Lohgarh - Khalsa Rajdhani, Lohgarh fort - Lohgarh Trust, S. Daljeet Singh Bajwa [early reader books .txt] 📗

a regular square formed with the bags of the grains. The Vanjaras remained in the centre and the oxen were fastened outside. But in the case of Lohgarh, the Vanjaras not only supplied the materials and weapons to the Sikh army, but they also fought against the Mughals in front to uproot oppressions of imperialist regime.

The Vanjaras, the moving traders lead the Sikhs through the difficult routes in jungles. They were reported to have carried weapons along with the grains to the Sikh hide out in the hills. The Sikh army had no shortage of supplies of essential food grains and commodities because, having anticipated a prolonged war, they had accumulated everything long back at Fort Lohgarh in a well planned manner; whereas, on the other hand, the supplies for Mughal army were badly affected as the

 

 

Vanjaras, who use to supply the food grains and other items to them, withdrew their supplies and became Sikh warriors. The rise in the prices of the food grains had affected the Vanjaras and the people in the hills, therefore the Vanjaras were inclined towards Baba Banda Singh Bahadur.42 Diwan Bhikhari Das to Maharaja Jai Singh, informs about the incessant rain, shortage of ration in the royal camp, large scale casualties of horses and beasts of burden; epidemic type situation on the battlefield43. These Vanjaras who were true the Sikhs and the Sikh movement in the Punjab, always tried to maintain the supply of provisions to the Sikhs even when they were besieged in the Fort. The besieged threw of pieces of cloth from the top of the Fort wall and the Vanjaras packed the grain, tied them up and then through the ropes the same were drawn up and taken inside the Fort.44 We may also presume that the inflated rates of ijara leading to the exorbitant rise in the prices of food grains hit both the Vanjaras and the people in the hills.

There are very significant entries in the Akhbar-i-Darbar-i-Mualla regarding these facts. We have, in the fifth year (1710) of Bahadur Shah’s reign, a report presented to him by Jagjiwan Dass, reads: “Some people purchased horses and ammunition to be delivered to the Sikh rebels, and they carried the same through the Kohistan (hills). If somebody obstructed them, they pretended that they were taking the same for the Zamindars of that district. The Emperor ordered the investigation and the necessary action. 45

Water Management at Lohgarh and its Bastions

Water was the most important requirement during warfare and only source of water were wells and the wells were situated inside the Fortress of Sikhs, therefore Mughals soldiers had no access to water. The wells outside the Fortress were made poisonous, so that the Mughal army has no access to the water. The residence of the village in the neighborhood of Sadhaura left the place after throwing poison into the wells. Bahadur Shah ordered that no one should use the water.46 Since each bastion was working in coordination with other, therefore

 

 

any shortage of supply in any of the Fortress was immediately fulfilled for Sikhs. Dams were constructed at various points in hills and heavy precipitation in the area always kept these dams full with water. Well coordinated effort of Sikh army, shocked the Mughal generals.

Attack on the Lohgarh Fort (as reported by historians)

Most of the historians have written that the Mughal army puts siege to the Lohgarh Fort on 30 November 1710 and captured it on 1st December 1710, the very next day, and, Banda Singh Bahadur escaped from the Fort with a few of his companions through the hills of Nahan. Almost same or a like material is found in the works of almost all the historians. In fact, these historians have based their works on the writings of the Persian writers who had claimed that they had seen this battle with their own eyes; they (especially Khafi Khan and Kamvar Khan) claimed themselves to be eyewitnesses. Their narration of this battle as such:

On Wednesday, the 29th of November, 1710, the Emperor reached village Kampo, on the bank of river Som, a few furlongs away from Lohgarh. Having observed the situation, he ordered Khan Khanan and Mahabat Khan to assess the state of the trenches (posts) of the Sikhs in the hills. The same order was given to prince Rafiushan too. After assessing the whole situation, on the 30th of November, the royal forces surrounded the Lohgarh Fort in this manner:

Rafiushan will take positions at about one km from the Fort, and, he will be assisted by Zulfiqar Khan Khanan Munaim Khan and his two sons, Bakhshi Mahabat Khan and Khan Zaman, will move from the hip of the Chhatarsal Bundela47 and Islam Khan Mir Aatish will be the advance party of Khan Hamid-Ud-Din Khan, Azimushan Shah and their associates as well as the soldiers of Jahan Shah were to assist the three parties of the 48

At the time of beseige, there were not many Sikhs in the Lohgarh Fort; nor they had enough ammunition or food for survival. They had just three cannons and had also made one improvised cannon of an

 

 

imli (tamarind) tree. They did not have even enough gun powder for these cannons.

