1 Bandé effcets lus
2 ecipe
3 Bahidny Sharh des
4 at Lahore, 1712
5 The Srhhs agin
6 rallv dround their
7 leader
8 They build the fort
9 of Gurdaspur,
10 And advance to
11 Sirhind.
12 The empero Jah4n-
13 dai Shah determines
14 on extirpatiug the
15 Siohs
16 Abdul Samad Khan
17 Diler Jang, 1s sent to
18 ehistise them,
19 The Sikhs disperse
20 on his approach
21 278 DISTORY OF TUD PANJAB.
22 friends and foes undistinguishable to each other. The attack was renewed
23 about dawn, and the fort taken after a short struggle. The Sikh chieftain
24 effected his escape during the night by a narrow path leading from the fort
25 to the hills, which had escaped the general’s notice, and retreated into the
26 wildest parts of the snowy range of the Himalayas. The Guru knew well how
27 to disguise himself, and so dexterous was he in this accomplishment, that his
28 most intimate acquaintances were unable to recognize him when he wished
29 to evade detection, When he wished to be known, he appeared as a prince
30 in the richest and most showy garments. When secrecy was his object,
31 he generally took the guise of a jogi or sanniasi.
32 Atter this success, Shah Alam returned to Lahore, where he died
33 A.D, 1712. The death of the emperor was followed by the ustal struggle
34 for power among his sons, and anarchy and confusion again prevailed.
35 These commotions were favourable to the Sikhs, who descending to the
36 plains, bordering on the Indus, again united and flocked around the banner
37 of their fanatical Jeader.
38 At this time they built for themselves a large fort called Gurdasptr,
39 between the Bids and the Ravi, the Lohgarh of the ancients, according to
40 Forster and Malcolm. Isl4m Khan, the viceroy of Lahore, marched with
41 the view of arresting their progress, but was defeated in a pitched battle.
42 The Sikhs then advanced to Sirhind, and Bayazid Khan, the governor of the
43 province, marched from the town to encounter their army, but was defeated
44 and stabbed by a funatic follower. The Mahomedan troops fled, but the
45 city, on this occasion, was not subjected to pillage, as on the former occasion
46 of the Guru’s visit, The emperor Farrukhseer, who ascended the throne
47 of Hindostén after killing his uncle, Moiz-ud-din Jahdnddér Shah (17138
48 A.D.), now determined on the extirpation of the Sikhs. He ordered Abdul
49 Samad Khan, surnamed Diler Jang, 2 Turani nobleman, governor of
50 Késhmir, and a general of great reputation, to assume the command of
51 the Panjab, and punish the insurgent Bandé and his fanatic followers.
52 Abdul Samad Khan marched from Kashmir with several thousands of his
53 own brave countrymen to Lahore, and was there joined by Mohamed Amin
54 Khan, whom the emperor had sent with a large number of chosen troops
55 from the eastern districts.
56 __ Banda, hearing of the approach of the imperial army, again fled to his
57 hill fastnesses, where he concealed himself. The imperialists followed him
58 with all speed; but he managed to escape, though, in the hurry and bustle
59 of the flight, he was forced to abandon a great part of his treasures, which
60 fell into the hands of the pursuing army and were divided by them among
61 the poor and afflicted persons who had been rendered homeless through
62 the atrocities and devastation committed by the Sikhs, Quiet having ap-
63 parently been restored, Mohamed Amin Khan was recalled to Delhi, while
64 Abdul Samad Khan Diler Jang was ordered to go to Léhorz to restore
65 , older in that province which had so seriously suffered from the ravages
66 Thev as-emble eeain
67 ‘Yndcr the leiderslup of
68 anda,
69 Ani eet the
70 wmMyperiUb Lauidir of
71 Apia
72 of the fanatic Sikhs.
73 After a year's 1espite, the Sikh chieftain again appeared on the plains
74 of Gurddsptir and took possession of Kalanaur and Santokh Garh. He
75 summoned the Sikhs from the haunts to which they had temporarily
76 retired, and in less than two months thirty-five thousand warriors * joine
77 his standard.
78 Sherk Mahomed Déem, the Fanjdar of Ambéla, encountered the Sikh
79 army, but he was defeated and fled in dismay to Lahore. Upon this Abdul
80 Se
81 * According to Rai Kanhia Lal, 50,000,
82 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com