Banda Singh Bahadur

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Banda Singh Bahadur
Died9 June 1716 (1716-06-10) (aged 45)
Delhi, Mughal Empire
(present-day India)
Allegiance
Years of service1708–1716
Spouse(s)Susheel Kaur
Sahib Kaur[2]
ChildrenAjay Singh
Ranjit Singh[2]
Signature
Personal
ReligionSikhism
Religious career
TeacherGuru Gobind Singh
Banda Singh Bahadur
Battles/wars

Banda Singh Bahadur (born Lachman Dev)

Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah I in southern India, he visited Banda Singh Bahadur in 1708. Banda became disciple of Guru Gobind Singh and was given a new name, Gurbaksh Singh (as written in Mahan Kosh[5]), after the baptism ceremony. He is popularly known as Banda Singh Bahadur. He was given five arrows by the Guru as a blessing for the battles ahead. He came to Khanda, Sonipat and assembled a fighting force and led the struggle against the Mughal Empire
.

His first major action was the sacking of the Mughal provincial capital,

zamindari
(feudal) system, and granted property rights to the tillers of the land. Banda Singh was captured by the Mughals and tortured to death in 1715–1716.

Early life

Gilded panel (repoussé plaque) from Takht Hazur Sahib, Nanded. Madho Das declares he is Guru Gobind Singh’s ‘Banda’ slave

Banda Singh Bahadur was born as Lachman Dev in a

horseriding, wrestling, archery, and swordsmanship at a young age and quite quickly.[7] According to a tale about Banda Singh’s early life he was once hunting at the age of 15. The sight of the doe dying saddened Banda Singh. He was even deeply hurt when he cut the doe and found 2 of the doe’s babies dying who were not yet born. The event deeply scarred him and led to Banda Singh abandoning worldly affairs and becoming an ascetic. He came into contact of a fellow ascetic named Janaki Prasad. Prasad changed Banda Singh’s name, which at the time was Lachman Dev, into Madho Das. Banda Singh established his own Dera (monastery) and took upon a following of some men.[7]

Meeting Guru Gobind Singh

In 1708

Sikh history.[13] Upon learning of the killing of Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, Banda Singh is said to have cried. Guru Gobind Singh told Banda Singh, "When tyranny had overtaken men, it was the duty off the more sensitive to fight against it and even to lay down their life in the struggle". Banda Singh wanted to do such. Banda Singh wished to fulfil Guru Gobind Singh’s wish of punishing tyrants and saving the commoners.[14]

Military campaigns

Beginning

Soon after Guru Gobind Singh was stabbed by 2 Pathans sent by Wazir Khan and possibly Bahadur Shah I. This is said to have sent Banda Singh into a fury. Banda Singh begged of the Guru to send him into Punjab so he can get revenge for the crimes done on Sikhs and punish the tyrants. In September 1708 Guru Gobind Singh gave Banda Singh the title of Bahadur and gave his full political and military authority to carry on the struggle. Banda Singh was given the duty of punishing wrong-doers and get revenge for the killing of Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh. He was bestowed with a Nagara (war drum), Nishan Sahib, and 5 arrows of Guru Gobind Singh. He was also given Panj Pyare, Ram Singh, Binod Singh, Kahan Singh, Baj Singh, and Daya Singh to assist him.[15] Banda Singh was also given 20 other Singhs to accompany him. He was told by the Guru to remain honest and pure in heart, to not touch another man’s wife, see himself as a servant of the Khalsa and Guru, do all acts after an Ardas and seeking counsel of the Panj Pyare, not to call himself Guru or form his own sects, and not to get ego from victories nor sadness from losses.[16]

Banda Singh was also given Hukamnamas from Guru Gobind Singh telling all Sikhs to join him in his war against the Mughal Empire. He was given the position of Jathedar of the Khalsa. Thus Banda Singh was sent to Punjab with a group of 300 cavalry following him in a distance of 8 kilometers.[16]

