Here are the associations between individuals and organizations that influence Indian politics and discussions in Indian public space.
This compilation is possible only because of the information shared by members. Thanks to all who have contributed.
Notes:
1. Information gathered is from Internet sources, and hence a simple Google search can give you further information or evidence of the association.
2. For adding or changing relationships please post a reply with a reference, I will update the first post.
3. If an association is wrong, please post a reply with a reference. It will be corrected.
Blue color associations were added on May 22nd & 23rd 2009
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Suzanna Arundhati Roy is niece of Prannoy Roy (CEO of NDTV)
Prannoy Roy sits Council on Foreign Relations' International Advisory Board.
Mukesh D. Ambani also sits on CFR's International Advisory Board.
Mukesh is MD, Reliance Industries Ltd.
Prannoy Roy married to Radhika Roy
Radhika Roy is sister of Brinda Karat (CPI(M))
Brinda Karat married to Prakash Karat (CPI(M) - General Secretary)
Prakash was part of debating club in Madras (Chennai).
N.Ram, P.Chidambaram & Mythili Shivaraman were part of this group.
This group started a magazine "Radical Review".
CPI(M)'s senior member of Politburo and Parliamentary Group Leader is Sitaram Yechury.
Sitaram Yechury is married to Seema Chisthi.
Seema Chisthi is the Resident Editor of Indian Express
Burkha Dutt works at NDTV
Prabha Dutt was mother of Burkha Dutt.
Prabha Dutt was a chief reporter for Hindustan Times.
Rajdeep Sardesai was Managing Editor at NDTV
Rajdeep Sardesai married to Sagrika Ghose
Sagarika Ghose is daughter of Bhaskar Ghose.
Bhaskar Ghose was Director General of Doordarshan.
Sagarika Ghose's aunt is Ruma Pal.
Ruma Pal is former justice of Supreme Court.
Sagarika Ghose's another aunt is Arundhati Ghose.
Arundhati Ghose was India's permanent representative/ambassador to United Nations.
Rajdeep is now Editor-in-Chief at CNN-IBN
CNN-IBN is a tie up between GBN (Global Business Network) and Turner International.
GBN is a Network 18 company.
CNN is one of Turner International's asset.
Sagarika also works at CNN-IBN as senior editor and as an anchor.
Dilip D'Souza was member of PIPFD
Dilip D'Souza's father was Joseph Bain D'Souza.
J.B.D'Souza was former Maharastra Chief Seccretary and activist.
Teesta Setalva member of PIPFD
Teesta Setalvad married to Javed Anand
Teesta and Javed run Sabrang Communications.
Javed Anand is General Secretary of Muslims for Secular Democracy { ?? }
Javed Akhtar is spokesperson for Muslims for Secular Democracy
Javed Akhtar married to Shabana Azmi
Karan Thapar owns ITV
ITV produces shows for BBC
Karan Thapar's father was General Pran Nath Thapar COAS during 1962 war, when India lost under his watch.
Karan Thapar was very good friend of Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari.
Benazir Bhutto was Pakistan's Prime Minister.
Benazir Bhutto's father was Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
Z.A.Bhutto served as Pakistan's President.
A.A.Zardar is the current Pakistani's President.
Karan Thapar's Mama was married to Nayantara Sahgal.
Nayantar Sahgal is daughter of Vijayalakshmi Pandit.
Vijayalakshmi Pandit was sister of Jawharlal Nehru.
Medha Patkar is a leading spokesperson for Narmada Bacho Andolan.
NBA was helped by Patrick McCully of International Rivers (formerly Internal Rivers Network.)
Angana Chatterjee was on the board of IRN
Dipti Bhatnagar was an Intern/Volunteer at IRN.
Dipti Bhatnagar is an activist at NBA.
Dr. Angana Chatterjee part of PROXSA
PROXSA mother-ship of FOIL
ASHA endorsed by FOIL
Sandeep Pandey co-founder of Asha for education (ASHA)
Dr. Angana Chatterjee is married to Richard Shapiro
Richard Shapiro is Director and Associate Professor of the Grad. Anthropology Prgm at CIIS
Shubh Mathur co-wrote a letter with Angana on 'Humanitarian Crisis in J&K'
Biju Matthew is co-founder of FOIL.
Vijay Prasad is co-founder of FOIL.
Vijay Prasa co-authored with Angana Chatterjee and wrote against IDRF.
ASHA has association with AID
AID works with FOSA
FOSA started by a Pakistani - Ali Hasan Cemendtaur.
Amitava Kumar associated with FOIL
FOIL & FOSA opposed California Text Book Edits.
California Text Book Edits was opposed by Michael Witzel.
M.Witzel is Wales Professor of Sanskrit at Harvard University.
Rahul Bose is brother-in-law of Khalid Ansari.
Khalid Ansari is the Chairman of Mid-Day Group of Publication based in Mumbai.
Khalid Ansari is Chairman of M.C.Media Ltd.
M.C.Media Ltd. has a join-venture with BBC for FM radio brodcasting.
Khalid Ansari's father was Abdul Hameed Ansari.
A.H.Ansari was a freedom fighter and active Congressman.
Dr.John Dayal worked as a journalist with the N.Delhi edition of Mid-Day.
Narasimhan Ram is the Editor-in-Chief of 'The Hindu'.
N.Ram was part of a CPI(M) debating club along with Prakash Karat
N.Ram's first wife was Susan.
Susan, an Irish, was in charge of Oxford University Press publications in India.
N.Ram and Susan's daughter is Vidya Ram.
Vidya Ram is a journalist.
N.Ram is now married to Mariam.
N.Ram, Jennifer Arul and K.M.Roy participated in closed door Catholic Bishops Conference of India in Thrissur, Kerala.
Jennifer Arul is the Resident Editor and Bureau Chief in South India for NDTV.
Jennifer Arul is Chief Operating Office for Astro Awani - Indonesian news and information channel.
K.M.Roy was a reporter in �The Hindu�
K.M.Roy is the General Editor of the group of the �Mangalam� Publications.
Mangalam Group of Publications was started by M.C.Varghese
K.M.Roy received the �All India Catholic Union Lifetime Award�
All India Catholic Union�s National Vice President is Dr.John Dayal.
Dr.John Dayal is also Secretary General of All India Christian Council (AICC)
AICC�s President is Dr. Joseph D�souza
Dr. Joseph D�souza founded Dalit Freedom Network (USA)
Dr.Joseph D�Souza participated in the inaugural Religious Freedom Day
The Religious Freedom Day was attended by former Republican Sentor Rick Santorum
AICC claims Confederation of SC/ST Organizations (India) as a sister organization.
AICC claims Christian Solidarity Worldwide (UK) as a sister organization.
AICC claims Release International (UK) as a sister organization.
Release International states it supplies bibles and literature to meet the need of growth and evangelism.
Dalit Freedom Network�s partner�s with Operation Mobilization India.
OM India�s South India Regional Director is Kumar Swamy
Kumar Swamy is the State President of Communal Harmony Committee.
Kumar Swamy serves with Karnataka State Human Rights Commission.
OM India�s North India Regional Director is Moses Parmar.
Moses Parmar serves as North India Public Relations officer of the All India Christian Council (AICC)
OM seeks to plant and strengthen churches in areas of the world where Christ is least known.
OM ministries work with Dalit-Bahujan people in India.
Operation Mercy Charitable Company (OMCC) grew out of OM India
OMCC works with Dalit Freedom Network.
DFN has Dr. Kancha Illaiah on its Advisory Board.
Dr. Kancha Illaiah is a Professor in Osmania University, Hyderbad.
DFN has William Armstrong on its Advisory Board.
William Armstrong is a former US Senator from Colarado (Republican).
William Armstrong is currently the President of Colorado Christian University.
Colorado Christian University�s one of the strategic objective is to share the love of Christ around the World.
DFN has Udit Raj on its Advisory Board.
Udit Raj claims Joseph Pitts as a great friend of India.
Joseph Pitts is a Republican US Congressman from Pennsylvannia.
Joseph Pitts sent a letter to Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State �USA, requesting USA to deny visa to N.Modi.
Joseph Pitts has led a Congressional delegation to Pakistan & India.
Joseph Pitts is Founder and Co-Chairman of the �Kashmir Forum�.
Joseph Pitts along with Congressman John Conyers introduced legislation condemning actions of N.Modi.
John Conyers is Congressman from Michigan�s 14th congressional district.
The 14th district contains Dearbon, a major city.
Dearbon has the largest Arab Americans for a city of its size.
Udit Raj is member of National Integration Council, Government of India.
Udit Raj is National Chairman of Buddha Education Foundation.
Udit Raj is National Chairman of All India Confederation of SC/ST Organizations.
Udit Raj leads Dalit International Foundation
Udit Raj leads Lord Buddha Club.
Udit Raj was part of an international Steering Committee on Kashmir
Majid Tramboo promoted the Steering Committee.
DFN has Baroness Caroline Cox on its Advisory Board.
Baroness Caroline Cox is Deputy Speaker, House of Lords, England.
Suhasini Haidar is daughter of Subramanian Swamy
Suhasini Haidar is daughter-in-law of Salman Haidar
Salman retired as Foreign Secretary in 1996.
Salman was later appointed as High Commissioner to the UK.
Salman was also India's ambassador to China.
Salman has written weekly columns for "The Statesman".
Salman was Minister/Deputy permanent representation of India at UN.
Salman directed South Asian Political Initiative, a Ford Foundation funded project.
Nadira Alvi married V S Naipaul
Nadira Alvi, a journalist, is sister of recently assassinated Maj Gen Amir Faisal Alvi, the ex-chief of Pakistan's elite SSG
�Resalat� is a Tehran-based Persian daily.
�Ettela�at� is another Tehran-based Persian daily.
�Resallat� and �Ettela�at�signed MoU with �Siyasat� and �Munif�
Siyasat and Munif are Hyderbad, Andhra Pradesh based dailies.
Toseeh is another Persian daily.
Toseeh has tied up with Vaarta.
Vaarta is one of the dailies from A.G.A.Publications Pvt Ltd.
A.G.A Publications Pvt Ltd is one of the companies in Sanghi Group
Sanghi Group was co-promoted by Gireesh Sanghi with his brothers.
Gireesh Sanghi is Congress M.P, Rajaya Sabha
Gireesh Sanghi is All India Vaish Federation National President.
Mahendra Mohan Gupta is on the Advisory Board of AIVF
Mahendra Mohan Gupta is Chairman of Dainik Jagran Group
Ramoji Group is headed by Ramoji Rao
Ramoji Rao is Founder & Chairman of Eenadu
Eenadu is the largest Telugu news daily in Andhra Pradesh.
Ramoji Group also owns ETV Network.
ETV Network produces content in Telugu, Bangla, Marathi, Kannada, Oriya, Gujarati, Urdu & Hindi.
Ramoji is reported to be close to Chandra Babu Naidu and supported of Telugu Desam Party.
Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd�s parent company is Ramoji Group.
Blackstone Group is reported to have invested Rs600 crore in UEL.
Deccan Chronicle Holdings Ltd brings out The Deccan Chronicle newspaper.
DCHL also brings out �Andhra Bhoomi� a telugu newspaper.
DCHL also brings out �Asian Age�.
DCHL became a publishing parter of �The New York Times�.
DCHL began publishing �The International Herald Tribune�
T.Venkatram Reddy is the Chairman of DCHL.
T.Venkatram Reddy is fromer MP, Rajhya Sabha from Congress.
M.J.Akbar was Editor-in-Chief of Deccan Chronicle and Asian Age.
M.J.Akbar is Founder and Chairman of the fortnightly the Covert.
M.J. Akbar worked at �Times of India�, �Sunday� & �The Telegraph�
M.J.Akbar was an Congress MLA from 1989 to 1991.
M.J.Akbar joined The Brookings Institution, Washington in 2006, as a Visiting Fellow on U.S. Policy Towards the Islamic World.
M.J.Akbar was a member of the �Forum of Islamic Scholars and Intellectual� held in Makkha al-Mukaramma in 2005.
M.J.Akbar�s wife is Mallika Joseph.
Mallika Joseph worked at Times of India.
Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy is the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
YSR Reddy is from the Congress party (INC).
YSR Reddy�s father, Raja Reddy, setup a degree college and a Polytechnic in Pulivendula.
YSR Reddy has said that his one year study at Andhra Loyola College (ALC), a Jesuit institution, influenced him so much that he handed over the Pulivendula colleges to the Loyola Group.
The YS family has established several educational institutions in Andhra Pradesh.
YSR Reddy�s daughter is Sharmila.
Sharmila married Anil Kumar, Anil Kumar converted to Christianity after the marriage.
Anil Kumar set up �Anil World Evangelism� and is an active Evangelist.
YSR Reddy�s son is YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
YS Jagan is a youth Congress Leader.
YS Jagan is Chairman of Jagati Publications Pvt. Ltd.
Bhumna Karunakara Reddy is close to YSR Reddy.
Karunakara Reddy is the Chairman of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam.
JPPL publishes the newspaper Sakshi.
Chandra Babu Naidu has claimed that Lanco group was forced to invest in JPPL.
L. Sridhar is alleged to have made the investment from Lanco Group.
L Sridhar is Lanco Infratech�s Vice Chairman
L Sridhar�s brother is L.Rajagopal.
L.Rajagopal joined Congress in 2003.
L Rajagopal is the son-in-law of P.Upendra.
P.Upendra is a former Minister from Congress.
Lanco Group�s Chairman is L. Rajagopal
Andhra Prabha is a telugu newspaper started in 1938.
Andhra Prabha is owned by The New Indian Express Group.
Andhra Jyothi is a telugu newspaper.
Andhra Jyothi�s Managing Director is Vemuri Radhakrishna.
SUN TV Network is owned by Kalanidhi Maran.
Kalanidhi Maran is the Chairman & Managing Director of SUN TV Network.
SUN TV network owns: Sun TV, Gemini TV, Teja TV, Surya TV, Kiran TV, Udaya TV, Surjo TV among other channels.
Kalanidhi Maran owns the tamil daily �Dinakaran�.
Dinakaran was started by a former DMK Minister K.P.Kandasamy.
Kalanidhi Maran�s brother is Dayanidhi Maran.
Dayanidhi Maran was Minister of Communications and IT in the UPA government.
Kalanidhi Maran�s father was Murasoli Maran.
Murasoli Maran was a Union Minister from the DMK party.
Murasoli Maran edited a tamil daily �Murasoli�.
Murasoli Maran was an editor to �The Rising Sun� a English weekly.
Murasoli Maran as a publisher published the following tamil magazines: Kungumam, Muththaram, Vannathirai & Sumangali.
Murasoli Maran�s uncle is M.Karunanidhi.
M.Karunanidhi is Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, from the DMK party.
M.Karunanidhi launched Kalaignar TV in 2007.
M.K.Azhagiri owns Kalaignar TV.
M.K.Azhagiri is M.Karunanidhi�s son.
M.K.Stalin is another son of the M.Karunanidhi..
M.K.Stalin was named after Joseph Stalin.
Joseph Stalin was the authoritarian leader of the Soviet Union.
M.K.Stalin is the Minister for Rural Development and Local Administration in Tamil Nadu.
Kanimozhi is one of the daughters of M.Karunanidhi.
Kanimozhi was a sub-editor for the �The Hindu�.
Kanimohi was Editor in Charge of �Kungumam� a tamil weekly.
Kanimozhi became a Rajya Sabha member in 2007.
Kanimozhi conducted programs in SUN TV and Vijay TV.
Kanimozhi�s second husband G.Aravindan is Singapore based Tamil literary figure.
Dina Thanthi a tamil daily was founded bu Si.Pa.Aditanar.
Aditanar�s second son is Sivanthi Athithan.
Sivanthi Athithan owns Dina Thanthi.
Aditanar had launced the tamil evening daily �Malai Murasu�.
Aditanar set up Malar Publications Ltd.
Malar Publications Ltd. Brings out the tamil evening newspaper Malai Malar.
Balasubramanian Adityan son of Sivanthi Athithan managers Malar Publications Ltd.
B.Adityan set up �Air Media Network Pvt Ltd� (AMN)
AMN is into cable distribution, content productions and broadcasting.
AMN owns AMN TV
AMN has produced content for FM radio, All India Radio, Doordarshan, Vijay TV.
Dina Mani is a tamil newspaper.
Dina Mani is owned by The New Indian Express Group. (NIEG)
NIEG owns Kannadaprabha, Andhraprabha, Malaylamvarikha, Indiavarta and Expressbuzz.
NIEG also owns Cinemaexpress & Tamilanexpress
STAR Vijay TV is a tamil TV channel.
Vijay TV is owned by STAR TV
STAR TV is owned by News Corporation based in Hong Kong.
News Corporation is owned by Rupert Murdoch.
Fox Entertainment Group is a subsidiary of News Corporation.
FEG owns Fox News Channel, in USA.
Fox News is a conservative, pro-church Republican Party channel in US
News Corporation owns the The Wall Street Journal
Jaya TV is a tamil TV channel.
Jaya TV is owned by Jaya Network.
