Home

Featured Articles

Dec 21, 2024
Dr Gursharan Singh Kainth

Safar e Shahadat: Story of Saka Sirhind Part 1

Anandpur, the Guru's town of bliss, was hard-pressed by the Mughal armies but the Guru and the Sikhs were determined to hold on. The Mughal forces, Hilly Rajas’ forces had laid seize on Qila Anandgarh (Fort), Anandpur Sahib for about 8 months in l704. The Mughals and Hilly Rajas wanted Guru Gobind Singh to leave the Fort. The Mughals and Ajmer Chand's league of Rajput Hill Chieftains had offered Guru Sahib a safe passage to leave Anandpur Sahib on an oath sworn on the Quran, an oath that had been signed by emperor Aurangzeb, as well as, an oath sworn on the Gita and the cow (which Hindus consider sacred) by the Rajput Chieftains. The Guru knew fully well that the enemy could not be trusted. Many of the Sikhs thought that the peace plan and safe conduct offered to them should be given a trial. It was a testing time for them all. The Guru decided to test the enemy's sincerity. He ordered live cartloads to move out of the town in the early morning. The enemy attacked them despite their promises of safe conduct. To their great surprise, the Mughal Commanders found only old rags, broken pots and old shoes in the carts. After this, the Mughal Commanders felt ashamed and sent apologies for what had happened. The Guru had proved his point to the Sikhs that the enemy was not trustworthy. He inspired them to continue their fight to ensure peaceful life in Anandpur. Then came a time, when forty Sikhs came to the Guru and said, "O Guru, we are fighting a losing battle. We are nearly starving. There is no food left and we have even eaten the leaves of the trees. The enemy is making it impossible to survive. How long can we go on like this? Why don't we leave the fort and make peace with our powerful enemy?" "My dear Sikhs," said Guru Gobind Singh, "You are mistaken. It's a fight for principles. We can't leave it half-won or half-lost. Wait patiently and the Khalsa is sure to win. I know that it is a long and tough struggle. But you must see it as I see it. It is a struggle against tyranny, oppression and injustice. It is essential if we are to establish religion securely. As your Guru, I must show you the right way to end all evil. We all want goodness to triumph over evil. But such a victory does not come of its own accord. It has to be fought for and won with blood and sacrifices. Come what may, the Khalsa shall always be optimistic and win the war." The forty Sikhs refused to agree. They told the Guru that they were going to leave Anandpur at once. The Guru said, "Well, my friends, if you can't stay any longer, write down your disclaimer (Bedawa) saying that from now on you are no longer my Sikhs." The Sikhs misled by their instinct, wrote the denial, signed it and handed it over to the Guru. The next night the forty Sikhs left Anandpur in the darkness and hurried to their homes. The Guru and the rest of the Sikhs held on, till the enemy was weary of this long and fruitless fight. At last, the Mughal Commanders tried once more to reassure the Guru. They sent two Ambassadors, one a Hindu and the other a Muslim. The Muslim came with a copy of the Holy Quran, and the Hindu brought with him the image of a cow. They both promised perfectly safe conduct to the Guru if he decided to leave Anandpur. They also apologized for what had happened some months before, when the Mughal soldiers had attacked the five cartloads of rubbish. Then an emissary brought a letter giving a promise of peace and conciliation from Emperor Aurangzeb. The letter read - "I have sworn on the Holy Quran not to harm you. If I do, may I not find a place in God's court? Stop fighting and come to me. If you are afraid of coming, leave Anandpur and let me know where I can come and see you in person. I am told that you are a holy man and I have every regard for holy men. Bear no malice towards the hill chiefs. They have assured me by swearing on their cows that they will never trick another fight with you and your Sikhs. I shall personally ask you to pardon their excesses against you and your Sikhs." This time the Emperor seemed quite sincere. Hard pressed by the Sikhs and his family, Guru Gobind Singh decided to leave Anandpur. Evacuation of Anandpur Sahib After due preparations, under the pressure of a prolonged siege with food and ammunition exhausted, Guru Gobind Singh with his entourage of 400 Sikhs left Sri Anandpur Sahib on the bitter cold (Chilly) and rainy night of 20 December 