Banda Singh Bahadur (Persons)
 
 


 

Banda Singh Bahadur (1670 - June9, 1716)

Banda Singh was born at Rajouri in Jammu State. He was known as Lachhman Dev in his childhood. Soon after a hunt, he turned ascetic: A Bairagi, and took the name of Madho Das. He settled down at Nanded. He became a devotee of the Guru in September 1708 and sought his blessings. Guru Gobind Singh ji gave his a sword, five arrows, a flag and a battle drum and asked him to follow the five commandments mentioned below:

Remain a celibate: do not marry at all.
Speak the truth and act on it.
Serve and obey the Khalsa Panth.
Do not establish a new sect or have yourself set up as a king.
Be humble and not haughty.

Taking twenty-five Sikhs with him, Banda Singh proceeded to the Punjab to punish the enemies of the Khalsa Path. He attached Samana in November 1709. Thereafter, Wazir Khan the Nawab of Sarhind was killed in the battle of Chaper Chiri on May 12, 1710.

Banda Singh was crowned at Lahgarh and struck coins in the name of the Guru. He allowed his Muslim subjects to follow their religious customs and practice. Soon afterwards, he extended his sway over Pathankot.

The Mughal emperor was perturbed by the conquests of Bands Singh and sent a bit army to crush him, Banda Singh was besieged at Gurdas Nangal. After an eight-month siege, he and his followers were captured on December 7, 1715. Banda Singh was tortured to death on June 7, 1716. 

Banda Singh’s challenge to the Mughal power showed that the Khalsa had broken the reputation of Mughal invincibility. Given another chance, they could perhaps lay the foundations of a Sikh empire. The opportunity came in 1799, when Maharaja Ranjit Singh establishedSikh rule in the Punjab.