Jaya Network is owned by J.Jayalalitha
Jayalalitha was the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (AIADMK party)
Makkal TV is owned by Makkal Tholaikatchi
Act Now for Harmony and Democracy�s (ANHAD) Founding and Managing Trustee is Shabnam Hashmi
Shabnam�s father was a freedom fighter.
Shabnam went to USSR on a cultural exchange scholarship for six years.
Shabham is married to Gauhar Raza.
KN Panikkar is a Founding trustee of ANHAD
Panikkar is an Indian Marxist Historian.
Panikkar was the Vice Chancellor of Sree Sankarcharya Sanskrit University, Kalady, Kerala.
Panikkar received Homi Bhabha Senior Fellowship.
Panikkar was awarded Padma Bhushan.
Harsh Mander is a Founding trustee of ANHAD
Harsh Mander is a Human Rights activist, author and was in the IAS.
Harsh Mander was close to Ajit Jogi
Harsh Mander, born into Sikh faith, was in-charge of the relief camps in Indore during the 1984 riots.
Harsh Mander served as Managing Director of SC/ST Finance Corporation.
Harsh Mander was the Director of ActionAid India.
Ajit Jogi was the Chief Minister of Chhatisgarh.
Ajit Jogi is from the Congress party (INC).
It is claimed that after Ajit Jogi, a tribal Christian became the CM the rate of Christian conversions has gone up.
Harsh Mander received the 2002 �Rev. M.A.Thomas National Human Rights Award�
Rev M.A.Thomas National Human Rights Award was awarded by �Vigil India Movement.
Shubha Mudgal is a trustee of ANHAD
Shubha�s parents Skand and Jaya Gupta were professors of English literature at Allahabad University.
Shubha�s grand-father Prof. P.C.Gupta was also a professor at Allahabad University.
Shubha�s first husband was Justice Mukul Mudgal of Delhi High Court.
Shubha is currently married to Aneesh Pradan, a tabla player.
Shubha received Padma Shri.
Shubha has received several awards in the field of music.
Kamla Bhasin is a trustee of ANHAD
Kamla is an Indian feminist.
Kamla was a lecturer in the Orientation Centre of the German Foundation for Developing Countries, Bad Honnef, West Germany.
Kamla was the Development Secretary of Seva Mandir, Udaipur.
Saeed Akhtar Mirza is a trustee of ANHAD
Saeed Mirza is a writer and director in Hindi films and television.
Saeed Mirza�s father is Akhtar Mirza
Akhtar Mirza was a noted film script writer.
Asianet Communications Limited (ACL) has a majority stake in Asianet TV.
ACL is owned by Jupiter Entertainment Ventures Limited (JEVL).
JEVL is a subsidiary of Jupiter Capitals Ltd.
The other media outlets of ACL are: Asianet News, Asianet Plus, Best FM 95, Asianet Suvarana, Suvarna News, Asianet Sitara and Sitara News.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar is the Chairman & Editor-in-chief.
Rajeev Chandrasekar entered Rajya Sabha in 2006.
Rajeev Chandrasekar�s uncle is M.K.Narayanan
M.K.Narayanan is National Security Advisor
M.K.Narayanan headed the Intelligence Bureau from 1987 to 1990.
Malayalam daily, Mathrubhumi, is owned by M P Virendrakumar
Virendrakumar is a MP through Janata Dal (Secular), from Kerala
In Kerala, Deva Gowda's Janata Dal (Secular) party is a constituent of Left Democratic Front
Latest Editor of Mathrubhumi is Kesava Menon
Kesava Menon was the Associate Editor of The Hindu before taking up this position
Shashi Tharoor is an Indian Diplomat.
Shashi is the son of late Chandran Tharoor.
Chandran was a journalist working for Amrita Bazar Patrika of Calcutta.
Chandran headed "The Statesman" in 1959.
Shashi Tharoor is going to contest as INC (Congress) candidate in 2009.
Ishaan and Kanishk are twin sons of Shashi.
Ishaan lives in Hong Kong and works for "Time" magazine.
Kanishk lives in London and works for "OpenDemocracy".
Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan is a sister of Shashi.
Smita Tharoor is another sister of Shashi.
Ragini Tharoor Srinivasan is daughter of Shobha.
Ragini is the editor of "India Currents".
Shobha writes in "India Currents"
India Currents is an Indian American monthly.
Shashi's first wife was Tilottama Mukherji from Kolkata.
Tilottama was/is a journalist and scholar.
Sahshi's second wife is Christ Giles, a Canadian.
Christa is Deputy Secretary of the United Nations Disarmament Commission.
Mukundan Unni was Shashi's maternal uncle.
Tharoor Parameswar was Chandran Tharoor's elder brother.
Parameswar was the founder publisher of the Indian edition of "Reader's Digest".
Param resurrected & presided the Advertising Club of Bombay.
Param was also the Advertising Manager of Amrita Bazar Patrika.
Shobhana Bhartia is the Chairperson and Editorial Director of Hindustan Times group
Shobhana is the daughter of KK Birla; grand daughter of GD Birla.
KK Birla joined INC (Congress) party in 1984.
KK Birla was later elected Rajya Sabha member in 1984.
Shobhana is married to Shyam Sunder Bhartia
Shyam is the Chariman of Jubliant Organosys Ltd, a Pharma company
Shyam is the son of late Mohan Lal Bhartia.
Shamit Bhartia and Priyavrat Bhartia are their sons
Shamit is a Director at the Hindustan Times group.
Shobhana was nominated for Rajya Sabha in 2006.
Shobhana is politically affiliated to INC (Congress).
She was nominated by UPA headed by Sonia Gandhi.
Shobhana was a 2005 Padma Shree award. This was after UPA formed the government in 2004.
Priyavrat is a Director at the Hindustan Times group.
Shamit heads franchises of Dominoes Pizza and Hot Breads.
Shamit also looks after the chain store �Monday to Sunday�
Shobhana is a close family friend of Scindias.
Late Madhavrao Scindia was a Minister from the INC (Congress) party.
Jyotiraditya Scindia is Madhavrao�s son.
Jyotiraditya is a MP from the INC (Congress) party.
Karan Thapar writes a weekly column in Hindustan Times.
Vir Sanghvi writes two columns �Counter Point� and �Rude Food�
Barkha Dutt writes the column �Third Eye�
Sonal Kalra is a editor of HT City a supplement of Hindustan Times and writes a column.
- Joseph Bain D'Souza was CEO of a housing project in which Mrinal Gore, PB Samant and Suresh Narvekar were trustees.
- N. Ram was a founder of Students Federation of India, CPI(M)'s student wing.
- N. Ram's niece is married to Dayanidhi Maran.
- Joseph D'Souza is the head of All India Christian Council.
- Dalit Freedom Network operates out of a church in Colorado. Melody Divine is part of DFN and Melody Divine works for Arizona Congressman Trent Franks.
- Joseph D'Souza is listed in Pat Robertson's 700 club, a group for fundamentalist Christians.
- Dalit Freedom Network is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.
-Admin (came via email
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Posted 15 January 2009 - 10:19 AM
SwamyG, perfect for FREEMIND maps using java. Download the software and try it.
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Posted 15 January 2009 - 05:45 PM
Swamy G,
pointer: research on Jennifer Arul of NDTV. I had posted some stuff on her before. She is likely a go-between for NDTV and Naxal Ram, besides being a self-declared journalist-for-a-cause (i.e. christianism in this case).
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Posted 15 January 2009 - 07:38 PM
"Rahul Bose is brother-in-law of Khalid Ansari."
who married whose sister.
and you may want to include:
Suhasini Haidar is daughter of Subramanian Swamy
Suhasini Haidar is daughter-in-law of Salman Haidar
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Posted 15 January 2009 - 08:01 PM
Wow this is one big bongo party.
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Posted 15 January 2009 - 08:09 PM
Bodhi: Rahul's sister - Anuradha - is married to Tariq Ansari. Linky: http://m.chakpak.com...biography/14106
Tariq could be related to Khalid.
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Posted 15 January 2009 - 08:31 PM
Nadira Alvi married V S Naipaul
Nadira Alvi, a journalist, is sister of recently assassinated Maj Gen Amir Faisal Alvi, the ex-chief of Pakistan's elite SSG
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Posted 16 January 2009 - 09:33 AM
Bodhi: Thanks for the link between Jennifer Arul and N.Ram. I found a small connection, dunno how strong though, but that led me to other connections. Wait for the weekend :-) I do not know if I should jump with glee or cry on discovering the various connections. And I am not sure if the connections are just weak connections, but definitely there exists something.
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Posted 16 January 2009 - 03:10 PM
1.
QUOTE(Swamy G @ Jan 15 2009, 07:06 AM)
Tariq Ansari is the Managing Director of Mid-Day Multimedia.
Mid-Day Multimedia's guiding force is Khalid Ansari.
Khalid Ansari is the Chairman of Mid-Day Group of Publication based in Mumbai.
View Post
Wackypedia as at sometime today -
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dayal
QUOTE
John Dayal
John Dayal, (New Delhi, Oct. 2, 1948 - ) is an Indian Christian activist and campaigner for Dalit rights. Formerly a journalist with the Delhi edition of the Indian tabloid newspaper, the Mid-Day, he has gone on to found and preside over the ecumenical All India Christian Council and United Christian Forum for Human Rights. Dayal, born of Christian parents from Central India, is married and resides normally in New Delhi. He describes himself as a "human rights activist" who is "fighting for the rights of Muslim, Christian and Dalit minorities" in India. He is associated with numerous Christian evangelical groups, such as Dalit Freedom Network[1].
He has attacked anti-Conversion bills passed in various states in India[1].
Criticism
He has been described by Francois Gautier as a radical fanatic[2]. P.N Benjamin, the coordinator of the Bangalore Initiative for Religious Dialogue, said that Dayal "opens his mouth and wields his pen only to spew venom on the Hindu community"[3] >.John Dayal was very popular among some anti-Hindu elements, such as the (now defunct) website Dalitstan, where his works were frequently showcased [4]. Rediff columnist Varsha Bhosle criticizes Dayal for having subversive separatist views and misrepresenting the Catholic Church in India [5].
2.
QUOTE
But something in me does not want to. I am torn. So I took the path of not including them.
This is not about you.
It is about other people - your list's audience - who have not yet learnt to see the pattern, who do not know to identify christianism. And whose ignorance you are only perpetuating by concealing the most important fact of all: that of 'religious' (terrorist) motivation guiding all these seemingly random secular 'coincidences'.
Your list, stripped of this most important fact, will not help any target audience. The pattern is what needs to be revealed so that people can learn to recognise it and work things out for themselves. The individuals in your list are incidental: they can and will in future be replaced by other cryptos - who will all behave the same way to further their terrorism. Unless people can learn to pick up on the pattern of the otherwise-hard-to-identify hand of christianism, it serves 0 purpose. (Islamism is often easier to recognise)
Your being 'torn' is beside the point. I don't know when stating the truth can ever be an offence. I'm just asking you to state the facts which crypto names will not provide: that Prannoy Roy is a christian as is Suzanna Roy, that N.Ram's wives are christians, etcetera. The cryptos have hidden their identities behind Hindu names and symbols (e.g. bindis) on purpose. Why Hindus would go along with their intention is beyond me. Why are secularised Hindus so conditioned that they will not even dare say *what religions* are involved? The conditioning has got Hindus censoring themselves. Dhimmitude.
At least people should be consistent in censoring themselves. Therefore do not identify:
- the NLFT as being christian - it murdered Shanti Tripura and countless other Hindus
- the christian maoists in Orissa as christians - they murdered Swami Lakshmanananda and the other Hindus who were with him.
- various LTTE heads as christians who have murdered inconvertibles of SL.
Maybe secular Hindus' position should be that the ideology in all of this is really coincidence, not important?
Maybe Hindus should do what the psecular christian media does, and describe incidents as "the majority community was attacked by the minority community. Again." And refer to islamic terrorism as merely "terrorism".
And then, in natural consequence, follow the communist hysterians in deciding that history should be purged of communal events (since these were instigated by the 'minorities' of course) to make it less offensive to the minority communities' religious sensitivities.
Christoislamis feel solidarity only with their own kind (but will form temporary alliances if these would serve their long-term purposes). Secular Hindus show solidarity only with christoislamis, and will sell Hindu victims for this. Christoislamics never feel torn when they announce jihad or Nagaland for christ and when the NLFT murders Hindus beyond count. Quite contrary to secular Hindus. However the secular Hindu's sensitivity is not uniform, but partial: it feels pain and injury only when it comes to naming christianism and islamism since this might offend the venerable sensibilities of the 'minorities'. The secular Hindu's sensitivity obviously feels absolutely nothing for such things as this:
http://www.christian...S&id=1069383784
QUOTE
Large-scale conversions triggered a systematic ethnic cleansing campaign sponsored by the Church which lead to migration of Reangs and Brus from Mizoram to Tripura and Assam, who have since been languishing in different make-shift camps and demanding safe return and rehabilitation to their ancestral homeland.
More shocking is that the refugees were also deprived of their voting rights in the last November Assembly elections in Mizoram. There are now 45,000 refugees in the two states - about 36,000 in Tripura and another 9,000 in Assam. They are uncertain of returning to their ancestral land and their only hope now seems to rest on the Centre to resolve the problem.
These refugees are living under terrible conditions in the make- shift camps. Last year, over 350 refugees had died following the spread of gastroenterities and other diseases. Even now, paucity of medicines and food exist as quantities supplied by the camp authorities are not sufficient.
Sixteen-year old Maniram Reang, sheltered in a refugee camp in North Tripura, said, "Our condition is like that of animals here," adding "We do not know what crime we have done to live away from our motherland in such terrible conditions in refugee camps."
Similar camps for refugees are located at Gachirampara, Dosda, Anandbazar and Kanchanpur.
The recent bomb attack was intended to scare away Reangs who wish to participate in the upcoming elections in Christian dominated Mizoram.
http://www.christian...46733&type=news
QUOTE
Thirteen Years of Killings in Tripura by the NLFT
Posted August 10, 2003
NLFT Killings (1989-2003)
Below is a summary of past actions carried out by Christian terrorist group, NLFT (The National Liberation Front of Tripura), which is armed and funded by the Baptist Church.
A long timeline.
Another brief sample timeline is contained in
http://www.christian...S&id=1081134529
Cleansing of Hindus in Tripura
April 4, 2004
QUOTE
Will always remain an evil yindoo.
Yes, concealing the truth is evil (and the error compounded further when you choose to do it merely because it otherwise causes inconvenience to you). To do so is wrong since you know otherwise, since you can do otherwise, since revealing the truth could help open the eyes of many and teach them the need to resist the menace.
It is a form of treachery, it is a crime against truth and against the many victims of terrorist ideologies.
QUOTE
But something in me does not want to. I am torn. So I took the path of not including them.
But I'm glad you no longer feel torn now, having made your decision. No matter about the many people dead (like those in the links above); they are sufficient pay for salvaging your selective conscience that's only injured when it comes to identifying christoislamania as the source for various terrorisms, subversion and disinformation.
Hmmm, there *is* something deep to what you say, though. It outlines a new Dharma for this new Age of ours. I should perhaps start following your example. But I think I'll defer feeling torn about covering for the criminal ideologies until it's your family/descendants' names that are up on that list of NLFT/other christoislamic gang's victims. You will not mind that, surely, as I'll then only be taking your excellent moral leadership as my guide: that it is okay for truth to be sacrificed for the sake of alleviating one's slight sensitivities when it comes to the obviously undelectable task of identifying and rightfully denouncing the greatest terrorism. I'm sure that when the times comes, I will have learnt to develop the required 'sensitivity' too. And to take the same 'path' too.
See, what I cannot do for the Hindus already dead, I am willing to do for you: I will then make myself into the same sort of 'evil yindoo' you choose to be now. I think I am very capable - to feel nothing at all for secular victims of christoislamism who previously were themselves ambivalent about other victims. Yes. I will be fashionably torn too. I'll make it look good. Just say the word.
The question that remains is only this: Do you wish me to look forward to this future exercise? You would not wish to play the hypocrite, I think? (Or you may choose to argue that you and yours are more important than the incomplete list of murdered dead above. I am not familiar with your/secular ethics.)
3. What's this about "nationalism"? Christianism and islamism are not a threat against nationalism. (In Nepal they are creating 'nationalism' as the anti-Hindu movement. In SL they have created a Tamizh identity movement. In TN they have created a Dravidian identity movement.) Christoislamism is a threat against Dharma, against Natural Traditions. They will use whatever means is necessary: Nationalism in Nepal, anti-nationalism in Bharatam, piggybacking with islamic terrorism against the country. Any and all means.
The ancient Romans, giving up on correcting the ceaseless christian intolerance against their Natural Traditions, reduced their expectations of them to mere nationalism too. The christians, who were traitors against pagan Rome, did eventually become nationalists: but only when the empire had become christian, of course. So whoever was worried about anti-nationalists need do nothing and only wait. Then they will all become nationalists in time. But that says nothing about the cost at which this will be achieved, of course. Or the sort of nation that will result.