1704. Guru Gobind Singh, four Sahibzadas, Mata Gujri, Guru’s Mahil (wives), five Panj Piaras and a few hundred Sikhs left Anandpur Sahib and marched towards Ropar - the plains of Punjab. After vacating Qila Sri Anandgarh Sahib, Guru Gobind Singh rested for the night at the rivulet Sarsa/Sirsa, at a distance of about 25 Kms from Anandpur Sahib and for morning prayers with his family and the Sikhs of Anandpur Sahib. Everything seemed all right. Everyone thought that the Mughal commanders would keep their word of honour. As it grew dark, the Sikh guards sensed something wrong in the distance. Soon they began to hear the sounds of the movements of cavalry and the occasional war cries of the Mughal armies. The message went round the camp and everybody was on the alert. In the early hours of the morning at the river Sarsa (Sirsa), the Guru and his Sikhs were attacked by the Mughal army under the command of Wazir Khan, breaking their oath of assuring safe conduct. The Mughal army attacked. The Sikhs drove them back with great losses. But then another wave of Mughal soldiers moved forward. After invoking the blessings of the Almighty, Guru Gobind Singh divided his forces into two columns. While part of the force was to engage their attackers, the other force was ordered to get across the river. It was at this spot that the Mughal army suddenly arrived in hot pursuit. The agreement which had been reached between the Sikhs and their attackers (the Rajput hill chiefs and their Mughal overlords) promising to allow the Sikhs to leave the fort unmolested, was promptly broken. Though their oaths were taken on the 'holy Quran' and the sacred books of the Hindus, their promises meant nothing as they had no sooner occupied Anandpur, than they sat out in hot pursuit of the Sikhs. They lost little time betraying their promises to Guru Gobind Singh, almost as soon as the Sikhs had left the safety of their impregnable fortress. A fierce battle followed in which Bhai Sahib Singh, one of the five Beloved Ones, fought daringly and died. A Muslim follower of the Guru, Mian Khan held the enemy until the Guru and his family with a few of his followers, safely crossed the river. In the darkness and confusion, people ran in all directions to save their lives. Thousands were killed and many valuable manuscripts were lost. In the confusion, which followed the attack in the cold and darkness, many Sikhs became Shaheed (martyrs). A group of Singhs fought the armies, keeping them back while the rest of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh and his family crossed the rivulet in the heat of the battle. During the confusion, the Guru's mother and his two youngest sons, Guru's Mahil got separated from the Khalsa forces. Mata Sundri, the Guru's wife, lost her way and a faithful Sikh escorted her to Delhi. Many Sikhs perished attempting to cross the frigid waters of the turgid, rain-swollen rivulet. Their bodies were swept away by the swift current. Of the 400 hundred that had left Anandpur, only the Guru, his two eldest sons, the Panj Piaras (Five Beloved ones) and 40 Sikhs were able to cross the river and regroup on the other side and hurried on while the Mughal army chased them hotly. After a few skirmishes on the way, they spent the second night in an old brick kiln in Ropar. The next morning they continued their journey closely pursued by the Mughal army. At last, they reached the village of Chamkaur, where they were able to lodge themselves in a two-storey building. They quickly converted it into a small fortress. Chamkaur is a village in the district of Ropar about 50 miles from Ludhiana. It was there that a shining example of gallantry was demonstrated by the young sons of Guru Gobind Singh. Separation of the Family (Parivar Vichora) On the intervening night of 20-21 December, the enemy breached the vows and attacked Guru’s entourage at a site on Sirsa rivulet some 25 Km from Anandpur Sahib. At the bank of river Sirsa, a fierce battle between the Singhs and the Mughals started. Bhai Uday Singh and Bhai Bachitter Singh were leading their regiments against the Mughals, while the rest of the Singhs were trying to cross the river. River Sirsa was flooded at that time. Many drowned in the river. Guru’s family separated. This spot is now known as Parivar Vichora. As it was here that the Guru's family was separated from each other, the Gurdwara' has been named Gurdwara Sri Parivar Vichora Sahib, meaning the "Gurdwara of the family's separation". Situated on the bank of the