Farrukhsiyar (11.9.1683 – 28.4.1719) was the son of Azim al-Shan and grandson of Bahadur Shah, the Mogul emperor. He became the emperor of the Mogul India, on February 11, 1713. During this period, Baba Banda Singh Bahadur had been fighting against the Mogul regime, in the Punjab. Like his father, Farrukhsiyar also gave special attention to expedition against Banda Singh. After hide and seek of two years, Baba Banda Singh was arrested on December 7, 1715. Baba Banda Singh, his 740 companions, 2000 heads of the Sikhs struck upon spears and several cart-loads of the heads of the Sikhs were brought to Delhi where they reached on February 27, 1716. Of these 694 Sikhs were executed at Kotwali. Baba Banda Singh and some of his senior companions were executed on June 9, 1716. Farrukhsiyar personally supervised all these proceedings. Farrukhsiyar himself got similar treatment. On February 28, 1719, he was blinded by Hussain Ali, with the help of Marathas. He died on the night of April 27-28, 1719. Also see: Banda Singh Bahadur.
(Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer)