Government treasury and moveable property worth two crores fell into Banda's hand which was removed to Lohgarh. Banda Singh Bahadur purified several Muslims (who were earlier forcefully converted to Islam from Hinduism) by letting them to embraced Sikhism by their free will. For example, Dindar Khan son of Jalal Khan Rohilla purified himself by purging himself of Islam by embracing Sikhism by changing his name as Dindar Singh. Same way Mir Nasir-ud-din the official newswriter of Sirhind, purified himself by shunning Islam and reconverting with new name as Mir Nasir Singh.
The province of Sirhind occupied
Sirhind was the economic and provincial capital of Mughals.The entire province of Sirhind consisting of twenty-eight paraganas and extending from the Satluj to the Jamuna and from the Shiwalik hills to Kunjpura, Karnal and Kaithal, yielding Rs. fifty-two lakhs (one lakh = one hundred thousand) annually came into Banda's possession. Baj Singh was appointed the governor of Sirhind. Ali Singh was made his deputy. Their chief responsibility was to be on guard against the Mughal troops from Lahore and Jammu. Fateh Singh retained charge of Samana. Ram Singh, brother of Baj singh became the Chief of Thanesar. Binod singh in addition to his post of the revenue minister, was entrusted with the administration of Karnal and PanipatPanipat
Panipat بَنِبَت is an ancient and historic city in Panipat district, Haryana state, India. It is 90 km north from Delhi and 169 km south of Chandigarh on NH-1. The three battles fought at the city were turning points in Indian history. The city is famous in India by the name of "City of...
. His main duty was to guard the road from Delhi. Banda retired to his capital at Lohgarh. His era began from May 12, 1710, the date of his victory in the battle of Sirhind. The Zamindari system was abolished in the whole province in one stroke.
Banda advances towards Lahore
Having set up an administrative machinery, Banda advanced from Sirhind to Malerkotla in June, 1710. The town was saved for a ransom of two lakhs on the recommendation of Kishan Das Banya, an old acquaintance of Banda. From there, he marched to Morinda whose faujdar had handed over Guru Gobind Singh's Mother and His two younger Sons to Wazir Khan. Then he visited Kiratpur and Anandpur to pay homage to shrines. He took HoshiarpurHoshiarpur
Hoshiarpur is a city and a municipal council in Hoshiarpur district in the Indian state of Punjab. It was founded, according to tradition, during the early part of the fourth century. In 1809 it was occupied by the forces of Maharaja Karanvir Singh and was united into the greater state of Punjab....
and Jalandhar
Jalandhar
Jalandhar is a city in Jalandhar District in the state of Punjab, India. It is located 144 km northwest of the state capital, Chandigarh...
. Banda crossed the Beas
Beas River
The Beas River is a river in the northern part of India. The river rises in the Himalayas in central Himachal Pradesh, India, and flows for some 470 km to the Sutlej River in the Indian state of Punjab....
into Majha
Majha
Majha is a region of the Punjab comprising the modern districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran in the Indian State of Punjab and the districts of Narowal, Lahore and Kasur in the Pakistani Province of Punjab. The term previously applied to Panjabis living north of the Sutlej...
, and fell upon Batala
Batala
Batala is a municipal council in Gurdaspur district in the state of Punjab, India. It is located about 30 km from Gurdaspur, the headquarters of the district....
. After this, he went on a pilgrimage to Dera Baba Nanak. At Amritsar, Banda made large offerings. He invited young men to embrace Sikhism. Many from Majha joined the Khalsa
Khalsa
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. Banda marched towards Lahore. Sayyid Islam Khan, the Governor, mounted guns on the walls of the city. Banda laid a siege, but was unable to scale the walls of the fort. Lahore could have fallen, but Banda was in a hurry to look after his new government.
Only the Lahore Fort, owing to its fortifications, and housing the Moghul elite, could escape Banda Bahadur. The rest of the city and suburbs were destroyed by the army of Banda Bahadur.
