The Khalsa Flag Fluttered At the Citadel of the Mughal Empire

devinder singh saggu chandigarh

May 1710: The Khalsa Flag Fluttered At the Citadel of the Mughal Empire

 

Seeing his end drawing near, Guru Gobind Singh initiated Banda Bahadur into the fold of the Khalsa brotherhood and invested in him the political and military authority to vigorously launch a crusade against the forces of evil. The Guru, after having blessed him with temporal authority, adorned him with a sword, a bow, five arrows with golden tips from his quiver, and an insignia of the Khalsa, the Nishan Sahib.
After Banda Bahadur took Amrit, Guru Gobind Singh dispatched him, along with 25 Sikhs, to Punjab to uproot tyranny, oppression and injustice. Question arises? With no money, no arms, no shelter and no base to accomplish the mission set forth, how could a handful of Sikhs shatter the citadel of the mighty Mughal empire?
It speaks volumes of Banda Bahadur’s towering personality, his military acumen, organizational skill, coordinated efforts and, above all, his illustrious leadership that he surged like a hurricane to take on the Mughal Empire. Undaunted, unfazed by the heavy odds against him, he led his men in the most magnificent fashion crushing the forces of evil one after the other.
War brings out the stuff that makes legends and this is what Banda was, a legend. The blood-splattered battlefield of Chappar Jherdi spewed awe-inspiring tales of heroism, sacrifice and self-confidence of the Khalsa to win the battle against insurmountable odds.

THE ASSAULT ON SARHIND

After the fall of Mughal towns of Samana, Sadhuara and Kapuri, the next target was Sarhind. The flattening out of these towns gave the Mughal Empire a shiver down its spine. Shock waves of awe were felt all around. This news was received by the Sikhs residing far and near in the hinter land of Punjab.
Banda needed time to consolidate his gains, and muster required war materials and men to take on Wazir Khan. He retired to a secluded place called Mukhlispur. It had a fort on the top of a hill. History speaks that Mukhlis Khan built the fort, on the orders of Emperor Shah Jahan. The fort was a strong structure. It was located between Sadhuara and Haripur, about 10km from Sadhuara. At the time of occupation by Banda Bahadur, the fort was in a dilapidated condition. Later, it was restored and made the first capital of the Sikhs, and renamed Lohgarh. Here it was that Banda Bahadur struck coins in the name of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh. Preparation of war commenced.
Simultaneously, the Hukumnamas of Guru Gobind Singh directing Sikhs to gather under the overall command of Banda Bahadur also were received. Propelled by the zeal, they set course to join the Khalsa commonwealth, leaving their hearths and homes. Contingents of Sikhs marched for the final assault towards Sarhind. They carried whatever war material they could lay their hands on. Banda Bahadur also descended from the hills of Logarh, Mukhlispur, near Kala Amb. The entire operation was planned in two phases.
 
The Battle of Ropar: 
When Wazir Khan found out about the movement of Sikhs, he was terribly upset. Sikhs of Majha and Doaba had already reached Kiratpur and were preparing to cross over the Satluj River. Wazir Khan deputed Nawab Sher Mohammad Khan of Malerkotla to check their advance and prevent their union. Accompanied with his brother, Khizar Khan, and his cousins, Nashtar Khan and Wali Mohammad Khan, marched towards Ropar. In route, detachments of Sarhind and Ropar also joined in. They had two guns and assorted weapons, including superior horses.
Sikhs, on the other hand, had few men. They had insufficient weapons, muskets and other tools of battle. Notwithstanding the smaller numerical strength, they surged ahead with determination and courage. The battle started in the morning. Initially, the guns played havoc on the Sikhs. Fierce fighting continued throughout the day. A great deal of blood was shed on both sides. Throughout the contest, the Mughal troops had the upper hand. It appeared that the battle would end in their favor. They were confident of their victory but the Sikhs fought with unprecedented ferocity. As the sun set, darkness descended and the battle ceased for the day. The next morning, to their good luck, a fresh contingent of Sikhs arrived.
Emboldened with the new arrival, Sikhs hit their foe with redoubled vigor. Khizar Khan mounted a fierce assault. Desperately, Sikhs made a dashing charge, shooting arrows with great precision. At that point, a bullet hit Khizar Khan and he fell dead. There was chaos and confusion in the rank and file of the Mughal forces. Exhorting his men to push forward, Sher Mohammad Khan led another charge. All his efforts to stand up against the Sikhs proved futile. Nashtar Khan and Wali Khan tried to extricate the body of Khizar Khan but both were killed in battle. Sher Mohammad Khan was severely injured and fled away. The entire Mughal force suffered a complete rout. The Sikhs carried the day.
After cremating their dead, the Sikhs hurriedly set course to join their brethren. By this time, Banda also reached Banur. The news of this conquest was received with great delight. Sikhs advanced on Ambala-Kharar road to meet their brethren. There was a great rejoicing at their union. Karaha Parshad was liberally distributed.