Banda Singh Bahadur Biography: Sikh Warrior Martyred On June 9, 1716

Banda Singh Bahadur was a famous Sikh warrior who broke the myth of the invincibility of the Mughals and was instrumental in establishing the Sikh Empire. He also avenged the martyrdom of the younger Sahabzads, and laid the foundation of Khalsa Raj in Lohgarh, the capital of the sovereign Lok State as envisioned by Guru Gobind Singh.

Banda Singh Bahadur was born to a Rajput family in the Rajouri area of ​​the Poonch district of Kashmir. His childhood name was Lakshman Dev. At the age of 15, he became a recluse disciple and his name became Madhodas. After staying in Panchavati (Nashik) for some time, he went south and established an ashram.

Banda Singh Bahadur Avenged The Killing Of Gobind Singh Ji’s Children

In 1708 AD, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs, Govind Singh saw this ashram. initiated Madhodas into Sikhism and named him Banda Singh Bahadur. When Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s seven and nine-year-old children were brutally murdered by Faujdar Wazir Khan of Sirhind, Banda Singh got very agitated and came to Punjab and organized a campaign along with a large number of Sikhs, captured Sirhind and killed Wazir Khan.

Banda Singh Bahadur built a strong fort of Lohgarh by taking the territories of Yamuna and Sutlej in his possession and established the Sikh state. While ruling in the name of Khalsa, he got coins issued in the name of Gurus. The kingdom of Banda lasted for a few days before the Mughal Ruler Bahadur Shah I (1707-12) attacked and captured Lohgarh. Till his death, Banda and his companions remained in exile. Later he again won his fort. But in 1715, the Mughal army besieged the place where Banda and his companions were hiding.

Banda Singh Bahadur -Killed But Did Not Bow To Injustice

In the beginning of 1715 AD, the royal army of Emperor Farrukhsiyar under the leadership of Abdul Samad Khan surrounded him for several months in Gurudas Nangal village near Dhariwal area of ​​Gurdaspur district. Due to lack of food, he surrendered on 7th December. He was brought to Delhi along with 794 Sikhs on February 1716 and after subjecting to torture of the most inhuman form they were executed by the Mughals.