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Why In News?

The Union Home Minister honored Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Ji on Sirhind Fateh Divas for his courage, farmer empowerment, and victory over Mughal rule.

About BANDA SINGH BAHADUR

Early Life

Lachhman Dev (later Banda Singh Bahadur) born in 1670, in the village of Tachhal near Rajouri (present-day Jammu and Kashmir) in a Rajput farming family.

He kills a pregnant doe during a hunt, experiences deep remorse over the dying fawns, and renounces worldly life to become an ascetic named Madho Das Bairagi.

He established a Dera (monastery) on the banks of the Godavari River in Nanded, Maharashtra.

Meeting Guru Gobind Singh

Guru Gobind Singh visited his monastery in 1708.

Madho Das submits his will to the Guru, declares himself the Guru's "Banda" (slave), and receives the Khande di Pahul (baptism).

The Guru renames him Gurbaksh Singh, though history universally records him as Banda Singh Bahadur.

Guru Gobind Singh grants him full political and military authority to lead the Khalsa Army in Punjab against Mughal tyranny.

The Guru equips him with five arrows, a Nagara (war drum), a Nishan Sahib, and an advisory council of Panj Pyare (five beloved ones), including commanders like Baj Singh and Binod Singh.

Major Military Campaigns

Banda Singh marches to Punjab and sacks the Mughal provincial capital of Samana in 1709.

He conquers strategic Mughal territories, including Sonipat, Kaithal, Kapuri, and Sadhaura.

He led the Khalsa forces into the decisive Battle of Chappar Chiri on May 12, 1710.

In this battle, the Sikh forces defeat and execute Wazir Khan, the Governor of Sirhind, to avenge the execution of Guru Gobind Singh's two younger sons.
He captures Sirhind and formally establishes the Sikh Republic (Khalsa Raj).
He employs rapid Guerrilla warfare and Dhai-Phat (retreat and re-attack) tactics to outmaneuver larger Mughal armies.

Socio-Economic and Administrative Reforms

Banda Singh establishes the Khalsa capital at Mukhlisgarh and renames it Lohgarh (Fortress of Iron).

He completely abolishes the Zamindari (feudal) system.

He transfers property rights directly to the tillers and peasants, deeply empowering the rural lower classes.

He strikes sovereign Khalsa coins bearing the names of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh.

He issued an official state seal carrying the inscription "Deg-o-Tegh-o-Fateh" (Economic power, the Sword, and Victory received from the Gurus).

He recruits individuals from the lowest castes and elevates them to ruling positions, shattering the social hierarchy.

He promotes religious tolerance; he allows Muslims to read the Khutba and Namaz, and recruits 5,000 Muslims into his army.

The Siege of Gurdas Nangal and Martyrdom

Mughal Emperor Farrukh Siyar ordered the absolute suppression of Banda Singh's movement.

Mughal General Abdus Samad Khan drives the Khalsa forces into Gurdas Nangal and lays an excruciating eight-month siege.
The Mughals deliberately starve the Sikh garrison and capture Banda Singh Bahadur and his remaining followers on December 7, 1715.
The imperial army transports the prisoners to Delhi in iron cages, parading them alongside 2,000 severed Sikh heads.
Banda Singh refuses a royal pardon in exchange for conversion to Islam.
The Mughals gouged out his eyes, severed his limbs, peeling his skin, and finally beheaded him on June 9, 1716.

Source: PIB

Attempt Daily Quiz

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. With reference to Banda Singh Bahadur, consider the following statements:

He established his capital at Mukhlisgarh and renamed it Lohgarh (Fortress of Iron).
He completely abolished the Zamindari system and granted property rights directly to the peasants.
He struck coins in the name of the Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah I to establish diplomatic relations.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A) 1 and 2 only

B) 2 and 3 only

C) 1 and 3 only

D) 1, 2, and 3

Answer: A

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Banda Singh Bahadur conquered the fort of Mukhlispur, repaired it, and renamed it Lohgarh (Fortress of Iron), making it the capital of the first Sikh state.

Statement 2 is correct: He is credited with abolishing the oppressive Zamindari system in the Punjab region, granting property rights directly to the tillers (peasants), which was a revolutionary fiscal reform.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Banda Singh Bahadur did not strike coins in the name of the Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah I. Instead, he struck coins in the name of the Sikh Gurus (Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Guru Gobind Singh Ji) to assert the sovereignty of the Sikh Panth.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Banda Singh Bahadur was a prominent Sikh military commander. Born as Lachman Dev, he became an ascetic named Madho Das Bairagi. In 1708, he met Guru Gobind Singh in Nanded, accepted the Sikh faith (taking the name Gurbaksh Singh), and was commissioned by the Guru to lead the Khalsa army against the oppressive Mughal rule in Punjab.

Fought on May 12, 1710, the Battle of Chappar Chiri was a turning point in Sikh history. Banda Singh Bahadur's forces defeated the Mughal army and killed Wazir Khan, the Governor of Sirhind. This victory avenged the execution of Guru Gobind Singh’s younger sons and paved the way for the establishment of the first sovereign Sikh state.

Banda Singh Bahadur’s most revolutionary reform was the abolition of the exploitative Zamindari (feudal) system, returning land ownership directly to the cultivating peasants. He also struck sovereign Khalsa coins and issued a state seal in the names of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh.