Was Lohgarh Fort captured by the Mughals
Dr Alka Mishra
To quote Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer: “Most of the historians have written that the Mughal army puts siege to the Lohgarh fort on 30 November 1710 and captured it on the first December 1710, the very next day, and, Banda Singh Bahadur escaped from the fort with a few of his companions through the hills of Nahan, but this is a myth”.1
1 Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer, LOHGARH – the First Capital of the Sikh Rule, 2018, p 136..
2Chhatarsal was in direct line of Raja Rudar Partap Dev. Rudar Partap’s grandson had murdered Abu Fazal, a minister of Akbar. Chhatarsal was the son of Champat Rai, fifth in direct line of Rudar Partap. In 1671, Chhatarsal, as a boy, was the chief of a small unit of just 25 horsemen. He worked hard and became a prominent fighter. Later, on the 21st of January 1714, Farrukhsiyar granted him a mansab of six thousand zaat and four thousand horsemen, a very high status for a non-Muslim. At the time of his death, he was the master of half of eastern Bundelkhand.
3 Khafi Khan, op.cit, Vol II, pp 671-72.
4 Tazkira Salatin Chugatta, p. 153.
5 Irvine, Later Mughals, vol II, p. 111, Khafi Khan Vol I, p 671.
6 Khafi Khan, Vol II, p 669-70, Elliot & Dowson, Vol 7, p. 423-24, Tazkira Salatin Chugatta, p 153.
Almost same or alike material is found in the works of the most of the historians. In fact, these historians have based their works on the writings of the Persian writers who had claimed that they had seen this battle with their own eyes; they (especially Khafi Khan and Kamvar Khan) claimed themselves to be eyewitnesses. Their narration of this battle as such:
On Wednesday, the 29th of November, 1710, the emperor reached village Kampo, on the bank of river Som, a few furlongs away from Lohgarh. Having observed the situation, he ordered Khan Khanan and Mahabat Khan to assess the state of the trenches (posts) of the Sikhs in the hills. The same order was given to prince Rafiushan too. After assessing the whole situation, on the 30th of November, the royal forces surrounded the Lohgarh fort in this manner: Rafiushan will take positions at about one km from the fort, and, he will be assisted by Zulfiqar Khan. Khan Khanan Munaim Khan and his two sons, Bakhshi Mahabat Khan and Khan Zaman, will move from the hip of the hills. Chhatarsal Bundela2 and Islam Khan Mir Aatish will be the advance party of Khan Khanan. Hamid-Ud-Din Khan, Azimushan Shah and their associates as well as the soldiers of Jahan Shah were to assist the three parties of the action.3
At the time of the siege, there were not many Sikhs in the Lohgarh fort; nor they had enough ammunition or food for survival. They had just three cannons and had also made one improvised cannon of an imli (tamarind) tree. They did not have even enough gun powder for these cannons.
Kamvar has presented an eye-witness account of this battle: “When the sun has just arisen, Khan Khanan, with a force of five thousand companions, attacked the Sikh positions at the top of the hill. A fierce battle of guns and arrows was fought on both the sides. Khan Khanan reached near the trench of the fort. Both sides fought a full-fledged battle. Trade of life-taking was at its full extreme.”4
Irvine writes, “The Mughal and Pathan soldiers were very much scared due to the rumours about Banda Singh. They had heard that Banda Singh had magical power with which he could make the spears and swords of the enemy ineffective. They had learnt that Banda Singh had given a ‘blessing’ to the Sikhs that if anyone of them died in the battle, he would be reborn and would get a higher office in life. Due to such rumours the emperor and the senior generals of the Mughal army had become perplexed and disheartened”.5
When Khan Khanan reached near the trench, there were small skirmishes. A couple of Sikhs would come out of the fort, fight against the royal soldiers and killed after a good deal of fighting; a large number of royal soldiers too were getting killed. 6 Finding Khan Khanan
resolute, prince Rafi-ud-Shah and Rustam Dil Khan too made an assault on Lohgarh fort. They acted so with an intention of stopping Khan Khanan getting the credit/laurels of victory. The action of Khan Khanan, and others following him, was in violation of the orders of the emperor because he (emperor) had given instructions that the siege should be prolonged; and, when the ammunition and the ration of the Sikhs is exhausted, they will be captured. Now, when they had moved forward in violation of the orders of the emperor, they had only one option, i.e., either capture the fort or die; because a defeat would earn them the wrath of the emperor along with punishment for disobeying his orders.
