Department of Distance Education Punjabi University, Patiala (All Copyrights are Reserved) Note LESSON NO UNIT NO. I M.A. (HISTORY) PART-I (SEMESTER-II) departments website : www.dccpbi.com 1.7 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.2 1.1 Students can download the syllabus from the .: : : : : : : : the the Mughals) Guru Gobind Singh (Relations with Mir Mir Mannu (1748-1753) Sikh Afghan of Struggle-Governorship Governors Sikh Struggle Against the Downfall Mughal of His Works and the Causes of His Banda Singh Bahadur : An Estimate Achievements Banda Singh Bahadur : Career and His Works and Personality) Guru Gobind Singh (An Estimate of the Khalsa & its Significance) Guru Gobind Singh (The Creation of HISTORY OF PUNJAB (1675-1799 A.D.) SECTION-A PAPER-I M.A.(HISTORY) PART-I(SEMESTER-II) PAPER -I HISTORY OF PUNJAB (1675 TO 1799 A.D.) LESSON NO. 1 AUTHOR : PROF. FAUJA SINGH GURU GOBIND SINGH (Relations with the Mughals) The conflict between the Sikhs and Mughal Government has started as early as the times of Guru Arjan Dev. The first result to official hostility was the martyrdom of the Fifth Guru at Lahore in 1606 A.D. The moral of this act of tyranny was the Sikh realization that if they were to continue to exist, they must provide for their self-defence against such unwarranted attacks. Therefore, under the leadership of the Sixth Guru, Hargobind, they began to acquire proficiency in the use of weapons. The Mughal Government regarded this militant tendency among the Sikhs as a challenge to their authority. Then a number of military actions took place between the Sikhs and the Mughals. Although in all these actions, the Guru had the upper hand yet in order to avoid further conflict, he shifted to Kiratpur at the foot of the Shivalik' Hills. Even then the Mughal suspicions did not disappear. With the accession of Emperor Aurangzeb in 1658, the situation became even more serious. The new ruler began to interfere in the internal affairs of the Sikhs. A most serious result followed from this was the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur which left indelible impact, on the future of Sikhs history. At the time of his father's execution at Delhi in 1675, Gobind Singh was a mere child and the Sikhs community was staggering under the terrible blows struck by the Mughals. The task before the boy Guru was enormous, but his precocious mind realized that something must immediately be done to restore confidence of Sikhs and to prepare them for new eventualities. The first plan he thought of was to impart military training and discipline to his men. Therefore, arms and other military stores were collected; horses were purchased or obtained as part of voluntary offering brought to Anandpur; increasing numbers of men were invited and trained in the use of weapons and art of fighting and thus gradually a sizeable army of religious zealots, all volunteers, began to emerge. This small force was maintained, armed and clothed out of common funds of the community. Luckily, the place selected for these activities was situated out of the way at the foot of the Shivalik Hills. This was an ideal place not only for the initial military training but also for putting that training to the best of its use. The Marathas in the south and the Afghans in the west had already shown how 1 M.A. (History) Part-I(Semester-II) 2 Paper-I hilly tracts could be made bulwarks against the powerful Empire. Therefore, the instinct of the Guru in making the hilly neighbourhood of Anandpur the scene of his new experiments was not only right, but most necessary in the existing circumstances of strained relations with the Imperial Mughals. Besides the hills, the Guru attached great value of the friendship of the Rajput hill Rajas which, if successful, could furnish him with a secure base for his defence against the Mughals, should such a need arise. He had also the hope that their Rajput blood combined with the measure of independence enjoyed by them would make him natural allies in case, it became necessary to fight against the intolerant policy of Aurangzeb. However, the hill chiefs thought differently. They distrusted him as a demagogue and were not willing to fall in love with him. Some of them like Bhim Chand of Kahlur even went so far as to resort to venomous propaganda against him which in due course resulted in open clash of arms. The Guru's victory at the battle of Bhangani however, chastened them and created conductive conditions for a mutual understanding. Appreciating his strength they now wanted to utilize it in a bid to thwart the attempts of the Mughal Government to realize the arrears of