|
 Banda's
original name was Lachhman Dev. He was
born in Kartik 1727 Bikrami Samvat,
October-November 1670, four years after
the birth of Guru Gobind singh. He belonged
either to Kashmir or Punjab. He was
a Rajput cultivator. By the time he
was just turned 20, his astonishing
mind was set on its task. He had a reputation
of being a great hunter. One day he
killed a doe which immediately delivered
itself of two cubs which expired in
his presence. The sight shocked him.
He renounced worldly life and became
a bairagi sadhu or a wandering hermit
and ultimately settled at Nander on
the banks of river Godavari in Maharashtra.
He won great fame as a sorcerer under
the name of Madhodas and commanded thousands
of followers.
 Guru
Gobind Singh went to his hermitage.
Madhodas was away. The Guru ordered
his disciples to kill a few goats of
the Bairagi and cook meat there and
then. The matter was reported to Bairagi.
The Guru asked him who he was. Madhodas
replied, he was Banda or Guru's slave.
The Guru inquired, if he knew whom he
was talking to. He said he was none
other than Guru Gobind Singh. At that
time Banda was 38 years old and Guru
ji 42. The Guru encouraged him to give
up his present way of living and resume
the duties of a real Rajput. In few
days the Guru held a durbar, conferred
the title of Banda Bahadur on him and
appointed him his military lieutenant
to punish the Governor of Sarhind who
had killed his two youngest sons, and
was mainly responsible for the death
of his two elder sons, his mother and
thousands of Sikhs and Hindus. He was
given a council of advisers of Five
Sikhs who on their arrival in Punjab
were to assure the Sikhs that Banda
was Guru's nominee and deputy to organize
them in order to lead an expedition
against Sarhind.
At a durbar held at Nander about the
middle of September 1708, the Guru conferred
the title of Bahadur on Banda and invested
him with full political and military
authority as his deputy to carry on
the national struggle in the Punjab
and to punish Wazir Khan of Sarhind
and his supporters. He was supplied
with a standard arrow and a drum as
symbols of temporal authority. He was
given an advisory council of five devoted
Khalsa: Baj Singh, a descendant of the
family of third Guru, Amar Das, his
brother Ram Singh, Binod singh, who
descended from Guru Angad Dev second
Guru, his son Kahan singh and Fateh
Singh. Twenty five soldiers were given
to him as his bodyguard. A prescript
called Hukumnamah or a letter of authority
in the handwriting of the Guru instructing
Sikhs to join Banda Bahadur in his national
war against Mughal tyranny was provided.
As an insignia of his temporal authority
invested in him, Guru gave Banda Bahadur
his own sword, green bow and Five arrows
from his quiver. Three hundred Sikh
cavaliers in battle array accompanied
Banda to a distance of eight kilometers
to give him final send off.
Banda on his journey, 1708-1709
 The
guru was severely wounded by a Pathan
set on the Guru by Wazir Khan with the
connivance of the court nobles. The
dispatch of Banda to Punjab had infuriated
Emperor Bahadur Shah. As a result of
his intrigue the Guru passed away on
October 7, 1708. Banda had not gone
far when he heard the sad news. This
did not discourage him. On the contrary
it doubled his zeal and set the fire
of vengeance ablaze in his heart. Distance
between Nander and Hissar in current
day Haryana is 1600 KMs. At the rate
of 10-16 kms per day Banda should not
have taken more than 100 days during
his journey, but he actually took about
a year. It means that he might have
been frequently in hiding. The emperor
should have instructed his officers
to make short work of Banda and his
party. That is why Banda traveled right
across Maharashtra and Rajasthan, both
of which were in revolt against the
Mughals.
Banda in Current day Haryana, 1709
Narnaul:
Banda arrived at Narnaul. There he saw
the complete destruction of Satnamis
with his own eyes. His blood boiled
on learning that entire sect of Satnamis,
men, women and children, one and all
had been wiped out of existence. It
was here that Banda suppressed some
dacoits and robbers. (this is mentioned
in Shri Guru Panth Parkash of Giani
Gian Singh, 345-46, 4th edition).
Hissar:
He was well received by Hindus and Sikhs
as a leader of the nationalist movement
and deputy of Guru Gobind singh. Liberal
offerings were made to him in the cause
of the country and dharam (religion
and virtue) which he distributed among
poor and needy.
Tohana:
Here Banda issued letters to Malwa Sikhs
to join him in his crusade against Wazir
Khan of Sarhind.
