Banda Singh Bahadur
Baba Banda Singh was born on October 27,1670 at Rajuri, in teh Poonch district of western Kashmir.His father, Ram Dev, was a Rajput farmer. He was called Lachhman Das in his childhood. His farther gave him traning in farming,riding, shotting, swordmanship and hunting.From his early days, he was tender-hearted.once, while hunting, he shot a female deer. He saw him dying before his eyes. He also saw two young ones fall from his woomp and die in pain. The sight have a very deep and lasting effect on his tender heart. He resolved to become a Sadhu.
He left home. He met one Janki Das Bairagi and become his disciple. He became a Bairagi. He took the name of Madhu Singh. He wandered from place to place with a band of Bairagis. He came to Punjab. There he met a sadhu named Ram Das near Kasur. Madho Das become the disciple of Sadhu Ram Dass. But he obtain the piece of mind. He again began to wander from place to place. Thus wandering about, he came to Nasik, on the bank of river Godavari. There he entered the hhermitage of an old Jogi named Aughar Nath. He became his disciple. From Aughar Nath he learnt the art of magic and miracles. After teacher's death , he moved on to Nander. There he established a dero or monasteryof his own. he spent his time in praticing Jogi exercises and developing magical powers.He took delight in practising tricks of magic on his visitors .
Guru Gobind Singh visited his monastery in september 1708. He tried to practice his tricks of magic on the Guru. But he failed miserably. He concluded that he had found his master, at last. He fell at the Guru's feet and said, 'I am yoour banda or slave. Pardon me. Save me. I shall act as your banda. I shall carry out your orders whatever they be'
Guru Gobind Singh converted Madho Das Bairagi to his faith. He baptized him as member of the Khalsa. He became a Singh (lion) of the Guru. Hence he came to be addressed as Banda. After baptism his named was changed to Banda Singh and he is generally known as Banda Singh Bahadur.
The Guru instructed him in the principles of his faith. He became acquainted with the history of the Sikhs and their Gurus. He learnt about the terrible hardships which the Guru ans his Sikhs had offered.
On learning all this, he was filled with righteous indigantion. The Guru's Amrit aroused the Rajput spirit in him. He yearned to be in the battle-field as Guru Gobind Singh's Saint-soldier. He said to the Guru, 'O true King, permit me to go to the Panjab to punish those who committed such cruel deeds'.
His wish was granted and was appointed the leader and commander of the Khalsa. The Guru gave him five arrows from his own quiver. They were to serve as a pledge of victory. When they parted, the Guru said to him, 'Remain pure in conduct. Be true in word and deed. Look upon yourself as a servant of the Khalsa who will be the Guru after my return to the Almighty Father's presence. Always help the poor and needy. Have faith in God and Guru Nanak. If anytime you find yourself in some hopeless situation, pray to God and shoot one of my arrows. God will help you'.
Thus raised to the position of the commander of the Khalsa, Banda Singh proceeded towards north. On approaching Sehri and Khanda, he despatched Guru Gobind Singh's hukmnamas to the leading Sikhs in the Panjab and called them to join them and punish Wazir Khan and his assistant Sucha Nand for having killed the Guru's younger sons. The sikhs flocked him from all places and as he marched towards Sarhind more and more sikhs joined him on the way.
On November 26 1709, early in the morning he fell upon Samana. Sayyid Jalal Din of this city had beheaded Guru Teg Bahadur. Two other Pathans of the same city had cut off the heads of the younger Sahibzadas at Sarhind. The Mughals and Sayyids of the place opposed him but Banda Singh and his sikhs killed them all.
Then he attacked the town of Kapuri. The commander of that place, Qadam Din, used to forcibly take away young Hindu women and girls and keep them in his harem. He was suitably punished. Then Banda Singh Bahadur went towards Sadhaura where there was another Muslim ruler who had made the life of Hindus miserable. A severe battle was fought and Usman Khan was defeated.
Then he advanced towards Sarhind. It was here that the two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh had been bircked alive. Wazir Khan came out with all his army to meet the Sikhs. A severe battle was fought and Wazir Khan was killed. People like Sucha Singh were also punished. Banda Singh continued his conquests and he selected Mukhlispur as his headquarters. He repaired the old fort and renamed it Lohgarh or Iron Castle.
Emperor Bhadhur Shah heard the news of Baba Bands Singh's Successes. He was then in the Deccan. At once he returned to the capital. He send a huge army against Baba Banda Singh. The sikhs fell upon them and the imperial army suffered heavy lossed. But then the fresh forces came to its help. They were sixty thousand in number and the imperial forces besieged Lohgrah. The place was so well fortified that imperial army dared not to attack for sometime. The Sikhs were short of provisions and hunger made them desperate. They decided to rush out and cut their way through the enemy's ranks. Accordingly, Baba Banda Singh along with his men rushed out of the fort in the night and disappeared with his men into the hills of Nahan.
Soon after his escape from Lohgarh he issued Humkamnamas to the sikhs to join him. The Raja of Chamba became Baba Bands Singh's friend and it was here that Banda Singh married the girl of his family. For sometime Baba Banda Singh stayed in the northern hills and conquered some places like Rajpur, Brahmpur, Kalanaur and Batala. But them very strong Mughal armies pursued him and he had to retire to the hills again. Then an imperial order was issued to kill the sikhs wherever they were to be found. The Sikhs were killed in large numbers.
After a stay of over one year in the hills, Baba Banda Singh reappeared in the plains and conquered Kalanaur and Batala once more. Then he was attacked by huge Mughal army. Baba Banda Singh fought so heriocally that he almost defeated them. But the odds were too heavily loaded against him. The imperial sieze the area and the sikhs began to suffer extreme hunger. Inspite of all this, the sikhs withstood the huge imperial forces for eight months. Around eight thousand sikhs had died and they had become to weak to wield the weapons. The imperial army entered the fort and Baba Banda Singh and his followers were taken prisoners along with his wife and three year old son. They were taken to Lahore and were paraded in the streets. They were despatched to Delhi in chains and in a iron cage.
About two weeks later, began the murder of the Sikh prisoners. One hundred of them were killed every day. Every batch was told to embrace Islam or face death. Not even a single sikh thought of saving his life. These murders took place in March 1716. Baba Banda Singh and his leading companions were kept alive for about three months and then they were taken the emperor and were offered choice between Islam and death. Baba Banda Singh chose to die rather than giveup his faith.
Then began his torture. His baby son was placed in his lap and he was asked to kill him. He refused to do so. The exectioner then cut the child into pieces. Pulling out the dead child's palpitating heart, he thrust it into his mouth. Baba Banda Singh remained calm and unmoved like a statue. He was completely resigned to the Will of God. He was reciting Sacred Hymns and repeating God's name all the time
Then the executioner began the horrilbe deed of executing Baba Banda Singh. First of all his right eye was taken out and then his left eye was taken out. Then his hands and feets were cut off; his flesh was torn with red-hot pincers and finally his head was chopped off. Baba Banda Singh remained calm and composed at last. Thus did he achieve martyrdom and life everlasting on June 9 1716