During the trip to Punjab Guru Gobind Singh died on 7 October 1708. Banda Singh used a disguise to travel for most of the trip and followed the path Guru Gobind Singh took in Maharashtra and Rajputana. Banda Singh traveled at a rate of 16 kilometres a day. It took a year for him to reach Punjab.[17]

Early conquests

Painting of Banda Singh Bahadur being blessed with five arrows by Guru Gobind Singh, by Gian Singh Naqqash, ca.1930

Banda Singh soon reached modern day Haryana and was soon able to win over the local people.[18] Banda Singh advanced towards the region of Bagar and was successful in subduing local dacoits (bandits) and robbers. He distributed what he captured from the thieves amongst the poor.[18] This incident won Banda Singh fame. He was publicly honoured by the locals with a waving of scarf.[19] Banda Singh was able to gain the support of local villagers and initiated people into the Khalsa.[18] Banda Singh then advanced towards the villages of Sehri and Khanda. It was in these villages that Banda Singh sent letters to the Sikh communities in the Majha, Doaba, and Malwa regions of Punjab to join him on his campaign against the Mughal authorities. It was in these letters that Banda Singh reminded the Sikhs of the cruel deaths of Guru Gobind Singh's two younger sons under the orders of Wazir Khan, the Governor of Sirhind.[18][20] As a result of these letters, Banda Singh began to receive support from the Sikh communities of Punjab.[21] Banda Singh was joined by Fateh Singh along with Karam Singh and Dharm Singh.[21]Tilok Singh and Ram Singh Phulkian provided soldiers and financial aid to Banda Singh.[21] Ali Singh and Mali Singh, who were previously under the service of Wazir Khan, also joined Banda Singh.[21]

Conquest of Sonipat and Kaithal

Banda Singh with a force of 500 soldiers lead an attack on

Samana. Along the way Banda Singh lead an attack on a Mughal detachment near Kaithal that was carrying imperial treasure headed to Delhi.[22][23] Banda Singh was successful in taking the treasure from the Mughal authorities.[24] The Amil (Governor) of Kaithal was enraged by this and led an attack on the Sikhs. Banda Singh and the Sikhs fought a hard battle, but being mostly footmen compared to the Mughal cavalry were facing losses. Banda Singh executed a plan where the Sikh force ran into the forest full of thorns forcing the Mughal cavalry to abandon their horses. The Sikhs then popped out of the woods and took the horses. The Mughals were slaughtered in the battle with some surrendering. The Amil was captured by Banda Singh, but was released on the condition he would let the Sikhs keep the horses. The loot captured was distributed amongst Banda Singh’s followers.[25]

Campaign in Haryana and east

Banda Singh decided to head east towards

Mustafabad. The Faujdar of Mustafabad sent 2,000 imperial troops with 2 cannons to stop Banda Singh and the Sikhs. Banda Singh and the Sikhs defeated the Mughals with them leaving behind the cannons in their retreat. The town was plundered and the Faujdar was punished for his tyranny and oppression on the population.[26][27][28]

Battle of Kapuri

Banda Singh heard about Kapuri's Zamindar Qadam-ud-din, his reportedly immoral life[29] and persecution of Hindus and Sikhs.[30] He meddled with Hindu marriages and kidnapped young brides and raped them.[31] Banda Singh immediately attacked Kapuri, and killed Qadam-ud-din capturing his fort. This victory also led to a major capture of booty and war material.[32][31][33]

Battle of Sadhaura

Banda Singh’s next sight was Sadhaura. Sadhaura was ruled by Osman Khan, who tortured and executed the Muslim saint Syed Pir Budhu Shah, for helping Guru Gobind Singh in the Battle of Bhagnani. Osman Khan also committed atrocities against Hindus where the cows were slaughtered in front of their homes and forbade Hindus and Sikhs from cremating their dead and performing their religious events. All of this made Sadhaura Banda Singh’s target.[34][35][31][36] As Banda Singh advanced on Sadhaura the locals and peasants joined him in revolt. The angry mob became uncontrollable and destroyed all. The Sayyids and Shaikhs were killed. Osman Khan was hanged to death and Sadhaura was captured.[31][36][37]