Never perhaps in the history of Punjab
did the circumstances of the time offered
so fair a field to the ambition of a
leader, conscious of great talents,
and called to the command of a warlike
people, only too eager to support him
in any enterprise he might undertake.
Banda directed his attention to the
east towards Delhi. He wanted to leave
Mata Sahib devi in Delhi and plunder
the Government officials of the fertile
area of Haryana. From Kharkhauda about
50 kms north-west of Delhi, Mata Sahib
devi was sent to Delhi under proper
escort, to join Mata Sundari, who was
acting as head of the Khalsa. She might
have resented Banda's ignoring her for
not having visited her at the capital
before starting on his crusade.
Sonepat:
At Sonepat, 50 Kms North of Delhi, early
in November 1709 Banda commanded about
500 followers. He attacked government
treasury plundered it and distributed
it among his retinue. This was his second
success against the government and it
considerably raised his prestige. By
slow marches he advanced towards Sarhind.
Kaithal:
Near Kaithal, about 100 kms further
North, Banda seized a Government treasury
which was its way from the northern
districts to Delhi. He kept nothing
out of it for himself and gave it away
to his rank and file.
Samana:
Samana, 50 kms farther North was the
native place of Jalal-ud-did Jallad,
the professional executioner, who had
beheaded Guru Tegh Bahadur, while his
son had beheaded two younger sons of
Guru Gobind singh. Ali Hussain who by
false promises had lured Guru Gobind
singh to evacuate Anandpur also belonged
to Samana. It was an accursed place
in the eyes of Sikhs. The entire peasantry
of the neighborhood was now up in arms,
and Banda's following had risen to several
thousands. Banda fell upon the town
on November 26, 1709. The inhabitants
were massacred in cold blood and town
thoroughly squeezed. Samana was the
district town and had nine Parganahs
attached to it. It was placed under
the charge of Fateh Singh. Samana was
the first territorial conquest and the
first administrative unit of Banda.
Then Kunjpura, Ghuram, and Thaska inhabited
by Muslim Ranghars notirious for rape
and rapine were destroyed. People who
were born out of Muslim father and Hindu
mother were called Ranghars. Damla was
the village of Pathans who had deserted
Guru Gobind singh ji in the battle of
Bhangani, It was ravaged. Shahbad Markanda
also fell to Banda.
Sadhaura:
Usman Khan , the chief of Sadhaura 25
kms distant, had persecuted Sayyid Budhu
Shah for helping Guru Gobind singh ji
in the battle of Bhangani. The muslim
population maltreated the local Hindus.
On the approach of Banda the leading
Muslims gathered in a big and strongly
built mansion. They were all massacred.
This building came to be known as Katal
Garhi. Banda attacked the town and destroyed
it.
The contemporary historian Khafi Khan
wrote: "In two or three months
time four to five thousands pony-riders,
and seven to eight thousand warlike
footmen joined him. Day by day their
number increased, and abundant money
and material by pillage fell into their
hands. Numerous villages were laid waste
and he appointed his own police officers
(thanedars) and collectors of revenue
(Tahsil-dar-e-mal)"
Lohgarh:
The ultimate aim of Banda was to punish
Wazir Khan and conquer Sarhind. It required
time to consolidate his material and
territorial gains. He also wanted to
study military resources of Sarhind.
He was anxious to see what steps government
will take against him. He therefore
established his headquarters, in the
beginning of February 1710, at Mukhlispur
situated in lower Shiwalik hills south
of Nahan, about 20 KM from Sadhaura.
His fort stood on 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 defense.
All the money, gold and costly material
acquired in these expeditions were deposited
here. He struck coins and issued orders
under his seal. The name of Mukhlispur
was changed to Lohgarh, and it became
the capital of first Sikh state.
 Banda
ruled over the region bounded on the
north by Shiwalik hills, on the west
by river Tangri, on the east by river
Jamuna, and in the south by a line passing
through Samana, Thanesar, 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
the peasant proprietorship, and won
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." So Guru Gobind
singh's dream of political sovereignty
was realized within a year of his death.
Banda's name struck terror into the
hearts of lawless people, and thefts
and dacoity became a thing of the past.
