International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue 10 September 2017

Punjab Polity in the Earlier Decade of Eighteenth Century- A Historical Review

Amit Research Scholar, Dept. of History M.D.U., Rohtak Abstract:

Guru Gobind Singh prepared the ground for the political developments in the end of seventeenth century by establishment of . choose to lead Sikhs in . Banda Singh started with few companions but bacause he was looked up by the defeder of the faith and companion of the oppressed. He was joined by thousands of Sikhs to punish the tyrant Mughals and their forces. Banda Singh fought bravely and created such a will in the ordinary masses to resist tyranny that he developed the Mughal forces in battle after battle and laid the foundation of the , and in 1710 established Khalsa Raj in Punjab. He abolished the Zamidari system and treated everybody justly and equally. Enraged by the success and popularity of Banda Singh, the Mughal emperor ordered the government of Lahore and other governors of ajjoining area to collectively orgnize themselves and to destroy the power of Banda Bahadur. Banda Singh along with around seven hundreds of Sikhs was captured and taken to Delhi where all the captured Sikhs were brutally put to death publicly over a period of few days.

Keywords: Sikh, Khalsa, , Mughals, Guru, Ashram , Banda, Dera, Mushlims

Introduction: Khalsa at the Keshgarh assembly. A Sikh historian says that 'before the eighteenth Sikh inspired by Guru Gobind Singh's century started the basis framework of leadership and organised in the Khalsa. political ideas had already been worked Guru Gobind Singh decided that the time out'. Guru Gobind Singh prepared the had arrived when 'Silent Worshippers' must ground for the political developments in the convert themselves into 'heros who face Eighteenth century. the steel of their enemies'. The creation of Khalsa is justly regarded as Guru Gobind The eighteenth century opened with policy Singh's greatest achievement. The principle of supression of Sikhs by Mughal was established that the Guru and disciple Government. In the first decade, Anandpur were equals and the guru's traditional Sahib was besieged by huge Mughal army function of initiating the novices in the faith which come to be aid to the aid of Pahari could be performedby any five Sikhs as Hindu Rajas (Rajas of Hill Kingdoms) representatives of the Khalsa. An interval of ongoing effort to subjugate the Sikhs. They about nine years separates the abolition of wanted to dislodge Guru Gobind Singh personal Guruship (1708) from the birth of from Anandpur Sahib. These aggressive compaigns resulted in the martyrdom of the Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 1779 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 04 Issue 10 September 2017