river Sirsa in the district of Ropar, the Gurdwara has been built to honour the tragic happenings that followed the evacuation of Anandpur by Guru Gobind Singh. Gurdwara Sri Parivar Vichora Gurdwara Sri Parivar Vichora Sahib is situated near the bank of river Sirsa in the village Majri in the Ropar district of Punjab (now spelled as Roopnagar/Rupnagar) district of Punjab, India. It is built on the spot where the battle occurred and the Guru’s family was separated. Located on a hilltop, one has to climb 100-odd steps to reach this holy spot, which commands a panoramic view of the surrounding valley. This magnificent Gurdwara Sri Parivar Vichora Sahib has been built by the grateful Sikhs of Sri Guru Gobind Singh. Guru Gobind Singh was followed by a small party of devoted Sikhs who fought off their attackers with their swords flashing in their hands. Many Sikhs drowned or were martyred while crossing the river. There had been no time to look for the missing. Guru’s Mahil left with Bhai Mani Singh, towards Delhi. Guru Gobind Singh with two elder Sahibzadas, Panj Piaras and 40 Sikhs proceeded towards Chamkaur Sahib in Ropar district too and reached there, in the afternoon of 21 December. The famous battle of Chamkaur, took place on 22 and 23 December, l704, where two elder Sahibzadas, three of the Panj Piaras and 40 Sikhs laid down their lives. Chamkaur Sahib In the ensuing confusion, many Sikhs were killed and all of the Guru's baggage including most of the precious manuscripts was lost. Guru Gobind Singh was able to make his way to Chamkaur, 40 km southwest of Anandpur, making several stops along the way, with barely 40 Sikhs and his two elder sons. The imperial troops besieged the mud fortress at Chamkaur. There the imperial army, following closely on Guru Sahib's heels, surrounded the area. Guru Gobind Singh's two sons, Sahibzada Baba Ajit Singh and Sahibzada Baba Jujhar Singh and all but five of the Sikhs fell in the action that took place on 22nd December 1705. The five surviving Sikhs commanded the Guru to save himself to reconsolidate the Khalsa. Battle of Chamkaur Battles that have changed the course of history are well chronicled in Western history and became a part of the folklore of the country such as the Battle of Saratoga in 1777 and the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. If a similar chronicle of great battles which changed the course of Indian history were to be compiled, the battle of Chamkaur would be given a position of great significance. The battle was fought over three days from December 21 to 23, 1704 [6, 7 and 8 Poh Samat/Samvat 1761 Bikrmi] between the Khalsa of Guru Gobind Singh and the coalition forces of the Mughals and Ajmer Chand's league of Rajput hill chieftains. In the battle of Chamkaur, Guru Gobind Singh along with his two sons (Sahibzadas) and forty followers withstood the might of a Muslim and Rajput coalition from a small Haveli (House) which providentially had high mud walls surrounding known as kachi Garhi owned by two brothers Chaudhari Roop Chand and Jagat Singh. They offered their services to Guru Gobind Singh who had visited Chamkaur in 1702 while returning from Kurkshetra/Kurukeshtra. The enemy force comprised of Infantry, horse cavalry and artillery guns and was about 2.5 lacs armies of the Mughal and 2.2 lacs armies of the hilly ruler. Nearly, one lac ranghars followed them, 2 lacs Pathan or Afghans also joined these forces. Local Gujjars joined the Mughals in big numbers in the region around Chamkaur Sahib, which made a total of (Dah/das lakh) 10 lacs. Guru Gobind Singh refers to this battle in the Zafarnamah. He tells how a huge (Dah lakh) army attacked his Sikhs who were only forty in number and without food. The Guru also talks of the cowardice of one of the Mughal generals how he hid himself behind a wall, not having the courage to face the Guru. The preamble to the battle After the Guru left Anandpur, they crossed the Sarsa River and stopped in Chamkaur. They asked permission from the city chief for shelter to rest for the night in their Garhi or haveli. The older brother thought sheltering him would be dangerous so he refused. But the younger brother permitted them to stay there for the night. Despite giving assurance of safe conduct, the Mughal soldiers were looking for Guru Gobind Singh, to take his head as a trophy. After learning that the party of Sikhs had taken shelter in the haveli, they laid siege upon it. The Mughals had a force of over 1000000 (one million) consisting of