"In all the paraganahs occupied
by the Sikhs," writes Irvine, "The
reversal of previous customs was striking
and complete. A low scavenger or leather
dresser, the lowest of the low in Indian
estimation, had only to leave home and
join the Guru, when in a short time
he would return to his birthplace as
its ruler with his order and his order
of appointment in his hand. As soon
as he set foot within the boundaries
the wealthy and well-born went out to
greet him and with joined palms awaited
his orders. Not a soul could disobey
an order, and men who had often risked
themselves in battlefields, became so
cowed down that they were afraid even
to remonstrate.
Invasion of Sarhind and establishment
of first Sikh state
Banda's Troops
Banda devoted three months in organizing
his civil and military administration.
Bahadur Shah was still away from Delhi.
The Delhi Government had made no attempt
to recover their lost territory from
him. Wazir Khan of Sarhind was making
his own preparations independently to
meet the danger from Banda.
Banda's troops consisted of two classes
of people. The old Sikhs who had fought
under Guru Gobind Singh joined him purely
to punish Wazir Khan. Eventhough Guru
Gobind Singh had only sent Banda Bahadur
to punish those who had committed atrocities
against Pir Buddhu Shah and sane saints,
it was the love of Guru Gobind singh
and Sahibzade's that many Sikhs zealously
to avenge the murder of the Guru Gobind
Singh's young sons alligned themselves
with Banda. They also wished to see
the fulfillment of the Guru's prophecy
for Sikh sovereignty in Punjab. They
numbered about five thousands. Another
class of Sikhs of about the same number
comprised of young men who wanted to
punish and plunder the enemies of their
faith. The third group of Hindu jats,
Gujars and Rajputs of about five thousand
were intent on plunder alone. Most of
them were untrained, raw levies, not
fully armed. Banda possessed no elephants,
no good horses and no guns. His followers
had matchlocks, spears, swords, bows
and arrows. According to Khafi Khan
the number of Sikhs had risen to thirty
to forty thousands.
Wazir Khan's Preparations
Wazir Khan had proclaimed a jihad or
a holy war against Banda. He was joined
by the Nawab of Malerkotla, all the
other Muslim chiefs and jagirdars as
well as Ranghars in large numbers. 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 their troops was about thirty thousands.
Banda advanced from Lohgarh and halted
at Banur, near Ambala, 14 Kms from Rajpura.
The muslims of that town used to seize
cows and oxen of Hindus and slaughter
them in their presence. Banda sacked
it, and then went towards Sarhind.
 The
Battle of Sarhind, May 12, 1710 A.D.
The battle was fought at Chhappar Chiri,
20 kms from Sarhind. On the Mughal side
Sher Muhammad Khan, Nawab of Malerkotla
was the leader of the right wing. Wazir
Khan was in command of the center. Suchanand,
chief secretary of nawab was put on
the left. On the Sikh side, Baj singh
Bal a jutt of village Mirpur in Patti
distt. of Amritsar, headed right wing.
Binod Singh (descendent of Guru Angad
Dev ji) headed the left wing while Banda
commanded the center facing the Wazir
Khan's army. Shouts of Sachcha Padishah,
Fateh Darshan (Sat Sri Akal was changed
to Fateh Darshan by Banda), Sat Sri
Akal, Akal, Akal, and ya ali, rent the
sky. Suchanand could not withstand the
ferocity of Baj singh and soon vanquished
and fled away. The artillery fire of
the Mughals told heavily on the plunderers
in Banda's camp. They were equally divided
between Baj singh and Binod singh's
forces. 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. There
a bloody battle was going on. Baj singh
and Binod singh now joined Banda. Banda
and the Sikh leaders now converged on
Wazir Khan and he was killed.
 Wazir
Khan's death is variously described.
Khafi Khan says that he was struck by
a Musket ball. Mir Mohammed Ahsan Ijad
says that Baj singh rushed upon Wazir
Khan. Wazir Khan threw his spear at
Baj singh. Baj singh caught hold of
it. He 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. He then rushed
upon him with his sword. At this juncture
Fatah singh came to the rescue of Baj
singh. His sword cut the Khan from shoulder
to the waist.
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 howdah
(a seat atop of elephant). The Sikhs
with one voice and in wild excitement
raised the sky-rending shouts of Sat-Sri-Akal.
The Sarhind's troops on beholding the
Nawab's head took alarm, and trembling
fled helter skelter in dismay and despair.
The Sikhs fell upon them and there was
a terrible carnage. Sikhs reached Sarhind
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 in the night. Wazir Khan's
family and many Muslim nobles fled to
Delhi at night.