Ropar

Wazir Khan had found out that the Sikhs from

Ropar, Sher Mohammad Khan along with Khizar Khan, Nashtar Khan and Wali Mohammad Khan were there to block the Sikhs passage and offer them a battle.[38] The Mughals had better weapons and a superior number of cavalry while the Sikhs had a small army with insufficient weapons.[39] Both sides faced off in a bloody battle. As they were fighting, there came a bad dust storm which forced both parties to withdraw for the night.[40] On the next day, a fresh contingent of Sikhs arrived to reinforce the remaining Sikhs. Immediately a bullet struck Khizar Khan in the head which caused confusion.[41][42] Nashtar and Wali Mohammad Khan tried to retrieve the dead body of Khizar Khan but were killed while doing so. Sher Mohammad Khan fled away due to being seriously wounded.[39] With most of their leaders killed, the remaining force retreated back to Sirhind.[43][32] The Sikh force in Ropar later grouped with Banda Singh Bahadur to prepare for the attack on Sirhind.[44]

Conquest of Sirhind

Preparations

The Sikhs were planning to wage dharamyudh against the city of Sirhind, its Governor Wazir Khan and Dewan Sucha Nand, to avenge Mughal oppression and the execution of the two young children of Guru Gobind Singh.[45][46] This was the main goal of Banda Singh.[14] B

Before the battle began, Wazir Khan and Sucha Nand sent the latter's nephew with 1,000 men to Baba Banda Singh Bahadur in a plot to deceive the Sikhs, by falsely claiming to have deserted the Mughals and have come joined the Sikhs for their cause.[47][38] Wazir Khan had a large well-armed army, which included ghazis, along with a number of artillery, musketeers, and elephants.[47] Khan's army was larger than 20,000.[48]

On the other hand, Banda Singh's army was ill-equipped with long spears, arrows, swords, without artillery and elephants and insufficient amount of horses.

Jats, Gujars and Rajputs intent on plunder alone.[51]

Battle

Both sides faced off in

Mughal Army, the third class of Banda's army, consisting of bandits and irregulars fled, and soon after Sucha Nand's nephew along with his 1,000 men took to flight as well.[47] Baj Singh informed Banda Singh of this. Banda Singh decoded to personally entre the frontlines of the battle leading the charge against the Mughals.[52][47] This motivated the Sikh force who shouted, "Waheguru ji ki Fateh" (Victory belongs to the Wondrous Enlightener) as they charged against the Mughals and their elephants. With only swords two elephants were killed by the Sikhs. The Mughals suffered heavy casualties with the Nawab of Malerkotla, Sher Mohammad Khan, being killed. He was followed by Mughal general Khawaja Ali. Wazir Khan attempted to rally his men as he fired arrows,[53] but was confronted by Baj Singh. Wazir Khan threw a spear at Baj Singh. Both men dueled with Baj Singh injuring Wazir Khan's horse. Wazir Khan shot Baj Singh in the arm with an arrow and reached for his sword to kill him. Fateh Singh charged at Wazir Khan and decapitated Wazir Khan before he could kill Baj Singh.[52] According to Suraj Granth and Maculiffe Wazir Khan was instead killed by Banda Singh who shot him with an arrow from the Guru.[52] As soon as Wazir Khan died the Mughal force fled.[54][47] Wazir Khan's body would later be tied to an animal and dragged around before being hung onto a tree.[55][53][52]

