The name of Shaheed Baba Banda Singh Bahadur is held in the highest esteem in Sikh
history, Indian history and the struggle for human liberation. He was not merely a great
warrior but a revolutionary leader who carried forward the mission of Sri Guru Gobind
Singh Ji, directly challenging oppression, feudalism and social inequality. Rejecting
caste discrimination and social hierarchies, he empowered those sections of society
considered socially disadvantaged, granting them dignity, rights and a share in political
power.
His greatest contribution was social revolution. Challenging the feudal system, he
helped secure land ownership for the farmers who had cultivated those lands and
worked the soil for generations. This was a remarkable and revolutionary step in the
history of the Indian subcontinent, taken even before similar developments in the West.
He emerged as a great leader who, while commanding the Khalsa army against the
Mughal Empire, shook its foundations and established the first Khalsa rule representing
the common people of Punjab within a few years. It was the establishment of the first
Khalsa state on the soil of Punjab, founded on the principles of social justice, public
welfare and equality. The fact that Baba Banda Singh Bahadur issued coins in the
names of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, rather than in his own
name, clearly demonstrates that he considered himself not the founder of a dynasty but
a servant of the mission of the Gurus.
Baba Banda Singh Bahadur is believed to have been born on 27 October 1670 in
Rajouri, in present-day Jammu and Kashmir, into a Rajput farming family. His original
name was Lachhman Das. An incident during a hunting expedition deeply affected him
and led him to renounce worldly life. He subsequently adopted an ascetic way of life
and became known as Madho Das. He became a disciple of a yogi in Nashik, in
southern India, and established his hermitage at Nanded, on the banks of the Godavari
River.
His meeting with Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1708 was not merely an encounter
between two individuals; it was a momentous event that changed the course of history.
Thereafter, he received Amrit and adopted the name Gurbakhsh Singh. However, he
became renowned in history as Baba Banda Singh Bahadur.
Guru Sahib sent him to Punjab to fight the atrocities of Mughal rule and secure justice
for the people. For this mission, he was entrusted with five arrows, the Nishan Sahib, a
nagara (war drum), and Hukamnamas calling upon Sikh congregations to unite under
his leadership.
Baba Banda Singh Bahadur’s struggle against Mughal rule was concentrated in
present-day Punjab, Haryana and adjoining regions. He liberated areas such as
Samana, Sadhaura, Kapuri, Thanesar, Kurukshetra and Sonipat from Mughal control.
This is why the Haryana government regards Banda Singh Bahadur, beyond his
religious identity, as a people’s hero, a symbol of shared cultural heritage and a national
leader. His victories inspired ordinary people to stand up against oppression.
Consequently, he is remembered in the wider narrative of Indian history as a symbol of
resistance against tyranny.
In 1710, he defeated Wazir Khan, the Mughal governor of Sirhind responsible for the
martyrdom of the younger Sahibzadas, Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh, at
the battlefield of Chappar Chiri, thereby opening a new chapter in Sikh history. The
victory at Sirhind was not merely a military triumph; it was a victory for justice.
Subsequently, he extended his influence to Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur and other areas,
and is also credited with carrying the Khalsa flag to the walls of Lahore.
Under his leadership, Khalsa power expanded its influence across the Doaba and into
the hilly regions extending towards Chamba. Baba Ji did not get much time to rule, but
during seven to eight years of struggle, he challenged Mughal authority like a storm.
Ordinary people played a major role in his army. Despite limited resources, his forces
defeated trained armies and instilled new hope among those suffering under
oppression.
After a prolonged struggle, Baba Banda Singh Bahadur and his companions were
besieged by imperial forces at the fortress of Gurdas Nangal, in present-day Gurdaspur
district. Following a lengthy siege and immense hardships, Baba Ji was brought out of
the fortress through a stratagem. This episode is sometimes compared with the attacks
on Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji after he left the fort of Anandpur Sahib. Baba Banda Singh
Bahadur and hundreds of his companions were arrested and taken to Delhi. The
procession also included other Sikhs who had been arrested from different places.
In 1716, Delhi witnessed one of the bloodiest chapters of Sikh martyrdom, the very
thought of which makes the heart tremble. Before Baba Banda Singh Bahadur was
martyred, a hundred of his captured Sikh companions were publicly executed each day
for several days at locations associated with the Kotwali Chowk in Old Delhi and the
Mehrauli area. Their severed heads were then displayed at road junctions. The Mughal
regime intended to spread terror and warn people of the fate awaiting anyone who
dared to challenge the empire. But this terror could not shake the Sikhs’ unwavering
faith. One after another, the Singhs embraced martyrdom, yet none submitted to the
oppressors. Neither torture could buy their allegiance nor the fear of death make them
surrender.