On the other hand, the Sikhs were firing from cannons after long intervals. This made the royal generals realize that the Sikhs did not have much gun powder; by the evening the Sikhs’ cannons stopped firing; they came out of their trenches and attacked the royal forces with swords. Several Sikhs were killed in this fighting.
At that time Banda Singh was sitting in Sitargarh fort, on the top of another hill adjacent to Lohgarh hill. By this time, the royal forces had closely surrounded Lohgarh fort and could enter it any time. The Sikhs had realized that they had no option except to die fighting or make an attempt to escape. So, at night, they filled all the gunpowder in the improvised tamarind-stem cannon and fired it towards the royal army. It resulted in a great explosion, which shook the earth. This frightened the royal forces and they hid themselves in their trenches. The Sikhs availed of the opportunity and fled towards the Shivalik hills; Banda Singh too was a part of this group which escaped.
The next morning, Udit Sinh Bundela and Rustam Dil Khan made a major assault on the fort and entered it without any major fighting; there they found not more than thirty Sikhs including Gulab Singh Bakhshi who was wearing Banda Singh’s clothes. Khafi Khan, commenting on the escape of Banda Singh and the arrest of his look-like Gulab Singh, says: ‘the falcon had escaped and an owl had been captured.’7
7 Elliot & Dowson, op.cit. Vol 7, p. 555-56.
But, according to the account of Muhammed Qasim Aurangabadi: the next day the big pearl of the crown of the empire (prince) Rafi-ush-Shan and Wazir-ul-Mumalik Khan Khanan (Munaim Khan) were given command to put siege to the fort. So, following the command, they organized the army and put siege to the fort. The cheat (Banda Singh) became busy in strengthening the towers, outer wall, mounds and gates of his fortress. The noble-born prince and Khan Khanan strengthened their trenches and became ready for battle. They began firing from cannons, guns and rockets. By God’s grace, one of the rockets fired by great honorable prince fell into the storage of explosives and that got fired. With this countless persons of that unlucky person reached the hell. Those trenches, which were made with timber, all of them were burnt. When the fire was extinguished, the honorable prince strengthened their foot on the foothills of the fort. But now no voice could be heard from the fort side. There were not more than one thousand young men in the fort. As the awe of battle affects both the sides, the brave soldiers (of the Mughals) did not move forward and waited for the command of the prince. Khan Khanan’s wise advice and the opinion of the prince was that the knot will not be untied (occupation of the fort will not be possible) in less than one year; i.e. this problem will not be solved in less than one year. Divine courage played its role and the long-term problem was solved in a moment. They thought where the necessity to make haste to be; the soldiers too were badly tired. So they decided to wait for some time. They thought if God willed, in the morning they would occupy the fort in no time. They thought that if they attacked that today, it was possible that he (Banda Singh) may escape through some other way and their efforts may go waste. They thought that the proper thing for the government would be to make arrangements to block the path of his escape. If that unfortunate schemer (Banda Singh) runs away from here, then he has two escape routes: one is through the territory of Burfi Raja
(Nahan), and the other is towards the Afghan border of the Afghan (Jammu). We should write to them that they should not allow him to cross their borders and they should block their passage. When all the sides are strengthening them an attack should be made and not a single person should be left alive, so that after this no unfortunate person should be able to do such a silly act (of rebellion against the empire). Today, it is good advice that quite a good number of soldiers should be left on trenches and others should go to the capital (royal camp).
