HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Battle of Bhangani ( pa, ਭੰਗਾਣੀ ਦਾ ਯੁੱਧ) was fought between
Guru Gobind Singh Guru Gobind Singh (; 22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708), born Gobind Das or Gobind Rai the tenth Sikh Guru, a spiritual master, warrior, poet and philosopher. When his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was executed by Aurangzeb, Guru Gobind Sing ...
's army and
Bhim Chand (Kahlur) Bhim Chand Chandel (Kahlur) was the Hindu Rajput King of Bilaspur state and Anandpur Sahib fell under his territorial area. He launched his first expedition against Guru Gobind Singh in 1682. In 1686 he conflicted with the armies of Guru Gobind S ...
of Bilaspur on 18 September 1686, at Bhangani near
Paonta Sahib Paonta Sahib is an industrial town of Himachal Pradesh in India. It is located in the south of Sirmaur district, on National Highway 72 ( New NH 7). Paonta Sahib is an important place of worship for Sikhs, hosting a large Gurdwara named Gurudwa ...
.Rajput Rajas of
Shivalik Hills The Sivalik Hills, also known as the Shivalik Hills and Churia Hills, are a mountain range of the outer Himalayas that stretches over about from the Indus River eastwards close to the Brahmaputra River, spanning the northern parts of the Indi ...
participated in the war from
Bhim Chand (Kahlur) Bhim Chand Chandel (Kahlur) was the Hindu Rajput King of Bilaspur state and Anandpur Sahib fell under his territorial area. He launched his first expedition against Guru Gobind Singh in 1682. In 1686 he conflicted with the armies of Guru Gobind S ...
‘s
Bilaspur State Bilaspur State or Kahlur State, sometimes Kahloor Riyasat, was a kingdom (697-1849) and later princely state (1849-1948) in the Punjab Province ruled by a separate branch of Chandravanshi Chandel dynasty.Raja Bir Chand 697-730 was the foun ...
side. It was the first battle Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth
Sikh Guru The Sikh gurus ( Punjabi: ਸਿੱਖ ਗੁਰੂ) are the spiritual masters of Sikhism, who established this religion over the course of about two and a half centuries, beginning in 1469. The year 1469 marks the birth of Guru Nanak, the found ...
, fought at the age of 19. ''
Bichitra Natak Bachittar Natak (or Bachitar/Bichittar) (Gurmukhi: ; ''bacitara nāṭaka''; literally 'Resplendent Drama') is from Dasam Granth, ang (page) 94 to ang 175 of the 2326 ang. It is generally attributed to the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. Al ...
'', an autobiography generally attributed to Guru Gobind Singh, contains a detailed description of the battle.