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#10 User is offline Swamy G Icon
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Posted 16 January 2009 - 07:14 PM
Husky: Thanks for the info on John Dayal. Following Bodhi's lead on Jennifer Arul and N.Ram, I did land on John Dayal. Jennifer and Ram were in a closed door session with one K.M.Roy. Roy was recipient of All India Catholic Union LIfetime Award. John Dayal is National Vice President of that organization.....and the connections keep on going like Hanumar's vaalu.
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#11 User is offline ramana Icon
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Posted 17 January 2009 - 01:07 AM
Husky, Dont mind lekin, let SwamyG carry on his compilation It can be latter reviewed for other linkages. What you are suggesting at the outset will serve to delay the compilation which is the object. A complied list can always be reviewed, while compilation is a non-starter if full research is demanded.
Thanks, ramana
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Posted 17 January 2009 - 01:59 AM
Fr Cedric Prakash + Medha Patkar of Narmada Andaloan is financial benifited and linked with Right Livelihood Foundation (Sweden) and Goldman Foundation , San Francisco, CA based organisation
Same organisation is supporting FOSA and FOIL in USA
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Posted 17 January 2009 - 02:46 AM
Check this post from Pioneer
It links emails and communications between Medha Patkar and Patrick McCully, former director of the International Rivers Network at Barkley in the US.
And guess who's on board of International Rivers Network? Angana Chatterji!
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Posted 17 January 2009 - 09:38 AM
Folks: All recent additions, that I promised for this weekend, are in red. I will change the color after few days. I have that color coded so that IF members can distinguish the updates I made.
I thought I will change the red color to black after 3 days. Does that sound okay?
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Posted 17 January 2009 - 11:11 AM
Two separate lines - John Dayal and Medha Patkar, since she got mentioned here:
QUOTE(Viren @ Jan 17 2009, 02:38 AM)
Check this post from Pioneer
It links emails and communications between Medha Patkar and Patrick McCully, former director of the International Rivers Network at Barkley in the US.
And guess who's on board of International Rivers Network? Angana Chatterji!
View Post
QUOTE(Viren @ Oct 5 2006, 07:58 PM)
From India-Cause:
e-Petition to the President of India:
No mercy for the Terrorist. Mohammed Afzal must hang for his terror
act!
At http://www.iVarta.com
------------------------
Entire nation is shocked to see Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Dr
Farooq Abdullah and several other personalities (Gandhian Nirmala
Deshpande, social activist Medha Patkar, writer Arundhati Roy) making a
passionate plea for the life of a terrorist, Mohammed Afzal Guru, the
mastermind behind the Parliament attack, who is facing execution on October
20th.
[...]
http://www.ivarta.co...v005_afzal.aspx
Please forward this message to your friends as well.
View Post
www.swamiagnivesh.com/alw19.htm
QUOTE
a powerful multi-religious movement under the name Adhyatma Jagran Manch has been launched. Swami Agnivesh, the renowned social and spiritual activist, Nirmala Deshpande, the noted Gandhian, and the Revd. Valson Thampu, academic and Christian theologian are the founding members.
"multi-religious" movement of the non-Hindu and self-declared marxist uglyface, christo valson thampu (with whom uglyface had written an anti-Hindu book on Godhra), and the non-Hindu nitwala deshbandit.
John Dayal and Thampu are connected, of course:
http://www.christian...S&id=1106805454
QUOTE
Indian Irony: Evangelist Dayal is on National Integration Council
Posted January 27, 2005
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 24
The Indian government has nominated Evangelist Dr John Dayal as member of the National Integration Council (NIC).
Mr Dayal is President of the All-India Catholic Union and Secretary-General of the All-India Christian Council.
Another Christian member of the council is Rev Valson Thampu.
The NIC was institutionalised as a forum for deliberating on key policy issues and to discuss effective strategies to combat the evils of communalism, casteism, regionalism and separatism.
After his nomination, he was made a member.
From islamic paper -
www.milligazette.com/Archives/2005/01-15Feb05-Print-Edition/011502200519.htm
QUOTE
John Dayal is member of NIC
The central Government has nominated senior journalist and Civil Society activist Dr. John Dayal as a member of the newly reconstituted National Integration Council. John Dayal is President of the All India Catholic Union and the Secretary General of the All India Christian Council. Another Christian member of the Council is Rev Valson Thampu. Past members have included the late Archbishop Alan De Lastic of Delhi. The prime minister chairs the NIC whose membership includes chief ministers, central ministers and prominent leader of various political parties and religious communities. �
Some more crypto christians (known, declared):
http://arkabala.sule...ts/pageno-2.htm
Colour delineation as in original
QUOTE
Christian-Missionary Raj in India thru Sonia (Miano) Gandhi by Arkabala
Are we heading towards a Christian India ? Francois Gautier
[...]
Yet there are today five Christian chief ministers in Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.
One should add that the majority of politicians in Sonia Gandhi�s closed circle are either Christians or Muslims. She seems to have no confidence in Hindus.Ambika Soni, a Christian, is General Secretary of the Congress and a very powerful person, with close access to Sonia Gandhi. Oscar Fernandes is Union Programme Implementation Minister. Margaret Alwa is the eminence grise of Maharasthra. Karnataka is virtually controlled by AK Anthony, whose secretaries are all from the Southern Christian association. Valson Thampu, a Hindu hater, is Chairman NCERT curriculum Review Committee, John Dayal, another known Hindu baiter, has been named by Sonia Gandhi in the National Integration Council; and Kancha Ilaya, who hates Hindus, is being allowed by the Indian Government to lobby with the UN and US Congress so that caste discrimination in India is taken-up by these bodies. ( One can also add to list Ajit jogi, and Digvijay Singh both christian converts & also Pranoy Roy, his niece Arundhati 'suzanna' roy )
<- So another instance where Suzanna Roy is said to be the niece of Pra(n)noy. Which is it then, cousin or niece?
http://rajeev2004.bl...t-of-india.html
QUOTE
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Pratibha Patil for President of India - whose candidate ?
jun 14th, 2007
sanjay has a good point. ambika soni is not a crypto-christist, she's
a stealth-christist, one who keeps a hindu name to fool the gullible;
much like anand sharma. the cabal around sonia gandhi is almost
entirely christist. i also heard that arjun singh's wife is one.
there is a precedent for this, in how south vietnam was taken over by
the catholics, who made life hell for the majority buddhists there,
during the reign of the likes of madame nhu. buddhist monks were
immolating themselves left and right because of the oppression. of
course, the communists and the yanks between them took care, so to
speak, of the problem by destroying the country.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sanjay
Who/what exactly does she represent ?
Was Soniaji guided by any divine considerations in nominating her
as the UPA candidate for President of India ? Perhaps, a wink/nudge
from the Opus Dei and it's representatives Valson Thampu, John Dayal et al.
A google search for "Pratibha Patil secular" primarily yields information
from Christian/Indian "secular" sources.
The singular achievement of Smt. Pratibha Patil in public life seems to be
her refusal, as Governor of Rajasthan, to endorse the anti-conversion legislation enacted
by the BJP state government there.
Does anyone remember the harsh criticism of Rajasthan and India by
Pope Benedict XVI on this issue, a few moths ago ?
What distinguishes Smt. Pratibha Patil from other crypto-Christians like
Ambika Soni or Girija Vyas?
Why not go all out and nominate Margaret Alva or Sr. Nirmala Joshi instead?
They could continue K.R Narayanan's agenda with impunity in Rashtrapati
Bhavan.
This needs to be seen in the context of Navin Chawla's elevation as
Election commissioner and the increasing belligerence of Samuel Reddy,
Ajit Jogi, Oscar Fernandes & co.
This has ominous portents for the Indian Republic.
Cry my beloved country, cry.
Sincerely,
Sanjay
Posted by nizhal yoddha at 6/14/2007 11:17:00 AM
About Nizhal Yoddha's line of "the cabal around sonia gandhi is almost entirely christist":
http://conversionage...missionary.html
QUOTE
Death of a Missionary
By Rajeev Srinivasan
[...]
What Madame Gandhi committed was an act of political naivete: she surrounded herself, as soon as she became Congress party leader, with a clique consisting only of Christians -- eg. Vincent George, Tom Thomas, Tommy Thomas, Margaret Alva, Ajit Jogi, Purno Sangma. I am told she has always been an avid church-goer, named her son Rahul John Paul Gandhi (presumably after the most fiercely fundamentalist Pope in recent times), made sure her daughter married a Catholic; and, in general, made no bones about her strong preference for Christianity.
http://www.expressbu...njswClsuc=&type
Sonia�s presence in Delhi is costing India dearly by Francois Gautier
So what does all that give us:
- love triangle of marxist swarmy uglyface, nirmala deshpande, christian valson thampu
- christian valson thampu and christian john dayal happy together at NIC
- suzanna roy, nirmala deshpande, medha patkar and islamis for saving mohammed afzal
- antonia 'sonia' maino appointed john dayal at NIC
Christians and crypto christians in charge or with some power:
- Cryptos: Ambika Soni, Anand Sharma, Girija Vyas, Ajit Jogi and Digvijay Singh
- Samuel Reddy (crypto), AK Antony, Oscar Fernandes
- Sonia's chosen: Vincent George, Tom Thomas, Tommy Thomas, Margaret Alva, Ajit Jogi, Purno Sangma
- Nizhal Yoddha at rajeevblogspot2004 heard Arjun Singh's wife is a christian: "i also heard that arjun singh's wife is one"
- The Sanjay quoted by Nizhal Yoddha wonders about Pratibha Patil:
QUOTE
What distinguishes Smt. Pratibha Patil from other crypto-Christians like Ambika Soni or Girija Vyas?
Why not go all out and nominate Margaret Alva or Sr. Nirmala Joshi instead?
They could continue K.R Narayanan's agenda with impunity in Rashtrapati
Bhavan.
This needs to be seen in the context of Navin Chawla's elevation as
Election commissioner and the increasing belligerence of Samuel Reddy,
Ajit Jogi, Oscar Fernandes & co.
Mentions in the above are given to the following persons, the implication from the surrounding context seems to make these christian as well?
- Sr. Nirmala Joshi, K.R Narayanan, Navin Chawla
And Sanjay also mentions Opus Dei with respect to Thampu and Dayal concerning Pratibha's appointment:
"Perhaps, a wink/nudge from the Opus Dei and it's representatives Valson Thampu, John Dayal et al."
Considering it is from Rajeev Srinivasan's blog (same Srinivasan who interviewed Ishwar Sharan and asked the Opus Deiiiiii question), and the blog writers like Nizhal Yoddha are chosen by the same, I think Rajeev at least - and possibly his team - know a bit more but don't have supporting data to give for it. Hence they make informal references to affiliations and associations (like in the case of Arjun Singh's wife, mention of Opus Dei). And draw parallels between the S Vietnam case (or S Korea or Greece and Rome, for that matter). This is all one can do in the end with respect to organised crypto christianism. Poor Hindus.
At least Rajeev2004blogspot is not too squeamish to mention the blatant christianism in all this colossal mess.
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Posted 17 January 2009 - 08:27 PM
QUOTE
It links emails and communications between Medha Patkar and Patrick McCully, former director of the International Rivers Network
International Rivers Network is a well known "environmental" type org, and has blocked the construction of many hydroelectric dams in the developing world, not surprised that angana is in there, most "environmental" orgs have all sorts of commies and extreme leftists whose agenda has almost nothing to do with environment, and more to do with being anti corporation, anti globalization, and whatever else is needed to bring about a red revolution.
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#17 User is offline Swamy G Icon
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Posted 17 January 2009 - 09:57 PM
QUOTE
At least Rajeev2004blogspot is not too squeamish to mention the blatant christianism in all this colossal mess.
Husky: I will save you from having to continue to whine and rant.
If you do not like my stance of pining someone based on his religion; and think I am squeamish. Feel free to step in. I will hand over this thread to you. You can feel free to have your choice of words. I will happy to contribute though.
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Posted 17 January 2009 - 10:31 PM
Bharatvarsh,
Check who funds International Rivers Network. All regular country destroyers. They fund Indians to destroy their own country and they hire Indians from WB or mjority of WB is due to Cronyism. They provide so-called scholarship in India and US etc and ask them to provide info.
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Posted 19 January 2009 - 12:20 AM
Aung San Suu Kyi married to british national, Dr. Michael Aris, "a scholar of Tibetan culture, living abroad in Bhutan." Studied in Lady Shri Ram College for Women.
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Posted 19 January 2009 - 12:38 AM
Dalai Lama - West and hollywood ?????
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Monday, July 5, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
India & its Real Enemies !!!
The mastermind of 13/12 attack on Parliament
The file goes back and forth
By Joginder Singh , IPS (Retd)
Our nation’s message should be, that anyone who attacks our country and its institutions cannot get away, without retribution. Had the terrorist strike succeeded, many of our elected representatives, would have died a gruesome death.
WHEN I was in service, I wanted some orders, on an important file, or which, at least, appeared important to me. I had a very good pleasant and hospitable boss, who believed more in gossiping, tossing papers, up and down, and socialising rather than working. After sending a number of reminders, I sought time to meet him.
Whenever I tried to divert the conversation to the subject, on which I wanted his decision, he would side track. Instead of remaining silent, I told him that I wanted his orders. He just smiled and said that I was young and enthusiastic. He classified all files into two categories, the one for passing the time by making the aimless queries and the other for doing the work. He said that the particular file I was referring to was Mann Lagani Wali File Hay.
I was under the impression that only some bureaucrats play games of tossing the files. I have been proved wrong, on this count, that even the best of politicians play this game. I admit, of course, with more adroitness, under the impression that public memory is short and with the passage of time, instead of taking a decision, putting everything under the carpet, would be the best course.
The Government of India, has exactly been doing the same, on the mercy petition filed by one of convict name Afzal Guru, in the well known case of attack on the blackest day in Indian History, that is December 13, 2001. It had sent the representation of the convict to Delhi Government for its views and opinions four years back and has followed it by 16 reminders.
Incidentally on August 4, 2005, the Supreme Court had confirmed the death sentence and afterwards October 20, 2006 was fixed for his hanging. Even Delhi Government has washed its hands off, by saying that the implications of the law and order situation, would have to be studies, in case Afzal was hanged. Thus the game of foot balling the problem continues.
First of all law and order in Delhi is a Central subject and is directly under the control of the Central Government. Central Government is in the best position to know as to what is happening in the country and in Delhi, as all intelligence agencies are under its control. Afzal Guru has been held guilty, in helping, in carrying out the attack, which left several members of our security forces dead.
He has committed a heinous crime on the Indian Nation. For that, his execution does not, have only a symbolic value, but it is essential to send a message, that nobody can commit terrorism and then expect mercy. To say, that his hanging, will lead to a riotous situation in Delhi, or elsewhere, ,is too pathetic and a shabby excuse.
Our nation’s message should be, that anyone who attacks our country and its institutions cannot get away, without retribution. Had the terrorist strike succeeded, many of our elected representatives, would have died a gruesome death. In addition, the message would have gone throughout the world that India was unequipped, ill-prepared and incapable of defending its own Parliament.
Those familiar with the British Parliament’s history may recall that a person by the name of Guy Fawkes had tried to blow up the House of Lords. He was caught and executed. Till this day, November 5, is observed in England as the day to commemorate the foiled attempt.
The present case has gone through the entire legal process and Afzal found to be guilty of masterminding the Parliament attack by the Apex Court, which has upheld the death sentence.
At the rate the Government of India, is going about whether to hang Afzal or not, the Government may like to hold a referendum to get the opinion of every India. The kind of crime committed on our Parliament is one, for which no court in the world would award any lesser sentence. Every conceivable excuse has been used to avoid carrying out the sentence. The main question arises, should sentencing of the accused to any punishment should depend, on what some people feel.
What is the point of dilly dallying, in the guise of their mercy petition being under consideration and keep 53 prisoners on tenterhook , who are facing death sentence.
Let not the name of the President used, that mercy petition is pending with Rashtrapati Bhavan. Instead say that the Government is sitting over it. The consequences of non punishment can be serious, as it is the Maoists and terrorists are having a free run of the country. The Government, must remember, that it is easy to dodge our responsibilities, but we cannot dodge the consequences of dodging our responsibilities.
(The writer can be contacted at jogindersinghfdips@hotmail.com)
The file goes back and forth
By Joginder Singh , IPS (Retd)
Our nation’s message should be, that anyone who attacks our country and its institutions cannot get away, without retribution. Had the terrorist strike succeeded, many of our elected representatives, would have died a gruesome death.
WHEN I was in service, I wanted some orders, on an important file, or which, at least, appeared important to me. I had a very good pleasant and hospitable boss, who believed more in gossiping, tossing papers, up and down, and socialising rather than working. After sending a number of reminders, I sought time to meet him.
Whenever I tried to divert the conversation to the subject, on which I wanted his decision, he would side track. Instead of remaining silent, I told him that I wanted his orders. He just smiled and said that I was young and enthusiastic. He classified all files into two categories, the one for passing the time by making the aimless queries and the other for doing the work. He said that the particular file I was referring to was Mann Lagani Wali File Hay.