By next afternoon 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. Several
Muslims saved their lives by embracing
Sikhism. Dindar Khan son of Jalal Khan
Rohilla became Dindar Singh. The official
newswriter of Sarhind Mir Nasir-ud-din
changed his name to Mir Nasir singh.
(Yar Mohammand, Dastur-ul insha, page
37, Persian)
Province of Sarhind occupied
Entire province of Sarhind consisting
of twenty-eight paraganahs and extending
from Satluj to the Jamuna and from the
Shiwalik hills to Kunjpura, Karnal to
Kaithal, yielding 52 lakhs (1 lakh =
100,000 Rupees) annualy came into Banda's
possession. Baj Singh was appointed
governor of Sarhind. Ali singh was made
his deputy. Their chief responsibility
was to be on guard against the Mughal
troops from Lahore and Jammu. Fatah
singh retained charge of Samana. Ram
singh, brother of Baj singh became chief
of Thanesar. Binod singh in addition
to his post of the revenue minister,
was entrusted with the administration
of Karnal and Panipat. 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 Sarhind.
The Zamindari system was abolished in
the whole province at one stroke.
Banda advances towards Lahore, June
1710
Having set up administrative machinery,
Banda advanced from Sarhind to Malerkotla.
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. He
chastised the Brahmins and Ranghars
who had made over Guru Gobind singh's
mother and his two youngest son to Wazir
Khan. Then he visited Kiratpur and Anandpur
to pay homage to shrines. He took Hoshiarpur
and Jalandhar and carried fire and sword
everywhere. Banda crossed the Beus and
fell upon Batala. Then, he went on a
pilgrimage to Dera Baba Nanak. At Amritsar
Banda made large offerings. He invited
young men to embrace Sikhism promising
remission of land revenue and other
rewards. Then many from the area of
Majha joined the Khalsa. Banda marched
towards Lahore. Sayyid Islam Khan, the
Governor mounted guns on the walls of
city. Banda laid a siege, but was unable
to force upon the walls of fort. Lahore
must have fallen, but Banda was in hurry
to look after his government.
Thus entire city remained safe owing
to its fortifications. But the entire
suburbs for miles around was completely
devastated. In this campaign Banda was
joined by thousands of low caste Hindus
who came into the fold of Khalsa.
Torture and execution of Banda Bahadur
by Mughals
Banda Singh's rule, though short-lived,
had a far-reaching impact on the history
of the Punjab. With it began the decay
of Mughal authority and the demolition
of the feudal system of society it had
created. Banda Singh increasing influence
roused the ire of the Mughal emperor,
Bahadur Shah, who journeyed northwards
from Deccan to punish Sikhs. Instructions
were issued to the governors of Delhi
and Oudh and other Mughal officers to
march towards Punjab. Prohibitory laws
against Sikhs were passed. Fearing that
some Sikhs might not have smuggled themselves
into the royal camp disguised as Hindus,
Bahadur Shah ordered all Hindus employed
of imperial forces to shave off their
beards. Emperor Bahadur Shah's order,
issued on December 10, 1710 was a general
warrant for the faujdars to "kill
the worshippers of Nanak, i.e. Sikhs,
wherever they are found. (Nanak Prastan
ra Har ja kih bayaband baqatl rasanand)"
Banda was chased out of Every corner
of Punjab and he took refuge in the
Shivalik hills.
He got married to daughter of one of
the hill chiefs and it was few years
before Mughals could trace him down
. He again started his campaigns against
Mughals and came out of hills to the
plains of Punjab. But was overwhelmed
by the superior numbers of Mughal forces.
As reported to emperor Bahadur Shah
on April 28th 1711, (Akhbarat-i-darbar-i-mualla)
, "The wretched Nanak-worshipper
(Banda Singh) had his camp in the town
of Kalanaur (District Gurdaspur). He
has promised and proclaimed: "I
do not oppress the Muslims." Any
muslim who approaches him, he fixes
a daily allowance and wage, and looks
after him. He has permitted them to
recite khutba and namaz. As such five
thousand Muslim have gathered round
him.
 The
massive imperial force drove the Sikhs
from Sirhind and other places to take
shelter in the fort of Lohgarh in the
hilly region. "It is impossible
for me," says Khafi Khan a muslim
historian of that time, "to describe
the fight which followed. The Sikhs
in ther faqir's dress struck terror
into the hearts of the royal troops.