Causes

Guru Gobind Singh Guru Gobind Singh (; 22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708), born Gobind Das or Gobind Rai the tenth Sikh Guru, a spiritual master, warrior, poet and philosopher. When his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was executed by Aurangzeb, Guru Gobind Sing ...
resided at Anandpur, which was though located in the territory of Raja Bhim Chand of Bilaspur (Kahlur) but Anandpur Sahib was an autonomous region held by Guru Gobind Singh as the barren land of Makhowal was purchased by his father Guru Teg Bahadur and town was developed with earlier name Chakk Nanki. By the 1680s, the Guru's influence and power had increased greatly. His devotees came from distant places and brought him valuable gifts. A devotee called Duni Chand visited Anandpur in 1681, and presented him a ''Shamiana'' (a royal
canopy Canopy may refer to: Plants * Canopy (biology), aboveground portion of plant community or crop (including forests) * Canopy (grape), aboveground portion of grapes Religion and ceremonies * Baldachin or canopy of state, typically placed over an a ...
or tent) embroidered in gold and silver, and was studded with
pearl A pearl is a hard, glistening object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk or another animal, such as fossil conulariids. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is composed of calcium carb ...
s. Ratan Rai, the son of Raja Ram Rai of
Assam Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
, visited Anandpur with his mother and several ministers, and presented several gifts to the Guru, including an elephant called ''Prasadi'' (or ''Parsadi''). In the mid-1680s, Guru Gobind Singh ordered the construction of a war drum ( nagara) to enthuse his army. The job of constructing the drum was entrusted to the Guru's
Dewan ''Dewan'' (also known as ''diwan'', sometimes spelled ''devan'' or ''divan'') designated a powerful government official, minister, or ruler. A ''dewan'' was the head of a state institution of the same name (see Divan). Diwans belonged to the el ...
, Nand Chand, and the drum was named ''Ranjit Nagara''. The use of such a war drum was limited to the chieftains, within their territory. Its use by the Guru was considered a hostile act by Raja Bhim Chand. On his Prime Minister's advice, the Raja arranged a meeting with the Guru, and visited his court in Anandpur. There, his eyes fell on the valuable gifts presented to the Guru by the devotees. Some days later, Bhim Chand sent a message to Anandpur, asking the Guru to lend the ''Prasadi'' elephant to him. Bhim Chand wanted the elephant to make a display of his wealth to the guests at his son's proposed wedding. The Guru knew that Bhim Chand wanted to gain permanent possession of the elephant by deceptive tactics, and declined the Raja's request. He stated that the devotee who had presented the elephant didn't want it to be given away to anybody else. Bhim Chand is said to have sent his emissaries thrice to the Guru, the last one being Raja Kesari Chand of
Jaswal Jaswal is an Indian surname found among Jat Sikhs and Muslims of Punjab. It is also a clan of Rajputs that commanded the former princely state of Jaswan. People with the surname * Balli Kaur Jaswal, Singaporean novelist * Nishtha Jaswal, In ...
. However, the Guru didn't accept his demand, and refused to part with the elephant. The Raja felt disgraced by the Guru's refusal, and got restless with Guru's growing influence, and his interest in military exercises. Soon an atmosphere of confrontation developed between them due to Guru's sovereign and autonomous actions though Guru never seemed offensive towards territorial gains. In April 1685, Guru Gobind Singh shifted his residence to
Paonta Paonta Sahib is an industrial town of Himachal Pradesh in India. It is located in the south of Sirmaur district, on National Highway 72 ( New NH 7). Paonta Sahib is an important place of worship for Sikhs, hosting a large Gurdwara named Gur ...
(now Poanta sahib) in Sirmur state, at the invitation of Raja Mat Prakash (a.k.a. Medni Prakash) of Sirmur. The reasons for the shift are not clear. The author of ''Bichitra Natak'' doesn't mention any reason for shifting his residence to Paonta. According to the Gazetteer of the Sirmur state, the Guru was compelled to quit Anadpur due to differences with Bhim Chand, and went to Toka. From Toka, he came to
Nahan Nahan is a town in Himachal Pradesh in India and is the headquarters of the Sirmaur District It was the capital of the former Sirmur princely state.Nahan is also known as the Town of ponds. Geography Nahan is located at . It has a ...
(the capital of Sirmur) at the request of Raja Medni Prakash. From Nahan, he proceeded to Paonta. According to Ajay S. Rawat, Raja Mat(Medni) Prakash invited the Guru to his kingdom in order to strengthen his position against Raja
Fateh Shah Fateh Shah was the Hindu Rajput king of Garhwal, a small kingdom in North India, from 1684 to 1716. Campaigns H. G. Walton states that Fateh Shah led an attack from Dehradun on Saharanpur in 1692. Pundirs and Gurjars were expelled out of Dehra ...
of
Garhwal Garhwal may refer to the following topics associated with Uttarakhand, India: Places *Garhwal Himalaya, a sub-range of the Himalayas *Garhwal Kingdom, a former kingdom * Garhwal District (British Garhwal), a former district of British India *Gar ...
. At the request of Raja Mat Prakash, the Guru constructed a fort at Paonta with help of his followers, in a short time. He continued to increase his army. Raja Fateh Shah also paid a visit to the Guru, and was received with honor in his court. The Guru established a peace treaty between the two Rajas. The marriage of Bhim Chand's son was arranged with the daughter of Fateh Shah. Bhim Chand had to go from Bilaspur to
Srinagar Srinagar (English: , ) is the largest city and the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It lies in the Kashmir Valley on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus, and Dal and Anchar lakes. The city is known for its natu ...
(the capital of Garhwal) for the marriage ceremony, and the shortest route passed through Paonta. However, the Guru had no faith in Bhim Chand, and he refused to let his heavily armed party pass through Paonta. After negotiations, the Guru permitted only the bridegroom and a small number of his companions to cross the ferry near Paonta. The rest of the marriage party, including Bhim Chand, had to follow a circuitous route to Srinagar. This increased Bhim Chand's hostility towards the Guru. Fateh Shah had invited the Guru to the wedding celebrations. The Guru sent his representatives Bhai Nand Chand (or Namd Chand) and Bhai Daya Ram to the wedding celebrations. He also sent jewellery worth approximately a hundred thousand
rupee Rupee is the common name for the currencies of India, Mauritius, Nepal, Pakistan, Seychelles, and Sri Lanka, and of former currencies of Afghanistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates (as the Gulf rupee), British East Africa, B ...
s as a gift for the bride. His representatives were accompanied by 500 horsemen to guard the gift. When Bhim Chand learns of the gift from the Guru, he threatened to cancel the marriage if Fateh Shah accepted the gift. Fateh Shah, fearing for his daughter's future, refused to accept the gift, and sent back the Guru's contingent. On their way back to Paonta, the Guru's horsemen were attacked by the Rajas' forces. They managed to defend themselves, and told the Guru about the incident. The Guru, anticipating an attack from the Rajas, made preparations for the war. Guru Gobind Singh in his autobiographical work ''Bichitra Natak'' wrote that Fateh Shah fought with him for no reason.