But, according to the account of Muhammed Qasim Aurangabadi: the next day the big pearl of the crown of the empire (prince) Rafi-ush- Shan and Wazir-UL-Mumalik Khan Khanan (Munaim Khan) were given command to put siege to the Fort. So, following the command, they organized the army and put siege to the Fort. The cheat (Banda Singh) became busy in strengthening the towers, outer wall, mounds and gates of his Fortress. The noble-born prince and Khan Khanan strengthened their trenches and became ready for battle. They began firing from cannons, guns and rockets. By God’s grace, one of the rockets fired by great honorable prince fell into the storage of explosives and that got fired. With this blunder of that unlucky person, countless persons reached the hell. All the trenches, which were made of timber, were burnt. When the fire was extinguished, the honorable prince strengthened their foot on the foothills of the Fort. But now no voice could be heard from the Fort side. There were not more than one thousand young men in the Fort. As the awe of battle affected both the sides, the brave soldiers (of the Mughals) did not move forward and waited for the command of the prince, Khan Khanan’s wise advice. The opinion of the prince was that the knot would not be untied (occupation of the Fort would not be possible) in less than one year; i.e. this problem would not be solved in less than one year. Divine courage played its role and the long-term problem was solved in a moment. They thought that there was no necessity to make haste, the soldiers too were badly tired. So they decided to wait for some time. They thought if God willed, in the morning they would occupy the Fort in no time. They thought that if they attacked that day, he (Banda Singh) might escape through some other way and their efforts might go waste. They thought that the proper thing for them would be to make arrangements to block the path of his escape. If that unFortunate schemer (Banda Singh) ran away from there, he had two escape routes: one was through the territory of Burfi Raja (Nahan), and the other towards the Afghan border of the Afghan (Jammu). We should write to them that they should not allow

 

 

him to cross their borders and they should block their passage. When all the sides were strengthening, an attack should be made and not a single person should be left alive, so that after that battle no person should dare to do such a silly act (of rebellion against the empire). That, it was a good advice that quite good number of soldiers should be left on trenches and others should go to the Capital (royal camp).

But, that Fort could not be captured according to their (prince and Khan Khanan’s) thinking. When the life of that ill-minded infidel was still to be spared (by God) for some more days, how could this advice become true? The great honourable prince returned to the capital (royal camp). In spite of his age (wisdom) Khan Khanan got deceived.

That clever person (Banda Singh) had left about two hundred men in the Fort and escaped through the territory of Barfi Raja (Nahan). Those unlucky persons whom he had left for the defense of the Fort were caught in the net of misery. The next morning the prince gave command to attack. Fearless soldiers used the stairs and climbed the walls of the Fort and entered the Fort, but they did not fight the defense of the Fort had heard strong but they did not find that there. Those of his soldiers who, confronted with swords were murdered immediately. Those who ran away, they were killed by people by throwing rocks at them. Thus the Fort came under the occupation of the glorious holy army. Everyone got a lot of commodities. For one week, the army men continued entering the hills in the form of groups and they killed whoever they come across. They plundered and brought a lot of goods to their homes (tents). They brought velvet, silk, clothes and other goods, besides slaves and women folk. Only lazy, the drunkard, the weak and powerless person did not go into the hills, hence they could not have anything from the Fort.49

Kamvar Khan, who claimed to have seen the battle with his own eyes says: “This humble man was present in the army units of prince Rafi-ush-Shan. I saw with my own eyes: from among those wicked people, each one would jump in the field and fight with the royal forces; and after attempting a show of great bravery, would become a good (would die) of the merciless sword of the holy warriors. At this time the

 

 

royal army and the armies of the famous umraa attacked them from all sides and surpassed the acts (of bravery) of Rustam and Isfandyaar.50 About two and a half thousand persons of that unprincipled cult (Sikhs), along with their leaders became the good of the swords of the brave men (Muslims). Among the victorious forces nephew of Firoz Shah Mewati was killed and his (Mewati’s) son was wounded...” 51 (The non- Italic text is mine- Author).

Khafi Khan says, “It is difficult to narrate this battle. Faqir-like dressing Sikhs have created awe in the royal army. So many people of the royal army were killed that it seemed that we shall all die. In this Sikh attack, Firoz Khan Mewati’s nephew and son were also killed.” 52

Lohgarh Fort falls (?) and Banda Singh escapes

Kamvar says: “When the sun has just arisen, Khan Khanan, with a force of five thousand companions, attacked the Sikh positions at the top of the hill. A fierce battle of guns and arrows was fought on both the sides. Khan Khanan reached near the trench of the Fort. Both sides fought a full-fledged battle. Trade of life-taking was at its full extreme.”53

Irvine writes, “The Mughal and Pathan soldiers were very much scared due to the rumours about Banda Singh. They had heard that Banda Singh had magical power with which he could make the spears and swords of the enemy ineffective. They had learnt that Banda Singh had given a ‘blessing’ to the Sikhs that if anyone of them died in the battle he would be reborn and would get a higher office in life. Due to such rumours the Emperor and the senior generals of the Mughal army had become perplexed and disheartened”.54

When Khan Khanan reached near the trench, there were small skirmishes. A couple of Sikhs would come out of the Fort, fight against the royal soldiers and