Pathan and Turk regiments. The Guru only commanded 40 men on the eve of the battle. The actual battle is said to have taken place outside a mud fort where the Guru was resting. Negotiations broke down and the Sikh soldiers chose to engage the overwhelming Mughal forces, thus allowing their Guru to escape. A "Gurmatta" or consensus amongst the Sikhs compelled Gobind Singh to obey the will of the majority and escape by the cover of night. It is alleged that the Sikh warriors were able to engage the Mughal troops in majority due to training in the Sikh martial art of "Shastar Vidya". All the Sikhs guarding the Guru were killed in the battle. Guru at Chamkaur Sahib On 20 December 1704 Guru Gobind Singh and the 40 Singhs camped in an open space in Ropar. Bhai Budhi Chand who owned a Haveli (open house) in the town of Chamkaur visited Guru Sahib and offered his home and family at the feet of the Guru. Guru Sahib had once visited the mud-house of Bhai Budhi Chand while returning from Kurukshetra. Guru Sahib and the 40 Singhs moved into the house of Bhai Budhi Chand situated on a hill, which now became the mud-fort of Guru Gobind Singh. At the commencement of Amrit vela (early hours of the day before sunrise) Guru Gobind Singh woke up Bhai Sangat. “Wake up Sangat Singh; it’s time for Aasa Di Var. Let’s do Kirtan,” Guru said. What an amazing warrior Guru was! An army of 100,000 is pursuing Guru Sahib and planning to attack the place where they are staying, and Guru is still blissfully continuing his routine Rehat of Nitnem and Aasa Di Var Keertan with all Singhs joining in. Nawab Wazir Khan announced outside the fort of Chamkaur, “Gobind Singh! If you and your Sikhs come out now, you will be spared!” Guru replied to this with a rain of arrows. There was silence now in the cold morning. Clouds filled the sky followed by thunder and lightning. Guru and the Singhs became ready for the battle. Preparing for Battle In the chilly hours before sunrise officers of the Mughal horde, Khwaja Muhammad and Nahar Khan sent a Mughal messenger to negotiate with the Sikhs with a term of treaty demanding submission to Islamic law, which the Guru, his sons and valiant warriors unanimously declined. However, Guru Sahib told the messenger to go away or face death. Inside the four walls of the mud-house Guru Sahib declared war. The Mughal officers ordered their troupes to mercilessly attack the Guru's vastly outnumbered warriors. The Guru and his Singhs responded fiercely, defending their fortress from the horde's advance with deadly accuracy. Their small store of arrows and ammunition quickly expended, and by late afternoon hand to hand combat remained their only option to surrender and forced conversion to Islam. Two Mughal officers, Nahar Khan and Ghairat Khan, and many of their soldiers died attempting to breach the compound. The warrior's heroic martyrdom held back the enemy hordes and prevented an all-out invasion of the fortress. First, a Singh came out and when he was about to become Shaheed (martyr), he roared the Jaikara (slogan) of "Sat Sri Akal"! As soon as the sound of "Sat Sri Akal" echoed throughout the battlefield, the next Singh came out to fight in the battleground. The Nawab was astonished at what these Singhs were made of. He remembered the sayings of the Sikhs that "One Sikh equalled Sava Lakh (125,000)" – the bravery of one Sikh is equal to that of 125,000 ordinary men. chidiyon se main baaj ladaoo , geedadon ko main sher banaoo ! sava laakh se ek ladaoo tabhee gobind sinh naam kahun !! I hate birds Fight; I will turn jackals into lions; one fight with 1.25 lakh and only then the name of Gobind Singh says Baba Ajit Singh Goes To Fight Sahibzada Ajit Singh now went before Guru Sahib. "Respected father, permit me to go and fight on the battleground and grace me with the opportunity to make my life fruitful and worthy in your service.” Sahibzada Ajit Singh said: "Naam Ka Ajit Hoon, Jeeta Nahin Jaaunga, Agar Jeeta Bhi Gya, Toh Jeeta Nahi Aunga!! You have named me Ajit (Unconquerable), I shall not be conquered; If overpowered, I shall die fighting like my brother Sikhs. Guru Gobind Singh hugged his beloved son and gave him a Shastr (weapon). A beard or moustache had yet not grown on Baba Ajit Singh's face, showing how young he was. Every father wants to see their child get married, but this was the time of fighting the enemy. Death was waiting and today Baba Ajit Singh would be marrying death. The sun was about to come out. Guru saw that Nawab Wazir Khan wanted to