But, that fort could not be captured according to their (prince and Khan Khanan’s) thinking. When the life of that ill-minded infidel was still to be spared (by God) for some more days, how could this advice become true. The great honourable prince returned to the capital (royal camp). In spite of his age (wisdom) Khan Khanan too got deceived.
That clever person (Banda Singh) left about two hundred men in the fort and escaped through the territory of Barfi Raja (Raja Nahan). Those unlucky persons whom he had left for the defence of the fort were caught in the net of misery. The next morning the prince gave command to attack. Fearless soldiers used the stairs and climbed the walls of the fort and entered the fort, but, as they had heard about the strong defense of the fort, they did not find that there. Those of his soldiers who, confronted with swords were murdered immediately. Those who ran away, they were killed by people by throwing rocks at them. Thus the fort came under the occupation of the glorious holy army. Everyone got a lot of commodities. For one week, the army men continued entering the hills in the form of groups and they killed whoever they came across. They would plunder and bring a lot of goods to their homes (tents). They brought velvet, silk, clothes and other goods, besides slaves and women folk. Only lazy, the drunkard, the weak and powerless person did not go into the hills, hence they could not have anything from the fort.8
8 Muhammed Qasim Aurangabadi, Ahwal-ul-Khawakeen, pp 40-43.
9 The two warriors who fought so bravely that they are quoted as the greatest fighters of the history/mythology.
10 Elliot & Dowson, op. cit, vol 7, p 423.
11 Khafi Khan, op.cit. Vol. II, pp. 669-670.
Kamvar Khan, who claimed to have seen the battle with his own eyes: “This humble man was present in the army units of prince Rafi-ush-Shan. I saw with my own eyes: From among those wicked people, each one would jump in the field and fight with the royal forces; and after attempting a show of great bravery, would become a good (would die) of the merciless sword of the holy warriors. At this time the royal army and the armies of the famous umraa attacked them from all sides and surpassed the acts (of bravery) of Rustam and Isfandyaar.9 About two and a half thousand persons of that unprincipled cult (Sikhs), along with their leaders became the god of the swords of the brave men (Muslims). Among the victorious forces nephew of Firoz Shah Mewati was killed and his (Mewati’s) son was wounded…” 10 (The non-Italic text is mine- Author).
Khafi Khan says, “It is difficult to narrate this battle. Faqir-like dressed Sikhs have created awe in the royal army. So many people of the royal army were killed that it seemed that we shall all die. In this Sikh attack, Firoz Khan Mewati’s nephew and son were also killed.” 11
Muhammed Qasim Aurangabadi gives another account. He says that after ‘capturing’ the Lohgarh fort, the elder prince and Khan Khanan sent a messenger to deliver a letter to the emperor about their victory; reading this the emperor was elated and he made sajda (prostration to God in the direction of the Kaaba at Mecca) to thank God for that victory. But learning about escape of Banda Singh, he began guessing as to from which side he had escaped. In the meanwhile the prince and Khan Khanan reached there and they narrated that Banda Singh had escaped through the territory of the Nahan ruler. At this, the emperor ordered summoning of the ruler of Nahan in his court. Accordig to Muhammed Qasim Aurangabadi, the emperor did
not become angry with Munaim Khan (Khan Khanan).12 It is possible that Muhammed Qasim Aurangabadi had soft corner for Khan Khanan.
12Muhammed Qasim Aurangabadi, Ahwaal-ul-Khawakeen, pp 34-37 (edited by Dr. Balwant Singh Dhillon).
13 Elliot & Dowson, op.cit., Vol VII, p 424.
14Muhammed Qasim Aurangabadi, Ahwaal-ul-Khawakeen, pp 34-37 (edited by Dr. Balwant Singh Dhillon).
15 Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer, LOHGARH – the First Capital of the Sikh Rule, 2018, p. 148.