I was under the impression that only some bureaucrats play games of tossing the files. I have been proved wrong, on this count, that even the best of politicians play this game. I admit, of course, with more adroitness, under the impression that public memory is short and with the passage of time, instead of taking a decision, putting everything under the carpet, would be the best course.
The Government of India, has exactly been doing the same, on the mercy petition filed by one of convict name Afzal Guru, in the well known case of attack on the blackest day in Indian History, that is December 13, 2001. It had sent the representation of the convict to Delhi Government for its views and opinions four years back and has followed it by 16 reminders.
Incidentally on August 4, 2005, the Supreme Court had confirmed the death sentence and afterwards October 20, 2006 was fixed for his hanging. Even Delhi Government has washed its hands off, by saying that the implications of the law and order situation, would have to be studies, in case Afzal was hanged. Thus the game of foot balling the problem continues.
First of all law and order in Delhi is a Central subject and is directly under the control of the Central Government. Central Government is in the best position to know as to what is happening in the country and in Delhi, as all intelligence agencies are under its control. Afzal Guru has been held guilty, in helping, in carrying out the attack, which left several members of our security forces dead.
He has committed a heinous crime on the Indian Nation. For that, his execution does not, have only a symbolic value, but it is essential to send a message, that nobody can commit terrorism and then expect mercy. To say, that his hanging, will lead to a riotous situation in Delhi, or elsewhere, ,is too pathetic and a shabby excuse.
Our nation’s message should be, that anyone who attacks our country and its institutions cannot get away, without retribution. Had the terrorist strike succeeded, many of our elected representatives, would have died a gruesome death. In addition, the message would have gone throughout the world that India was unequipped, ill-prepared and incapable of defending its own Parliament.
Those familiar with the British Parliament’s history may recall that a person by the name of Guy Fawkes had tried to blow up the House of Lords. He was caught and executed. Till this day, November 5, is observed in England as the day to commemorate the foiled attempt.
The present case has gone through the entire legal process and Afzal found to be guilty of masterminding the Parliament attack by the Apex Court, which has upheld the death sentence.
At the rate the Government of India, is going about whether to hang Afzal or not, the Government may like to hold a referendum to get the opinion of every India. The kind of crime committed on our Parliament is one, for which no court in the world would award any lesser sentence. Every conceivable excuse has been used to avoid carrying out the sentence. The main question arises, should sentencing of the accused to any punishment should depend, on what some people feel.
What is the point of dilly dallying, in the guise of their mercy petition being under consideration and keep 53 prisoners on tenterhook , who are facing death sentence.
Let not the name of the President used, that mercy petition is pending with Rashtrapati Bhavan. Instead say that the Government is sitting over it. The consequences of non punishment can be serious, as it is the Maoists and terrorists are having a free run of the country. The Government, must remember, that it is easy to dodge our responsibilities, but we cannot dodge the consequences of dodging our responsibilities.
(The writer can be contacted at jogindersinghfdips@hotmail.com)
Monday, May 24, 2010
Lachhman Dev Madho Das Banda Vairagi Singh Bahadur
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Banda Singh Bahadur (Punjabi: ਬੰਦਾ ਸਿੰਘ ਬਹਾਦਰ)(1670-1716) was born in a Minhas Rajput family. He is considered one of the greatest and most hallowed warriors and martyrs of the Sikhs. He became a Sikh warrior known for his struggle against the Mughal Empire in the early eighteenth century after meeting with Sri Guru Gobind Singh. He became a warrior against the Mughal Empire and Guru Gobind Singh gave him the new name of Banda Singh Bahadur.
* Famous for the sack of the Mughal provincial capital, Sirhind, he is revered as one of the most hallowed martyrs of the Khalsa. His confrontation with the Mughal administration in Northern India, though brief, was strong enough to shake its foundations. The agrarian uprising that he led in the Punjab was the foundation on which the Dal Khalsa, the Sikh Misls and Maharaja Ranjit Singh built the edifice which finally culminated with Ranjit Singh capturing Lahore in 1799 and establishing the Sikh Kingdom of the Punjab, including colonization of deeper Afghanistan, in Muslim heartland.
One of the most revolutionary acts of Banda Bahadur, after establishing his authority in Punjab, was the abolition of the zamindari system, and granting proprietary rights to the actual tillers of the land.
Contents
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Early life
Banda Singh Bahadur was born in a Minhas Rajput family, on October 16, 1670 at Rajouri in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir. He was named Lachman Dev. Wrestling, horseback riding, and hunting were his major hobbies. As a young man, he shot a doe and was shocked to watch the mother and her aborted fawn writhing in pain and dying. After this gloomy scene, he had a change of heart. He left his home and became a disciple of a Bairagi Sadhu, Janaki Das, who gave him the name, Madho Das. In the company of the Sadhu he traveled through Northern India and finally arrived at Nanded (in present-day Maharashtra), situated on the bank of the river Godavari, where he built a hut to meditate upon. Almost all writers agree that he was Rajput by birth.
Very little or of little account is known about the first forty years of his life.There is no certain account of his ancestry, place of birth and formative years.[1] He has been presented as a Rajput, a Peshwa, a Sodhi Khatri, a Mohyal Brahmin, and a Gujjar.
But Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer in his book 'Sikh Twareekh (1469-2007)' (published by Singh Brothers Amritsar, in 5 volumes in 2008) narrates that Banda Singh was a Rajput, born in 1670. At the age of 16 he left his home and joined the party of wandering ascetics. He spent two years with two saadhus (Janki Das and then Ram Das)and then joined Baba Lunia, near Burhanpur. In 1696, he met Guru Gobind Singh at Kankhal, near Hardwar but this was a short meeting. After this, the Guru visited him in August 1708.
The only thing that is certain about Banda Bahadur's pre-Khalsa life is that he was a hermit (bairagi), who was baptised by Guru Gobind Singh as Khalsa. Some of the views regarding his origins include the following:
* According to Dr. Ganda Singh and some other scholars, he was a Dogra Rajput.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] According to this version, he was born on October 16, 1670 at Rajouri in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir. He was named Lachman Dev. Wrestling, horseback riding, and hunting were his major hobbies. As a young man, he shot a doe and was shocked to watch the mother and her aborted fawn writhing in pain and dying. After this gloomy scene, he had a change of heart. He left his home and became a disciple of a Bairagi Sadhu, Janaki Das, who gave him the name, Madho Das. In the company of the Sadhus he travelled through Northern India and finally arrived at Nanded (in present-day Maharashtra), situated on the bank of the river Godavari, where he built a hut to meditate upon.
* H.A. Rose was not sure if Banda Bahadur was a Rajput or a Khatri.[13].
* P.N. Bali calls him a Mohyal Brahmin.[14]
* Hakim Rai calls him a Punjabi Khatri.[15]
* J.D Cunningham labelled him a native of South India.[16]
* Major A.E. Barstow called him a runaway Peshwa Maratha.[17]
* Major James Brown thought he was a native of Punjab.[18]
* Some authors such as Dr. Sukhdyal Singh of Punjabi University, Patiala, have claimed that Banda Bahadur was a commander of the Sikh Regiment in the imperial army of Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah. But, this is totally unbelieable. If he was a soldier of Bahadur Shah, when did he leave him? If he was in the army, there was no question of having a 'dera' (cult centre) in Nander.
* In the Mahan kosh, a Sikh encyclopedia written by Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha, (Bhasha Bibhag Punjab, Patiala), it is stated that he was Minhas Rajput, either from Rajouri in Jammu region or Doaba region of Punjab.
[edit] Meeting with Guru Gobind Singh
In the September of 1708, Guru Gobind Singh, who had come to the Deccan along with the Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah, happened to go to Madho Das’ hut. Madho Das was away. He had learnt Tantra and was locally famous for his occult powers. He attempted to conjure his magic to humiliate the Guru,but his magic would not prevail on the Guru. Defeated he fell at the Guru's feet and said with great humility, "I am your banda" (meaning i surrender my whole self to you). The Guru inquired, if Madho knew who he was talking to. Banda said "yes,you are Guru Gobind Singh". The Guru soon gave Banda the title of Bahadur. Becoming one of the Guru's Singh (lion or champion) he took up the duties to fight against the Mughals in Punjab. Banda was baptized and converted into the Sikh fold,and was given the name Gurbaksh (meaning blessed by the Guru) Singh. He is popularly known as "Banda Bahadur".
[edit] Banda's Mission
Guru Gobind Singh hoped that Emperor Bahadur Shah would fulfill his promise against the Governor of Sirhind, and his accomplices for persecuting the people of Punjab. It was the Governor of Sirhind who had captured and murdered the Guru's mother, Mata Gujri and his two younger children, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh, for their continued refusal to convert to Islam. The promise was made by Bahadur Shah to the Guru earlier, when Shah asked the Guru to help him consolidate his rule over India, following the death of his father, Emperor Aurangzeb. Guru Gobind Singh had rendered help to Bahadur Shah in the war of succession after the death of Aurangzeb, in which Bahadur Shah emerged as a victor. Bahadur Shah never carried out his promise. He may have been reluctant to do so or unable to do so during his delicate rule. The Guru was was disappointed with duplicity of new muslim ruler even though he and his Sikhs had been traveling with the Emperor to the Deccan, the Guru decided to part ways with the muslim ruler for once again betraying shikhs. Earlier 9th Sikh Guru had been brutally murdered by Bahadur Shah's tyrant and fanatically orthodox Islamist father Aurangzeb.
In a few days, the Guru held a darbar and administered Pahul (ceremonial initiation into Khalsa) to Madho Das and naming him Gurbaksh Singh (beloved by the Guru). He appointed him as his jathedar (military commander) and invested him with full political and military authority as his deputy to lead the campaign in the Punjab against the Muslim and Mughal administration, to avenge the murders of Sikh gurus and their families and innocent civilian followers by Muslims, and to punish Nawab Wazir Khan and his supporters for these inhumane crimes.
The Guru gave Banda five arrows from his quiver by as a symbol of temporal authority. He was given an advisory council of the following five devoted Sikhs (Hazuri Singhs), who on their arrival in the Punjab were to assure the Sikhs that Banda was the Guru's nominee and deputy and to organize them in order to lead an expedition against Muslims and Sirhind to avenge the atrocities against Hindus and Sikhs:
* Bhagwant Singh Bangeshri, a cousin of Bhai Mani Singh
* Baj Singh, brother of Bhagwant Singh Singh
* Kuir Singh singh, brother of Bhagwant Singh Singh
* Dharam Singh
* Fateh Singh
(These names appear in 'Guru Kian Sakhin' written in 1790 by Swarup Singh kaushish).
Twenty five soldiers were to accompany Banda from Nanded to Punjab. A Hukumnamah (edict) by the Guru, instructing Sikhs to join Banda Bahadur in his struggle against muslim tyrant Wazir Khan (Mughal Goverener of Punjab) was provided. As an insignia of the temporal authority vested in him, the Guru also gave Banda Bahadur his own sword, green bow, nagara (War drum) and a Nishan Sahib (religious sign as sign of divine approval for churshing muslims for preservation of the local native Indian dharma). Three hundred Sikh Risaldari ( cavaliers) in battle array accompanied Banda up to a distance of eight kilometres to give him a final send off.
[edit] Introduction
1. We are fast approaching the 300th Anniversary of Banda Bahadur's victory over Nawab Wazir Khan, the Governor of Sirhind and the Zalam who had ruthlessly bricked alive the two younger Sahibzadas of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. This brings back memories of a brave Sikh Bairagi turned soldier who, for seven years from 1709 to 1716, established the rule of the Khalsa ousting Mughal rule in Punjab.
2. Who was this valiant Sikh who could dare to defeat the might of the Mughals who possessed a well trained standing army of horsemen and foot soldiers equipped with the latest weaponry of that period? Historians depict him as a converted Sikh from a Bairagi militant Sadhu who was bestowed with strength and motivation by the will of Guru Gobind Singh. Here was a converted Sikh who marched with the Guru’s Mission 1600 Miles with 25 companions, not to conquer, but to liberate the peasantry from the crushing rule of Mughal infidels. All that he was armed with were the Guru’s five arrows, a Nishan Sahib (flag) and a Nagara (war drum) - as symbols of authority from the Tenth Guru. In today’s world this sounds like a fairy tale difficult to believe! What then made Banda to accept this near impossible task?
3. To find answers to this riddle we must remember Madho Das's background. He was born in the hills of Jammu and had a past as a famous Hunter. In those days, without modern weapons, hunting was an art learnt by intensive practical training and stealthily tracking of wild animals. This required years of hard work, physical and mental alertness and a wily instinct to conquer. Madho Das was a born hunter turned Sadhu due to a shock killing of a pregnant female deer. Guru Gobind Singh Ji recognized these traits. When he inspired this Bairagi to now hunt the cruel mughals and vanquish them for the sins they were committing on mankind in general, and particularly on the Sikhs of Punjab.
[edit] Banda's strategy and tactics
4. Strategy in simple language is the high level planning prior to a campaign and tactics in its implementation. Banda’s strategy was to reach Punjab after avoiding the dangers enroute and mobilizing an army of volunteers arming and training them in an impossibly short period, and then by the tactics of, what I term as the "Crumbling Process", bite into the mighty Mughal administrative centers one by one. This process was the only way to achieve the Guru’s mission of punishing a powerful enemy who was committing crime after crime against his people. Banda must have mentally and theoretically made grandiose plans during his long journey of nearly one year from Nander to Punjab. Whatever these dreams, this born leader of men executed them to perfection with a masterly application of the crumbling process. One by one the Mughal bastions, SAMANA, GHURAM, THASKA, MUSTAFBAD and SADHAURA were captured, until he reached the outskirts of SIRHIND. His main target was to revenge the ruthless torture and killing of the brave and innocent SAHIBZADAS.
5. Instinctively, Banda Bahadur adopted the vital principles of war - Surprise Flexibility, Offensive action and Concentration of Force at a point to gain local superiority. He overcame garrison after garrison by brilliantly applying these to perfection. Even Muslim authors of the time such as Qazi Noor Mohammad, Ghulam Hussain Mohammad, Qasim Kamwar Khan and Khafi Khan grudgingly praised the Tiger-like fighting quality of the Sikh Soldier. In an article of a magazine it is not possible to trace Banda Bahadur's entire campaign, so as to highlight his brilliant strategy and tactics. Yet it would be worthwhile amplifying this by select examples.
[edit] Banda in present-day Haryana
[edit] Narnaul
Here, Banda Singh Bahadur witnesses first-hand, the complete destruction of the Satnami sect which had risen in revolt against the Mughals. Men, women and children, one and all had been wiped out of existence. It was here that Banda Singh Bahadur suppressed some dacoits and robbers.
[edit] Hissar
He was well received by local Hindus and Sikhs as a leader and a deputy of Guru Gobind Singh. Liberal offerings were made to him, which he distributed among the poor and the needy.
[edit] Tohana
Here, Banda Singh Bahadur issued letters to the Sikhs of Malwa, to join him in his crusade against Wazir Khan of Sirhind.
Banda Singh Bahadur made proper arrangements to escort Mata Sahib Kaur to Delhi. From Kharkhauda about fifty kilometres north-west of Delhi, Mata Sahib Kaur was sent to Delhi under armed escort, to join Mata Sundari, who was acting as the head of the Khalsa after the death of her husband, Guru Gobind Singh.
[edit] Sonepat
At Sonepat, fifty kilometres north of Delhi, early in November 1709 Banda Singh Bahadur commanded about five hundred followers. He attacked the government treasury, plundered it and distributed it among his retinue. This was his second success against the government and it considerably raised his prestige. Marching slowly, he advanced towards Sirhind.
[edit] Kaithal
Near Kaithal, about a hundred kilometres further north, Banda Singh Bahadur seized a government treasury, which was being sent from the northern districts to Delhi. He kept nothing out of it for himself and gave it away to his rank and file.
[edit] Samana: Mobility, surprise and economy of Banda's force
SAMANA was strongly fortified. It had a wall all around, every Haveli was a fortress and the Mughal force was well armed and had deployed guns for the towns defence. Banda Bahadur's plan on 26 Nov 1709 was to lie up at a distance the previous day thus lulling the defenders into a feigned lack of will and intent to attack. That night the Sikh force did a brilliant rapid approach from some miles, entered the town from all directions before the gates could be closed and after negligible opposition totally captured and sacked SAMANA by the next day’s nightfall. Thus the three main principles of war of Surprise, Mobility and Economy of Force (he took least casualties) were applied with brilliance.
Samana is fifty kilometres farther north, was the native place of Jalal-ud-din Jallad - the professional executioner who had beheaded Guru Teg Bahadur. While Jalal-ud-din Jallad son had beheaded the two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh. Ali Hussain, who betrayed Guru Gobind Singh by making false promises to lured Guru Gobind Singh to evacuate the fort of Anandpur also belonged to Samana. Samana was an accursed place of betraying muslims in the eyes of the accepting and trustingSikhs and Hindus.