Banda versus muslims
Banda's rule, that drained the Mohgul empire, had a far-reaching impact on the history of the Punjab. With it began the decay of Muslim and Mughal authority (eventually relegated to within the walls of their Delhi force and bulk of their territory taken over by Ranjit Singh & Marathas, and later by British) and the demolition of the feudal system of society it had created.Muslims Mohgul King Bahadur Shah Issues Farman to Kill all Sikhs
Weakened and nominal Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah tried to counter Banda's increasing influence. Bahadur Shah journeyed northwards from the Deccan to punish the Sikhs. Instructions were issued to the governors of Delhi and Oudh and other Mughal officers to march towards the Punjab. Prohibitory laws against Sikhs were passed. On December 10, 1710, Emperor Bahadur Shah IBahadur Shah I
Bahadur Shah was a Mughal Emperor, who ruled India from 1707 to 1712. His original name was Qutb ud-Din Muhammad Mu'azzam later titled as Shah Alam by his father. He took the throne name Bahadur Shah in 1707. His name Bahādur means "brave" & "hero" in Turko-Mongol languages...
issued a general warrant for the faujdars to "kill the worshippers of Nanak (the Sikhs), wherever they were to be found." (Nanak Prastan ra Har ja kih bayaband baqatl rasanand)
Retreat and Regains by Banda
A massive Mughal force drove the Sikhs from Sirhind and other places to take shelter in the fort of Lohgarh in the hilly region. Banda married the daughter of one of the hill chiefs. Further reinforcements arrived and sixty thousand horse and foot soon surrounded Banda's hill retreat. For want of provisions, the Sikhs were reduced to rigorous straits. When they could stand up to the numerically superior enemy no longer, they made strategic nightly sallies to escape into the hills of Nahan, only to regroup later.He again started his campaigns against the Mughals, coming down from the hills to the plains, but was overwhelmed by the superior numbers of Mughal forces. Sikhs came out of their mountain haunts to recover their lost territories and once again occupied Sadhaura and Lohgarh. Farrukhsiyar
Farrukhsiyar
Abu'l Muzaffar Muin ud-din Muhammad Shah Farrukh-siyar Alim Akbar Sani Wala Shan Padshah-i-bahr-u-bar [Shahid-i-Mazlum] was the Mughal emperor between 1713 and 1719. Noted as a handsome but weak ruler, easily swayed by his advisers, Farukhsiyar lacked the ability and character to rule independently...
, who came to the throne of Delhi in 1713, ordered against them the sternest campaign yet launched.
They were hounded out of the plains and their main column of about 4,000 men under Banda were subjected to a terrible siege at the village of Gurdas-Nangal, about six kilometers from Gurdaspur
Gurdaspur
Gurdaspur is a city in the state of Punjab, situated in the northwest part of the Republic of India. It is located in the center of and is the administrative head of Gurdaspur District. It was the location of a fort which was famous for the siege it sustained in 1712 from the Mughals...
. For eight months the garrison resisted the siege of 100,000 Mughal troops under gruesome conditions (1 Sikh against 25 Muslims). Towards the end, an unfortunate dispute arose between Banda and one of his most trusted advisers, Binod Singh. This man along with Baj Singh and three others made up the war council that Banda was supposed to consult in any difficult situation. Binod Singh advised the evacuation of the fortress, but vailant Banda wished to fight Muslims out there. Binod Singh was senior in age, and when this difference of views flared up into an open quarrel, Banda agreed to let Binod Singh take his men out of the Fortress. Binod Singh and his supporters then charged out of the fortress and escaped.
Towards the end of November 1715, the remaining defenders were running out of ammunition and food. They were trying to exist on boiled leaves and the bark of trees, and were gradually reduced to mere skeletons. Then on December 17, 1715, Abdus Samad Khan, one of the Mughal commanders, shouted across the separating moat, that he would not allow any killing by his men, if Banda opened the gate to the fortress. When Banda ordered the gate be opened, the Mughals rushed in to spear or stab as many as three hundred of the half-dead and helpless defenders. About seven hundred were captured alive and handcuffed in twos. Banda had chains round his ankles and his wrists, and was then locked in an iron cage. The Mughals were still afraid that he might escape and so they placed a guard on each side of the cage with swords drawn and the cage was placed aloft an elephant, which led the procession, which paraded through Lahore, before proceeding towards Delhi. Zakarya Khan, the son of the Lahore Governor, then ordered his men to lop off more Sikh heads on the way. The prisoners were first taken to Lahore, and thence to Delhi. Thus Muslims made a spectacle of killing sikhs and displaying their heads in most humiliating manner.
