After the death of Banda Singh Bahadur in 1716, the Sikhs were under a long time of persecution. Sikhs, who stand for their rights and lives, were being brutally killed. These killings were being done by Mughals, Durranis, and local Hindus.
It was the time when Nadar Shah invaded Punjab. He was the king of Persia from 1736 to 1747. At that time he was the head of one of the strongest empires of Asia. When he was coming back from Delhi after looting a big treasure and girls, Sikhs attacked him on the way. Sikhs used guerilla warfare because of less in number. Nadar Shah was very much impressed with the war tactics and bravery of Sikhs. He reached Lahore and meet Zakaria Khan, who was governor at that time. He asked some questions to the governor which are as follows.
Nadar Shah – No one dare to stand in my way from Iran to Delhi, who are those people who attacked me?
Zakaria Khan – Those are Sikhs.
Nadar Shah – I will destroy their homes. Where do they live?
Zakaria Khan – They live on the saddles of the horses.
Nadar Shah – Who is their leader or king?
Zakaria Khan – Whosoever is on a horse, is a king in himself. Every one of them understands the responsibility and acts accordingly.
Nadar Shah – Who is their God and from where do they get their power?
Zakaria Khan – Their God is almighty and given them Darbar Sahib’s holy tank. We keep on cutting them, and they get a dip in that holy tank and get ready for the fight again.
Nadar Shah – What do they eat?
Zakaria Khan – I do not know exactly that what they eat, but I know how they eat. They prepare community food together and utter loudly that whosoever is hungry, can have food here.
Nadar Shah – If the enemy hears it and goes for food to them?
Zakaria Khan – Yes, they offer food to the enemy also.
Nadar Shah – What if the enemy eats all the food?
Zakaria Khan – If the enemy eats all the food, then they still will be in high moral.
Nadar Shah – If they are of such a faith and such a moral, then I can smell their sovereignty. They are the kings of tomorrow.
This thing hit the thinking of Zakaria Khan and he started attacking and suppressing Sikhs more fiercely than before. He promises handsome money in return for the heads of Sikhs. If a person tells about any Sikh living nearby, was also offered a good amount in return for that information. Robing, killing, and stealing from a Sikh were made legal. Even the Sikh kids were not safe.
To keep themselves and their families safe; Sikhs mostly started living in secret places like forests. Some groups of Sikhs even went far away up to Rajasthan. The groups of Sikhs use the strategy of guerrilla warfare. They use to come out of forests, do their actions, and go back to forests again. Sikhs were in very little number. At last, in 1746 there was a mass massacre of Sikhs. Before 1746, there was a series of incidents of persecution of Sikhs which must be mentioned here.
Ghallughara
After the death of Jaspat Rai, his brother Lakhpat Rai and Yahiya Khan both started killing Sikhs more aggressively than before. He was maddened with rage when he heard the news of his brother’s death. He said that the creator of Khalsa was a Khatri(a cast in Brahmanism) and I am also Khatri who will end Sikhism. On 10th March 1746 (a new moon day which is very holy in Hinduism), Lakhpat Rai arrested and executed all Sikhs living in Lahore. He was executed at Nikas Chownk Lahore. He also passed a law that whosoever will read Gurbani will be torn off from belly. The Amritsar holy pond was filled with soil.
Yahiya Khan and Lakhpat Rai also introduced new laws against Sikhs. They prohibited Sikhs from doing prayers. He also passed the law for jaggery that no one will use the word Gur for it which was the common world in the local language for jaggery. This was because Gur reminds people of Guru. The other names given to jaggery were Pesi or Rori. He also started killing innocent Sikhs wherever he find them. He started disgracing the Guru by burning Guru Granth Sahib.
Most of the Sikhs left Amritsar and Lahore and went toward Kahnuwaan. This area was found by Kaho Jatti in the year 1243. It’s popularly known as Kahnuwan Chhamb. This area was on the bank of the river and was having bushes around it, where Sikhs can hide. This area was up to 6 miles in width and its circumference was about 25 miles. Sikh groups (Missels) were divided into about 25 groups due to the increase in the number of Sikhs. Most of them were together in the bush area near Kahnuwaan in district Gurdaspur of Punjab. They were there with their families including children, ladies, and old people. Lakhpat Rai collected the army from Multan, Bahawalpur, Kasur, and Jalandhar and started searching Sikhs. After his search, he came to know about Sikhs at Kahnuwaan.