The retreating Mughal force left behind all of their horses, cannons, tents, and ammunition which was all captured by the Sikhs. Sikhs yelled out war cries of "Sat Sri Akaal" (True is the Timeless Lord) as they fell upon Sirhind. Sikhs reached Sirhind by nightfall. The gates had been closed and cannons had been placed to stop the Sikhs. The Sikhs rested for the night. Wazir Khan's family with other Mughal officials had fled to Delhi. On the 13th 500 Sikhs were killed attempting to take Sirhind. By the 14th Sikhs entered Sirhind.[56][57][58]

Aftermath

Filled with rage and revenge Sikhs began to destroy and razed Sirhind to the ground. Sucha Nand was captured and executed. All the booty of Sirhind was captured by Banda Singh.[56] He further abolished the zamindari system (feudal system) and distributed land among the peasants.[59] Banda Singh had ordered that the ownership of the land should be given to the peasants and to let them live in dignity and self-respect.[60][61]

The entire province of Sirhind and its 28

Samana, and Ram Singh Governor of Thanesar.[56]

Banda Singh had become well known at this time as, "The defender of the faith and the champion of the oppressed."[56]

Military Invasions

Banda Singh Bahadur developed the village of Mukhlisgarh and made it his capital. He then renamed it to

mint.[64] The coin described Lohgarh: "Struck in the City of Peace, illustrating the beauty of civic life, and the ornament of the blessed throne".[citation needed
]

He briefly established a state in Punjab for half a year. Banda Singh sent Sikhs to Uttar Pradesh and the Sikhs took over Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, and other nearby areas.

The rule of the Sikhs over the entire Punjab east of Lahore obstructed the communication between Delhi and Lahore, the capital of Punjab, and this worried Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah I He gave up his plan to subdue rebels in Rajputana and marched towards Punjab.[65]

The entire imperial force was organized to defeat and kill Banda Singh Bahadur.[66] All the generals were directed to join the Emperor's army. To ensure that there were no Sikh agents in the army camps, an order was issued on 29 August 1710 to all Hindus to shave off their beards.[67]

Banda Singh was in Uttar Pradesh when the Mughal Army under the orders of Munim Khan[68] marched to Sirhind and before the return of Banda Singh, they had already taken Sirhind and the areas around it. The Sikhs therefore moved to Lohgarh for their final battle. The Sikhs defeated the army but reinforcements were called and they laid siege on the fort with 60,000 troops.[69][70] Gulab Singh dressed himself in the garments of Banda Singh and seated himself in his place.[71]

Banda Singh left the fort at night and went to a secret place in the hills and Chamba forests. The failure of the army to kill or catch Banda Singh shocked Emperor Bahadur Shah I and on 10 December 1710 he ordered that wherever a Sikh was found, he should be killed.[72][73]

Banda Singh Bahadur wrote

Farrukh Siyar, the 10th Mughal Emperor, appointed Abdus Samad Khan as the Subahdar of the Lahore province and Zakariya Khan, Abdus Samad Khan's son, the Faujdar of Jammu.[77]

In 1713 the Sikhs left Lohgarh and Sadhaura and went to the remote hills of Jammu and where they built Dera Baba Banda Singh.

Kalanaur and Batala (both places in modern Gurdaspur district[80] which rebuked Farrukh Siyar to issue Mughal and Hindu officials and chiefs to proceed with their troops to Lahore to reinforce his army.[81]

Siege in Gurdas Nangal

In March 1715, the army under the command of Abd al-Samad Khan,[82] the Mughal Governor of Lahore, drove Banda Bahadur and the Sikh forces into the village of Gurdas Nangal, 6 km to the west of Gurdaspur, Punjab and laid siege to the village.[83] The Sikhs defended the small fort for eight months under conditions of great hardship,[84] but on 7 December 1715 the Mughals broke into the starving garrison and captured Banda Singh and his companions.[85]

Execution

Sculpture of the execution of Banda Singh Bahadur at Delhi, Mehdiana Sahib, near Jagraon in Ludhiana district, India