Armies

Bhim Chand and Fateh Shah formed an alliance with the other hill Rajas: Kirpal of
Katoch Katoch is a Chandravanshi Rajput clan. Their traditional area of residence was in the Trigarta Kingdom, based at Jalandhar and at Kangra Fort in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. They descent from the Trigarta dynasty mentioned in the Mahabha ...
, Gopala of Guler (or Guleria), Hari Chand of
Hindur Nalagarh is a city and a municipal committee, near the city of Solan in Solan district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Geography Nalagarh is a gateway to Himachal Pradesh in North India, from Shimla, from Delhi and from Chandigar ...
and Kesari Chand of
Jaswal Jaswal is an Indian surname found among Jat Sikhs and Muslims of Punjab. It is also a clan of Rajputs that commanded the former princely state of Jaswan. People with the surname * Balli Kaur Jaswal, Singaporean novelist * Nishtha Jaswal, In ...
. According to Harjinder Dilgeer Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s army consisted of around 4,000 Sikhs only besides a number of Udasis and Pathans. Except for Mahant Kirpa Das and a few others most of the Udasis had deserted the Guru. The Pathans who had taken up employment under Guru Ji on the recommendation of Pir Buddhu Shah were all bought over by Bhim Chand. They were promised free share of the loot at Paonta Sahib. Guru Ji informed Pir Buddhu Shah about the unfaithful behavior of the Pathans and he himself led his Sikhs to a place six miles outside Paonta Sahib, called Bhangani. Pir Buddhu Shah presents his sons to Guru Gobind Singh On hearing about the unreliable Pathans, Pir Buddhu Shah was greatly perturbed. Immediately he called his sons , and along with between 500 to 700 of his followers he rushed to Guru Ji’s side. Mahant Kirpal Das was using a heavy stick called a Kutka to fight, he killed Hayat Khan, the chief of the Pathans now finghting on the opposing side. Pir Buddhu Shah also fought bravely as did his sons and followers in this bloody of battles which Guru Ji describes in martial verses in his autobiography, Bachittar Natak (wondrous drama) . Besides several hundred Sikhs, the two sons of Pir Buddhu Shah and a large number of his followers died in the fighting. Guru Ji’s general Sangho Shah, after killing the brave Najabat Khan also fell in battle, so did his brother Jeet Mal thus reviving the glory of their maternal grandfather, Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji.


The battle

The battle of Bhangani lasted for a day; some historians argue that it lasted for nine hours. But it was fought with great fury. As the combined armies of the hill Rajas marched towards Paonta, Guru Gobind Singh also marched towards them. The opposing forces met on the banks of Yamuna river, at Bhangani, away from Paonta. The battle resulted in the death of several of the Guru's and the Pir's disciples, including the two sons of the Pir.