take hold of the fort of Chamkaur in one attempt. The Nawab surrounded the fort with his armies. At this time the Singhs did a benti (request) to Guru that since there were no means of escaping the siege, for he to please escape with Sahibzade. However, Guru Sahib told them that there is no difference between the Singhs and the Sahibzade. “You are all mine! We will be victorious and we will all be free.” Baba Ajit Singh boldly and valiantly came out of the fort, accompanied by 8 other Singhs, which included one of the original Panj Piarey, Bhai Mohkam Singh. Guru watched the battle scene from the top of the fort. There was silence on all four sides. As they came into the battle ground they roared Jaikarey, which sounded everywhere like the roar of a lion. Today the 8 Singhs felt proud that under the leadership of Baba Ajit Singh, they had been blessed with an opportunity to fight at his side. Baba Ajit Singh advanced on the battlefield and displayed weaponry skills with great courage and bravery. The army surrounded the Sahibzada on four sides. Baba Ajit Singh called out, “Come nearer if you have courage.” The soldiers ran away frightened. Now they come back in a larger group as not a single one of them dared to individually fight Baba Ajit Singh. The Singhs' weaponry skill on the battlefield reminded the Mughal soldiers of Allah, and they feared for their lives. While fighting, Baba Ajit Singh’s Kirpan (sword) broke. He then began to fight with a Neja (spear). However, while killing one Mughal chief, it became stuck in his chest. Even then, Baba Ajit Singh remained in bliss and peace. While fighting, all 8 Singhs became Shaheed (martyrs). One Mughal chief injured Baba’s horse. As a result, he fought on the ground with his talwar (sword). With each blow of the sword, he split the enemy into two. When he struck the enemy twice with his sword, they got cut up into four pieces. Now as the army surrounded Baba Ajit Singh, Guru watched. When he attained Shaheedi, Guru Sahib roared a Jaikara of “Sat Sri Akal.” Baba Jujhar Singh ready for Shaheedi The news of Baba Ajit Singh attaining Shaheedi (martyrdom) spread. Hearing the news of his brother, Baba Jujhar Singh now desired to fight on the battlefield. He asked Guru Sahib, “Permit me, respected father, to go where my brother has gone. Don’t say that I am too young. I am your son. I am a Singh, a Lion of yours. I shall prove worthy of you. I shall die fighting, with my face towards the enemy, with the Naam on my lips and the Guru in my heart.” Guru Gobind Singh embraced him and said, "Go my son and wed the life-giving bride - Death.” Guru gave blessings to Baba Jujhar Singh just as a father gives blessings to the bride on the day of her marriage. Guru added, “I asked my father to give his life for "Dharam" (righteousness and justice). Today, what I told my father, I now tell you.” Bhai Himmat Singh and Bhai Sahib Singh (two of the original Panj Piarey) along with 3 other Singhs accompanied Sahibzada Baba Jujhar Singh. The Mughals were shocked at what they saw. It looked as if Ajit Singh had come back. ਐਸੀ ਮਰਨੀ ਜੋ ਮਰੈ ਬਹੁਰਿ ਨ ਮਰਨਾ ਹੋਇ ॥੧॥ aisee marnee jo marai, bahur na marnaa hoe. ॥1॥ Whoever dies let him die such a death, that he does not have to die again. ॥1॥. (Ang 555, SGGS) Fighting Till the Last Breath Dead bodies lay everywhere. The army assembled to kill Baba Jujhar Singh. He was now surrounded and had a Neja (spear) in his hand. Wherever the Neja hit, the enemy was destroyed. He also used a Khanda (double-edged sword), with which he killed the enemy as a farmer mows down his crop. Guru saw that Baba Jujhar Singh was being surrounded and the opportunity to kill the Mughal soldiers was decreasing. Guru Sahib fired volleys of arrows in the air. In the army, they call this ‘Protection Fire.’ The person providing Protection Fire must be very skilful and precise because if the target is missed, people on the same side can be killed. Guru Sahib gave Protection Fire with arrows, but none of the 5 Singhs or Baba Jujhar Singh was hit or injured by the arrows. They demonstrated the Sikh concept of one equalling “Sava Lakh” (125,000). Baba Jujhar Singh eventually was able to break the ring of the Mughal army soldiers surrounding him. Baba then attained Shaheedi. ਸੂਰਾ ਸੋ ਪਹਿਚਾਨੀਐ ਜੁ ਲਰੈ ਦੀਨ ਕੇ ਹੇਤ ॥ sooraa so pahichaanee-ai, jo larai deen ke het. ॥ That person alone is known as a spiritual warrior, who fights in defence of religion. ਪੁਰਜਾ ਪੁਰਜਾ ਕਟਿ ਮਰੈ ਕਬਹੂ ਨ ਛਾਡੈ ਖੇਤੁ ॥੨॥੨॥ purjaa purjaa katt marai, kabhoo na chhaadai khet. ॥