Earlier, when the news of the entry of the royal forces into the fort had reached the emperor, he had ordered beating of drums, and, all his soldiers were dancing. But, when he came to know about the escape of Banda Singh, he stopped all jubilations and became sorrowful. He was not happy even at the capturing of the fort or the killings of the Sikh soldiers whose number was about 1500.13
When the fort was occupied by the royal forces, a very large number of soldiers rushed towards it. Kamvar, who was present there, reports:
“We deliberated and entered the fort. We observed the looting by the soldiers. Scoundrel and high-handed Afghan and Baloch soldiers were scuffling with each other to snatch women and children as well as valuables from each other. During their scuffle a spark fell on gun powder lying there which resulted into the death of several persons; these included the son of Sucha Nand of Sarhind and several Muslim men and women who had been held captive by the Sikhs; their bodies were buried under the debris (caused by the fire and explosion).” (The non-Italic text is mine- Author).
Mughals could not have captured the Lohgarh Fort
The capture of Lohgarh fort, as narrated above is based on the writings of the Mughals or the Akhbarat-I-Darbar-Mualla (letters of the Jaipur rulers’ agents in the Mughal court; and, this information were based on what they learnt from the Mughal court). It seems that all this was written or narrated to please the emperor or to boast of the might of the Mughal army or to prove that the Sikh army was weak and powerless.
We have seen that the Lohgarh fort is 40 to 50 kms in length and 10 to 15 kms in width. The periphery of this fort is 50 km which surrounded by 52 fortresses and dozens of hills. Could this fort be captured in just one or two days? This is impossible. In one day, even one fortress cannot be captured. There are dozens of hills, some of them very hazardous to enemy having towers, bastions, trenches and walls on each hill.
According to Muhammed Qasim Aurangabadi, “Khan Khanan and the Mughal prince were of the opinion that the occupation of the fort will not be possible in less than one year.14
False Propaganda about the Occupation of Lohgarh Fort
To quote Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer, “To claim that the Mughals army attacked and captured the fort in just a few hours or a couple of days is just a joke. The truth is that the Mughals captured only one or two hills of the fort of Lohgarh. To please the emperor, they spread the news that they had captured the Lohgarh fort”15. Kamwar Khan, Khafi Khan and Muhammed Qasim Khan, who claimed to be eyewitnesses to the battle, had said all this to propagate that the soldiers of the Mughal army were ‘great fighters’, the Mughal generals were ‘great planners’ and the Sikhs were ‘no force against these mighty Mughals’. In fact, this fort was so vast (in length and width), and through so many hazardous hills, that it could not have been fully captured even in 6-7 years.
What to talk to capturing the Lohgarh fort, even the path between Sadhaura and Lohgarh could not have been covered by the Mughal army in this short time. There were 52 fortresses between Sadhaura and Lohgarh, and, these were very strong posts; there were soldiers and cannons and other ammunition in each bastion and trench; hence the Mughals were supposed to fight 52 battles before reaching just the foothills of Lohgarh fort.
Why Did Banda Singh leave Lohgarh?
After months of struggle made by the Mughals, Baba Banda Singh Bahadur realized that Mughal forces are confused and now they are trying to achieve only one objective i.e capturing of Sikh leaders and the Mughals were no more interested in capturing Lohgarh. Moreover, like a game of chess, as a part of the strategy the players try to concentrate the power of the opponent at a particular point and once the power is concentrated at one point, the better player shifts the attack on the opponent’s king from the other side. The same thing happened at Lohgarh, when the Mughal forces got accumulated at Lohgarh under the banner of Emperor Bahadur Shah, and the forces failed to control and capture Lohgarh Fort, then Baba Banda Singh Bahadur very tactfully shifted the theatre of war from Lohgarh to Lahore. Understanding these situations, by this time the Mughal forces failed to even reach near the advance fortress Lohgarh, Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, along with his 20 Sikh generals and army of 40000 armed horsemen, planned to attack Lahore, report 22 March 1711.16
16 Rajasthani Documents on Banda Singh Bahadur (edited by Dr. Balwant Singh Dhillon), Vakil Report No. 351, dated 6 March 1711.
Dr Alka Mishra
Bareilly (India)