Baba Banda Singh Bahadur was a great Sikh general who established
Sikh rule in large part of Punjab. Born to Rajput parents, his childhood
name was Lachhman Das. He was very fond of hunting in early life but an
incident changed his entire life and he shunned the worldly pleasures
to become a bairagi sadhu.
Once he hunted a
pregnant deer. The dying animal gave birth to two kids who died in front
of his eyes. Lachhman was shocked to the core of his heart and thus
became a sadhu. He became a disciple of many but none could provide him
peace of mind. Later, he inclined to tantric sadhus and acquired some
riddhis and siddhis (miracle powers). Thus, he became quite popular
among simpletons,near the area around his ashram on the bank of river
Godavari.
Though,
none benefitted from his powers, he used them to humiliate religious
leaders and other saints who ever happened to visit his ashram.
Whenever, any such saint visited, he would overturn the cot using his
powers.
Guru Gobind Singh after leaving Punjab
travelled towards South India along with some Sikhs, visited Lachhman
Das’s ashram and sat on his cot in his absence.
Accepting
defeat, Lachhman Das Bairagi fell at the feet of Guru Gobind Singh and
sought forgiveness and said, “O, Guru Ji, I am your Banda (Slave). Show
me the right path.”
Guru Gobind Singh taught him
the basic principles of Sikhsim and baptised him. Lachhman was given the
name ‘Banda Singh’. He transformed from a proud bairagi to a humble and
brave Sikh of Guru.
Guru sent Banda Singh on a
mission to Punjab to punish the guilty and cruel rulers of the time. He
was also provided with five brave Sikhs as advisors and necessary
weapons.
Banda Singh was soon joined by thousands
of Sikhs in his crusade against the wicked rulers. Within a short span
of time, Sikhs under Banda Singh’s leadership put an end to life of many
tyrant rulers, including Nawab Wazir Khan, the main culprit behind
death of younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh.
Banda
Singh captured large part of Punjab and established Sikh rule there. He
also minted coins in the name of Guru Nanak Dev and Guru Gobind Singh.
In the meantime, Faruksiyar became Delhi’s emperor. Angered by defeat at
the hands of Banda Singh and Sikh forces, he sent a large force from
Delhi and mobilised from elsewhere in Punjab to defeat and capture Banda
Singh.
Sikhs were surrounded by large number of
Mughal forces in the fortress of Gurdas Nagal. They fought valiantly
under Banda Singh’s command. They fought valiantly but due to depleting
ration, they ultimately became too weak to fight with the enemies.
Ultimately,
the brave general Banda Singh Bahadur was arrested along with seven
hundred Sikh soldiers and brought to Delhi, after eight months. Inside
the fortress, Sikhs survived on leaves, trees, and even bark of trees.
In
Delhi, they were insulted and paraded in Delhi bazars. Sikhs were
offered amnesty by Mughals in lieu of accepting Islam. Not even a single
Sikh betrayed the spirit of Sikhism and embraced Islam. They were
tortured and killed publicly
After an ordeal of
about three months, Baba Banda Singh was killed in one of the most cruel
manners mentioned in the history of mankind on June 9,1716. His four
year old son Ajai Singh was put to death in front of him. His liver was
thrusted into Banda Singh’s mouth.
But Baba remained as
tranquil as ever, and even this act failed to break his resolve and
determination. Finally, Banda was put to death mercilessely by pincing
the flesh from his body, bit by bit, with means of hot pincers. His eyes
were pulled out and his feet were chopped off.
With
the martyrdom of Banda, Khalsa leadership was taken up by new warriors
like Baba Deep Singh, Nawab Kapur Singh, Chhajja Singh, Bhuma Singh,
Hari Singh Dhillon, Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, Budh
Singh, Naudh Singh and Charhat Singh Sukerchakia and others. Within
ninety years, Mahraja Ranjit Singh had established Sikh kingdom.
with thanks : Punjab Newsline :
LINK for detailed news.
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