Second siege of Anandpur

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This article is about a siege that took place in the year 1704. For other sieges conducted at the same location, see Battle of Anandpur.

Second siege of Anandpur
Part of the
Hill States-Sikh Wars

19th century painting depicting the battle of Anandpur
DateMay – 19th December 1704[1]
Location
Anandpur
Result

Mughal and Hill Raja victory[2]

  • Mughals and Hill Rajas take oath on the
    cows
    to not attack the Sikhs ever again
Belligerents
Khalsa (Sikhs) Mughal Empire
Alliance of 22 Hill Rajas
Commanders and leaders

Guru Gobind Singh overall general and in charge of Anandgarh

Udai Singh in charge of Fatehgarh
Mohkam Singh in charge of Holgargh
Ajit Singh in charge of Kesgarh
Jujhar Singh, Nahar Singh and Sher Singh in charge of Lohgarh
Alam Singh Nachna in charge of Agampur
Daya Singh in charge of Northern Anandpur[3][4]
Bhim Chand

Bhup Chand
Strength
  • 500 hundred in each of the five
    forts
    of Anandpur and 500 hundred in reserve
  • Total of 3,000–10,000[3][5][6]
  • 2 cannons in Anandgarh[3]
 100,000[6]

The second siege of Anandpur (anadapura dī ghērābadī), also known as the second battle of Anandpur (1704) [a] (anadapura dī dūjī laṛā'ī sāla satārāṁ sau cāra), was a siege at Anandpur, between Sikhs and the Mughal governors, dispatched by Aurangzeb, Wazir Khan, Dilwaar Kahn and Zaberdast Khan, and aided by the vassal Rajas of the Sivalik Hills which lasted from May 1704 to 19 December 1704.[7][1]

Background

The Hill Rajas were concerned about

Gobind Singh's rising power and influence in their region along with dislike for the Sikh movement.[8][9] In addition, the Hill Rajas were frustrated by the raids on their villages by the Sikhs from Anandpur who sought to acquire supplies, provisions and cash.[10][11][12] According to Indubhusan Banerjee, the hill rajas and the Guru maintained harmony after the Raja of Kahlur had conceded villages adjacent to Anandpur, however with the proliferation of the Sikhs in Anandpur and the Guru's pursuit of expanding his territory, the Khalsa began to encroach upon the hill rajas' territory to coerce villagers for goods.[13]

Eventually they sent a petition to the Mughal emperor and launched a joint attack with the Mughals in 1700 which failed.[14][15][16] After they besieged Anadpur without Mughal assistance which also failed.[17][18] The Rajas decided to plan with the Mughals again and launched multiple joint attacks all of which failed.[19][18]

Siege

News of all the defeats reached Aurangzeb who was furious. He gave orders that the Guru and all of his followers should be killed.[20] In May 1704, Governor of Sirhind, Lahore, and Kashmir Wazir Khan, Zaberdast Khan, and Dilwaar Khan were sent by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, joined by the Hill Rajas, besieged Anandpur in an attempt to remove Guru and his followers.[21][2][22][20] Aurangzeb also dispatched the governor of Peshwar to help lay siege. All were ordered to bring their full army to Anandpur.[23] They were joined by the Hill Rajas consisting of the rulers of Kahlur, Kangra, Jaswal, Mandi, Kulu, Nalagarh, Kaithal, Nurpur, Chamba, Jammu, Busaher, Dhadwal, Darauli, Bijarwal and Garhwal.[24]

Guru Gobind Singh divided his force into 500 men per each of the 5 forts.

Keshgarh, and Jujhar Singh held Lohgarh. Guru Gobind Singh also placed 2 cannons in Anandgarh named the tigress and victory-deceleration. When used they would cause havoc on the attacking forces.[24]

The army of the Guru kept the Mughals and hillmen at bay but being surrounded by heavy odds, took refuge in Anandpur fort, where they were besieged for many months, with all supplies and communications cut off.[21] Emperor Aurangzeb sent a written assurance by promising on the Quran, whereas Hill Rajas swore by their gods,[25][26] with the safety of all Sikhs if the Guru decided to evacuate the fort, and after a long drawn out siege, Gobind Singh and his followers, facing starvation, capitulated in return for safe passage, but the Sikhs were treacherously attacked at the Sarsa, with all assurances and solemn oaths betrayed by the Mughals and Hill Rajas.[2][21]

Notes

  1. ^ Called 2nd Anandpur by Tony Jacques[2]

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-1-64249-006-0
    .
  2. ^ a b c d Jacques 2006, p. 49.
  3. ^ a b c Sagoo, Harbans (2001). Banda Singh Bahadur And Sikh Sovereignty. Deep & Deep Publications. p. 75.
  4. ^ Macauliffe, Max Arthur (1909). The Sikh Religion Vol.5. p. 171.
  5. ISBN 978-1642490060
    . The Guru's troops were around 10,000 whereas the collation forces are estimated to be 10–15 times more.
  6. ^
    ISBN 978-8186769133
    . Before any fight took place Guru Gobind Singh had about 10,000 men. However, they were not well equipped. On the other hand, the Mughal army was consisted of over a hundred thousand well-equipped men. Moreover, they were accustomed to fighting and could face the troubles and hardships of war.
  7. ^ Fenech 2013, p. 18.
  8. ISBN 978-8126908585
    .
  9. ^ Gandhi 2007, p. 734.
  10. ^ Fenech 2013, pp. 14, 161.
  11. ISBN 978-0199088775
    .
  12. ISBN 978-0-19-753284-3
    . It appears highly likely, moreover, that dharam occasionally lost out to the more brute contingencies of the day that raj demanded, as we note in the multiple raids led by Sikhs in the closing years of the seventeenth century and the opening years of the eighteenth against villages such as, for example, Alsun (which was ransacked after the Battle of Nadaun) in the Pahari kingdoms adjoining Anandpur, something about which Sri Gur- Sobha also speaks, though in a highly sanitized manner.
  13. ^ Banerjee, Indubhusan. Evolution Of The Khalsa - Volume 2. pp. 130–131.
  14. ISBN 978-81-7601-480-9
    .
  15. ISBN 978-81-8475-595-4
    .
  16. OCLC 1888987
    .
  17. ISBN 9789381398616
    .
  18. ^ a b Bindra, Pritpal Singh. Guru Kian Sakhian Tales of the Sikh Gurus. pp. 142–148.
  19. OCLC 28583123
    .
  20. ^ a b Johar, Surinder Singh (1978). Guru Gobind Singh : a study. Internet Archive. New Delhi : Marwah Publications.
  21. ^
    ISBN 978-8189899554
    .
  22. ISBN 978-1-64249-006-0
    .
  23. ^ Singh, Khazan (1914). History and Philosophy of the Sikh Religion. Printed at the "Newal Kishore" Press. p. 181.
  24. ^
    ISBN 978-81-7629-300-6
    .
  25. ISBN 978-1108055475
    .
  26. ISBN 978-0190990381
    .

Sources

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