The number of casualties among the latter
was so large that for a time it appeared
as if they were going to lose."
Further reinforcements arrived and
sixty thousand horse and foot closely
invested Banda's hill retreat. For want
of provisions, Sikhs were reduced to
rigorous straits. They killed their
horses for food, and when they could
stand up to the enemy no longer, they
made desperate nightly sally to escape
into the hills of Nahan. Banda was far
from vanquished. A hukamnamah, issued
by him to his followers within a fortnight
of his leaving the fort of Lohgarh,
showed the spirit which swayed the Sikhs
during those arduous times. The following
is an English version of Banda Singh's
letter.
Deg O Teg O Fateh o nusrat bedirang
Yaft Az Nanak Guru Gobind Singh
The kettle and the sword (Symbols of
charity and power), victory and blessing
have been obtained from Guru Nanak-Gobind
Singh. God is one! Victory to the Presence!!
This is the order of Sri Sachcha Sahib
(The great master) to the entire Khalsa.
The Guru will protect you. Call upon
the Guru's name. Your lives will be
fruitful!. You are the Khalsa of the
great immortal God. On seeing this letter,
repair to the presence, wearing five
arms. Observe the rules of conduct laid
down for the Khalsa. Do not use Bhang,
tobocco, Poppy, wine, or any other intoxicant...Commit
no theft or adultery. We have brought
Satyug (the golden age) Love one another.
This is my wish. He who lives according
to the rules of Khalsa shall be saved
by the Guru.
Sikhs came out of their mountain haunts
to recover their lost territories and
once again occupied Sadhaura and Lohgarh.
Farukh Siyar, who came to the throne
of Delhi in 1713, launched against them
the sternest proceedings that political
authority stirred with a fanatical religious
zeal could devise. They were hounded
out of plains of Punjab and their main
column, under Banda Singh about 4,000
men was subjected to most stringent
siege at the village of Gurdas-Nangal,
about six kilometers from Gurdaspur.
Gurdas Nangal was an epic of purest
heroism in face of heavy odds. According
to Muhammad Qasim, the Muslim author
of Ibratnamah, who has given an eyewitness
account of this campaign, the "brave
and daring deeds (of the Sikhs) were
amazing. Twice or thrice a day, some
forty or fifty of them would come out
of their enclosure to gather grass for
their animals, and, when the combined
forces of the emperor went to oppose
them, they made short work of the Mughals
with arrows, muskets and small swords,
and then disappeared. For eight months
the garrison resisted the siege of 100,000
Mughal troops under the gruesome conditions.
Quite apart from the daring exploits
of the ordinary Sikh soldier, there
were strong rumours in the Mughal camps
that Banda Singh had magical powers,
and could transform himself into many
shapes to escape captivity. Most of
the Mughal commanders were afraid of
a face to face encounter with Banda,
and were conslantly pushing their Qazis
and Mullas to the front to offer prayers
to counter the spells of the enemy.
Abdus Samad Khan openly prayed that
Banda escaped from there, so that the
whole business could be disposed off
on any excuse. Only fresh orders from
the Emperor to capture 13anda dead or
alive kept him at his task. He was taking
new measures everyday to tighten the
siege, to starve the delenders to submission.
Qamar-ud-Din's forces were holding one
half of the circle and his own forces
were on the other half.
This siege dragged on for eight months.
Towards the end, an unfortunate dispute
arose between Banda Singh and one of
his most trusted advisers Baba Binod
Singh. This man along with Baaj 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 for some reasons of his own, Banda
wished to fight it out there. Binod
Singh was senior in age, and when this
difference of views flared up into an
open quarrel, Banda agreed to let Baba
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 17th December,
1715, Abdus Samad 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 200 were captured alive
and handcuff'ed in twos. Banda Singh
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, hefore
proceeding towards Delhi. Zakaria Khan,
the son of the Lahore Governor, then
took charge. and in order to give the
Emperor a bigger present, he ordered
his men to lop off more heads of Sikhs
that they caught on the way, and he
loaded them on to the carts that carried
the 300 from (Gurdas Nangal). The rest
Sikhs around 740 Sikhs along with Banda
Singh were taken to Lahore, and thence
to Delhi. The cavalcade to the imperial
capital was a grisly sight. Besides
740 prisoners in heavy chains, it comprised
seven hundred cartloads of the heads
of the Sikhs with another 200 stuck
upon pikes. On 26th Fehruary, 1716,
this 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 town. On the 29th February, the
citizens of Dclhi had lined the streets
in full force, to get a good sight of
the show. E:irst marched 2,000 soldiers
each holding a Sikh head impaled on
his upright spear (so many extra had
been collected on the way). Next followed
Banda Singh's elephant. A gold-laced
red turban was placed on his head, and
to add further mockery to his plight,
a bright printed scarlet shirt was slipped
on his body. Then carne 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, Mohammed Amin Khan, his
son Kamar-ud-Din Khan, and his son-in-law
Zakaria Khan. Their army men lined both
sides of the streets.
