Battle of Nadaun
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Nadaun was fought at Nadaun
, between Raja
Bhim Chand
of Bilaspur
(Kahlur) and the Mughals
under Alif Khan
. Raja Bhim Chand was supported by Guru Gobind Singh
(the tenth Sikh Guru) and other hill chieftains, who had refused to pay tribute to the Mughal emperor. The Mughals were supported by Raja of Kangra and Raja Dayal of Bijarwal. The battle resulted in the victory of Bhim Chand and his aides.
Different authors give the deate of the battle variously as 1687, 1689, 1690 20 March 1691., and 4 April 1691.
Bichitra Natak
, considered to be the autobiography of Guru Gobind Singh, is one of the major sources for the information about the battle. However, its authorship is disputed by some scholars.
's Deccan campaigns against Bijapur and Golconda had put considerable strain on the Mughal exchequer. To meet these expenses, Aurangazeb ordered the Governor of Punjab
, Azim Khan, to recover annual tributes from the rulers of hill states, who had been defaulting on the payment for three consecutive years.
Azim Khan assigned the duty of collecting tributes to Mian Khan, the viceroy of Jammu
. The duty of collecting tributes from Kangra and adjoining principalities was assigned to Alif Khan (or Alaf Khan).
Alif Khan first approached Raja Kirpal Chand (or Bhim Chand Katoch) of Kangra. The Raja told him that Raja Bhim Chand of Bilaspur
(Kahlur) was the most powerful king in the region; if he pays tribute, the others will follow. Raja Dayal of Bijarwal (or Bijharwal) was persuaded by Kirpal to meet Alif Khan's demands. At Raja Kirpal's suggestion, Alif Khan proceeded towards Bhim Chand's capital. He halted at Nadaun
and sent his envoy to Bhim Chand of Bilaspur with his demands. However, Bhim Chand refused to pay the tribute.
Raja Bhim Chand of Bilaspur formed an alliance with the rest of the hill Rajas, and also sought the support of Guru Gobind Singh
. The Guru, who was against the idea of paying tributes to the Mughals, decided to support Bhim Chand.
s of the Nanglua and Panglu tribes, and the soldiers of Jaswar and Guler, also participated in the battle.
Initially, the forces of Kirpal Chand overpowered Bhim Chand's forces. Then, Bhim Chand recited Hanuman
mantra
s, and called all his allies, including the Guru. As the combined forces launched an attack, the enemy forces of Raja Dayal of Bijharwal and Raja Kirpal also advanced. In the ensuing battle, the forces of Mughals and Kirpal Chand were driven out into the river. Alif Khan and his warriors fled away.
, for eight more days, and visited the places of all the chiefs. Later, both the parties made an agreement and peace was established.
Later, Maharaja Ranjit Singh
built a gurdwara
on the spot where the Guru had pitched his tent. The Gurdwara was affiliated to Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee
in 1935. It is known as Gurudwara Dasvin Patshahi or Gurdwara Nadaun Sahib.
Nadaun
Nadaun is a town and a nagar panchayat in Hamirpur district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Nadaun is a small town in Himachal Pradesh, located on the foothills of the Shivalik range forming the western end of the district Hamirpur. It is 42 km east of Kangra and is situated on the...
, between Raja
Raja
Raja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
Bhim Chand
Bhim Chand
Bhim Chand was the Raja of Kahlur from 1665-1692.Bhim Chand was the son of Dip Chand the raja of Kahlur and Rani Jalal Devi of Mandi, Dip Chand's second wife...
of Bilaspur
Kahlur
Kahlur , covering an area of 1173 km², and currently a part of Himachal Pradesh state, was one of the Princely states of India during the period of the British Raj. The state was founded in/around 697 by Kahal Chand. Kahal Chand had built a fort, which was named after him, and was called...
(Kahlur) and the Mughals
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...
under Alif Khan
Alif Khan
Alif Khan is a citizen of Afghanistan who was held in extrajudicial detention in the United States's Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba.His Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 673.He was repatriated on 23 March 2003....
. Raja Bhim Chand was supported by 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...
(the tenth Sikh Guru) and other hill chieftains, who had refused to pay tribute to the Mughal emperor. The Mughals were supported by Raja of Kangra and Raja Dayal of Bijarwal. The battle resulted in the victory of Bhim Chand and his aides.