tribute from them. The Guru welcomed the change in the attitude of the Rajas and when a little later Alif Khan, a Mughal official invaded to extract the tribute due to the para-amount power, the Guru personally led his entire force to assist the Rajputs against the invading army. Alif Khan was routed in the battle of Nadaun and had to flee for his life.A few years after another official expedition was sent for the exaction of tribute and the punishment of defaulters. Disunity in the hill chiefs ranks helped the invader, Hussain Khan, to cause great havoc in certain parts of the region. Mindful of the horrible consequences of internal dissensions of the Rajputs, the Guru tried hard to close their ranks, so that they could present a united front to the enemy. The effort did not succeed. Even so, in keeping with the spirit of his constructive attitude, a band of his men headed by Sangat Singh fought on the Rajput side opposing the invading Mughals. But desire of Guru Gobind Singh to unite the Hindu Rajas to his cause proved a failure and it was clear in a few years time but they could not be depended upon as the allies against the Imperial Authority. Their internal jealousies and their fear of the Government reprisals were two major drawbacks which seriously came in the way of their uniting in any common cause. The chances of their unity with Guru were all the more bleak for the great apprehensions that they somehow entertained of him. Apart from his progressive religious and social reforms which seemed to challenge their outmoded but deep-rooted notions of caste and religion, the Guru's idea of acting together M.A. (History) Part-I(Semester-II) 3 Paper-I against the Mughal tyranny, seemed to them to be leading into dangerous paths. Further more they fear that his powerful and over-towering personality would dwarf them and destroy the little significance that they still had in their pretty principalities. Despairing of any co-operation from the neighbouring Rajas, Guru Gobind Singh sought his best support in the multiplication of his own resources. He erected a number of fortresses at his headquarters to strengthen his defences against attack. This followed by the creation of the Khalsa, in 1699, where by at one stroke he created a whole community of saint-soldiers, firmly devoted to his cause and ready to do any sacrifice for it. However, the rapidly mountain strength of the Guru brought upon his head the united wrath of the Rajput princes and the Mughals. They fear of the Guru at last proved a unifying force for the divided ranks of the hill chiefs and their joint request for immediate aid, against him was promptly complied with by the Mughal Governors of Sirhind and Lahore. The Guru offered his stiffest resistance to the assailants and kept them at bay for a period of five years, but ultimately had to leave Anandpur. Even after that he continued fighting for about a year. The departure of Guru Gobind Singh from Anandpur and his march through the Malwa until he reached Talwandi Sabo, now called Sri Damdama Sahib, is an adventure of rare courage and unique interest. As many as four battles were fought. The first took place at Shahi Tibbi when Bhai Ude Singh, along with 50 of his companions fell martyr while fighting. The second battle occurred on the bank of the Sirsa river. Here 100 Sikhs perished under the command of Bhai Jiwan Singh. The third was fought at Chamkaur where the Guru with a small force of 40 people only engaged a vastly superior enemy force for a whole day. The two elder sons of the Guru won the crown of martyrdom on this occasion. The Guru was, however, persuaded to leave in the interest of the community. After a continuous journey lasting for several days when he reached Muktsar, he was chased, suddenly attacked by a Sirhind force but this time the enemy got such a thrashing that the idea of any further pursuit of the Guru was now abandoned. As a result of it, the Guru had a quiet stay for several months at Talwandi Sabo. Where from the later resolved to proceed to Deccan to see the Emperor. It may also be mentioned here that Guru's two younger sons of very tender age had been butchered at Sirhind by the orders of its Nawab. Unable to bear the shock, Guru's mother had also breathed her last. The difficulty of winning a decisive military victory over the enemy caused the Guru to review the situation. After careful thought, he decided to pursue his end through diplomatic means. His plan was to have a direct contact M.A. (History) Part-I(Semester-II) 4 Paper-I with the Emperor and through his influence to have his adversaries penalised and his headquarters restored.