However humiliating their plight, there
were no signs of dejection or remorse
on the faces of these Sikhs. In the
words of Mohammed Harisi, author of
the Ibratnama, who was on the spot that
day: "The crowds were pressing
forward to get a better view Many were
enjoying the sight and taking hillarious
jibes at them. But nothing changed the
air of calm and resignation on the faces
of those Sikhs. There were no signs
of bitterness or dejection anywhere.
They appeared to be happy with their
lot, and were actually joined in groups
singing their Guru's hymns. If anyone
remarked that they were being punished
for their sins, their retort was: 'No,
it is all according to God's Will ?"'
When we see the list of weapons captured
from them at Gurdas Nangal we are really
amazed at what they could do with so
little. This is the list as supplied
by Kanwar, the author of the Tazkrah:
1,000 swords, 217 small swords, 114
daggers, 278 shields, 173 bows, and
180 rifles. In spite of this scanty
material they could have continued defying
the Mughal might a long long time, if
only their supplies of food had not
run out.
C.R.Wilson, a Bengal civilian, has
given in his Early Annals of the English
in Bengal the following description
of the entry of the Sikh captives into
Delhi:
"Malice did its utmost to cover
the vanquished with ridicule and shame.
First came the heads of the executed
Sikhs, stuffed with straw, and stuck
on Bamboo's, their long hair streaming
in the wind like a veil, and along with
them to show that every living thing
in Gurdaspur had perished, a dead cat
on a pole. Banda himself, dressed out
of mockery in a turban of a red cloth,
embroidered with gold, and a heavy robe
of brocade flowered with pomegranates,
sat in an iron cage, placed on the back
of an elephant. Behind him stood a mail-clad
officer with a drawn sword. After him
came the other 740 prisoners seated
two and two upon camels without saddles.
Each wore a high foolscap of sheepskin
and had one hand pinned to his neck,
between two pieces of wood. At the end
of the procession rode the three great
nobles, Muhammad Amin Khan, sent by
emperor to bring in prisoners, Qamr-ud-Din,
his son, and Zakariya Khan, his son-in-law.
The road to the palace, for several
miles was lined with troops and filled
with exultant crowds, who mocked at
the teacher (Guru) and laughed at the
grotesque appearance of his followers.
They wagged their heads and pointed
the finger of scorn at the poor wretched
a they passed. "HU! HU! infidel
dog worshippers your day has come. Truly,
retribution follows on transgression,
as wheat springs from wheat, and barley
from barley!! " Yet the triumph
could not have seemed complete. Not
all the insults that their enemies had
invented could rob the teacher and his
followers of his dignity. Without any
sign of dejection or shame, they rode
on, calm, cheerful, even anxious to
die the death of martyrs. Life was promised
to any who would renounce their faith,
but they would not prove false to their
Guru, and at the place of suffering
their constancy was wonderful to look
at. 'Me deliverer, kill me first,' was
the prayer which constantly rang in
the ears of the executioner.
"Khafi Khan illustrates the resolute
will and complete devotion to their
cause displayed by those Sikhs by telling
us about one young prisoner who was
about to be called up from the line.
This boy had been newly married and
had been hauled in by Zakaria Khan's
soldiers on the way, only to swell the
number of captives for the pleasure
of Farukh Siyar. He was the only son
of his widowed mother, who had hurried
to plead her case before the Emperor.
She said that her son had been beguiled
into joining the Sikh bands, but was
not a Sikh at heart. On that ground,
the Emperor wrote out the order of pardon
for the boy, and thc mother had hurried
with that note and handed it to the
officer-in-charge of the executions.
The officer read out the pardon and
the youth shouted out, "My mother
has lied. I am a Sikh of my Guru in
body and soul. Do not separate me from
my departed friends. Please hurry so
that I can join them now." Saying
that he left the guards dumbfounded
and rushed away to the front of the
queue again. He lowered his head before
the executioner and refused to budge
until the sword had descended and cut
him into two.