Torture and execution
The cavalcade to the imperial capital was a grisly sight. Besides 740 prisoners in heavy chains, it comprised seven hundred cartloads of Sikh heads with another 200 stuck upon pikes. On February 26, 1716, the procession neared Delhi, and Farukh Siyar ordered his Minister, Mohammed Amin Khan, to go out to receive them and to prepare them for a suitable display in the city. On February 29, the citizens of Delhi lined the streets, to get a good sight of the procession..First came two-thousand soldiers, each holding a Sikh head impaled on his upright spear. Next followed the elephant carrying Banda in his iron cage, still with two Muslim guards guarding him, with their swords unsheathed. A gold-laced red turban was placed on his head, and to add further mockery to his plight, a brightly printed scarlet robe was slipped on his body. Then came 740 prisoners (500 had been collected on the way). These men were chained in pairs and thrown across the backs of camels. Their faces were blackened, and pointed sheepskin or paper caps were clapped on their heads. Behind this line came the Mughal Commanders, Abdus Samad Khan, his son Qamar-ud-Din Khan, and his son-in-law Zakaria Khan. Their men lined both sides of the streets.
For seven days, executions were carried out, until all the ordinary captives had been disposed off. Their bodies were loaded on wagons and taken out of town to be thrown to the vultures. The heads were hung up on trees or on poles near the market-place to be a lesson to all rebels. The jailors next turned their attention to the 20 major leaders, including Baj Singh, Fateh Singh, Ali Singh and Gulab Singh. These men were tortured to the extreme and were asked to divulge the place where they had buried all the treasures that had been looted from Sirhind, Batala and other towns during their better days.
Failing to get any clues after three months, they prepared to put an end to their lives on Sunday, June 9, 1716. Banda's cage was again hoisted on top of an elephant, and he was dressed in the mock attire of an emperor, with a colourful red pointed turban on his head. His four-year old son, Ajai Singh was placed in his lap. The twenty chiefs marched behind the elephant and this procession then passed through the streets of Delhi, and headed for the mausoleum of Bahadur Shah, near the Qutub Minar
Qutub Minar
Qutub Minar also Qutb Minar, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located in Delhi, India. The Qutub Minar is constructed with red sandstone and marble, and is the tallest minaret in India, with a height of 72.5 meters , contains 379 stairs to reach the top, and the diameter of base is 14.3 meters...
. On reaching the graveyard, the captives were again offered a choice of two alternatives: conversion to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
or death. All chose death. They were tortured again before being executed. Their heads were then impaled on spears and arranged in a circle around Banda who was now squatting on the ground. There were hundreds of spectators standing around watching this scene.
Banda Singh Bahadur was then given a short sword and ordered to kill his own son Ajai Singh. As Banda Bahadur sat unperturbed, the Muslim executioner cut the child with his sword. Then pieces of th dead child's flesh were cut and thrown in Banda's face. His liver was removed and with force thrust into Banda Singh's mouth. Banda Singh did not show any emotions. Mohammed Amin Khan, who was standing near, spoke as follows: "From your manner so far you appear to be a man of virtue, who believes in God, and in doing good deeds. You are also very intelligent. Can you tell me why you are having to suffer all this here?" Banda is said to have replied, "When the tyrants oppress their subjects to the limit, then God sends men like me on this earth to mete out punishment to them. But being human, we sometimes overstep the laws of justice, and for that we are made to pay whilst we are still here. God is not being unjust to me in any way."
The executioner then pulled out Banda's eyeballs with his dagger. While Banda sat still, the executioner took his sword and slashed off his left foot, then both his arms. Finally, they tore off his flesh with red-hot pincers and cut his body up into pieces. These details of the torture are given in full, by the following writers: Mohammed Harisi, Khafi Khan, Thornton, Elphinstone, Daneshwar and others.
Criticism of Banda Bahadur
In all historical texts, it is mentioned that Banda Bahadur went against wishes of Guru Gobind Singh by occupying places unnecessary for his kingdom, and turned egoistic. The bullet points of criticism are here under:- Gur Bilas Patshahi 10, by Koer SIngh Kalal, in 1751, had written that he turned egoistic so he was not helped by Khalsa and let dead in fortess.
- Mahima Parkash, by Sarup Chand Bhalla, mentioned this fact that he went against guru gobind singh's wishes and argue with khalsa. so khalsa left him in fort. later he surrendered which marks blot to sikh history.