The entire Hindu Sikh peasantry of the neighbourhood was now up in arms and sided with Banda Singh, such was the centuries old accumulated anger of native Hindus and Sikhs against muslims that peasant army following Banda Singh had risen to several thousands. Banda Singh Bahadur fell upon the Samana town (present day Jind District in Haryana state of India) on November 26, 1709. The muslim inhabitants were massacred in the same cold blood as muslims earlier did to Hindu & Sikhs. Samana town was razed to the ground to avenge the past atrocities of muslims.
At that time, Samana was the district town and had nine Parganas attached to it. It was placed under the charge of brave Sikh warrior Fateh Singh. Samana was the first territorial conquest and was established as the first administrative unit of Banda Singh Bahadur.
[edit] Treacherous Ranghar Muslims of Samana, Ghuram and Thaksa Destroyed
Then, Kunjpura (Karnal district of Haryana, India), Ghuram, and Thaska inhabited by Muslim Ranghars were destroyed. Ranghars are current age Muslims who were once original honorable Rajputs but forced to convert by muslims, often by humiliatingly marrying/giving their rajput daughters to non-rajput muslims invaders. Currently, there is an undercurrent movement among educated Ranghars to purify to reconnect to roots by reconverting to Hindu dharma and Sikh panth by shunning the shameful past of humiliating conversion by cold-blooded foreign muslim invaders.
[edit] Damla: Muslim Killer of Sikh Gurus and their familes destroyed
Damla was the village of the treacherous pathan muslim contingents who had taken employment with Guru Gobind Singh after being dismissed from the Mughal forces, who had deserted Guru Gobind Singh at the start of the Battle of Bhangani with muslims. Banda Bahadur taught them a lessons by ravaging muslim pathan village of Damla. Shahabad Markanda's muslims also fell to the brave Sikh forces of Banda Singh Bahadur.
[edit] Sadhaura
Usman Khan, the muslim chief of Sadhaura, about twenty-five kilometres away, had persecuted Sayyid Budhu Shah for helping Guru Gobind Singh in the Battle of Bhangani. On the approach of Banda Singh Bahadur's army, the leading Muslims of the town gathered in a big and strongly built mansion. They were all quickly put to death by brave forces of Sikhs and Hindu peasant followers of bada Bahadur to establish native rule of kings with native religion with tolerant views. This building where Hindus and Sikhs avenged by killing all occupants has came to be known as Qatal Garhi (the Fort of Murder). Banda Singh Bahadur destroyed the muslim dominated quarters of the town.
A contemporary Muslim historian, Khafi Khan wrote: "In two or three months time, four to five thousands horse-riders, and seven to eight thousand warlike footmen joined him. Day by day their number increased, and abundant money and material by pillage of muslims fell into the hands hands of Hindu and Skih warriors. Numerous muslim villages were laid waste and Banda Singh bahadur appointed his own Hindu and Sikh native police officers (thanedars) and established his sovereignty by setting up of the collectors of revenue (Tahsil-dar-e-mal)".
[edit] Mukhlisgarh becomes Lohgarh
The ultimate aim of Banda was to punish Wazir Khan and conquer Sirhind. It required time to consolidate his material and territorial gains. He also wanted to study the military resources of Sirhind. He was anxious to see what steps the government would take against him. He therefore established his headquarters, in the beginning of February 1710, at Mukhlisgarh situated in the lower Siwalik Hills south of Nahan, about twenty kilometres from Sadhaura. His fort stood atop a hill top. Two kuhls or water channels flowed at its base and supplied water to it. This fort was repaired and put in a state of defence. All the money, gold and costly material acquired in the expeditions were deposited here. He minted coins and issued orders under his seal. The name of Mukhlisgarh was changed to Lohgarh (Fort of Steel), and it became the capital of the first Sikh state.
Sirhind, the Principal Town of SE Punjab was Banda Bahadur's goal. To all Sikhs it represented the cruelty of its Governor, Wazir Khan had to render an account for this bestial act. James Brown, the British Historian described it as most barbarous and outrageous. No wonder then that the Sikhs were thirsting for his blood. Wazir Khan sent a strong force under Sher Mohammed Khan of Malerkotla towards ROPAR to prevent a large force of Sikhs from Doaba and Majha joining Banda’s main force moving from BANUR. After a very fierce battle the valiant Sikhs prevailed. It was the bloody hand to hand battle on the battlefield, in which Sikhs dominated, which won the day. Thus Banda succeeded in concentrating his force for the final battle.
[edit] Banda's kingdom
Banda ruled over the region bounded on the north by the Shiwalik hills, on the west by the river Tangri, on the east by the river Jamuna, and in the south by a line passing through Samana, Thanesar, Kaithal and Karnal. He abolished the Zamindari System of land prevailing under the Mughals and declared the actual cultivators as the owners of land. Thus he established peasant proprietorship, and won the approbation and support of the overwhelming majority of the population. Khafi Khan says that Banda "issued orders to imperial officers and agents and big jagirdars to submit and give up their business."
[edit] The battle of Sirhind
[edit] Banda's Troops
Banda Singh Bahadur devoted three months in organizing his civil and military administration. Bahadur Shah was still away only less than 100km from Delhi, yet the weak and nominal muslim rulers of Delhi of Mohgul origin had no strength to confront Banda Singh Bahadur.
Wazir Khan of Sirhind was making his own preparations independently to meet the danger from Banda Singh Bahadur.
Banda's troops were mostly untrained Hindu and Sikh peasants, raw levies and not fully armed. Banda possessed no elephants, no good horses and few guns. His followers had immense Hindu and Sikh pride coupled with burning desire to avenge against muslims, armed only with matchlocks, agricultural spears, swords, bows and arrows. According to Khafi Khan, the number of Banda's troops rose from thirty to forty thousand. Muslims mohgul completely lost the control of areas in current day Harayana and Panjab. Assisted by his Hindu and Sikh peasant army, Banda Singh Bahadur established complete and popular sovereignty, implementing agricultural land ownership reforms and accumulating volunteer Sarv-khap based Hindu and Sikh forces to fight to over throw muslims controls. Jats and Rajputs supported by all other castes belonging to Hindu and Sikh played a vital part, even to the extent of eliminating converted Ranghars who mainly cow-towed and submitted to their conquering muslim rulers.
[edit] Wazir Khan's preparations
Wazir Khan had proclaimed a jihad or a holy war against Banda. He was joined by the Nawab of Malerkotla, other Muslim chiefs and jagirdars as well as Ranghars in large numbers. The majority of his soldiers were trained men. Wazir Khan's own forces were six thousand horsemen, eight to nine thousand musketeers (burqandaz) and archers, and with these about ten guns of artillery and many elephants. In addition, there were about ten thousand Ghazis. The total number of Wazir Khan's troops was about thirty thousand.
Banda advanced from Lohgarh and halted at Banur, near Ambala, fourteen kilometres from Rajpura. Banda sacked the town, and then went towards Sirhind.
[edit] The Battle of Chhappar Chiri
It is said that like Napolean, Banda Bahadur observed the battlefield from a high and prominent area. He kept in hand an elite reserve ready to be committed in a lightning strike in the most vulnerable area in order to achieve a breakthrough. At Chappar Chiri the Mughals were far superior in numbers, Weapons and Guns. Banda’s soldiers had long spears, arrows, swords and of course indomitable courage. He lost men in the early phase of the battle but broke through by launching himself and his lion like reserves at a vital moment in a weakened salient on the plains of Chappar Chiri's wide open battlefield. So fierce was this, that as described by Khafi Khan, horses, elephants fell in the hands of the infidels horsemen and footmen in large numbers fell under the swords of the infidels, who pursued them as far as SIRHIND. Wazir Khan fell from his horse and was captured alive. The Mughal army was completly routed but Banda Bahadur lost nearly 5000 soldiers killed and his men carried out the last rites of the fallen Sikhs at the battle site before entering SIRHIND. Wazir khan was killed and his body hung from a prominent tree upside down. This tree still stands as a symbol of the fate that is reserved for tyrants.
The battle was fought on May 12, 1710 at Chhappar Chiri, twenty kilometres from Sirhind. On the Mughal side, Sher Muhammad Khan, the Nawab of Malerkotla was the leader of the right flank. Wazir Khan was in command of the centre. Suchanand, Diwan of the Nawab was put on the left. Suchanand instigated the death of Guru Gobind Singh's youngest two children. On the Sikhs' side, Baj Singh and Binod Singh (two of the five Sikhs sent by Guru Gobind along with Banda to the Punjab) headed the right and left flanks respectively while Banda commanded the centre facing Wazir Khan's army.
Suchanand could not withstand Baj Singh's attack and fled. Sher Mohammed Khan was about to overpower Binod Singh's wing when he was suddenly struck by a bullet and was instantly killed. His men immediately dispersed. Wazir Khan was rushing upon Banda who stuck fast to his ground and discharged arrows relentlessly. Baj Singh and Binod Singh now joined Banda. During their combined assault, Wazir Khan was killed.
Wazir Khan's death is variously described. According to the most accepted view Baj Singh rushed upon Wazir Khan, who threw a spear at the Sikh. Baj Singh caught hold of it and flung the same spear upon Wazir Khan. It struck the forehead of his horse. Wazir Khan discharged an arrow which hit Baj Singh's arm, before rushing upon him with his sword. At this juncture, Fateh Singh came to Baj Singh's rescue. It is related that he swung his sword with such force that Wazir Khan was sliced from shoulder to waist.
[edit] Lessons learned
[edit] Concentration of Force
Banda Bahadur did not attack Wazir Khan's Army until he was able to join up with the Khalsa re-inforcements from Majha and Doaba. This he did, in spite of knowing that the enemy was digging in and preparing formidable defences at Chapper Chiri. He hid his forces from effective artillery fire in the thick grove of trees behind small hillocks.
[edit] Flexibility
This time Banda knew that surprise had been lost and, this was now a battle between a large well equipped Mughal Army with Guns, which would decimate his force in a frontal attack. He now changed his tactics and ordered commando raids at night to first silence the Artillery which were causing heavy causalities even under cover. Once this was done, his archers and musketeers, who were under cover, caused heavy casualties to the Enemy Cavalry and the elephants ran riot. In this confusion his own cavalry must have attacked the flanks and rear, while his valiant marching troops launched early morning frontal attacks. They still took casualties as the Mughal fire power was still effective until hand to hand fighting was joined. Here Banda timed his master stroke to perfection. Observing the whole scene from a high Tibba, he launched himself and his reserves - a brilliant strike into the Mughal vitals. Sikhs were masters of hand to hand fighting. Once the Mughal lines broke, there was no stopping the offensive force. It was indeed brilliant victory for a brilliant Commander. He had not violated a single principal of war.
BANDA HAD AVENGED THE BRICKING ALIVE OF THE SAHIBZADAS AND THEIR MARTYRDOM WAS PROCLAIMED. A MAJOR PART OF THE GURU'S MISSION HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED WITH ELAN AND NOW WE MUST ERECT A FITTING MEMORIAL TO THIS GREAT SIKH GENERAL AT CHAPPAR CHIRI.
[edit] Pursuit of fugitives
Wazir Khan's head was stuck up on a spear and lifted high up by a Sikh who took his seat in the deceased's howdah. Sirhind's troops on beholding the Nawab's head took alarm, and fled in dismay and despair. The Sikhs fell upon them and there was a terrible carnage. The Sikhs reached Sirhind by nightfall. The gates of the city were closed. The guns mounted on the walls of the fort commenced bombardment. The Sikhs laid siege to the place. They took rest at night. Wazir Khan's family and many Muslim nobles fled to Delhi at night.
By the next afternoon, the Sikhs forced open the gates and fell upon the city. The Government treasury and moveable property worth two crores fell into Banda's hand which was removed to Lohgarh. Banda Singh Bahadur purified several Muslims (who were earlier forcefully converted to Islam from Hinduism) by letting them to embraced Sikhism by their free will. For example, Dindar Khan son of Jalal Khan Rohilla purified himself by purging himself of Islam by embracing Sikhism by changing his name as Dindar Singh. Same way Mir Nasir-ud-din the official newswriter of Sirhind, purified himself by shunning Islam and reconverting with new name as Mir Nasir Singh.
[edit] The province of Sirhind occupied
Sirhind was the economic and provincial capital of Mughals.The entire province of Sirhind consisting of twenty-eight paraganas and extending from the Satluj to the Jamuna and from the Shiwalik hills to Kunjpura, Karnal and Kaithal, yielding Rs. fifty-two lakhs (one lakh = one hundred thousand) annually came into Banda's possession. Baj Singh was appointed the governor of Sirhind. Ali Singh was made his deputy. Their chief responsibility was to be on guard against the Mughal troops from Lahore and Jammu. Fateh Singh retained charge of Samana. Ram Singh, brother of Baj singh became the Chief of Thanesar. Binod singh in addition to his post of the revenue minister, was entrusted with the administration of Karnal and Panipat. His main duty was to guard the road from Delhi. Banda retired to his capital at Lohgarh. His era began from May 12, 1710, the date of his victory in the battle of Sirhind. The Zamindari system was abolished in the whole province in one stroke.
[edit] Banda advances towards Lahore
Having set up administrative machinery, Banda advanced from Sirhind to Malerkotla in June, 1710. The town was saved for a ransom of two lakhs on the recommendation of Kishan Das Banya, an old acquaintance of Banda. From there he marched to Morinda whose faujdar had handed over Guru Gobind Singh's mother and his two younger sons to Wazir Khan. Then he visited Kiratpur and Anandpur to pay homage to shrines. He took Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar. Banda crossed the Beas into Majha and fell upon Batala. After this, he went on a pilgrimage to Dera Baba Nanak. At Amritsar, Banda made large offerings. He invited young men to embrace Sikhism. Many from Majha joined the Khalsa. Banda marched towards Lahore. Sayyid Islam Khan, the Governor mounted guns on the walls of the city. Banda laid a siege, but was unable to scale the walls of the fort. Lahore could have fallen, but Banda was in a hurry to look after his government.
Only the Lahore fort, owing to its fortifications, housing cowardice muslim elites could escape the Banda Bahadur. The rest of the city and suburbs targeting muslims were completely destroyed by the Hindua and Sikh army of Banda bahadur.
[edit] Banda versus muslims
Banda's rule, that drained muslim mohgul, had a far-reaching impact on the history of the Punjab. With it, began the decay of muslim and Mughal authority (eventually religated to within the walsl of their Delhi force and bulk of their territory taken over by Ranjit Singh & Marathas, and later by British) and the demolition of the feudal system of society it had created.
[edit] Muslims Mohgul King Bahadur Shah Issues Farman to Kill all Sikhs
Weakened and nominal Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah tried to counter Banda's increasing influence. Bahadur Shah journeyed northwards from the Deccan to punish the Sikhs. Instructions were issued to the governors of Delhi and Oudh and other Mughal officers to march towards the Punjab. Prohibitory laws against Sikhs were passed. On December 10, 1710 Emperor Bahadur Shah I issued a general warrant for the faujdars to "kill the worshippers of Nanak (the Sikhs), wherever they were to be found." (Nanak Prastan ra Har ja kih bayaband baqatl rasanand)
[edit] Retreat and Regains by banda
A massive mughal force drove the Sikhs from Sirhind and other places to take shelter in the fort of Lohgarh in the hilly region. Banda married the daughter of one of the hill chiefs. Further reinforcements arrived and sixty thousand horse and foot soon surrounded Banda's hill retreat. For want of provisions, the Sikhs were reduced to rigorous straits. When they could stand up to the numerically superior enemy no longer, they made strateguc nightly sallies to escape into the hills of Nahan, only to regroup later.
He again started his campaigns against the Mughals, coming down from the hills to the plains, but was overwhelmed by the superior numbers of Mughal forces. Sikhs came out of their mountain haunts to recover their lost territories and once again occupied Sadhaura and Lohgarh. Farrukhsiyar, who came to the throne of Delhi in 1713, ordered against them the sternest campaign yet launched.
They were hounded out of the plains and their main column of about 4,000 men under Banda were subjected to a terrible siege at the village of Gurdas-Nangal, about six kilometers from Gurdaspur. For eight months the garrison resisted the siege of 100,000 Mughal troops under gruesome conditions (1 Sikh against 25 muslims). Towards the end, an unfortunate dispute arose between Banda and one of his most trusted advisers, Binod Singh. This man along with Baj Singh and three others made up the war council that Banda was supposed to consult in any difficult situation. Binod Singh advised the evacuation of the fortress, but vailant Banda wished to fight muslims out there. Binod Singh was senior in age, and when this difference of views flared up into an open quarrel, Banda agreed to let Binod Singh take his men out of the Fortress. Binod Singh and his supporters then charged out of the fortress and escaped.
Towards the end of November 1715, the remaining defenders were running out of ammunition and food. They were trying to exist on boiled leaves and the bark of trees, and were gradually reduced to mere skeletons. Then on December 17, 1715, Abdus Samad Khan, one of the Mughal commanders, shouted across the separating moat, that he would not allow any killing by his men, if Banda opened the gate to the fortress. When Banda ordered the gate be opened, the Mughals rushed in to spear or stab as many as three hundred of the half-dead and helpless defenders. About seven hundred were captured alive and handcuffed in twos. Banda had chains round his ankles and his wrists, and was then locked in an iron cage. The Mughals were still afraid that he might escape and so they placed a guard on each side of the cage with swords drawn and the cage was placed aloft an elephant, which led the procession, which paraded through Lahore, before proceeding towards Delhi. Zakarya Khan, the son of the Lahore Governor, then ordered his men to lop off more Sikh heads on the way. The prisoners were first taken to Lahore, and thence to Delhi. Thus muslims made a spectacle of killing sikhs and displaying their heads in most humiliating manner.