four sons of Guru Gobind Singh from the name of Banda Singh Bahadur. Banda Anandpur Sahib. then made an army general bu Guru, who fell on the cruel rulers of Punjab like a Guru Gobind Singh tried for many months storm and cloud burst. to persuade Bahadur Shah to take action against Wazir Khan before he arrived at In October, 1708, at Nander, Guru Gobind conclusion that he would obtain no justice Singh sent Banda Singh to Punjab and from the Mughals. He continued to advice him to put a stop to the cruelty of negotiate with the emperor, but decided to Punjab rulers, punish the guilty and cruel sent one of his followers to the Punjab to misrulers, to fight for human rights, uplift rouse the peasantry in the event that the and strengthen the poor. The Guru blessed negotiations proved fruitless. Although him with Sikh Sangats, five arrows, a double there were many old and trusted disciples edged sword, a big leather mounted drum with him. The choice fell on a comparative and sent with him five Sikhs named: Bhai stronger who the Guru had known for only Daya Singh, Bhai Binod Singh, Bhai Kahan a few weeks. This was an ascetic named Singh, Bhai Bijay Singh and Bhai Ran Singh. Lachman Das, who was born in October Another twenty five Sikhs as companions 1670 in Rajput family in Rajouri, Kashmir. and fighters. Guru had already created He became follower of Sadhu Ram Das of Khalsa, prepared Banda Sigh Bahadur and Ram Tamman near Lahore. After some time sent him to Punjab. he followed Janki Das. His name was It was first time in the Sikh history that changes to Madho Das. While moving from Sikhs were attakers and offansives but their place to place, he reached Punchvati near aim was same as earlier. Banda Singh was Nasik in Maharastra and became follower on the way to Punjab, when Guru Gobind Sadhu Aughhar Nath. Aughhar Nath expired Singh after giving Guruship to the in 1691. Thus at the age of twenty one everlastingShabad Guru-Guru Granth Sahib, years, Madho Das, the Rajput youth had left his world. After reaching Punjab, attained miraculous powers and reached Banda Singh sent Guru's message to the Nander to set up his own Ashram. Sikhs all over Punjab, Kashmir and In September 1708 Guru Gobind Singh Afganistan. News of passinf away of their along with few Sikhs reached at the Ashram dear Guru, Guru Gobind Singh added fuel to of Madho Das Bairagi. At that time he was the fire for fighting the Mughal rulers and not in his dera. The Guru took his seat and making sacrifices. Listening to the call of the Sikhs spread all over the dear to arrange Banda Singh at the behest of Guru, Sikhs and cook food. "Guru I am your Banda". He started joining Banda Singh. In a short assured Guru Sahib to do as per his advice. period Banda Singhhad 4000 horse The Guru started in his Dera for a few days. ridersand 7800 artillery Sikh with him. After He was given 'Amrit' and named Guru some more time the strength of 40000 Bakhash Singh but remained famous with worriors was at his command. His army

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consisted by four type of people. The administrative unit of Banda. Damala was followers (from Punjab, Kandhar, Multan, the village of Pathans who had deserted Kashmir) God fearing Muslims, poor and Guru Gobind Singh Ji in the battle of low caste and some unknown selfish with Bhangani, it was ravaged. Shahbad the intention of loot. Markanda also fell to Banda. Sadhaura 25 kms distant in the leadership of Usman To meet financial needs, Banda Singh made khan. Here the muslim population appeals to big businessmen of that time. maltreatedthe local Hindus. Banda attacked After meeting the basic requirements in the town and destroyed it. Feb. 1709, he started attacking various towns and conquered various areas. Banda The ultimate aim of Banda was to punish arrived at Narnaul, there he saws the Wazir Khan and conquer Sarhind. He complete destruction of Satnamis. Banda wanted to study military resources of suppressed some decoits and robbers and Sarhind. He was anaxious to see what steps stable Narnaul. In Hissar, he was well government will take against him. He received by Hindus and Sikhs as a leader of therefore established his head-quarters in the nationalist movement and deputy of the beginningof 1710, at Mukhlispur Guru Gobind Singh. In Tohana, Band issued situated in lower Shiwalik Hills south of letters to Malwa Sikhs to join in his crusade Nahan, about 25 kms from Sadhaura. The against Wazir Khanof Sarhind. At Sonipat, name of Mukhlispur was changed to fifty kilometers of Delhi in North, early in and it become the capital of first November 1709, Banda commanded about Sikh state. Banda established the peasant 500 followers . He attacked Government proprietorship and won approbation and treasury, plundered it and distributed it support of the overhelming majority of among his retinue. Near Kaithal, Banda population. He devoted three montsin seized a government treasury which was its organising his civil and military way from the northern districts to Delhi. administration. Delhi government had made no attempt to recover their lost Samana, 50 Kilometers North was the territory from him. Wazir Khan of Sirhind native place of Jalal-ud-did Jallad, the was making his own preparations professional executioner, who had independently to meet the danger from beheaded Guru Teg Bahadur, while his sons Banda. had beheaded to younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh. Anandpur also belong to Banda organise his army in his foce most of Samana, it was an accursed place in the were untrained, raw levies, not full armed. eyes of Sikhs. Banda fell upon the town on Banda possessed no elephants, no good 26 November 1709. The inhabitants were horses and no gunes. His followers had massacred in cold blood and town matchlocks, spears, swords, bows and thoroughly squeezed. Samana was the first arrows. On the other side Wazir Khan territorial conquest and the first joined by the nawab of Malerkotla and all