Banda Singh Bahadur was put into an iron cage and the remaining Sikhs were chained.[86] The Sikhs were brought to Delhi in a procession with the 780 Sikh prisoners, 2,000 Sikh heads hung on spears, and 700 cartloads of heads of slaughtered Sikhs used to terrorize the population.[87][88] They were put in the Red Fort and pressured to give up their faith and become Muslims.[89]

The prisoners remained unmoved. On their firm refusal these non-converters were ordered to be executed. Every day 100 Sikh soldiers were brought out of the fort and executed in public.

beheaded.[1][94]

The execution of Banda Singh Bahadur and 700 of his followers by the Mughals in the spring of 1716 at Delhi was observed by a European visitor to the city on official business who was a British East India Company diplomat to the Mughal Empire.[95] This European recorded his thoughts on the execution of the Sikhs in a letter he sent to the Governor of Fort William in Calcutta.[95] It is one of the earliest accounts of the Sikhs from the perspective of a Westerner.[95]

Revolutionary

Mural fresco of Banda Singh Bahadur (seated right) with his son (seated left). An attendant to the right is waving a fly-whisk. They are adorned with red clothing colours, characteristic of the Bandai Khalsa faction

Banda Singh Bahadur is known to have halted the Zamindari and Taluqdari system in the time he was active and gave the peasants proprietorship of their own land.[96] It seems that all classes of government officers were addicted to extortion and corruption and the whole system of regulatory and order was subverted.[97]

Local tradition recalls that the people from the neighborhood of Sadaura came to Banda Singh complaining of the iniquities practices by their feudal lords. Banda Singh ordered Baj Singh to open fire on them. The people were astonished at the strange reply to their representation and asked him what he meant. He told them that they deserved no better treatment when being thousands in number they still allowed themselves to be cowed down by a handful of Zamindars. He defeated the Sayyids and Shaikhs in the Battle of Sadhaura.[98]

Possible rivalry with Tat Khalsa and legacy

Mural of Banda Singh Bahadur with his son with both being served by fly-whisk attendants

In 1714, a resolute effort was envisaged by Farrukh Siyar to suppress Banda's rebellion, who was evading capture despite significant Mughal endeavors and investment of resources. At first, Mata Sundari (Guru Gobind's widow) was asked to persuade Banda to stop his lawlessness and expedition against the Mughals in exchange for jagirs and recruitment for Sikh soldiers into the imperial army. Banda declined on account of his lack of trust in the government. The Emperor had then imprisoned both of Gobind's widows, prompting Sundari to write to Banda again to get him to submit. Banda had again declined, leading the Emperor to tighten the restrictions on the widows, culminating in the excommunication of Banda Singh Bahadur by Mata Sundari for refusing to submit to the Emperor as per her demands. She further accused him of reigning over the Sikhs as their "Guru", and reprimanded his followers in a hukam-nama. This dispute led to two separate factions of the contemporary Sikh community, the Tat Khalsa; who were allied to Mata Sundari, and the Bandais; who were allied to Banda Singh Bahadur.[99][100][101][102] Mata Sundari's intervention led to half of Banda's followers (approximately fifteen thousand) abandoning him prior to the siege of Gurdas Nangal.[103][104][105] Disputes between the Tat Khalsa and the Bandais primarily included topics including Banda's abandonment of the traditional blue robes in favor of red ones, his insistence on vegetarianism, his observance of caste rituals, and his replacement of the prescribed Sikh slogan with "Fateh Darshan", as well as concerns over excesses committed by Banda's troops during their campaign of retribution against the Mughals. Banda's excommunication impeded his ability to counter the Mughals and contributed to his eventual capture and execution.[106][107][108][109]

Modern Sikh tradition speaks of at least two different Khalsas; the Tat Khalsa adhering to the polity and injunctions of Guru Gobind Singh, and the Bandais; those who adopted the principles of Banda Singh Bahadur.[110][111]