- Shahid Bilas Bhai Mani Singh States that people started believing banda Bahadur, the 11th Guru of Sikhs and Bhai Mani SIngh resolved this issue that he was not guru.
- Sir John Malcolm, in Sketch of Sikhs (1812), an English historian mentioned about Banda Bahadur that:
...he was a heretic; who intoxicated with victory, endeavoured to change the religious institutions and laws of Guru Gobind. He changed salutations to fateh dharam fateh durshun. Banda made many confirm to his orders - Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha mentioned in Mahankosh that:ਗੁਰੂ ਕੇ ਸਿੰਘ ਤਾਂ ਪਹਿਲੇ ਹੀ ਬੰਦੇ ਤੋਂ ਜੁਦਾ ਹੋਣਾ ਚਾਹੁੰਦੇ ਸਨ, ਕਿਓਂਕਿ ਓਹ ਸਿੰਘਾਂ ਦੇ ਦਰਬਾਰ ਵਿਚ ਤੇ ਗੁਰੂ ਅਸਥਾਨਾ ਵਿਚ ਗਦੇਲਾ ਵਿਚ ਕੇ ਬੈਠ ਕਰ ਚੋਰ ਸਫਾ ਕਰਾਉਂਦਾ ਤੇ ਦਰਸ਼ਨੀ ਫ਼ਤਹਿ ਬੁਲਾਉਂਦਾ ਸੀ |
Legacy
With Banda's death, Khalsa leadership was taken up by new warriors like Baba Deep SinghBaba Deep Singh
Baba Deep Singh is revered among Sikhs as one of the most hallowed martyrs in Sikhism and as a highly religious person. He is remembered for his sacrifice and devotion to the teachings of the Sikh Gurus....
, Nawab Kapur Singh
Nawab Kapur Singh
Nawab Kapur Singh is considered one of the pivotal figures in Sikh history, under whose courageous leadership the Sikh community traversed one of the darkest periods of its history. He was the organizer of the Sikh Confederacy and the Dal Khalsa. Nawab Kapur Singh is regarded by Sikhs as a leader...
, Chhajja Singh
Chhajja Singh Dhillon
Sardar Chhajja Singh Dhillon, was a famous Sikh warrior leader of the early 18th century in Punjab. He was a Jatt of Panjwar village, approximately 8 kos from Amritsar. He was the first companion of Banda Singh Bahadur to receive Sikh baptism of Amrit. According to Kanaihya Lal, he had taken Amrit...
, Bhuma Singh
Bhuma Singh Dhillon
Bhuma Singh Dhillon was a famous royal Sikh warrior of the 18th century in Punjab. He was a Jatt of the village of Hung, near Badhni in present day Moga district, who won a name for himself in skirmishes with Nadir Shah's troops in 1739. Bhuma Singh's latent genius as an organiser and commander of...
, Hari Singh Dhillon
Hari Singh Dhillon
Maharaja Hari Singh Dhillon was one of the most powerful, admired and famous of all the royal Sikh warriors of the 18th century.He was Maharaja of Amritsar, Lahore and large areas of central and western Panjab. He was the nephew of Bhuma Singh Dhillon, a famous Sikh soldier. They were a family of...
, Jassa Singh Ramgarhia
Jassa Singh Ramgarhia
Jassa Singh Ramgarhia was a prominent Sikh leader during the period of the Sikh Confederacy. He was the Commander of the Ramgarhia Sikh Cavalry misl . This period was an interlude, lasting roughly from the time of the death of Banda Bahadur in 1716 to the founding of the Sikh Empire in 1801...
, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia
Jassa Singh Ahluwalia
Sultan ul Quam Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia was a prominent Sikh leader during the period of the Sikh Confederacy. He was also Misldar of the Ahluwalia Misl. This period was an interlude, lasting roughly from the time of the death of Banda Bahadur in 1716 to the founding of the Sikh Empire in 1801...
, Budh Singh, Naudh Singh and Charhat Singh Sukerchakia and others. The Age of the Dal Khalsa and the Sikh Misls (principalities) had dawned. Within ninety years, Ranjit Singh Sukerchakia united the Misls, captured Lahore and established the Sikh Kingdom of the Punjab.