2॥2॥ They may be cut apart, piece by piece, but they never leave the field of battle. ॥2॥2॥; (Ang 1105, SGGS) This was the sign of a true warrior! By the time Baba Jujhar Singh had attained Shaheedi nightfall had arrived and the moon could be seen in the sky. Guru Sahib wrote in his composition, the Zafarnama: ਚਿ ਕਸਮੇ ਕੁਰਾਂ ਮਨ ਕੁਨਮ ਏਤਬਾਰ ਵਗਰਨਾ ਤੁ ਗੋਈ ਮਨ ਈਂ ਰਾਹਚਿਕਾਰ che kasm-e kuraa(n), man kunam eitbaar vagarnaa tu goee, man ee(n) raah chi-kaar What trust can I have in your oath on Koran? Otherwise, why should I have taken this path (of taking up the sword)? (Line 23, Zafarnama) During the night, Bhai Daya Singh and Bhai Dharam Singh (two of the original Panj Piarey) along with Bhai Maan Singh and other Singhs remained in the fort of Chamkaur Sahib. There were a total of 10 Singhs left. Now the Guru-roop Panj Piarey (Five Singhs) gave Hukam to Guru Sahib to leave the fort. Another Sikh who resembled the Guru, Sangat Singh, donned the Guru's clothes and remained with the soldiers. The next morning the remaining Sikhs were killed by Mughal forces. Guru Sahib did not leave quietly. On leaving, Guru Sahib blew his horn and stood on high ground and clapped his hands three times saying: Peeré Hind Rahaavat” “The "Peer" of India is leaving”. ਧੰਨ ਉਹ ਧਰਤੀ ਧੰਨ ਉਹ ਬਾਪੂ, ਧੰਨ ਵਡਭਾਗੀ ਮਾਈ । ਢੰਗ ਜਿਉਣ ਦਾ ਜਿਸਦਾ ਪੁੱਤਰ, ਦੱਸ ਗਿਆ ਸਦੀਆ ਸਾਈਂ । “Blessed is that land, blessed is that father, blessed is the great mother. Whose son has shown the way to live, for centuries to come?” Aftermath After finding out that the Guru had escaped, the Mughals started searching the woods and the area surrounding Chamkaur. The Mughals hastily chased after the Guru once they realised he had escaped. Guru Gobind Singh made a last stand against the Mughals at Muktsar, however, by then Aurangzeb had started to sue for peace. The Battle of Muktsar was the last battle fought by Guru Gobind Singh. There he wrote Zafarnama, ("the epistle of victory"), a letter to Aurangzeb in which he wrote chirag-e jahaan chun shod-e burka posh shah-e shab bar-aamad hameh jalwa josh ... But still when the lamp of daylight (sun) set and the queen of night (moon) came up, then my protector (God) gave me passage and I escaped safely, not even a hair on my body was harmed. The Guru emphasised how he was proud that his sons had died fighting in battle, and that he had 'thousands of sons – the Singhs'. He also said that he would never trust Aurangzeb again due to his broken promises and lies. Zafarnama Guru Gobind Singh had lost all his four sons in his fight for justice against the Moghuls, who had them killed by treachery, and who were hell-bent on converting every Hindu, forcibly, to Islam. In the name of religion, heinous murders and horrific carnage took place. The Guru, however, a brave and pious soul that he was, refused to be cowed down. Though Aurangzeb pushed him to the limits, chasing him all over the country and forcing him to flee from place to place, his spirit would not be falsified in any way and refused to give in to Aurangzeb's cruelty. When Aurangzeb realised that the human he was fighting was not a mere mortal, as he thought he was, he finally wrote an invitation to him to come and negotiate terms of peace. After he escapes from Chamkaur, the exhausted Guru is said to have been carried by two Pathans (Ghani Khan and Nabi Khan) to Jatpur where he was received by the local Muslim chieftain. He later went to Dina and stayed at Mayi Desan's house, where he composed his reply to the Moghul Emperor. This is the famous Zafarnama, the Epistle of Victory. Zafarnama vividly describes what happened at Chamkaur, and also holds Aurangzeb responsible for what occurred and promises he broke. 13: Aurangzeb! I have no trust in your oaths anymore. (You have written that) God is one and He is a witness (between us). 14: I don't have trust equivalent to even a drop (of water) in your generals (who came to me with oaths on the Quran that I will be given safe passage out of Anandgarh Fort). They were all telling lies. 15: If anyone trusts (you) on your oath in Quran, that person is bound to be doomed in the end. When Aurangzeb received this epistle, he was filled with remorse and realised that all that he had done in the name of religion, was heresy. His conscience finally won its battle against the Emperor's greed for power, and he ordered that Guru Gobind Singh and his Sikhs should not be harassed any more. His repentance was so great, that he died soon thereafter. The pen proved mightier than the sword!