The forces under the command of Lakhpat Rai attacked the place where Sikhs were gathered with their families. Sikhs did give a good fight and Lakhpat Rai’s forces nowhere stand in the fight. It was a forest area and Sikhs were experts in Gorilla war tactics. So Lakhpat Rai then changed the strategy. He tried to cut down the forest trees to reach the Sikhs. Cutting trees was taking too much time. He ordered to set the jungle on fire and burn their hides. He was of opinion that fire will push Sikhs out of the jungle. This was a big forest fire that was pushing Sikh and their families from one side. On the other side, there were hills of Basoli, Bhatwa, Danera. In front, there were hills of Noorpur Bal. On one side was river Ravi and on the fourth side were the forces under the command of Lakhpat Rai. Sikhs with their families were trapped from all sides.
It was a very difficult situation for the Sikh leaders. They decided to get divided into small groups. One group will move across river Ravi, the other can climb the hills and some can stay with families and protect the families. This strategy was to save Sikhs, so that they shouldn’t face extinction. To check the depth of the water of river Ravi so that they can find a way for the families to cross the river for safety, Sardaar Gurdyaal Singh Dalewalia (was a Sikh leader) went into the river along with his horse but couldn’t survive. Then his younger brother Sardar Hardyal Singh also tried to find the way through the river but he also drown along with his horse. After the loss of two lives, Sikhs decided to leave the idea of crossing the river. Then they tried to move to the hills of Basoli. Jammu & Kashmir was beyond the hills of Basoli. They will be safe over there. They tried but were welcomed from hills by stones and bullets. This was so because Yahiya Khan sends the message to that area that some rebels are coming to that side and support to them will be the opposition of the empire. A lot of Sikhs were killed by bullets from hills.
After watching this, Sikh leaders (including Sardaar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, Sardaar Mehtab Singh Marikamoke, Nawab Kapoor Singh, Sardar Sham Singh, Sardar Fateh Singh, and Harri Singh Bhangi) decided to change the strategy of defense. They divided Sikhs into three groups. It was the day of 1st June 1746.
In Punjabi terminology, we use to say that the fight is of 2.5 Fatt. 1 Fatt is to negotiate and surrender. 1 Fatt is to retreat and the left .5 is for the fight at the current junction. On that day, Sikhs set a new principle of fighting strategy. After discussion, Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia said that we will fight according to the 1.5 Fatt strategy. We will walk, fight and walk. They removed 1 Fatt of negotiation and surrender.
One group was sent toward Kiratpur Sahib via Kullu and Manali and the second group was told to walk along the bank of Ravi and where they find shallow, they will cross the river and reach the next river Beas. After crossing Beas, they will reach to Malwa region where they will be a bit safer than here. One group which consists mostly of the horse riders will stay with the families and will fight ‘Chakardhaar fight’. According to this fighting strategy, they surrounded the families in a circular formation to protect them and will walk towards a safe place while fighting. They were fighting in this formation but were unable to advance. So once again they change strategy to protect their families. Sikhs called it ‘Hirdyachakkar’. According to this strategy, they formed the shape of the heart and started advancement. At the rear ends were Nawab Kapur Singh and Sardaar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia. At centre was Sardaar Hari Singh Bhangi and in front was Sardaar Sukha Singh Marikamboke. They were in the shape of a triangle. They were walking and fighting, fighting and walking. The bodies of Sikhs were shattering in the air due to cannons of the enemies. Blood of Sikhs was dropping from leaves of trees like dew drops. Sardaar Sukha Singh Marikamboke was leading the tip of the triangle and making a way in the enemy troops. Suddenly he saw Lakhpat Rai on the battlefield. He challenged Lakhpat Rai to fight. When Sardar Sukha Singh Marikamboke was going to overcome his enemy’s leader, suddenly a bomb from cannon hits his leg. His horse died and his leg got cut. One of the Sikh tied his leg with his Kamarkassa to avoid excessive blood loss. He was then made to sit on a horse with a rider and was tied to the rider to avoid falling from the horse. Despite the big injury and loss of his leg, Sardar Sukha Singh started fighting immediately with the enemy. Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia replaced his position in front. One bullet hit Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia’s thigh. He opened his Kamarkassa and tied the leg tightly with the saddle of the horse and kept fighting. Finally, Sikhs manage to break the enemy’s barrier and went out of it. This siege was about 10 kilometers long. Then Lakhpat Rai with his forces started chasing Sikhs.
