Struggle of sikhs with mughals under banda singh bahadur

Abstract

Firm faith and high hope on the one hand and power of resistance and tenacity of purpose on the other, formed the main features of the Sikh character. The first three decades after Aurangzeb's death became more complicated and the Northern provinces were taking full advantage of the weakness of the imperial centre. There were local rising of the Sikhs, the Jats and the other local powers in the region. Mughal authority had become weak and the struggle was basically confined between the Mughals and the Sikhs. Banda, who had come to Punjab as the commander of the forces of the Khalsa, organized the Sikhs and built independent political system and drew principal strength from the zamindars, peasantry and lower classes. He began to plunder in Punjab with five quiver bestowed by Guru and three types of man rallied around him. He made use of both offensive and defensive tactics as circumstances demanded. Banda established his headquarter village Sheri and Khanda. After occupying Sonepat he attacked Kaithal, arrested the Mughals officials then marched towards Samana. Muazzam on his way from Deccan received the news of the Sikhs near Sarhind. Banda plundered Ghuram and Thaska. Through Shahbad he sacked Kunjpura and chose Sadhaura, and its neighbourhood as his base of his operations due to its proximity to Sirmur hills, where he could withdraw whenever the situation so demanded. Sadhaura(Qatalghari) was put to plunder and a number of its inhabitants were killed. Then a battle fought at Chhaparchiri between Wazir Khan and the Sikhs resulted in the massacre of the Mughal army with Wazir Khan and Suchanand and recovered the booty of two crores of rupees and other goods. He became the master of almost the whole of the sarkar Sarhind. A few parganas in Saharanpur sarkar also fell into their hands and made administrative arrangements for the conquered territory. Banda returned to Mukhlispur which he selected as his capital under the name of Lohgarh. On receiving the first news of Sikh outbreak in 1710 Bahadur Shah after settling peace with the Rajput rajas, Ajit Singh and Jai Singh, he turned his attention to them. On the complaints of the inhabitants, Mughal forces were sent again and again to suppress them. On the arrival of the Emperor Bahadur Shah in Punjab Banda Bahadur put him on the defensive. But again the Sikhs barred the road between Delhi and Panipat for many months. When the Emperor reached Sadhuara, the Sikhs had fled towards south and took refuge in the hills. After few attempts Emperor Bahadur Shah sent royal orders to Hindu rajas of Garhwal and Nahan to seige him at any cost but all the efforts to crush Banda Bahadur were failed. On hearing the death of Bahadur Shah, Banda Bahadur made full use of this opportunity took the possession of the town Sadhuara and recaptured the fort of Lohgarh. And immediately after the accession Emperor issued orders to Abdus Samad and other energetic officers in March 1715 to crush the Sikhs. After eight month's struggle Banda Bahadur was captured along with his 740 followers on December 17, 1715. They were first taken to Lahore and then to Delhi in heavy chains by Zakaria Khan and Qamru-din-Khan. At Delhi, they were produced before the Emperor in a procession. The imperial orders were issued and Banda Bahadur along with the other Sikh prisoners was executed on June 9, 1716.