|
 After
the death of Qazi Abdul Razak and Mufti
Abdul Rehman at the hands of the Singhs
in 1738 A.D., Zakriya Khan, the Governor
of Lahore put Abdul Samad Khan Yusufi
at the head of an army patrol. Wherever
that patrol came across a Singh, they
killed him there and then. One day,
Abdul Samad Khan fell into the hands
of Nawab Kapoor Singh. He tied him head
down, behind a horse and ran the horse
at a gallop which caused his death.
After that, the Governor began rewarding
those coming with the heads of Singhs.
A large number of Singhs left Lahore
and went to other provinces. The Singhs
who did not leave the Lahore province
spent their days hiding in the bushes.
Among those were Bhai Bota Singh Sandhu
of village Bharana and Bhai Garjha Singh
Mazhabi, his companion, who were living
in hiding in Tarn Taran area.
Several Sikhs were killed, owing to
the information by Muslims, Hindus and
other communities who were keen to make
quick money. One such massacre was of
a father and son, Sardar Subeg Singh
and his 18 years old Son Bhai Shahbaz
Singh, both Sikhs were executed at exactly
as in this picture at Lahore after they
refused to become Muslims. Meanwhile
Bhai Bota Singh and Bhai Gharjha Singh,
One day, while they sat hiding in bushes
by the roadside, they heard two soldiers
talking. One was telling the other,
"Now, the Singhs spend their time
hiding in bushes for fear of death."
Perhaps he had seen the Singhs sitting.
The other one said, "One who passes
his days hiding in the bushes like a
jackal cannot be a Singh (lion). "
The Singhs could not tolerate this insult.
They came out of hiding and instantly
killed both the soldiers with their
staffs. After that, both Singhs posted
themselves on a bridge near Noordin's
inn on Tarn Taran to Lahore road. They
started collecting bridge tolls at the
rate of one 'Anna' for a cart and one
'Paisa' for a donkey crossing that bridge.
Everyone using the bridge paid the toll-tax
without any argument. When sometime
had passed with the establishment of
Sikh rule over the bridge, they wrote
a letter to the Governor, in English
it is "Bota writes in this letter:
He has a staff in his hand. He has imposed
a toll of one Anna on each cart and
one paisa on each donkey. Tell brother's
wife Khano that Bota Singh says this."
On receiving the letter, the Governor
sent Jalal Din with one hundred soldiers
to arrest and bring the Singhs with
him. Jalal Din came to bridge and said
to the Singhs, "There are only
two of you while I have one hundred
soldiers with me. You have only clubs
while we are armed with swords. You
cannot face us in a battle. As such,
it is better that you surrender."
Garjha Singh replied, "Select four
of your soldiers and send them to fight
us. The you will see our hands wielding
the clubs." At this challenge of
the Singhs the Commander sent four soldiers.
In the twinkling of an eye, the corpses
of the soldiers lay writhing on the
ground. When no one came forward to
face the Singhs again, the Commander
ordered all to attack them together.
The two Singhs attained martyrdom fighting
one hundred men in 1739 A.D.
Salute to great Sikh Warriors Bhai
Gharjha Singh ji and Bhai Bota singh
ji
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Copyright © Harbans Singh "The
encyclopedia of Sikhism."
Santok singh Jagdev of Sikh missionary
society "Bed-Time stories -7"
Khushwant Singh "History of Sikhs"
|