However the authenticity of the excommunication of Banda Singh Bahadur by Mata Sundari has been questioned by historian

Bairagi background as opposed to the customs of the Khalsa.[116] According to Purnima Dhavan's When Sparrows Became Hawks: The Making of the Sikh Warrior Tradition, 1699-1799, while Banda did reiterate support of the Khalsa rahit in his hukam-namas, he also revered the values of vegetarianism and customs associated with the Hindu elite, made appeals to a collective Hindu and Sikh religion, and omitted prior orthodox Sikh sentiments and apprehensions about the Khalsa's interactions with other groups.[117]

Baba Banda Singh Bahadur War Memorial

.

A war memorial was built where

Qutab Minar and is an octagonal structure. There is a dome at the top of the tower with Khanda made of stainless steel.[118]

In popular culture

Battles fought by Banda Singh

  1. Battle of Sonipat
  2. Battle of Samana
  3. Battle of Kapuri
  4. Battle of Sadhaura[120]
  5. Battle of Ropar (1710)
  6. Battle of Chappar Chiri
  7. Battle of Sirhind
  8. Battle of Saharanpur
  9. Battle of Nanautu
  10. Siege of Jalalabad (1710)
  11. Battle of Thanesar
  12. Siege of Kotla Begum (1710)
  13. Battle of Bhilowal
  14. Battle of Rahon (1710)
  15. First Battle of Lohgarh
  16. Battle of Bilaspur (1711)
  17. Battle of Jammu (1712)
  18. Second Battle of Lohgarh
  19. Battle of Kiri Pathan (1714)
  20. Battle of Gurdas Nangal or Siege of Gurdaspur

Gallery

  • Statue of Baba Banda Bahadur at Chappar Chiri, near Mohali (Punjab)
    Statue of Baba Banda Bahadur at Chappar Chiri, near Mohali (Punjab)
  • Statue of Veer Banda Bairagi in Birla Mandir Delhi
    Statue of Veer Banda Bairagi in Birla Mandir Delhi
  • Banda Bairagi Memorial in Khanda, near Sonipat, Haryana
    Banda Bairagi Memorial in Khanda, near Sonipat, Haryana
  • Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at the commemorative event to mark the 300th anniversary of the martyrdom of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur.
    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at the commemorative event to mark the 300th anniversary of the martyrdom of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur.
  • Shaheed Baba Banda Singh Bahadur memorial at Chhapar Chiri,near Mohali
    Shaheed Baba Banda Singh Bahadur memorial at Chhapar Chiri,near Mohali
  • Places related with life of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur
    Places related with life of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur
  • Issued edict (hukamnama) of Banda Singh Bahadur. Held in the Bhai Rupa Collection
    Issued edict (hukamnama) of Banda Singh Bahadur. Held in the Bhai Rupa Collection
  • Issued edict (hukamnama) of Banda Singh Bahadur containing his official seal at top of page
    Issued edict (hukamnama) of Banda Singh Bahadur containing his official seal at top of page
  • 'Pind Dehra Sahibji', dedicated to Banda Singh Bahadur, in September 1932
    'Pind Dehra Sahibji', dedicated to Banda Singh Bahadur, in September 1932