[edit] Torture and execution
The cavalcade to the imperial capital was a grisly sight. Besides 740 prisoners in heavy chains, it comprised seven hundred cartloads of Sikh heads with another 200 stuck upon pikes. On February 26, 1716, the procession neared Delhi, and Farukh Siyar ordered his Minister, Mohammed Amin Khan, to go out to receive them and to prepare them for a suitable display in the city. On February 29, the citizens of Delhi lined the streets, to get a good sight of the procession..
First came two-thousand soldiers, each holding a Sikh head impaled on his upright spear. Next followed the elephant carrying Banda in his iron cage, still with two Muslim guards guarding him, with their swords unsheathed. A gold-laced red turban was placed on his head, and to add further mockery to his plight, a brightly printed scarlet robe was slipped on his body. Then came 740 prisoners (500 had been collected on the way). These men were chained in pairs and thrown across the backs of camels. Their faces were blackened, and pointed sheepskin or paper caps were clapped on their heads. Behind this line came the Mughal Commanders, Abdus Samad Khan, his son Qamar-ud-Din Khan, and his son-in-law Zakaria Khan. Their men lined both sides of the streets.
For seven days, executions were carried out, until all the ordinary captives had been disposed off. Their bodies were loaded on wagons and taken out of town to be thrown to the vultures. The heads were hung up on trees or on poles near the market-place to be a lesson to all rebels. The jailors next turned their attention to the 20 major leaders, including Baj Singh, Fateh Singh, Ali Singh and Gulab Singh. These men were tortured to the extreme and were asked to divulge the place where they had buried all the treasures that had been looted from Sirhind, Batala and other towns during their better days.
Failing to get any clues after three months, they prepared to put an end to their lives on Sunday, June 9, 1716. Banda's cage was again hoisted on top of an elephant, and he was dressed in the mock attire of an emperor, with a colourful red pointed turban on his head. His four-year old son, Ajai Singh was placed in his lap. The twenty chiefs marched behind the elephant and this procession then passed through the streets of Delhi, and headed for the mausoleum of Bahadur Shah, near the Qutub Minar. On reaching the graveyard, the captives were again offered a choice of two alternatives: conversion to Islam or death. All chose death. They were tortured again before being being executed. Their heads were then impaled on spears and arranged in a circle around Banda who was now squatting on the ground. There were hundreds of spectators standing around watching this scene.
Banda Singh Bahadur was then given a short sword and ordered to kill his own son Ajai Singh. As Banda Bahadur sat unperturbed, the barbaric muslim executioner moved forward and plunged his sword into the little sikh child cutting the body into two. Then pieces of flesh for the body of a four year old innocent child were cut and thrown in Banda's face. His liver was removed and with force thrust into Banda Singh's mouth. The father sat through all this without any signs of emotion. His powers of endurance were to be tested still further. But before that, Mohammed Amin Khan, who was standing near, spoke as follows: "From your manner so far you appear to be a man of virtue, who believes in God, and in doing good deeds. You are also very intelligent. Can you tell me why you are having to suffer all this here?"
Banda's reply to his premitive muslim sadistic tyrants was, "When the tyrants oppress their subjects to the limit, then God sends men like me on this earth to mete out punishment to them. But being human, we sometimes overstep the laws of justice, and for that we are made to pay whilst we are still here. God is not being unjust to me in any way."
The executioner then stepped forward and thrust the point of his dagger into Banda's right eye, pulling out the eyeball. He then pulled out the other eyeball. Banda sat through all this as still as a rock. His face gave no twitch of pain.
Then the executioner took his sword and slashed off Banda's left foot, then both his arms. But Banda's features were still calm as if he was at peace with his Creator. Finally they tore off his flesh with red-hot pincers, and there being nothing else left in the tyrannical muslim's book of tortures, those murderous muslim beasts cut Banda bahadur's body up into a hundred pieces, and were satisfied in their saddist way. (These details of the torture are given in full, by the following writers: Mohammed Harisi, Khafi Khan, Thornton, Elphinstone, Daneshwar and others).
[edit] Legacy
With Banda's death, the torch of the Khalsa was taken up by new warriors like Baba Deep Singh, Nawab Kapur Singh, Chhajja Singh, Bhuma Singh, Hari Singh Dhillon, Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, Budh Singh, Naudh Singh and Charhat Singh Sukerchakia and others. The Age of the Dal Khalsa and the Sikh Misls (principalities) had dawned. Within ninety years, Ranjit Singh Sukerchakia united the Misls, captured Lahore and established the Sikh Kingdom of the Punjab.
[edit] See also
* Mughal Empire
* Baba Deep Singh
* Hari Singh Nalwa
* Jassa Singh Ahluwalia
* Jassa Singh Ramgarhia
* Maharaja Ranjit Singh
* Nawab Kapur Singh
* Sawan Mal
[edit] Notes
1. ^ Chandla, M.S (October 2006). Banda Bahadur;Betrayed by his lieutenants. Chandigarh: Aurva Publications. p. 1. ISBN 81-901110-2-7.
2. ^ Ganda, Singh (1990) [1935]. Life of Banda Singh Bahadur : based on contemporary and original records. Punjabi University/Khalsa College. p. 1. OCLC 25748134. "His father Ram Dev was an ordinary ploughman Rajput."
3. ^ Sambhi, Piara Singh; W Owen Cole (1990). A popular dictionary of Sikhism. Curzon. p. 49. ISBN 978-0913215517. OCLC 59977906. "Born a Rajput, he was a Bairagi yogi until his conversion"
4. ^ Seetal, Sohan Singh (1968). Prophet of man, Guru Gobind Singh. Lyall Book Depot. p. 366. OCLC 115772. "And he is commonly known as Banda Bahadur. Banda Singh was, by his birth, a master of the Rajput tradition and a dauntless temperament"
5. ^ Chib, Sukhdev Singh (1977). Punjab. Light & Life Publishers. p. 15. OCLC 3768858. ""Originally a Dogra Rajput named Lachhman Das, Banda Bahadur was born in a farmer family at Rajouri.""
6. ^ Singh, Khazan (1970) [1914]. History of the Sikh Religion. Dept. of Languages, Punjab/Newal Kishore, Lahore. p. 211. OCLC 162514106. "He was the son of Ramdev, a Rajput."
7. ^ Duggal, Kartar Singh (2001). Maharaja Ranjit Singh: The Last to Lay Arms. Abhinav Publications. p. 40. ISBN 978-8170174103. OCLC 48811299. "A Rajput of the Dogra tribe, his real name was Lachhman Dev."
8. ^ Malik, Arjan Dass (1975). An Indian guerilla war : the Sikh peoples war, 1699-1768. New York: Wiley. p. 27. ISBN 978-0470565766. OCLC 1339733. ""Banda Bahadur was a Rajput of Jammu province who had become a monk. He came in contact with Guru Gobind Singh in the south and embraced Sikhism.""
9. ^ Deol, Gurdev Singh (1972). Banda Bahadur. New Academic Pub. Co.. p. 14. OCLC 730641. "Banda Bahadur was a Rajput and was a man of limited means."
10. ^ Mahajan, Vidya Dhar (1964). India since 1526. S. Chand. p. 205. OCLC 3975743. "Banda Bahadur was a Dogra Rajput. He was born in 1670. His original name was Lachhman Dass and he was very fond of hunting. Later on he became a Bairagi and went awayto Deccan."
11. ^ Madhok, Balraj (1985). Punjab Problem, the Muslim Connection. Vision Books. p. 25. OCLC 12361473. "Banda Bahadur was the seion of a Rajput family of Poonch area, now in Jammu and Kashmir State."
12. ^ Singh, Mian Goverdhan (1982) [1932]. History of Himachal Pradesh. Yugbodh Pub. House. p. 141. OCLC 9063139. ""He was a Dogra Rajput who was born at Rajouri in Kashmir.""
13. ^ H.A. Rose. A glossary of tribes of Punjab and NWFP
14. ^ P. N. Bali. History of Mohyals.
15. ^ Hakim Rai. Legend of Lachman Das,disciple of Guru Gobind Singh
16. ^ J. D. Cunningham. History of Sikhs
17. ^ A.E. Barstow. Handbook on Sikhs
18. ^ James Brown. India Tracts 2.
[edit] References
* Banda Singh Bahadur
* Banda Bahadur
* Background of Banda Singh Bahadur
* Harbans Singh "The encyclopedia of Sikhism.
* Hari Ram Gupta "The Heritage of the Sikhs.
* Sohan Lal Suri "Umdat-ut-Tawarikh"
* Khushwant Singh "A History of the Sikhs, Volume I"
* Dr. Ganda Singh "Banda Singh Bahadur"
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Banda Singh Bahadur (Punjabi: ਬੰਦਾ ਸਿੰਘ ਬਹਾਦਰ)(1670-1716) was born in a Minhas Rajput family. He is considered one of the greatest and most hallowed warriors and martyrs of the Sikhs. He became a Sikh warrior known for his struggle against the Mughal Empire in the early eighteenth century after meeting with Sri Guru Gobind Singh. He became a warrior against the Mughal Empire and Guru Gobind Singh gave him the new name of Banda Singh Bahadur.
* Famous for the sack of the Mughal provincial capital, Sirhind, he is revered as one of the most hallowed martyrs of the Khalsa. His confrontation with the Mughal administration in Northern India, though brief, was strong enough to shake its foundations. The agrarian uprising that he led in the Punjab was the foundation on which the Dal Khalsa, the Sikh Misls and Maharaja Ranjit Singh built the edifice which finally culminated with Ranjit Singh capturing Lahore in 1799 and establishing the Sikh Kingdom of the Punjab, including colonization of deeper Afghanistan, in Muslim heartland.
One of the most revolutionary acts of Banda Bahadur, after establishing his authority in Punjab, was the abolition of the zamindari system, and granting proprietary rights to the actual tillers of the land.
Contents
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Early life
Banda Singh Bahadur was born in a Minhas Rajput family, on October 16, 1670 at Rajouri in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir. He was named Lachman Dev. Wrestling, horseback riding, and hunting were his major hobbies. As a young man, he shot a doe and was shocked to watch the mother and her aborted fawn writhing in pain and dying. After this gloomy scene, he had a change of heart. He left his home and became a disciple of a Bairagi Sadhu, Janaki Das, who gave him the name, Madho Das. In the company of the Sadhu he traveled through Northern India and finally arrived at Nanded (in present-day Maharashtra), situated on the bank of the river Godavari, where he built a hut to meditate upon. Almost all writers agree that he was Rajput by birth.
Very little or of little account is known about the first forty years of his life.There is no certain account of his ancestry, place of birth and formative years.[1] He has been presented as a Rajput, a Peshwa, a Sodhi Khatri, a Mohyal Brahmin, and a Gujjar.
But Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer in his book 'Sikh Twareekh (1469-2007)' (published by Singh Brothers Amritsar, in 5 volumes in 2008) narrates that Banda Singh was a Rajput, born in 1670. At the age of 16 he left his home and joined the party of wandering ascetics. He spent two years with two saadhus (Janki Das and then Ram Das)and then joined Baba Lunia, near Burhanpur. In 1696, he met Guru Gobind Singh at Kankhal, near Hardwar but this was a short meeting. After this, the Guru visited him in August 1708.
The only thing that is certain about Banda Bahadur's pre-Khalsa life is that he was a hermit (bairagi), who was baptised by Guru Gobind Singh as Khalsa. Some of the views regarding his origins include the following:
* According to Dr. Ganda Singh and some other scholars, he was a Dogra Rajput.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] According to this version, he was born on October 16, 1670 at Rajouri in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir. He was named Lachman Dev. Wrestling, horseback riding, and hunting were his major hobbies. As a young man, he shot a doe and was shocked to watch the mother and her aborted fawn writhing in pain and dying. After this gloomy scene, he had a change of heart. He left his home and became a disciple of a Bairagi Sadhu, Janaki Das, who gave him the name, Madho Das. In the company of the Sadhus he travelled through Northern India and finally arrived at Nanded (in present-day Maharashtra), situated on the bank of the river Godavari, where he built a hut to meditate upon.
* H.A. Rose was not sure if Banda Bahadur was a Rajput or a Khatri.[13].
* P.N. Bali calls him a Mohyal Brahmin.[14]
* Hakim Rai calls him a Punjabi Khatri.[15]
* J.D Cunningham labelled him a native of South India.[16]
* Major A.E. Barstow called him a runaway Peshwa Maratha.[17]
* Major James Brown thought he was a native of Punjab.[18]
* Some authors such as Dr. Sukhdyal Singh of Punjabi University, Patiala, have claimed that Banda Bahadur was a commander of the Sikh Regiment in the imperial army of Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah. But, this is totally unbelieable. If he was a soldier of Bahadur Shah, when did he leave him? If he was in the army, there was no question of having a 'dera' (cult centre) in Nander.
* In the Mahan kosh, a Sikh encyclopedia written by Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha, (Bhasha Bibhag Punjab, Patiala), it is stated that he was Minhas Rajput, either from Rajouri in Jammu region or Doaba region of Punjab.
[edit] Meeting with Guru Gobind Singh
In the September of 1708, Guru Gobind Singh, who had come to the Deccan along with the Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah, happened to go to Madho Das’ hut. Madho Das was away. He had learnt Tantra and was locally famous for his occult powers. He attempted to conjure his magic to humiliate the Guru,but his magic would not prevail on the Guru. Defeated he fell at the Guru's feet and said with great humility, "I am your banda" (meaning i surrender my whole self to you). The Guru inquired, if Madho knew who he was talking to. Banda said "yes,you are Guru Gobind Singh". The Guru soon gave Banda the title of Bahadur. Becoming one of the Guru's Singh (lion or champion) he took up the duties to fight against the Mughals in Punjab. Banda was baptized and converted into the Sikh fold,and was given the name Gurbaksh (meaning blessed by the Guru) Singh. He is popularly known as "Banda Bahadur".
[edit] Banda's Mission
Guru Gobind Singh hoped that Emperor Bahadur Shah would fulfill his promise against the Governor of Sirhind, and his accomplices for persecuting the people of Punjab. It was the Governor of Sirhind who had captured and murdered the Guru's mother, Mata Gujri and his two younger children, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh, for their continued refusal to convert to Islam. The promise was made by Bahadur Shah to the Guru earlier, when Shah asked the Guru to help him consolidate his rule over India, following the death of his father, Emperor Aurangzeb. Guru Gobind Singh had rendered help to Bahadur Shah in the war of succession after the death of Aurangzeb, in which Bahadur Shah emerged as a victor. Bahadur Shah never carried out his promise. He may have been reluctant to do so or unable to do so during his delicate rule. The Guru was was disappointed with duplicity of new muslim ruler even though he and his Sikhs had been traveling with the Emperor to the Deccan, the Guru decided to part ways with the muslim ruler for once again betraying shikhs. Earlier 9th Sikh Guru had been brutally murdered by Bahadur Shah's tyrant and fanatically orthodox Islamist father Aurangzeb.
In a few days, the Guru held a darbar and administered Pahul (ceremonial initiation into Khalsa) to Madho Das and naming him Gurbaksh Singh (beloved by the Guru). He appointed him as his jathedar (military commander) and invested him with full political and military authority as his deputy to lead the campaign in the Punjab against the Muslim and Mughal administration, to avenge the murders of Sikh gurus and their families and innocent civilian followers by Muslims, and to punish Nawab Wazir Khan and his supporters for these inhumane crimes.
The Guru gave Banda five arrows from his quiver by as a symbol of temporal authority. He was given an advisory council of the following five devoted Sikhs (Hazuri Singhs), who on their arrival in the Punjab were to assure the Sikhs that Banda was the Guru's nominee and deputy and to organize them in order to lead an expedition against Muslims and Sirhind to avenge the atrocities against Hindus and Sikhs:
* Bhagwant Singh Bangeshri, a cousin of Bhai Mani Singh
* Baj Singh, brother of Bhagwant Singh Singh
* Kuir Singh singh, brother of Bhagwant Singh Singh
* Dharam Singh
* Fateh Singh
(These names appear in 'Guru Kian Sakhin' written in 1790 by Swarup Singh kaushish).
Twenty five soldiers were to accompany Banda from Nanded to Punjab. A Hukumnamah (edict) by the Guru, instructing Sikhs to join Banda Bahadur in his struggle against muslim tyrant Wazir Khan (Mughal Goverener of Punjab) was provided. As an insignia of the temporal authority vested in him, the Guru also gave Banda Bahadur his own sword, green bow, nagara (War drum) and a Nishan Sahib (religious sign as sign of divine approval for churshing muslims for preservation of the local native Indian dharma). Three hundred Sikh Risaldari ( cavaliers) in battle array accompanied Banda up to a distance of eight kilometres to give him a final send off.