Different authors give the deate of the battle variously as 1687, 1689, 1690 20 March 1691., and 4 April 1691.
Bichitra Natak
Bichitra Natak
Bachittar Natak is from Dasam Granth generally attributed to Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru spans from ang 94 to ang 175 of the 2326 ang....
, considered to be the autobiography of Guru Gobind Singh, is one of the major sources for the information about the battle. However, its authorship is disputed by some scholars.
Cause
The Mughal emperor AurangzebAurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
's Deccan campaigns against Bijapur and Golconda had put considerable strain on the Mughal exchequer. To meet these expenses, Aurangazeb ordered the Governor of Punjab
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...
, Azim Khan, to recover annual tributes from the rulers of hill states, who had been defaulting on the payment for three consecutive years.
Azim Khan assigned the duty of collecting tributes to Mian Khan, the viceroy of Jammu
Jammu
Jammu , 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...
. The duty of collecting tributes from Kangra and adjoining principalities was assigned to Alif Khan (or Alaf Khan).
Alif Khan first approached Raja Kirpal Chand (or Bhim Chand Katoch) of Kangra. The Raja told him that Raja Bhim Chand of Bilaspur
Kahlur
Kahlur , covering an area of 1173 km², and currently a part of Himachal Pradesh state, was one of the Princely states of India during the period of the British Raj. The state was founded in/around 697 by Kahal Chand. Kahal Chand had built a fort, which was named after him, and was called...
(Kahlur) was the most powerful king in the region; if he pays tribute, the others will follow. Raja Dayal of Bijarwal (or Bijharwal) was persuaded by Kirpal to meet Alif Khan's demands. At Raja Kirpal's suggestion, Alif Khan proceeded towards Bhim Chand's capital. He halted at Nadaun
Nadaun
Nadaun is a town and a nagar panchayat in Hamirpur district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Nadaun is a small town in Himachal Pradesh, located on the foothills of the Shivalik range forming the western end of the district Hamirpur. It is 42 km east of Kangra and is situated on the...
and sent his envoy to Bhim Chand of Bilaspur with his demands. However, Bhim Chand refused to pay the tribute.
Raja Bhim Chand of Bilaspur formed an alliance with the rest of the hill Rajas, and also sought the support of 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...
. The Guru, who was against the idea of paying tributes to the Mughals, decided to support Bhim Chand.
Description in Bichitra Natak
The author of Bichitra Natak states that Bhim Chand was aided by Raj Singh, Ram Singh, Sukhdev Gaji of Jasrot, and Prithi Chand of Dadhwal, among others. He also states that the RajputRajput
A 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...
s of the Nanglua and Panglu tribes, and the soldiers of Jaswar and Guler, also participated in the battle.
Initially, the forces of Kirpal Chand overpowered Bhim Chand's forces. Then, Bhim Chand recited Hanuman
Hanuman
Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
mantra
Mantra
A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation"...
s, and called all his allies, including the Guru. As the combined forces launched an attack, the enemy forces of Raja Dayal of Bijharwal and Raja Kirpal also advanced. In the ensuing battle, the forces of Mughals and Kirpal Chand were driven out into the river. Alif Khan and his warriors fled away.
Aftermath
According to Bichitra Natak, Guru Gobind Singh remained at Nadaun, on the banks of the River BeasBeas 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....
, for eight more days, and visited the places of all the chiefs. Later, both the parties made an agreement and peace was established.
Later, Maharaja Ranjit Singh
Ranjit Singh
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.-Early life:...
built a gurdwara
Gurdwara
A Gurdwara , meaning the Gateway to the Guru, is the place of worship for Sikhs, the followers of Sikhism. A Gurdwara can be identified from a distance by tall flagpoles bearing the Nishan Sahib ....
on the spot where the Guru had pitched his tent. The Gurdwara was affiliated to Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee
Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee is an organization in India responsible for the upkeep of gurdwaras, Sikh places of worship in three states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. SGPC also administers Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar. Gurdwaras in Delhi are the administered by Delhi Sikh...
in 1935. It is known as Gurudwara Dasvin Patshahi or Gurdwara Nadaun Sahib.
External links
- Description of the Battle of Bhangani in Bichitra NatakBichitra NatakBachittar Natak is from Dasam Granth generally attributed to Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru spans from ang 94 to ang 175 of the 2326 ang....
(Chapter 9).