 "That
gory scene was enacted for seven days
until all the ordinary captives had
been disposed off. According to Mohammed
Harisi, 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. Not one
from the 700 odd men had asked for pardon.
The jailors next turned their attention
to the 20 odd sardars, including Baaj
Singh, Fateh Singh, Ahli Singh and Gulab
Singh (of Lohgarh fame). 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, 9th June,
1716. Banda's cage was again hoisted
on top of an elephant, and he was dressed
in mock attire of an emperor, with a
colourful red pointed turban on his
head. His 4 year old son Ajai Singh
was placed in his lap. The twenty odd
sardars marched behind the elephant
and this special procession then passed
through the streets of Delhi, and headed
for the Kutub-ud-din mausoleum of Bahadur
Shah, near the present Kutab Minar.
On reaching that graveyard, the captives
were again offered a choice of two alternatives:
conversion to Islam or death. Needless
to say all chose death. The Sikh sardars
were subjected to tortures before being
executed. Their heads were then impaled
on spears and arranged in a circle round
Banda who was now squatting on the ground.
There were hundreds of spectators standing
around watching this scene. Here they
made him paraded around the tomb of
late emperor Bahadur Shah and put him
to a barbarous death.
"Banda Singh was then given a
short sword and ordered to kill his
own son Ajai Singh. As he sat unperturbed,
the cxecutioner moved forward and plunged
his sword into the little child cutting
the hody into two. Then pieces of flesh
were cut from the body and thrown in
Banda's face. His liver was removed
and thrust into Banda Singh's mouth.
The father sat through all this without
any signs of emotion. His powers of
endurance were to be tested still further.
But before that, 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's reply was, "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 stepped
forward and thrust thc point of his
dagger into Banda's right eye, pulling
out thc eyeball. He then pulled out
the other eyeball. Banda sat through
all this as still as a rock. His face
gave no twitch of pain.
"The cruel devil then took his
sword and slashed off Banda's left foot,
then both his arms. But Banda's features
were still calm as if he was at peace
with his Creator. Finally they tore
off his flesh with red-hot pincers,
and there being nothing else left in
their book of tortures, they cut his
body up into a hundred pieces, and were
satisfied. (These details of the torture
are given in full, by the following
writers: Mohammed Harisi, Khafi Khan,
Thornton, Elphinstone, Daneshwar and
others).
The ambassadors of the East India company,
John Surman and Edward Stephenson, who
were in Delhi then and had witnessed
some of these massacres, wrote to the
governor of Fort William: "It is
not a little remarkable with what patience
Sikhs undergo their fate, and to the
last it has not been found that one
apostatized from his new formed religion.
"
On June 9th , came the turn of Banda
Singh. Harshest torments had been reserved
for him. His eyes were pulled out and
his hands and feet chopped off. His
flesh was torn with red hot pincers.
The end came, mercifully for him with
the executioner's axe falling on his
neck. With his end Sikhism did not die
on the contrary Sikhism came out strong
and the torch of Banda Singh Bahadur
was carried with new Warriors like Nawab
Kapur Singh Virk, Sardar Budh Singh,
Sardar Charat Singh, Baba Deep Singh
ji Shaheed, Sardar Jassa Singh ji Ahluwalia,
Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Hari singh Bhangi,
etc.
Manas ki jaal sabhai ekai pehchaanbo
is the Guru Gobind Singh's message.
which emphatically states "men
may call themselves Hindus, Muslims,
Emams and Shaffies, but I see them all
belonging to one race—mankind."
Guru Gobind Singh had given Banda specific
orders to punish those who had persecuted
good saints like Pir Budhu Shah. He
had not mentioned any revenge on those
who had executed his own young boys
at Sirhind. Hc had expected Bahadur
Shah to fulfil his promise to punish
those who had committed atrocitics on
good men, but had parted company from
the Emperor completely disappointed.
Banda Singh was then taught to bring
to reality the Guru's own dream:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Salute to great Sikh Warrior Sardar
Banda Singh Bahadur who gave all but
not his beliefs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Harbans Singh "The encyclopedia
of Sikhism.
Hari Ram Gupta "The Heritage of
the Sikhs.
Sohan Lal Suri "Umdat-ut-Tawarikh"
Khushwant Singh "History of the
Sikhs"
|