Dec 18, 2024
Shalini Venuturupalli

R Ashwin: A Legendary Career Comes to an End

India's second-highest wicket-taker in tests, with a tally of 537 wickets has called it quits. He has decided to retire from international cricket with immediate effect. Being one of India’s most celebrated bowlers in the sport, his retirement has brought to an end a Career that has left an indelible mark on the game. Known for his incredible skill, sharp cricketing mind and incessant consistency, Ashwin’s journey has been one of evolution and excellence. His retirement marks the close of a golden era for India’s spin bowling and also signals the end of an era for one of the game’s most enigmatic and skilful bowlers. Ashwin made his debut in 2010 during which, he became India’s leading wicket-taker in tests in the modern era. His expertise in traditional and modern spin bowling and his ability to adapt to different bowling conditions always made him a force to be reckoned with. He became a key asset for India in all formats. Ashwin’s versatility was evident in his various deliveries like carrom balls, off-breaks, to innovative deliveries that shocked the batsmen. His ability to read the game elevated him to a cricketing strategist beyond just a mere bowler. His skill to outthink batsmen made him a unique asset. Ashwin’s list of records is long and impressive. He has a total of over 700 wickets in International Cricket with 537 coming in tests alone. He has other numerous milestones such as becoming the fastest to 200 test wickets and the second-fastest to 400 wickets in the format. He has a record of dismissing the most number of left-handers in test cricket. Displays across his name 37 test five-wicket hauls and has the joint most player of the series awards (11) in the format. He has the best strike rate of 50.7 for a spinner with more than 200 wickets in tests. His performances helped India become a dominant force in world cricket, contributing significantly to the team’s rise to the top of the ICC Test rankings in recent years. He was always a go-to bowler for the Indian team. Although Ashwin’s Career reflects figures related to bowling, he had another dimension to his game which was of an all-rounder. He was a more than capable batsman with memorable centuries to his name. On various occasions and during times of trouble, he supported the lower order with his resilience which made him another important asset in the team’s line-up. His contributions with the bat made him one of the most complete cricketers of his generation. Other than just a player in the side, his smart thinking towards the game made him an invaluable strategist in the dressing room. Ashwin has always been active in speaking about the various aspects of the game, its improvements, fitness and promoting spin bowling. His influence certainly extends beyond the cricket field where he engages with his fans through social media, especially his YouTube channel. Ashwin’s career has certainly proven that a cricketer’s role can extend beyond the field with a strong commitment to educating and inspiring future players. As Ashwin steps away from national duty, he leaves behind a legacy that will be remembered for years to come. His retirement is a bittersweet moment for Indian cricket, as the nation bids farewell to a person who not only delivered numerous match-winning performances on various occasions but also defined clearly the characteristics of a modern-day cricketer – intelligent, adaptable and immensely skilled. Ashwin’s departure is a sign that India is entering a new phase where younger spinners will have to carry the legacy forward. But the impact that Ashwin has had on Indian cricket is unmatched and will shape the future of spin bowling in the country for the years to come. Ash’s retirement has also shown how he became one of the finest spinners in the world. Though his international career has ended, his impact on the game will continue to inspire the upcoming generation of cricketers. As fans, we will continue to celebrate his achievements and look forward to the next phase of his life.