[edit] Introduction
1. We are fast approaching the 300th Anniversary of Banda Bahadur's victory over Nawab Wazir Khan, the Governor of Sirhind and the Zalam who had ruthlessly bricked alive the two younger Sahibzadas of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. This brings back memories of a brave Sikh Bairagi turned soldier who, for seven years from 1709 to 1716, established the rule of the Khalsa ousting Mughal rule in Punjab.
2. Who was this valiant Sikh who could dare to defeat the might of the Mughals who possessed a well trained standing army of horsemen and foot soldiers equipped with the latest weaponry of that period? Historians depict him as a converted Sikh from a Bairagi militant Sadhu who was bestowed with strength and motivation by the will of Guru Gobind Singh. Here was a converted Sikh who marched with the Guru’s Mission 1600 Miles with 25 companions, not to conquer, but to liberate the peasantry from the crushing rule of Mughal infidels. All that he was armed with were the Guru’s five arrows, a Nishan Sahib (flag) and a Nagara (war drum) - as symbols of authority from the Tenth Guru. In today’s world this sounds like a fairy tale difficult to believe! What then made Banda to accept this near impossible task?
3. To find answers to this riddle we must remember Madho Das's background. He was born in the hills of Jammu and had a past as a famous Hunter. In those days, without modern weapons, hunting was an art learnt by intensive practical training and stealthily tracking of wild animals. This required years of hard work, physical and mental alertness and a wily instinct to conquer. Madho Das was a born hunter turned Sadhu due to a shock killing of a pregnant female deer. Guru Gobind Singh Ji recognized these traits. When he inspired this Bairagi to now hunt the cruel mughals and vanquish them for the sins they were committing on mankind in general, and particularly on the Sikhs of Punjab.
[edit] Banda's strategy and tactics
4. Strategy in simple language is the high level planning prior to a campaign and tactics in its implementation. Banda’s strategy was to reach Punjab after avoiding the dangers enroute and mobilizing an army of volunteers arming and training them in an impossibly short period, and then by the tactics of, what I term as the "Crumbling Process", bite into the mighty Mughal administrative centers one by one. This process was the only way to achieve the Guru’s mission of punishing a powerful enemy who was committing crime after crime against his people. Banda must have mentally and theoretically made grandiose plans during his long journey of nearly one year from Nander to Punjab. Whatever these dreams, this born leader of men executed them to perfection with a masterly application of the crumbling process. One by one the Mughal bastions, SAMANA, GHURAM, THASKA, MUSTAFBAD and SADHAURA were captured, until he reached the outskirts of SIRHIND. His main target was to revenge the ruthless torture and killing of the brave and innocent SAHIBZADAS.
5. Instinctively, Banda Bahadur adopted the vital principles of war - Surprise Flexibility, Offensive action and Concentration of Force at a point to gain local superiority. He overcame garrison after garrison by brilliantly applying these to perfection. Even Muslim authors of the time such as Qazi Noor Mohammad, Ghulam Hussain Mohammad, Qasim Kamwar Khan and Khafi Khan grudgingly praised the Tiger-like fighting quality of the Sikh Soldier. In an article of a magazine it is not possible to trace Banda Bahadur's entire campaign, so as to highlight his brilliant strategy and tactics. Yet it would be worthwhile amplifying this by select examples.
[edit] Banda in present-day Haryana
[edit] Narnaul
Here, Banda Singh Bahadur witnesses first-hand, the complete destruction of the Satnami sect which had risen in revolt against the Mughals. Men, women and children, one and all had been wiped out of existence. It was here that Banda Singh Bahadur suppressed some dacoits and robbers.
[edit] Hissar
He was well received by local Hindus and Sikhs as a leader and a deputy of Guru Gobind Singh. Liberal offerings were made to him, which he distributed among the poor and the needy.
[edit] Tohana
Here, Banda Singh Bahadur issued letters to the Sikhs of Malwa, to join him in his crusade against Wazir Khan of Sirhind.
Banda Singh Bahadur made proper arrangements to escort Mata Sahib Kaur to Delhi. From Kharkhauda about fifty kilometres north-west of Delhi, Mata Sahib Kaur was sent to Delhi under armed escort, to join Mata Sundari, who was acting as the head of the Khalsa after the death of her husband, Guru Gobind Singh.
[edit] Sonepat
At Sonepat, fifty kilometres north of Delhi, early in November 1709 Banda Singh Bahadur commanded about five hundred followers. He attacked the government treasury, plundered it and distributed it among his retinue. This was his second success against the government and it considerably raised his prestige. Marching slowly, he advanced towards Sirhind.
[edit] Kaithal
Near Kaithal, about a hundred kilometres further north, Banda Singh Bahadur seized a government treasury, which was being sent from the northern districts to Delhi. He kept nothing out of it for himself and gave it away to his rank and file.
[edit] Samana: Mobility, surprise and economy of Banda's force
SAMANA was strongly fortified. It had a wall all around, every Haveli was a fortress and the Mughal force was well armed and had deployed guns for the towns defence. Banda Bahadur's plan on 26 Nov 1709 was to lie up at a distance the previous day thus lulling the defenders into a feigned lack of will and intent to attack. That night the Sikh force did a brilliant rapid approach from some miles, entered the town from all directions before the gates could be closed and after negligible opposition totally captured and sacked SAMANA by the next day’s nightfall. Thus the three main principles of war of Surprise, Mobility and Economy of Force (he took least casualties) were applied with brilliance.
Samana is fifty kilometres farther north, was the native place of Jalal-ud-din Jallad - the professional executioner who had beheaded Guru Teg Bahadur. While Jalal-ud-din Jallad son had beheaded the two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh. Ali Hussain, who betrayed Guru Gobind Singh by making false promises to lured Guru Gobind Singh to evacuate the fort of Anandpur also belonged to Samana. Samana was an accursed place of betraying muslims in the eyes of the accepting and trustingSikhs and Hindus.
The entire Hindu Sikh peasantry of the neighbourhood was now up in arms and sided with Banda Singh, such was the centuries old accumulated anger of native Hindus and Sikhs against muslims that peasant army following Banda Singh had risen to several thousands. Banda Singh Bahadur fell upon the Samana town (present day Jind District in Haryana state of India) on November 26, 1709. The muslim inhabitants were massacred in the same cold blood as muslims earlier did to Hindu & Sikhs. Samana town was razed to the ground to avenge the past atrocities of muslims.
At that time, Samana was the district town and had nine Parganas attached to it. It was placed under the charge of brave Sikh warrior Fateh Singh. Samana was the first territorial conquest and was established as the first administrative unit of Banda Singh Bahadur.
[edit] Treacherous Ranghar Muslims of Samana, Ghuram and Thaksa Destroyed
Then, Kunjpura (Karnal district of Haryana, India), Ghuram, and Thaska inhabited by Muslim Ranghars were destroyed. Ranghars are current age Muslims who were once original honorable Rajputs but forced to convert by muslims, often by humiliatingly marrying/giving their rajput daughters to non-rajput muslims invaders. Currently, there is an undercurrent movement among educated Ranghars to purify to reconnect to roots by reconverting to Hindu dharma and Sikh panth by shunning the shameful past of humiliating conversion by cold-blooded foreign muslim invaders.
[edit] Damla: Muslim Killer of Sikh Gurus and their familes destroyed
Damla was the village of the treacherous pathan muslim contingents who had taken employment with Guru Gobind Singh after being dismissed from the Mughal forces, who had deserted Guru Gobind Singh at the start of the Battle of Bhangani with muslims. Banda Bahadur taught them a lessons by ravaging muslim pathan village of Damla. Shahabad Markanda's muslims also fell to the brave Sikh forces of Banda Singh Bahadur.
[edit] Sadhaura
Usman Khan, the muslim chief of Sadhaura, about twenty-five kilometres away, had persecuted Sayyid Budhu Shah for helping Guru Gobind Singh in the Battle of Bhangani. On the approach of Banda Singh Bahadur's army, the leading Muslims of the town gathered in a big and strongly built mansion. They were all quickly put to death by brave forces of Sikhs and Hindu peasant followers of bada Bahadur to establish native rule of kings with native religion with tolerant views. This building where Hindus and Sikhs avenged by killing all occupants has came to be known as Qatal Garhi (the Fort of Murder). Banda Singh Bahadur destroyed the muslim dominated quarters of the town.
A contemporary Muslim historian, Khafi Khan wrote: "In two or three months time, four to five thousands horse-riders, and seven to eight thousand warlike footmen joined him. Day by day their number increased, and abundant money and material by pillage of muslims fell into the hands hands of Hindu and Skih warriors. Numerous muslim villages were laid waste and Banda Singh bahadur appointed his own Hindu and Sikh native police officers (thanedars) and established his sovereignty by setting up of the collectors of revenue (Tahsil-dar-e-mal)".
[edit] Mukhlisgarh becomes Lohgarh
The ultimate aim of Banda was to punish Wazir Khan and conquer Sirhind. It required time to consolidate his material and territorial gains. He also wanted to study the military resources of Sirhind. He was anxious to see what steps the government would take against him. He therefore established his headquarters, in the beginning of February 1710, at Mukhlisgarh situated in the lower Siwalik Hills south of Nahan, about twenty kilometres from Sadhaura. His fort stood atop a hill top. Two kuhls or water channels flowed at its base and supplied water to it. This fort was repaired and put in a state of defence. All the money, gold and costly material acquired in the expeditions were deposited here. He minted coins and issued orders under his seal. The name of Mukhlisgarh was changed to Lohgarh (Fort of Steel), and it became the capital of the first Sikh state.
Sirhind, the Principal Town of SE Punjab was Banda Bahadur's goal. To all Sikhs it represented the cruelty of its Governor, Wazir Khan had to render an account for this bestial act. James Brown, the British Historian described it as most barbarous and outrageous. No wonder then that the Sikhs were thirsting for his blood. Wazir Khan sent a strong force under Sher Mohammed Khan of Malerkotla towards ROPAR to prevent a large force of Sikhs from Doaba and Majha joining Banda’s main force moving from BANUR. After a very fierce battle the valiant Sikhs prevailed. It was the bloody hand to hand battle on the battlefield, in which Sikhs dominated, which won the day. Thus Banda succeeded in concentrating his force for the final battle.
[edit] Banda's kingdom
Banda ruled over the region bounded on the north by the Shiwalik hills, on the west by the river Tangri, on the east by the river Jamuna, and in the south by a line passing through Samana, Thanesar, Kaithal and Karnal. He abolished the Zamindari System of land prevailing under the Mughals and declared the actual cultivators as the owners of land. Thus he established peasant proprietorship, and won the approbation and support of the overwhelming majority of the population. Khafi Khan says that Banda "issued orders to imperial officers and agents and big jagirdars to submit and give up their business."
[edit] The battle of Sirhind
[edit] Banda's Troops
Banda Singh Bahadur devoted three months in organizing his civil and military administration. Bahadur Shah was still away only less than 100km from Delhi, yet the weak and nominal muslim rulers of Delhi of Mohgul origin had no strength to confront Banda Singh Bahadur.
Wazir Khan of Sirhind was making his own preparations independently to meet the danger from Banda Singh Bahadur.
Banda's troops were mostly untrained Hindu and Sikh peasants, raw levies and not fully armed. Banda possessed no elephants, no good horses and few guns. His followers had immense Hindu and Sikh pride coupled with burning desire to avenge against muslims, armed only with matchlocks, agricultural spears, swords, bows and arrows. According to Khafi Khan, the number of Banda's troops rose from thirty to forty thousand. Muslims mohgul completely lost the control of areas in current day Harayana and Panjab. Assisted by his Hindu and Sikh peasant army, Banda Singh Bahadur established complete and popular sovereignty, implementing agricultural land ownership reforms and accumulating volunteer Sarv-khap based Hindu and Sikh forces to fight to over throw muslims controls. Jats and Rajputs supported by all other castes belonging to Hindu and Sikh played a vital part, even to the extent of eliminating converted Ranghars who mainly cow-towed and submitted to their conquering muslim rulers.
[edit] Wazir Khan's preparations
Wazir Khan had proclaimed a jihad or a holy war against Banda. He was joined by the Nawab of Malerkotla, other Muslim chiefs and jagirdars as well as Ranghars in large numbers. The majority of his soldiers were trained men. Wazir Khan's own forces were six thousand horsemen, eight to nine thousand musketeers (burqandaz) and archers, and with these about ten guns of artillery and many elephants. In addition, there were about ten thousand Ghazis. The total number of Wazir Khan's troops was about thirty thousand.
Banda advanced from Lohgarh and halted at Banur, near Ambala, fourteen kilometres from Rajpura. Banda sacked the town, and then went towards Sirhind.
[edit] The Battle of Chhappar Chiri
It is said that like Napolean, Banda Bahadur observed the battlefield from a high and prominent area. He kept in hand an elite reserve ready to be committed in a lightning strike in the most vulnerable area in order to achieve a breakthrough. At Chappar Chiri the Mughals were far superior in numbers, Weapons and Guns. Banda’s soldiers had long spears, arrows, swords and of course indomitable courage. He lost men in the early phase of the battle but broke through by launching himself and his lion like reserves at a vital moment in a weakened salient on the plains of Chappar Chiri's wide open battlefield. So fierce was this, that as described by Khafi Khan, horses, elephants fell in the hands of the infidels horsemen and footmen in large numbers fell under the swords of the infidels, who pursued them as far as SIRHIND. Wazir Khan fell from his horse and was captured alive. The Mughal army was completly routed but Banda Bahadur lost nearly 5000 soldiers killed and his men carried out the last rites of the fallen Sikhs at the battle site before entering SIRHIND. Wazir khan was killed and his body hung from a prominent tree upside down. This tree still stands as a symbol of the fate that is reserved for tyrants.
The battle was fought on May 12, 1710 at Chhappar Chiri, twenty kilometres from Sirhind. On the Mughal side, Sher Muhammad Khan, the Nawab of Malerkotla was the leader of the right flank. Wazir Khan was in command of the centre. Suchanand, Diwan of the Nawab was put on the left. Suchanand instigated the death of Guru Gobind Singh's youngest two children. On the Sikhs' side, Baj Singh and Binod Singh (two of the five Sikhs sent by Guru Gobind along with Banda to the Punjab) headed the right and left flanks respectively while Banda commanded the centre facing Wazir Khan's army.
Suchanand could not withstand Baj Singh's attack and fled. Sher Mohammed Khan was about to overpower Binod Singh's wing when he was suddenly struck by a bullet and was instantly killed. His men immediately dispersed. Wazir Khan was rushing upon Banda who stuck fast to his ground and discharged arrows relentlessly. Baj Singh and Binod Singh now joined Banda. During their combined assault, Wazir Khan was killed.
Wazir Khan's death is variously described. According to the most accepted view Baj Singh rushed upon Wazir Khan, who threw a spear at the Sikh. Baj Singh caught hold of it and flung the same spear upon Wazir Khan. It struck the forehead of his horse. Wazir Khan discharged an arrow which hit Baj Singh's arm, before rushing upon him with his sword. At this juncture, Fateh Singh came to Baj Singh's rescue. It is related that he swung his sword with such force that Wazir Khan was sliced from shoulder to waist.
[edit] Lessons learned
[edit] Concentration of Force
Banda Bahadur did not attack Wazir Khan's Army until he was able to join up with the Khalsa re-inforcements from Majha and Doaba. This he did, in spite of knowing that the enemy was digging in and preparing formidable defences at Chapper Chiri. He hid his forces from effective artillery fire in the thick grove of trees behind small hillocks.
[edit] Flexibility
This time Banda knew that surprise had been lost and, this was now a battle between a large well equipped Mughal Army with Guns, which would decimate his force in a frontal attack. He now changed his tactics and ordered commando raids at night to first silence the Artillery which were causing heavy causalities even under cover. Once this was done, his archers and musketeers, who were under cover, caused heavy casualties to the Enemy Cavalry and the elephants ran riot. In this confusion his own cavalry must have attacked the flanks and rear, while his valiant marching troops launched early morning frontal attacks. They still took casualties as the Mughal fire power was still effective until hand to hand fighting was joined. Here Banda timed his master stroke to perfection. Observing the whole scene from a high Tibba, he launched himself and his reserves - a brilliant strike into the Mughal vitals. Sikhs were masters of hand to hand fighting. Once the Mughal lines broke, there was no stopping the offensive force. It was indeed brilliant victory for a brilliant Commander. He had not violated a single principal of war.
BANDA HAD AVENGED THE BRICKING ALIVE OF THE SAHIBZADAS AND THEIR MARTYRDOM WAS PROCLAIMED. A MAJOR PART OF THE GURU'S MISSION HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED WITH ELAN AND NOW WE MUST ERECT A FITTING MEMORIAL TO THIS GREAT SIKH GENERAL AT CHAPPAR CHIRI.