See also

References

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  92. ^ Singh 1935, p. 229.
  93. .
  94. ^ . Based on the best available compendiums of English records, the first occasion that an EIC officer had to observe Sikhs close at hand apparently arose in the spring of 1716 at Delhi, where an EIC mission in the Mughal capital witnessed the publicly held exe- cutions of 700 Sikh rebels as well as their chief Banda Bahadur. "It is not a little remarkable," wrote the head of the mission in a letter to the Governor of Fort William, the resolve with which the rebels "undergo their fate" without apostasy in the name of their "new formed religion."
  95. .
  96. ^ Sagoo 2001, p. 158.
  97. ^ Singh 1999, p. 85.
  98. .
  99. ^ Gupta 1978, pp. 24–26.
  100. .
  101. ^ Alam, Muzaffar (1986). The Crisis of Empire in Mughal North India: Awadh and the Punjab 1707-1748. Oxford University Press. p. 175.
  102. ^ Kaur, Madanjit (2000). Guru Gobind Singh and Creation of Khalsa. Guru Nanak Dev University. pp. 83–84. The truth is that fifteen thousand Sikhs left Banda's force because of the intervention of Mata Sundri, the widow of Guru Gobind Singh. She admonished Banda Singh Bahadur for breaches of the Khalsa code of conduct. Banda started calling himself a Guru, required his followers to address him as Sacha Sahib and changed the Khalsa greeting, Wahe Guru ji ka Khalsa, Wahe Guru ji ki Fateh into Fateh Darshan. For these and other misdeeds Banda was excommunicated from the Khalsa Panth by Mata Sundri.....The result of Mata Sundri's intervention was that half of Banda's followers sided with Mata Sundri, left Banda's force and started calling themselves Tatva Khalsa.
  103. . According to Ratan Singh Bhangu , the earliest historian of the Khalsa , the veteran followers of Guru Gobind Singh ( Tat - khālsa ) charged Banda with having assumed ' rulership ' whereas he had been only assigned ' service '. They maintained that the Tenth Guru had bestowed sovereignty upon the Khalsa Panth. They charged Banda with deviation from Khalsa practices by adopting the salutation 'fateh darshan', by insisting upon vegetarianism, and by preferring red dress over the traditional blue of the Singhs. His observance of chauka (plastered squared space) militated against the practice of collective dinning. Therefore, the staunch Khalsa dissociated themselves from Banda before the final siege in 1715. Mata Sundri, the widow of Guru Gobind Singh, is believed to have lent her moral support to the Tat - Khālsa in their tussle first against Banda and then against his followers ( Bandais ).
  104. . His observance of ritual purities seemed to militate against the casteless order created by the baptism (sarbangi reet) created by the baptism of the double-edged sword. The old Khalsa also regarded it unsuitable for a state of warfare. Therefore, they are said to have disassociated from Banda before the siege of Gurdas Nangal and gone to Amristar.
  105. .
  106. .
  107. . He nevertheless soon fell out of their favour, even drawing the ire of the Tenth Guru's widow Mata Sundari and actually managing to divide the Khalsa in its loyalties, between those who remained attached to the memory of the Tenth Guru (the Akalpurakhia) and those committed to Banda (Bandai), whom Mughal sources often refer to as the 'accursed guru' or confuse with Guru Gobind Singh.
  108. ^ Sarkar, Jagdish Narayan (1976). A Study of Eighteenth Century India. Saraswat Library. p. 311. According to Sikh tradition, one of Guru Gobind's wives, Mata Sundari, wrote to Banda to stop his 'career of carnage and spoliation' as he had 'accomplished the mission imposed on him by the Guru'.
  109. ^ Singh & Fenech 2014, p. 242.
  110. .
  111. ^ Singh 1990, pp. 246–250.
  112. ^ Gandhi 1999, p. 61.
  113. ^ Singh, Sukhdial (2005). Banda Singh Bahadur On The Canvas Of History. Patiala: Gurmat Prakashan. p. 6.
  114. ^ Singh, Dr Nazer (15 September 2021). Golden Temple and the Punjab Historiography. K.K. Publicatons. p. 198.
  115. ^ Dhavan 2011, p. 196.
  116. ^ Dhavan 2011, p. 53.
  117. ^ "Baba Banda Singh Bahadur War Memorial, Fateh Burj in Ajitgarh". Ajitgarhonline.in. 30 November 2011. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  118. ^ Singh & Fenech 2014, p. 478.
  119. ^ William Irvine (1904). Later Mughals. Atlantic Publishers & Distri.

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