The most heart-wrenching and tragic episode in this painful saga is the sacrifice of Baba
Ajai Singh, the innocent young son of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur. To break Baba Ji’s
steadfast resolve, the Mughal rulers martyred his young son before his eyes. According
to historical accounts, the child’s heart was then removed and forced into Baba Banda
Singh Bahadur’s mouth. This cruelty remains one of the most agonising episodes in the
history of humanity.
To witness the killing of one’s little son and then have the child’s heart placed in one’s
mouth is a level of mental anguish almost impossible to imagine. Yet Baba Banda Singh
Bahadur did not abandon his faith despite his son’s martyrdom and the unbearable
torture inflicted upon him. His silence carried both the immeasurable pain of a father
and his unwavering trust in the will of the Guru. His steadfastness reduced the power of
his tormentors to moral insignificance. He endured the torture inflicted upon his body but
did not retreat even a single step from his convictions and principles. Ultimately, in June
1716, Baba Banda Singh Bahadur attained unparalleled martyrdom after enduring
extreme torture, etching an everlasting chapter of faith, valour and sacrifice in Sikh
history.
Very few contemporary writings provide detailed information about the early life of Baba
Banda Singh Bahadur. Most of the available information relates to his meeting with Sri
Guru Gobind Singh Ji at Nanded in 1708 and the approximately seven to eight years he
subsequently spent in Punjab. Important Persian sources for historical research on his
life include Akhbar-i-Darbar-i-Mualla, Muhammad Qasim’s Ibratnama, Mirza
Muhammad’s Ibratnama, Haji Kamwar Khan’s Tazkirat-us-Salatin Chughtai and Khafi
Khan’s Muntakhab-ul-Lubab. The accounts of Baba Ji’s struggle, arrest and martyrdom
contained in these works need to be assessed in light of their authors’ times, political
circumstances and perspectives.
Among Punjabi historical writings, Kesar Singh Chhibber’s Bansavalinama Dasan
Patshahian Ka, believed to have been written around 1769, holds particular
significance. The Persian work Amarnama, attributed to Dhadi Nath Mal, is another
important source. Other works frequently cited in discussions of Sikh history include
Koer Singh’s Gurbilas Patshahi Dasvin, Sarup Singh Kaushish’s Guru Kian Sakhian,
Rattan Singh Bhangu’s Prachin Panth Prakash, Kavi Santokh Singh’s Suraj Prakash
Granth, Giani Gian Singh’s Sri Gur Panth Prakash and Sarup Das Bhalla’s Mahima
Prakash. However, it is essential to examine the period in which these works were
written, their objectives and the relationships among their sources.
Older writings and later narratives present differing interpretations of Baba Banda Singh
Bahadur’s personality. Differences also exist regarding his relationship with Guru
Gobind Singh Ji, the observance of Sikh discipline and certain events in his life. Some
accounts portray him as having deviated from the Guru’s instructions, while others
emphasise his devotion to the Guru and his sacrifice.
For an impartial assessment of these differences, Dr Sukhdayal Singh’s book Banda
Singh Bahadur: Itihasak Adhian is also noteworthy. It provides a research-based
perspective for understanding Baba Ji’s personality and the historical interpretations
associated with him.
The British historian William Irvine discusses this social transformation in his book Later
Mughals. According to his account, people from socially disadvantaged sections who
joined Baba Ji’s army returned to their homes as rulers, and even wealthy members of
society welcomed them. This account points to the social transformation through which
Baba Ji awakened a sense of self-respect and rights among ordinary people. It
represented the fulfilment of the ideal envisioned by Guru Gobind Singh Ji, under which
even the poor and humble Sikhs could be elevated to positions of sovereignty.
Baba Banda Singh Bahadur is a great hero of the Sikh community, but his struggle for
justice, equality and human dignity also holds universal significance. Prime Minister
Narendra Modi has also paid tribute to his courage and sacrifice, describing him as a
source of inspiration for the nation. I bow a thousand times to the unparalleled
martyrdom, unwavering faith and struggle for human dignity of the great Shaheed Baba
Banda Singh Bahadur Ji.
Prof. Sarchand Singh Khiala