[edit] Pursuit of fugitives
Wazir Khan's head was stuck up on a spear and lifted high up by a Sikh who took his seat in the deceased's howdah. Sirhind's troops on beholding the Nawab's head took alarm, and fled in dismay and despair. The Sikhs fell upon them and there was a terrible carnage. The Sikhs reached Sirhind by nightfall. The gates of the city were closed. The guns mounted on the walls of the fort commenced bombardment. The Sikhs laid siege to the place. They took rest at night. Wazir Khan's family and many Muslim nobles fled to Delhi at night.
By the next afternoon, the Sikhs forced open the gates and fell upon the city. The Government treasury and moveable property worth two crores fell into Banda's hand which was removed to Lohgarh. Banda Singh Bahadur purified several Muslims (who were earlier forcefully converted to Islam from Hinduism) by letting them to embraced Sikhism by their free will. For example, Dindar Khan son of Jalal Khan Rohilla purified himself by purging himself of Islam by embracing Sikhism by changing his name as Dindar Singh. Same way Mir Nasir-ud-din the official newswriter of Sirhind, purified himself by shunning Islam and reconverting with new name as Mir Nasir Singh.
[edit] The province of Sirhind occupied
Sirhind was the economic and provincial capital of Mughals.The entire province of Sirhind consisting of twenty-eight paraganas and extending from the Satluj to the Jamuna and from the Shiwalik hills to Kunjpura, Karnal and Kaithal, yielding Rs. fifty-two lakhs (one lakh = one hundred thousand) annually came into Banda's possession. Baj Singh was appointed the governor of Sirhind. Ali Singh was made his deputy. Their chief responsibility was to be on guard against the Mughal troops from Lahore and Jammu. Fateh Singh retained charge of Samana. Ram Singh, brother of Baj singh became the Chief of Thanesar. Binod singh in addition to his post of the revenue minister, was entrusted with the administration of Karnal and Panipat. His main duty was to guard the road from Delhi. Banda retired to his capital at Lohgarh. His era began from May 12, 1710, the date of his victory in the battle of Sirhind. The Zamindari system was abolished in the whole province in one stroke.
[edit] Banda advances towards Lahore
Having set up administrative machinery, Banda advanced from Sirhind to Malerkotla in June, 1710. The town was saved for a ransom of two lakhs on the recommendation of Kishan Das Banya, an old acquaintance of Banda. From there he marched to Morinda whose faujdar had handed over Guru Gobind Singh's mother and his two younger sons to Wazir Khan. Then he visited Kiratpur and Anandpur to pay homage to shrines. He took Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar. Banda crossed the Beas into Majha and fell upon Batala. After this, he went on a pilgrimage to Dera Baba Nanak. At Amritsar, Banda made large offerings. He invited young men to embrace Sikhism. Many from Majha joined the Khalsa. Banda marched towards Lahore. Sayyid Islam Khan, the Governor mounted guns on the walls of the city. Banda laid a siege, but was unable to scale the walls of the fort. Lahore could have fallen, but Banda was in a hurry to look after his government.
Only the Lahore fort, owing to its fortifications, housing cowardice muslim elites could escape the Banda Bahadur. The rest of the city and suburbs targeting muslims were completely destroyed by the Hindua and Sikh army of Banda bahadur.
[edit] Banda versus muslims
Banda's rule, that drained muslim mohgul, had a far-reaching impact on the history of the Punjab. With it, began the decay of muslim and Mughal authority (eventually religated to within the walsl of their Delhi force and bulk of their territory taken over by Ranjit Singh & Marathas, and later by British) and the demolition of the feudal system of society it had created.
[edit] Muslims Mohgul King Bahadur Shah Issues Farman to Kill all Sikhs
Weakened and nominal Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah tried to counter Banda's increasing influence. Bahadur Shah journeyed northwards from the Deccan to punish the Sikhs. Instructions were issued to the governors of Delhi and Oudh and other Mughal officers to march towards the Punjab. Prohibitory laws against Sikhs were passed. On December 10, 1710 Emperor Bahadur Shah I issued a general warrant for the faujdars to "kill the worshippers of Nanak (the Sikhs), wherever they were to be found." (Nanak Prastan ra Har ja kih bayaband baqatl rasanand)
[edit] Retreat and Regains by banda
A massive mughal force drove the Sikhs from Sirhind and other places to take shelter in the fort of Lohgarh in the hilly region. Banda married the daughter of one of the hill chiefs. Further reinforcements arrived and sixty thousand horse and foot soon surrounded Banda's hill retreat. For want of provisions, the Sikhs were reduced to rigorous straits. When they could stand up to the numerically superior enemy no longer, they made strateguc nightly sallies to escape into the hills of Nahan, only to regroup later.
He again started his campaigns against the Mughals, coming down from the hills to the plains, but was overwhelmed by the superior numbers of Mughal forces. Sikhs came out of their mountain haunts to recover their lost territories and once again occupied Sadhaura and Lohgarh. Farrukhsiyar, who came to the throne of Delhi in 1713, ordered against them the sternest campaign yet launched.
They were hounded out of the plains and their main column of about 4,000 men under Banda were subjected to a terrible siege at the village of Gurdas-Nangal, about six kilometers from Gurdaspur. For eight months the garrison resisted the siege of 100,000 Mughal troops under gruesome conditions (1 Sikh against 25 muslims). Towards the end, an unfortunate dispute arose between Banda and one of his most trusted advisers, Binod Singh. This man along with Baj Singh and three others made up the war council that Banda was supposed to consult in any difficult situation. Binod Singh advised the evacuation of the fortress, but vailant Banda wished to fight muslims out there. Binod Singh was senior in age, and when this difference of views flared up into an open quarrel, Banda agreed to let Binod Singh take his men out of the Fortress. Binod Singh and his supporters then charged out of the fortress and escaped.
Towards the end of November 1715, the remaining defenders were running out of ammunition and food. They were trying to exist on boiled leaves and the bark of trees, and were gradually reduced to mere skeletons. Then on December 17, 1715, Abdus Samad Khan, one of the Mughal commanders, shouted across the separating moat, that he would not allow any killing by his men, if Banda opened the gate to the fortress. When Banda ordered the gate be opened, the Mughals rushed in to spear or stab as many as three hundred of the half-dead and helpless defenders. About seven hundred were captured alive and handcuffed in twos. Banda had chains round his ankles and his wrists, and was then locked in an iron cage. The Mughals were still afraid that he might escape and so they placed a guard on each side of the cage with swords drawn and the cage was placed aloft an elephant, which led the procession, which paraded through Lahore, before proceeding towards Delhi. Zakarya Khan, the son of the Lahore Governor, then ordered his men to lop off more Sikh heads on the way. The prisoners were first taken to Lahore, and thence to Delhi. Thus muslims made a spectacle of killing sikhs and displaying their heads in most humiliating manner.
[edit] Torture and execution
The cavalcade to the imperial capital was a grisly sight. Besides 740 prisoners in heavy chains, it comprised seven hundred cartloads of Sikh heads with another 200 stuck upon pikes. On February 26, 1716, the procession neared Delhi, and Farukh Siyar ordered his Minister, Mohammed Amin Khan, to go out to receive them and to prepare them for a suitable display in the city. On February 29, the citizens of Delhi lined the streets, to get a good sight of the procession..
First came two-thousand soldiers, each holding a Sikh head impaled on his upright spear. Next followed the elephant carrying Banda in his iron cage, still with two Muslim guards guarding him, with their swords unsheathed. A gold-laced red turban was placed on his head, and to add further mockery to his plight, a brightly printed scarlet robe was slipped on his body. Then came 740 prisoners (500 had been collected on the way). These men were chained in pairs and thrown across the backs of camels. Their faces were blackened, and pointed sheepskin or paper caps were clapped on their heads. Behind this line came the Mughal Commanders, Abdus Samad Khan, his son Qamar-ud-Din Khan, and his son-in-law Zakaria Khan. Their men lined both sides of the streets.
For seven days, executions were carried out, until all the ordinary captives had been disposed off. Their bodies were loaded on wagons and taken out of town to be thrown to the vultures. The heads were hung up on trees or on poles near the market-place to be a lesson to all rebels. The jailors next turned their attention to the 20 major leaders, including Baj Singh, Fateh Singh, Ali Singh and Gulab Singh. These men were tortured to the extreme and were asked to divulge the place where they had buried all the treasures that had been looted from Sirhind, Batala and other towns during their better days.
Failing to get any clues after three months, they prepared to put an end to their lives on Sunday, June 9, 1716. Banda's cage was again hoisted on top of an elephant, and he was dressed in the mock attire of an emperor, with a colourful red pointed turban on his head. His four-year old son, Ajai Singh was placed in his lap. The twenty chiefs marched behind the elephant and this procession then passed through the streets of Delhi, and headed for the mausoleum of Bahadur Shah, near the Qutub Minar. On reaching the graveyard, the captives were again offered a choice of two alternatives: conversion to Islam or death. All chose death. They were tortured again before being being executed. Their heads were then impaled on spears and arranged in a circle around Banda who was now squatting on the ground. There were hundreds of spectators standing around watching this scene.
Banda Singh Bahadur was then given a short sword and ordered to kill his own son Ajai Singh. As Banda Bahadur sat unperturbed, the barbaric muslim executioner moved forward and plunged his sword into the little sikh child cutting the body into two. Then pieces of flesh for the body of a four year old innocent child were cut and thrown in Banda's face. His liver was removed and with force thrust into Banda Singh's mouth. The father sat through all this without any signs of emotion. His powers of endurance were to be tested still further. But before that, Mohammed Amin Khan, who was standing near, spoke as follows: "From your manner so far you appear to be a man of virtue, who believes in God, and in doing good deeds. You are also very intelligent. Can you tell me why you are having to suffer all this here?"
Banda's reply to his premitive muslim sadistic tyrants was, "When the tyrants oppress their subjects to the limit, then God sends men like me on this earth to mete out punishment to them. But being human, we sometimes overstep the laws of justice, and for that we are made to pay whilst we are still here. God is not being unjust to me in any way."
The executioner then stepped forward and thrust the point of his dagger into Banda's right eye, pulling out the eyeball. He then pulled out the other eyeball. Banda sat through all this as still as a rock. His face gave no twitch of pain.
Then the executioner took his sword and slashed off Banda's left foot, then both his arms. But Banda's features were still calm as if he was at peace with his Creator. Finally they tore off his flesh with red-hot pincers, and there being nothing else left in the tyrannical muslim's book of tortures, those murderous muslim beasts cut Banda bahadur's body up into a hundred pieces, and were satisfied in their saddist way. (These details of the torture are given in full, by the following writers: Mohammed Harisi, Khafi Khan, Thornton, Elphinstone, Daneshwar and others).
[edit] Legacy
With Banda's death, the torch of the Khalsa was taken up by new warriors like Baba Deep Singh, Nawab Kapur Singh, Chhajja Singh, Bhuma Singh, Hari Singh Dhillon, Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, Budh Singh, Naudh Singh and Charhat Singh Sukerchakia and others. The Age of the Dal Khalsa and the Sikh Misls (principalities) had dawned. Within ninety years, Ranjit Singh Sukerchakia united the Misls, captured Lahore and established the Sikh Kingdom of the Punjab.
[edit] See also
* Mughal Empire
* Baba Deep Singh
* Hari Singh Nalwa
* Jassa Singh Ahluwalia
* Jassa Singh Ramgarhia
* Maharaja Ranjit Singh
* Nawab Kapur Singh
* Sawan Mal
[edit] Notes
1. ^ Chandla, M.S (October 2006). Banda Bahadur;Betrayed by his lieutenants. Chandigarh: Aurva Publications. p. 1. ISBN 81-901110-2-7.
2. ^ Ganda, Singh (1990) [1935]. Life of Banda Singh Bahadur : based on contemporary and original records. Punjabi University/Khalsa College. p. 1. OCLC 25748134. "His father Ram Dev was an ordinary ploughman Rajput."
3. ^ Sambhi, Piara Singh; W Owen Cole (1990). A popular dictionary of Sikhism. Curzon. p. 49. ISBN 978-0913215517. OCLC 59977906. "Born a Rajput, he was a Bairagi yogi until his conversion"
4. ^ Seetal, Sohan Singh (1968). Prophet of man, Guru Gobind Singh. Lyall Book Depot. p. 366. OCLC 115772. "And he is commonly known as Banda Bahadur. Banda Singh was, by his birth, a master of the Rajput tradition and a dauntless temperament"
5. ^ Chib, Sukhdev Singh (1977). Punjab. Light & Life Publishers. p. 15. OCLC 3768858. ""Originally a Dogra Rajput named Lachhman Das, Banda Bahadur was born in a farmer family at Rajouri.""
6. ^ Singh, Khazan (1970) [1914]. History of the Sikh Religion. Dept. of Languages, Punjab/Newal Kishore, Lahore. p. 211. OCLC 162514106. "He was the son of Ramdev, a Rajput."
7. ^ Duggal, Kartar Singh (2001). Maharaja Ranjit Singh: The Last to Lay Arms. Abhinav Publications. p. 40. ISBN 978-8170174103. OCLC 48811299. "A Rajput of the Dogra tribe, his real name was Lachhman Dev."
8. ^ Malik, Arjan Dass (1975). An Indian guerilla war : the Sikh peoples war, 1699-1768. New York: Wiley. p. 27. ISBN 978-0470565766. OCLC 1339733. ""Banda Bahadur was a Rajput of Jammu province who had become a monk. He came in contact with Guru Gobind Singh in the south and embraced Sikhism.""
9. ^ Deol, Gurdev Singh (1972). Banda Bahadur. New Academic Pub. Co.. p. 14. OCLC 730641. "Banda Bahadur was a Rajput and was a man of limited means."
10. ^ Mahajan, Vidya Dhar (1964). India since 1526. S. Chand. p. 205. OCLC 3975743. "Banda Bahadur was a Dogra Rajput. He was born in 1670. His original name was Lachhman Dass and he was very fond of hunting. Later on he became a Bairagi and went awayto Deccan."
11. ^ Madhok, Balraj (1985). Punjab Problem, the Muslim Connection. Vision Books. p. 25. OCLC 12361473. "Banda Bahadur was the seion of a Rajput family of Poonch area, now in Jammu and Kashmir State."
12. ^ Singh, Mian Goverdhan (1982) [1932]. History of Himachal Pradesh. Yugbodh Pub. House. p. 141. OCLC 9063139. ""He was a Dogra Rajput who was born at Rajouri in Kashmir.""
13. ^ H.A. Rose. A glossary of tribes of Punjab and NWFP
14. ^ P. N. Bali. History of Mohyals.
15. ^ Hakim Rai. Legend of Lachman Das,disciple of Guru Gobind Singh
16. ^ J. D. Cunningham. History of Sikhs
17. ^ A.E. Barstow. Handbook on Sikhs
18. ^ James Brown. India Tracts 2.
[edit] References
* Banda Singh Bahadur
* Banda Bahadur
* Background of Banda Singh Bahadur
* Harbans Singh "The encyclopedia of Sikhism.
* Hari Ram Gupta "The Heritage of the Sikhs.
* Sohan Lal Suri "Umdat-ut-Tawarikh"
* Khushwant Singh "A History of the Sikhs, Volume I"
* Dr. Ganda Singh "Banda Singh Bahadur"
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Saturday, May 1, 2010
Babus, judges, media more corrupt: Netas
Dipak Kumar Dash & Abhinav Garg, TNN, May 2, 2010,
NEW DELHI: You may think that politicians top the corruption charts in India, but ask the parliamentarians — they have their own take! A recent survey, involving 100 sitting MPs, carried out during the ongoing Budget session has thrown up some interesting views. According to them, the babus, the judiciary and media should rank much higher than politicians when it comes to indulging in graft. Only one MP shares the aam admi's view!
Conducted by well known thinktank CMS Transparency, the report throws up other nuggets — for instance, it shows that 14 Lok Sabha MPs from Andhra Pradesh, 13 from Karnataka and 18 from Maharshtra, who are members of different House panels have declared their interests in business, industry and trade. The study points that this forms a clear-cut case of conflict of interest (CoI).
The survey report observes that after PM Manmohan Singh issued stern directive to his Cabinet ministers to desist from the pernicious practice of favouring individuals in return for temptations, it was presumed that cases of conflict of interest would diminish. But MPs interviewed, felt that this initiative "would not make much difference".
NEW DELHI: You may think that politicians top the corruption charts in India, but ask the parliamentarians — they have their own take! A recent survey, involving 100 sitting MPs, carried out during the ongoing Budget session has thrown up some interesting views. According to them, the babus, the judiciary and media should rank much higher than politicians when it comes to indulging in graft. Only one MP shares the aam admi's view!
Conducted by well known thinktank CMS Transparency, the report throws up other nuggets — for instance, it shows that 14 Lok Sabha MPs from Andhra Pradesh, 13 from Karnataka and 18 from Maharshtra, who are members of different House panels have declared their interests in business, industry and trade. The study points that this forms a clear-cut case of conflict of interest (CoI).
The survey report observes that after PM Manmohan Singh issued stern directive to his Cabinet ministers to desist from the pernicious practice of favouring individuals in return for temptations, it was presumed that cases of conflict of interest would diminish. But MPs interviewed, felt that this initiative "would not make much difference".
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