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other Muslim chiefs and Jagirdars. The total and his companions and executed them in number of Sikh troops are fourty thousands Delhi in 1716. and Muslims were thirty thousands. The Under Banda's regime the tiller of soil battle was fought at Chhappar Chiri, 20 kms rejected the land lords and the farmers from Sarhind. The artillery fire of Mughals themselves became the master of their told heavily on the plunderers in Banda's lands. Large estates were broken into camp. Under the plan work of Banda and smaller holdings in the hands of farmers. Sikh leaders converged on Wazir Khan and These agrarian changes improve the living he was killed. Banda won the battle. The standards of farmers and they readily government treasury and movable property joined him. During the short span of worth two crores fell into Banda's hand Banda's rule, there was both political as which was removed to Lohgarh. Entire well as social revolution in Punjab which has province of Sarhind come into Banda's been well summed up by William Irvine possession. Now Banda advances towards (based on persian accounts) saying that " In Lahore where the city remained safe owing all perganas' occupied by Sikhs the reversal to its fortifications. But the entire suburbs of previous customs was striking and for miles around was completly devastated. complete. A low scavenger or leather In this compaign Banda was joined by dresser. The lowest of the low in Indian thousands of low caste Hindus who come estimation had only to leave home and join into fold of Khalsa. Banda when in short time he would return On seeing the activities, instructions were to his birth place as its ruler with his order issued to governors of Delhi and Oudh and of appointment in his hand. As soon as he other officers to march towards Punjab. set foot within the boundaries, the well Prohibitory laws against Sikhs were passed. born and wealth went out of greet him as Banda was chased out of every corner of escort him had often risked themselves in Punjab and he took refuse in the Shivalik battlefield became so cowed down Hills.The mssive imperial forces drove the that they were afraid even to remonstrate. Sikhs from Sarhind and other places to took selter in the fort of Lohgarh in a hilly region. References: On March 1715, the army under the rule of  A.C. Banerjee, The Sikh Guru and Samad Khan, the Mughal king of Delhi, The Sikh religion drove Banda Bahadur and Sikh forces in the village of Gurdas Nangal, Gurdaspur, Punjab  Fauja Singh, Some aspects of state and and laid siege to the village. The Sikhs society under Ranjit Singh. defended the small fort for eight months  Dr. Kirpal Singh, Prospectives in Sikh under conditions of great hardship, but on 7 Gurus, Delhi-2000. December 1715 the Mughals broke into the starving garrison and captured Banda Singh  Khuswant Singh, A History of Sikhs, Vol. 1, Oxford, New Delhi.

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 Akbhar-i-Darbar-i-Mualla: translated and edited by Dr. Bhagat Singh, Punjabi University, Patiala, 1984.

 Dr. Ganda Singh, Life and Times of Banda Singh Bhadur, 1935.

 J.S. Grewal, Irfan Habib, Sikh History from Persian Sources, 2001.

 Jadunath Sarkar, The later Mughals, 1922. (edited)

 Bhagat Singh, Sikh polity in eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Delhi, 1978.

 Irvine, W., Later Mughals, London, 1922.

 S.S. Gandhi, Struggle of the Sikhs for sovereighty, Delhi, 1980.

 A.C. Banerjee, The Khalsa Raj, New Delhi, 1985.

 J.S Grewal, The Sikhs of Punjab, New Delhi, 1994.

 W.L. M' Gregar, M.D., The History of Sikhs, Vol. 1, Allahabad, 1846.

 A.C. Banerjee, Guru Nanak and his Times.

 Teja Singh and Dr. Ganda Singh, A short history of Sikhs.

 Sohan Singh, Banda the Brave, Lahore, 1915.

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