Description in Bachittar Natak

The author of '' Bachittar Natak'', Guru Gobind Singh, praises his own soldiers, as well as those of the enemy forces. According to him, the Guru's soldiers included the five sons of Bibi Viro (the daughter of
Guru Har Gobind Gurū Hargobind (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਹਰਿਗੋਬਿੰਦ, pronunciation: l 19 June 1595 – 28 February 1644), revered as the ''sixth Nānak'', was the sixth of ten Gurus of the Sikh religion. He had become Guru at the young age of e ...
): Sango Shah, Jit Mall, Gulab Chand, Mahri Chand and Ganga Ram. Sango Shah fell down after killing Najbat Khan of the opposing army. The Guru praises the heroism of Daya Ram, and equates him to
Dronacharya Droṇa ( sa, द्रोण, Droṇa), also referred to as Dronacharya ( sa, द्रोणाचार्य, Droṇācārya), is a major character of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. In the epic, he serves as the royal preceptor of the Kaura ...
of
Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruk ...
. He also says that his maternal uncle Kirpal Chand fought like a true
Kshatriya Kshatriya ( hi, क्षत्रिय) (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority") is one of the four varna (social orders) of Hindu society, associated with warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the con ...
and killed one Hayat Khan with his ''Kutka'' ( mace). The other soldiers mentioned by the author include Lal Chand, Sahib Chand, Maharu, Nand Chand or Namd Chand (who fought with his dagger after his sword broke). The enemies mentioned by him include Gopal (the king of Guleria), the Raja of Chandel, and the chiefs of Jaswal and Dadhwal. The author praises the
archery Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In m ...
skills of Hari Chand. Hari Chand killed Jit Mall in a duel, but himself fainted. After coming to his senses, he fired arrows at the Guru, who survived and killed Hari Chand with an arrow. The author said that he himself went into the battlefield when an arrow struck his body.


Result

Guru Gobind Singh came out victorious, and won the battle. Guru Gobind Singh in Bichitra Natak also mentions that the battle resulted in the victory of the Guru's forces, and the enemy forces fled from the battlefield.''
Bichitra Natak Bachittar Natak (or Bachitar/Bichittar) (Gurmukhi: ; ''bacitara nāṭaka''; literally 'Resplendent Drama') is from Dasam Granth, ang (page) 94 to ang 175 of the 2326 ang. It is generally attributed to the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. Al ...
''
Chapter 8, Chaupai 34
The Guru, though victorious, did not occupy the territory of defeated hill chiefs. Some historians such as H. Raturi, Anil Chandra Banerjee and A. S. Rawat speculate that the battle must have ended without any conclusive result, since the Guru's victory is not substantiated by any territorial annexations, and the Guru entered into an understanding with Bhim Chand soon after the battle. However, this was most likely because the Guru was not after any territorial gains, just as his grandfather,
Guru Hargobind Gurū Hargobind (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਹਰਿਗੋਬਿੰਦ, pronunciation: l 19 June 1595 – 28 February 1644), revered as the ''sixth Nānak'', was the sixth of ten Gurus of the Sikh religion. He had become Guru at the young age of e ...
had done when winning his battles against the
Mughals The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...
.


Aftermath

The tombs of the dead hill chieftains were constructed at Bhangani. The Guru is said to have pitched his flag at Bhangani, and today a
Gurdwara A gurdwara (sometimes written as gurudwara) (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ''guradu'ārā'', meaning "Door to the Guru") is a place of assembly and worship for Sikhs. Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as ''Gurdwara Sahib''. People from all faiths ...
marks the spot. The author of Bichitra Natak states that after the battle, the Guru didn't remain at Paonta, and returned to Anandpur. Those who fought in the battle were rewarded, and those who didn't were turned out of the town. Sometime after the Guru's return to Anandpur, peace was established between Raja Bhim Chand and Guru Gobind Singh, after the former paid a visit to the Guru with his minister.


References


External links


Description of the Battle of Bhangani
in ''
Bichitra Natak Bachittar Natak (or Bachitar/Bichittar) (Gurmukhi: ; ''bacitara nāṭaka''; literally 'Resplendent Drama') is from Dasam Granth, ang (page) 94 to ang 175 of the 2326 ang. It is generally attributed to the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. Al ...
'' (Chapter 8). {{DEFAULTSORT:Battle of Bhangani Bhangani, Battle of History of Himachal Pradesh 1688 in India Conflicts in 1688