Banda is known and much celebrated in Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
, thanks to a famous poem by the poet-philosopher, Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
, titled Bandi Bir (The Valiant Prisoner). The poem outlines the heroic Sikh rebellion and resistance of Mughal atrocities. Here are portions of the first and last parts of this phenomenal poem (in Bengali, written phonetically here):
Pancha nadir tirey
Beni pakaiya shirey
Dekhite dekhite Gurur mantre
Jagiya uthhechhe Sikh
Nirmam, nirbhik.
Hajar konthe Gurujir Joy
Dhoniya tulechhey dik
Nutan jagiya Sikh
Nutan ushaar Surjer paane
Chahilo nirnimikh.
.......
Sabha holo nistabdha
Banda'r deho chhinrilo ghaatak
Shanraashi koriya dagdha
Sthir hoye Bir morilo
Na kori ekti katar shabda.
Darshak-jan mudilo nayan
Sabha holo nistabdha.
Here is an approximate translation:
The Mughals and Sikhs together kicked up
the dust of Delhi thoroughfares;
Who will offer his life first?
There was a rush to settle this;
In the morning hundreds of heroes
offered heads to the executioner,
calling "Glory be to Guruji";
The Kazi put into Banda's lap one of his sons;
Said... must kill him with own hands;
Without hesitation, saying nothing,
slowly Banda pulled the child on his breast;
Then slowly drawing the knife from the belt, looking at the boy's face,whispered
"Glory be to Guruji", in the boy's ears.
The young face beamed;
The court room shook as the boy sang,
"Glory be to Guruji;"
Banda then threw the left arm around his neck
and with the right plunged the knife into the boy's breast;
The boy dropped on the ground,
smiling, saying "Glory be to Guruji".
The court was dead silent.
The executioner tore apart Banda's body
with a pair of red-hot tongs;
Standing still the hero died,
not uttering a sound of agony;
The audience closed their eyes;
The court was dead silent.
See also
- Mughal EmpireMughal EmpireThe Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
- Baba Deep SinghBaba Deep SinghBaba Deep Singh is revered among Sikhs as one of the most hallowed martyrs in Sikhism and as a highly religious person. He is remembered for his sacrifice and devotion to the teachings of the Sikh Gurus....
- Hari Singh NalwaHari Singh NalwaHari Singh Nalwa was Commander-in-chief of the Khalsa, the army of the Sikh Empire. He is known for his role in the conquests of Kasur, Sialkot, Multan, Kashmir, Attock, and Peshawar. He led the Sikh Army in freeing Shah Shuja from Kashmir and secured the Koh-i-Nor diamond for Maharaja Ranjit Singh...
- Jassa Singh AhluwaliaJassa Singh AhluwaliaSultan ul Quam Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia was a prominent Sikh leader during the period of the Sikh Confederacy. He was also Misldar of the Ahluwalia Misl. This period was an interlude, lasting roughly from the time of the death of Banda Bahadur in 1716 to the founding of the Sikh Empire in 1801...
- Jassa Singh RamgarhiaJassa Singh RamgarhiaJassa Singh Ramgarhia was a prominent Sikh leader during the period of the Sikh Confederacy. He was the Commander of the Ramgarhia Sikh Cavalry misl . This period was an interlude, lasting roughly from the time of the death of Banda Bahadur in 1716 to the founding of the Sikh Empire in 1801...
- Maharaja Ranjit SinghRanjit SinghMaharaja Ranjit Singh Ji was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.-Early life:...
- Nawab Kapur SinghNawab Kapur SinghNawab Kapur Singh is considered one of the pivotal figures in Sikh history, under whose courageous leadership the Sikh community traversed one of the darkest periods of its history. He was the organizer of the Sikh Confederacy and the Dal Khalsa. Nawab Kapur Singh is regarded by Sikhs as a leader...
- Sawan MalSawan MalSawan Mal was the Diwan of Multan. He was originally from Gujranwala, the region where Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Misl, the Sukerchakias held sway.He was son of Hushnak rai who worked under Dal Singh of Akalgarh and had two brothers,Diwan Nanak Chand and Diwan Gurumukh Rai. Along with Hari Singh...
- Rattan Singh BhanguRattan Singh BhanguRattan Singh Bhangu was a Sikh nobleman who wrote the history of Sikh struggles and rise to power in North India.In the beginning of the 19th century the British East India Company approached the Punjab frontier...