Sikhs were waiting for external support like from Shanawaaz Khan due to the suggestion of Diwan Kora Mal, but he couldn’t reach them. When Lakhpat Rai came to know that Shanawaaz Khan might send help through Adina Beg (Adina Beg was known to Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgariha), he stopped chasing Sikhs. Many big Mughal leaders got killed, some names are worth mentioning here like Harbhaj Rai, Nahar Khan, Karam Baksh, Asghar Khan. In this attack Lakhpat Rai lost his son, Yahiya Khan’s son also died and many Mughal soldiers died. Lakhpat Rai took the bodies of his son Harbhaj Rai, Yahiya Khan’s son, and the heads of Sikhs who died in this Ghallughara. In this event, He left his own soldiers’ bodies there. About 2000 Sikhs went to the riverbank at Hargobindpur Sahib (28 Kilometres away from the Kahnuwaan area) but sailors pulled their boats away to prevent Sikhs from crossing. Sikhs performed Ardas and crossed the river. Sikhs crossed river Ravi and then crossed river Beas also. It was a desert area for around three to four miles. It was mid-summer season, so the sand was very hot. Sikhs were hungry and were going to make food from the leaves of the trees on their shield but enemy troops arrived, so couldn’t prepare food. The enemies were under the command of two brothers, Deeja Khan and Eejay Khan who were head of Doaba and Alampur. They attacked because they came under Lakhpat Rai. Both got killed in the attack. Sikhs were on their bare feet which were injured and had blisters. Sikhs opened their Kamarkassa and tear those apart and keep leaves and barks under their feet and tie clothes on their feet so that they can get relief from the hot sand of the banks of the rivers. Whilst facing the small contingents of armies, this group of Sikhs crossed the Sutlej river from Aliwal bridge and entered Malwa. After, they get separated into different groups and in different villages. The group left for Kiratpur Sahib reached the destination after 3-4 months. Nawab Kapur Singh reached Barnala, Baba Deep Singh reached Damdama Sahib and Bhai Sukha Singh reached Jaito. Bhai Sukha Singh’s treatment started and he got a wooden leg. Hari Singh reached Dialpur. Jassa Singh Ahluwalia reached Kapurthalla. Sardar Naudh Singh Sukerchakia reached Patherala. This Ghallughara cost 15000 Sikhs lives in total. About 3000 Sikhs were captured by Hindu kings and the Hindu mobs of hills and were handed over to Lakhpat Rai where those Sikhs were executed at Nikas Chownk Lahore. those who went to Jammu, about 2000 were killed. According to ‘Panth Parkash’ written by Ratan Singh Bhangu, 30000 to 40000 Sikhs attained martyrdom in three months.
Within 2 years, Sikhs got back in their strength as Punjab was caught with a civil war between Yahiya Khan and Shah Nawaz Khan from November 1746 to March 1747. Shah Nawaz was not recognized by the Delhi throne. Muhammad Shah was on the Delhi throne at that time. So, he asked Ahmad Shah Abdali (from Afghanistan) for help. When Mughals on the Delhi throne came to know that Shah Nawaz asked Abdali for help, in fear they accept Shah Nawaz. This act was a bit late because, by that time, Abdali made up his mind to Invade Delhi. When Abdali arrived in Lahore on 12th January 1748, Shah Nawaz fled to Delhi. He appointed Jille Khan (an Afgan Khan) as his deputy and Lakhpat Rai his diwan. When Mir Mannu (a Mughal) defeated Abdali on 11 March 1748 and recaptured Lahore, Lakhpat Rai was imprisoned for treason because he changed his side. Kaura Mall was appointed as Diwan. Lakhpat Rai’s bail was 100000 rupee. Sikhs talk to Kaura Mall and then Kaura Mall paid the bail of 100000 to Mir Mannu and set Lakhpat Rai free from prison and handed him over to Sikhs. Sikhs kept him for six months and eventually killed him as he was the organizer of Ghallughara and disgraced Guru Granth Sahib.
By 1748, Sikhs had 65 Jathas (groups). On Vaisakhi of 1748, Nawab Kapoor Singh requested Sikhs to bind all groups of Sikhs. Dal Khalsa was formed to bind all Sikh Jathas. Jassa Singh Ahluwalia was appointed as chief of Dal Khalsa.
Yahiya Khan was imprisoned by his brother in March 1747 and after he died in prison. Shah Nawaz Khan was killed by Bhai Bhim Singh in the year 1752. His head was placed on a spear and presented before the Khalsa. Diwan Kaura Mal was instrumental in this feat.